1 Crônicas 12

1 Crônicas 12

Constable: Chapter 12 has no parallel in Samuel. Its unique emphases are these: Men from Israel as well as Judah followed David, and there was a very large number of them (v. 22). David also had many other supporters (vv. 39- 40). Even Saul's relatives followed him (vv. 2, 16, 29). God sanctioned the plan of these men to turn the kingdom of Saul over to David (v. 23). Martin Selman: Chapters 11-12 are a single unit with a clear design. The programmatic theme of David’s recognition as king by the whole of Israel introduces (11:1-3) and concludes (12:23-40) the whole unit. Significantly, the conclusion to the whole account of David’s reign has an identical emphasis (1 Chr. 29:25-26), and parallels the opening here. The intervening verses (11:4 – 12:37) develop the basic theme. They reveal David’s widespread support, even from those tribes most distant geographically from Judah and those who formerly owed allegiance to Saul. The emphasis on Israel’s unity under David must have had considerable implications for postexilic Israel. … Although Chronicles reports several attempts at reunification during the Divided Monarchy period (e.g. 2 Chr. 30:1-12), no other passage expresses so clearly that the open commitment of previously separated groups to God’s appointed leader was a vital ingredient in making that unity possible. Though the Chronicler’s hope remained unfulfilled in his own day, it did become a real possibility in Christ. Those Jews and Samaritans who first put their faith in Jesus (John 4:4-42; Acts 8:4- 25) began a reunifying process which is still moving towards its climax. It was accelerated when 3,000 ‘Jews from every nation under heaven’ (Acts 2:5) were joined by Gentiles from many nations in acknowledging the risen Son of David as God’s appointed leader. It remains the church’s privilege and task to break down human barriers and to work towards the final gathering of a ‘great multitude … from every nation, tribe, people and language’ to Jesus as ‘KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS’ (Rev. 7:0; 19:16). Only then will Chronicles’ hope for the Davidic kingship be fully and finally transformed. Now these are the ones who came to David at Ziklag (note) - See map above for location of Ziklag and note that it on the border with Judah which helps understand the statement in 1 Samuel 27:6. Ziklag - 12 verses - Jos. 15:31; Jos. 19:5; 1 Sam. 27:6; 1 Sam. 30:1; 1 Sam. 30:14; 1 Sam. 30:26; 2 Sam. 1:1; 2 Sam. 4:10; 1 Chr. 4:30; 1 Chr. 12:1; 1 Chr. 12:20; Neh. 11:28 Ziklag - a town in the Negeb, or south country of Judah (Josh. 15:31), in the possession of the Philistines when David fled to Gath from Ziph with all his followers. Achish, the king, assigned him Ziklag as his place of residence. There he dwelt for over a year and four months. From this time it pertained to the kings of Judah (1 Sam. 27:6). During his absence with his army to join the Philistine expedition against the Israelites (29:11), it was destroyed by the Amalekites (30:1, 2), whom David, however, pursued and utterly routed, returning all the captives (1 Sam. 30:26-31). Two days after his return from this expedition, David received tidings of the disastrous battle of Gilboa and of the death of Saul (2 Sam. 1:1-16). He now left Ziklag and returned to Hebron, along with his two wives, Ahinoam and Abigail, and his band of 600 men. It has been identified with 'Asluj, a heap of ruins south of Beersheba. Conder, however, identifies it with Khirbet Zuheilikah, ruins found on three hills half a mile apart, some seventeen miles north-west of Beersheba, on the confines of Philistia, Judah, and Amalek. While he was still restricted - NET - "when he was banished" Of course this banishment was David's own choice, one he made without any evidence that he had inquired of the LORD like he did at other times when he had crucial decisions. See phrase Inquired of in the Old Testament- Jdg. 1:1; Jdg. 20:18; Jdg. 20:23; Jdg. 20:27; 1Sa 14:37; 1Sa 22:10; 1Sa 22:13; 1Sa 23:2; 1Sa 23:4; 1Sa 28:6; 1Sa 30:8; 2Sa 2:1; 2Sa 5:19; 2Sa 5:23; 2Sa 12:16; 2Sa. 16:23; 1Ch 14:10; Ezek. 20:3; Ezek. 20:31; Zeph. 1:6; Note the two times Saul inquired of the LORD - 1Sa 14:37 and 1Sa 28:6! Contrast with David's inquiries! because of (term of explanation - what is it explaining?) Saul the son of Kish; and they were among the mighty (gibbor; Lxx - dunatos) men who helped him in war. Mark Boda: This section begins with relatives from Saul’s own tribe (Benjamin) and even his own town (Gibeah) who were both expert archers and stone slingers, showing that there was discontent within Saul’s own power base. They came to Ziklag, a town on the southern border of Judah’s traditional territory, which was held by the Philistines during the reign of Saul. At that time it had been given to David as reward for his defection from Saul and loyalty to the Philistine king Achish of Gath (1 Sam 27:1-6). It would become the base of his operations until Saul’s death (2 Sam 1:1), when David’s base would move to Hebron (2 Sam 2:1). TSK Note - Sometimes, in the East, when a successful prince endeavoured to extirpate the preceding royal family, some of them escaped the slaughter, and secured themselves in an impregnable fortress, or in a place of great secrecy; while others have been known to seek an asylum in a foreign county, from when they have occasioned, from time to time, great anxiety and great difficulties to the usurper of the crown. The expression shut up, so often applied to the extermination of eastern royal families. (De 32:32. 1 Ki 14:10; 21:21. 2 Ki 9:8; 14:26,) strictly speaking, refers to the two first of these cases; but the term may be used in a more extensive sense, for those who, by retiring into deserts, or foreign countries, preserve themselves from being slain by the men who usurp the dominions of their ancestors. Thus the term is here applied to David, though he did not shut himself up, strictly speaking, in Ziklag. It is described as a town in the country, and was probably an unwalled town; and it is certain that he did not confine himself to it, but, on the contrary, was continually making excursions from thence. Mighty men - phrase occurs 63x in 62v - Gen. 6:4; 2 Sam. 10:7; 2 Sam. 16:6; 2 Sam. 17:8; 2 Sam. 20:7; 2 Sam. 23:8; 2 Sam. 23:9; 2 Sam. 23:16; 2 Sam. 23:17; 2 Sam. 23:22; 1 Ki. 1:8; 1 Ki. 1:10; 2 Ki. 15:20; 2 Ki. 24:14; 1 Chr. 5:24; 1 Chr. 7:2; 1 Chr. 7:5; 1 Chr. 7:7; 1 Chr. 7:9; 1 Chr. 7:11; 1 Chr. 7:40; 1 Chr. 8:40; 1 Chr. 11:10; 1 Chr. 11:11; 1 Chr. 11:12; 1 Chr. 11:19; 1 Chr. 11:24; 1 Chr. 11:26; 1 Chr. 12:1; 1 Chr. 12:8; 1 Chr. 12:21; 1 Chr. 12:25; 1 Chr. 12:30; 1 Chr. 19:8; 1 Chr. 26:6; 1 Chr. 28:1; 1 Chr. 29:24; Neh. 3:16; Job 34:24; Eccl. 12:3; Cant. 3:7; Cant. 4:4; Isa. 21:17; Jer. 5:16; Jer. 26:21; Jer. 46:5; Jer. 46:9; Jer. 48:41; Jer. 49:22; Jer. 50:36; Jer. 51:30; Jer. 51:56; Jer. 51:57; Ezek. 39:18; Ezek. 39:20; Dan. 8:24; Joel 2:7; Joel 3:9; Obad. 1:9; Nah. 2:3; Zech. 10:5; Rev. 19:18 QUESTION - What is the significance of Ziklag in the Bible? ANSWER - Ziklag, a town on the southernmost boundary of Judea, is first mentioned in the Bible as part of the inheritance of the tribe of Judah (Joshua 15:31). Ziklag was assigned to the tribe of Simeon within Judah (Joshua 19:5) but appears not to have been conquered by the Israelites before the time of David. Ziklag was still under Philistine control when Saul reigned as king. For many years King Saul sought to harm David. After the death of Samuel, David fled for his life with six hundred men and their households to Philistine territory. While there, Achish, the Philistine king of Gath, gave Ziklag to David at his request: “‘Then David said to Achish, ‘If I have found favor in your eyes, let a place be assigned to me in one of the country towns, that I may live there. Why should your servant live in the royal city with you?’ So on that day Achish gave him Ziklag, and it has belonged to the kings of Judah ever since” (1 Samuel 27:5–6). Achish awarded Ziklag to David most likely to ensure David’s continued neutrality. David ruled over Ziklag for 16 months, during which he made the town his base of operations for military exploits against the Amalekites. Many of Israel’s disillusioned warriors flocked to join forces with David’s private army there (1 Chronicles 12:1–22). While David and his men were away attempting to join the Philistine army to fight against Saul, Amalekite raiders attacked Ziklag. When the Philistines refused to let David and his men fight with them, David returned to Ziklag and found his city