Old Testament Commentary - 1 Chronicles 11

by Don R. Hender


Scriptural Text [& Editorial]
Commentary & Explanation
Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
              CHAPTER 11                 

David anointed king in Hebron—He takes Zion, the City of David—His valiant warriors named and their deeds recounted.

David accepted by Israel (Ephraim) as the rightful King being of the 'flesh' and 'bone' of Ephraim—David proceeds to take the city of Jerusalem which was the tribe of Benjamin's by right as appointed by Joshua—Jerusalem is the City of Melchizedek, of Zion, a City of promise in the Lord—David, meaning Beloved was named after one of the names of the Lord and thus Jerusalem is the City of David or the City of Jehovah—David's warriors praised.
The Holy City of God 
From before the foundation of the world was Jerusalem so proclaimed to be of the Holy Congregation of the Lord as so stated in the visions of Zechariah (see Zechariah 3). And though not a part of Biblical history, one might expect that in the days of Adam and Enoch such was also a part of the history of the people. Certainly in the day of Melchezideck and 'Salem' such was the case and so such was of the same location as the eventaul 'city' of Jerusalem under King David.
  1 THEN all Israel gathered themselves to aDavid unto Hebron, saying, Behold, awe are thy bone and thy flesha.
  2 And moreover in time past, even when Saul was king, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the LORD thy God said unto thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be ruler over my people Israel.
  3 Therefore came all the elders of Israel to the king to Hebron; and David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the LORD; and they anointed aDavid bking over Israel, according to the word of the LORD by Samuel.
 1a we are thy bone and thy flesh This declaration was from Israel which was Ephraim as Judah had already sided with David as King. Most scholars consider that this is a mere reference to David being of Jacob who was called Israel. But when one considers David's genealogy, there is more here which Israel, Ephraim, is stating. And that is that David is the legal heir of Epharim who is Israel (see naming of Ephraim Israel). In the legal and rightful ancestry of David, he is the heir of Mahlon. Notice that Israel states that David is their 'flesh' and 'bone'. No mention of 'blood' kinship is made. For though David was legally and rightfully of the tribe of Ephraim, being the rightful heir of Mahlon and the House of Elimelech, David by his vicarious surrogate birth father was of the blood of Judah.  1a 2 Sam. 5:1 (1-3, 6-10)
 1a 2 Sam. 19:43 (41-43)
 3a 1 Sam. 16:1
   b 2 Sam. 5:4 (3-5)

  4 ¶ And David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, which is Jebus; where the aJebusites were, the inhabitants of the land.
  5 And the inhabitants of Jebus said to David, Thou shalt not come hither. Nevertheless David took the castle of Zion, which is the city of David.
  6 And David said, Whosoever smiteth the Jebusites first shall be chief and captain. So Joab the son of Zeruiah went first up, and was chief.
 14a Zechariah 10:7 (6-12);
       D&C 109:60-61;
       D&C 133:34;
       TG Israel, Joseph, People of
    b Septuagint; crosing his hands

  7 And David dwelt in the castle; therefore they called it the acity of David.
  8 And he built the city round about, even from Millo round about: and Joab repaired the rest of the city.
  9 So David waxed greater and greater: for the LORD of hosts was with him.
 1a Zechariah 10:7 (6-12);
       D&C 109:60-61;
       D&C 133:34;
       TG Israel, Joseph, People of
    b Septuagint; crosing his hands

  10 ¶ These also are the chief of the amighty men whom David had, who strengthened themselves with him in his kingdom, and with all Israel, to make him king, according to the word of the LORD concerning Israel.
  11 And this is the number of the mighty men whom David had; Jashobeam, an Hachmonite, the chief of the captains: he lifted up his spear against three hundred slain by him at one time.
 14a Zechariah 10:7 (6-12);
       D&C 109:60-61;
       D&C 133:34;
       TG Israel, Joseph, People of
    b Septuagint; crosing his hands

