1 Chronicles 27

Military and Civil Organizations

27This is the list of the Israelite heads of families and clan leaders and their officials who administered the work of the kingdom. Each month of the year a different group of 24,000 men was on duty under the commander for that month.

²The following were the commanders for each month:

First month: Jashobeam son of Zabdiel ³(he was a member of the clan of Perez, a part of the tribe of Judah);

⁴Second month: Dodai, a descendant of Ahohi (Mikloth was his second in command);^z

⁵Third month: Benaiah son of Jehoiada the priest; ⁶he was the leader of “The Thirty” (his son Amizzabad succeeded him as commander of this group);

⁷Fourth month: Asahel, brother of Joab (his son Zebadiah succeeded him);

⁸Fifth month: Shamhuth, a descendant of Izhar;

⁹Sixth month: Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa;

¹⁰Seventh month: Helez, an Ephraimite from Pelon;

¹¹Eighth month: Sibbecai from Hushah (he was a member of the clan of Zerah, a part of the tribe of Judah);

¹²Ninth month: Abiezer from Anathoth in the territory of the tribe of Benjamin;

¹³Tenth month: Maharai from Netophah (he was a member of the clan of Zerah);

¹⁴Eleventh month: Benaiah from Pirathon in the territory of the tribe of Ephraim;

¹⁵Twelfth month: Heldai from Netophah (he was a descendant of Othniel).

Administration of the Tribes of Israel

^16–22This is the list of the administrators of the tribes of Israel:

TribeAdministrator

ReubenEliezer son of Zichri

SimeonShephatiah son of Maacah

LeviHashabiah son of Kemuel

AaronZadok

JudahElihu, one of King David’s brothers

IssacharOmri son of Michael

ZebulunIshmaiah son of Obadiah

NaphtaliJeremoth son of Azriel

EphraimHoshea son of Azaziah

West ManassehJoel son of Pedaiah

East ManassehIddo son of Zechariah

BenjaminJaasiel son of Abner

DanAzarel son of Jeroham

^23*King David did not take a census of the people who were under the age of twenty, because of the Lord’s promise to make the people of Israel as numerous as the stars in the sky. ^24*Joab, whose mother was Zeruiah, began to take a census, but he did not complete it. God punished Israel because of this census, so the final figures were never recorded in King David’s official records.

Administration of the Royal Property

²⁵This is the list of those who administered the royal property:

Royal storerooms: Azmaveth son of Adiel;

Local storerooms: Jonathan son of Uzziah;

²⁶Farm labour: Ezri son of Chelub;

²⁷Vineyards: Shimei from Ramah;

Wine cellars: Zabdi from Shepham;

²⁸Olives and sycomore trees (in the western foothills): Baal Hanan from Geder;

Olive oil storage: Joash;

²⁹Cattle in the Plain of Sharon: Shirtai from Sharon;

Cattle in the valleys: Shaphat son of Adlai;

^30–31Camels: Obil, an Ishmaelite;

Donkeys: Jehdeiah from Meronoth;

Sheep and goats: Jaziz, a Hagrite.

David’s Personal Advisers

³²Jonathan, King David’s uncle, was a skilful adviser and a scholar. He and Jehiel son of Hachmoni were in charge of the education of the king’s sons. ³³Ahithophel was adviser to the king, and Hushai the Archite was the king’s friend and counsellor. ³⁴After Ahithophel died, Abiathar and Jehoiada son of Benaiah became advisers. Joab was commander of the royal army.