had been burned down and all its inhabitants taken hostage: “David and his men reached Ziklag on the third day. Now the Amalekites had raided the Negev and Ziklag. They had attacked Ziklag and burned it, and had taken captive the women and everyone else in it, both young and old. They killed none of them, but carried them off as they went on their way. When David and his men reached Ziklag, they found it destroyed by fire and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive” (1 Samuel 30:1–3). In a daring rescue, David and his men pursued and defeated the raiders, recovering all that had been taken, including David’s two wives, Ahinoam and Abigail (1Sa 30:16–31). David was living in Ziklag when he received the news of Saul’s death (2 Samuel 4:10). After that, David moved to Hebron to become the king of Judah. The exact location of Ziklag is debated. Some scholars associate it with Tell esh-Sharia, about 15 miles southeast of Gaza. Others pinpoint it at Tell el-Khuweilfeh, about 10 miles northeast of Beersheba. Ziklag remained in Israelite possession until the end of the monarchy and is last mentioned in the Bible as one of the cities inhabited by Jews after returning from exile in Babylon (Nehemiah 11:28).GotQuestions.org QUESTION - Who were the mighty men of David? ANSWER - 2 Samuel 23:8–39 and 1 Chronicles 11:10–47 list a group of people known as mighty men of David or David’s mighty men. They are also referred to as the “thirty chiefs” (1 Chronicles 11:15) and simply “the Thirty” (1 Chronicles 12:4). These mighty men of David were a group of David’s toughest military warriors who were credited with heroic feats, including Josheb-basshebeth, who killed 800 men in one battle with a spear (2 Samuel 23:8). Additional notable actions listed include the deeds of a man named Eleazar, who stayed on the battlefield when other warriors fled and killed Philistines until his hand was stuck clenched around his sword (2 Samuel 23:9–10); and the exploits of Abishai, the leader of the mighty men, who killed 300 men with a spear (23:18). Benaiah was known for going into a pit on a snowy day and killing a lion and for killing a powerful Egyptian man with the man’s own spear (2 Samuel 23:20–21). He also served as leader of David’s bodyguards (2Sa 23:23). Killing a lion in the ancient Near East made a person a hero. Within this list of mighty men are three men who served as a special elite group: Josheb-basshebeth, Eleazar, and Shammah. Their exact roles are not made clear, but they were certainly seen as stand-outs among David’s mighty men. Although the mighty men are called “the Thirty,” a total of 37 men are listed, meaning that not all of these men were on the team the entire time. Some of them, like Uriah, were killed in battle during David’s reign. Another explanation may be that David’s elite group of mighty men numbered approximately 30, a figure not meant to be exact. Some of these mighty men of David had considerable military skill and the blessing of God. David’s mighty men served an important role in protecting the king and fighting for the freedom of their nation, the land of Israel. The full list of the mighty men of David is located in 2 Samuel 23 and includes the following names: 1. Josheb-basshebeth, a Tahchemonite 2. Eleazar, the son of Dodo 3. Shammah, the son of Agee the Hararite 4. Abishai 5. Benaiah 6. Asahel 7. Elhanan 8. Shammah of Harod 9. Elika of Harod 10. Helez the Paltite 11. Ira, the son of Ikkesh of Tekoa 12. Abiezer of Anthoth 13. Mebunnai the Hushathite 14. Zalmon the Ahohite 15. Maharai of Netophah 16. Heleb, the son of Baanah of Netophah 17. Ittai, the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the people of Benjamin 18. Benaiah of Pirathon 19. Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash 20. Abi-albon the Arbathite 21. Azmaveth of Bahurim 22. Eliahba the Shaalbonite 23. The sons of Jashen 24. Jonathan 25. Shammah the Hararite 26. Ahiam, the son of Sharar the Hararite 27. Eliphelet, the son of Ahasbai of Maacha 28. Eliam, the son of Ahithophel of Gilo 29. Hezro of Carmel 30. Paarai the Arbite 31. Igal, the son of Nathan of Zobah 32. Bani the Gadite 33. Zelek the Ammonite 34. Naharai of Beeroth 35. Ira the Ithrite 36. Gareb the Ithrite 37. Uriah the Hittite GotQuestions.org G Campbell