  12 And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, who was one of the three amighties.
  13 He was with David at Pas-dammim, and there the Philistines were gathered together to battle, where was a parcel of ground full of barley; and the people fled from before the Philistines.
  14 And they set themselves in the midst of that parcel, and delivered it, and slew the Philistines; and the LORD saved them by a great deliverance.
 14a Zechariah 10:7 (6-12);
       D&C 109:60-61;
       D&C 133:34;
       TG Israel, Joseph, People of
    b Septuagint; crosing his hands

  15 ¶ Now three of the thirty captains went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam; and the host of the Philistines encamped in the valley of Rephaim.
  16 And David was then in the hold, and the Philistines' garrison was then at Beth-lehem.
  17 And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Beth-lehem, that is at the gate!
 14a Zechariah 10:7 (6-12);
       D&C 109:60-61;
       D&C 133:34;
       TG Israel, Joseph, People of
    b Septuagint; crosing his hands

  18 And the three brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Beth-lehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: but David would not drink of it, but poured it out to the LORD,
  19 And said, My God forbid it me, that I should do this thing: shall I drink the blood of these men that have put their lives in jeopardy? for with the jeopardy of their lives they brought it. Therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mightiest.
 14a Zechariah 10:7 (6-12);
       D&C 109:60-61;
       D&C 133:34;
       TG Israel, Joseph, People of
    b Septuagint; crosing his hands

  20 ¶ And aAbishai the brother of Joab, he was chief of the three: for lifting up his spear against three hundred, he slew them, and had a bname among the three.
  21 Of the three, he was more honourable than the two; for he was their captain: howbeit he attained not to the first three.
  22 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done many acts; he slew two lionlike men of Moab: also he went down and slew a lion in a pit in a snowy day.
 14a Zechariah 10:7 (6-12);
       D&C 109:60-61;
       D&C 133:34;
       TG Israel, Joseph, People of
    b Septuagint; crosing his hands

  23 And he slew an Egyptian, a man of great stature, five cubits high; and in the Egyptian's hand was a spear like a weaver's beam; and he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and slew him with his own spear.
  24 These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among the three mighties.
  25 Behold, he was honourable among the thirty, but attained not to the first three: and David set him over his guard.
 14a Zechariah 10:7 (6-12);
       D&C 109:60-61;
       D&C 133:34;
       TG Israel, Joseph, People of
    b Septuagint; crosing his hands

  26 ¶ Also the valiant men of the armies were, aAsahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Beth-lehem,
  27 Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite,
  28 Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abi-ezer the Antothite,
  29 Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite,
  30 Maharai the Netophathite, Heled the son of Baanah the Netophathite,
  31 Ithai the son of Ribai of Gibeah, that pertained to the children of Benjamin, Benaiah the Pirathonite,
  32 Hurai of the brooks of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite.
 14a Zechariah 10:7 (6-12);
       D&C 109:60-61;
       D&C 133:34;
       TG Israel, Joseph, People of
    b Septuagint; crosing his hands

  33 Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite,
  34 The sons of Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan the son of Shage the Hararite,
  35 Ahiam the son of Sacar the Hararite, Eliphal the son of Ur,
  36 Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite,
  37 Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai the son of Ezbai,
  38 Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar the son of Haggeri,
  39 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Berothite, the armourbearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah,
  40 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,
  41 aUriah the Hittite, Zabad the son of Ahlai,
  42 Adina the son of Shiza the Reubenite, a captain of the Reubenites, and thirty with him,
  43 Hanan the son of Maachah, and Joshaphat the Mithnite,
  44 Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jehiel the sons of Hothan the Aroerite,
  45 Jediael the son of Shimri, and Joha his brother, the Tizite,
  46 Eliel the Mahavite, and Jeribai, and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam, and Ithmah the Moabite,
  47 Eliel, and Obed, and Jasiel the Mesobaite.
 14a Zechariah 10:7 (6-12);
       D&C 109:60-61;
       D&C 133:34;
       TG Israel, Joseph, People of
    b Septuagint; crosing his hands

 14a Zechariah 10:7 (6-12);
       D&C 109:60-61;
       D&C 133:34;
       TG Israel, Joseph, People of
    b Septuagint; crosing his hands