1 Chronicles 27

27TH CHAPTER

David’s Government Officials

¹This is a list of Israelite family heads, regiment and battalion commanders, and officers who were serving the king in all the army’s units. Throughout each year they came for a month at a time and then left. Each unit consisted of 24,000 men. 

²Jashobeam, son of Zabdiel, was in charge of the first unit, the one during the first month. In his unit there were 24,000. ³He was a descendant of Perez, and he was head of all of the army’s officers for the first month. 

⁴Dodai, Ahoh’s descendant, was in charge of the unit during the second month. It was his unit. (Mikloth was one of its leaders.) In Dodai’s unit there were 24,000. 

⁵The third commander of the army during the third month was Benaiah, son of the priest Jehoiada. He was the head, and in his unit there were 24,000. ⁶This Benaiah was one of the thirty fighting men and commander of the thirty as well as his own unit. His son was Ammizabad. 

⁷Asahel, Joab’s brother, was in charge of the fourth unit during the fourth month, and after him was his son Zebadiah. In his unit there were 24,000. 

⁸Shamhuth, Izrah’s descendant, was commander of the fifth unit during the fifth month. In his unit there were 24,000. 

⁹Ira, the son of Ikkesh from Tekoa, was in charge of the sixth unit during the sixth month. In his unit there were 24,000. 

¹⁰Helez, a Pelonite from the descendants of Ephraim, was in charge of the seventh unit during the seventh month. In his unit there were 24,000. 

¹¹Sibbecai, a descendant of Zerah from Hushah, was in charge of the eighth unit during the eighth month. In his unit there were 24,000. 

¹²Abiezer, a member of the tribe of Benjamin from Anathoth, was in charge of the ninth unit during the ninth month. In his unit there were 24,000. 

¹³Mahrai, a descendant of Zerah from Netophah, was in charge of the tenth unit during the tenth month. In his unit there were 24,000. 

¹⁴Benaiah, a member of the tribe of Ephraim from Pirathon, was in charge of the eleventh unit during the eleventh month. In his unit there were 24,000. 

¹⁵During the twelfth month, the twelfth unit was commanded by Heldai from Netophah. He was Othniel’s descendant. In his unit there were 24,000. 

¹⁶The following officers were in charge of the tribes of Israel: 

for the tribe of Reuben 

Eliezer, son of Zichri 

for the tribe of Simeon 

Shephatiah, son of Maacah 

¹⁷

for the tribe of Levi 

Hashabiah, son of Kemuel 

for the family of Aaron 

Zadok 

¹⁸

for the tribe of Judah 

Elihu, one of David’s brothers 

for the tribe of Issachar 

Omri, son of Michael 

¹⁹

for the tribe of Zebulun 

Ishmaiah, son of Obadiah 

for the tribe of Naphtali 

Jerimoth, son of Azriel 

²⁰

for the tribe of Ephraim 

Hoshea, son of Azaziah 

for half of the tribe of Manasseh 

Joel, son of Pedaiah 

²¹

for the half of Manasseh in Gilead 

Iddo, son of Zechariah 

for the tribe of Benjamin 

Jaasiel, son of Abner 

²²

for the tribe of Dan 

Azarel, son of Jeroham 

These were the commanders of Israel’s tribes. 

²³David didn’t count those under 20 years old, because the Lord had promised that the people of Israel would be as numerous as the stars in the sky. ²⁴Joab, son of Zeruiah, started to count them but didn’t finish. God was angry with Israel because of this, and the report from it was never included in the official records of King David. 

²⁵These were all the commanders in charge of King David’s property:^a

for the royal treasuries 

Azmaveth, son of Adiel 

for the goods in the fields, cities, 

villages, and watchtowers 

Jonathan, son of Uzziah 

²⁶

for the farm workers in the fields 

Ezri, son of Chelub 

²⁷

for the vineyards 

Shimei from Ramah 

for storing wine that came from the vineyards 

Zabdi from Shepham 

²⁸

for the olive and fig trees in the foothills 

Baal Hanan from Gedor 

for storing olive oil 

Joash 

²⁹

for the herds grazing in Sharon 

Shitrai from Sharon 

for the herds in the valleys 

Shaphat, son of Adlai 

for the camels 

Obil, a descendant of Ishmael 

for the donkeys 

Jehdeiah from Meronoth 

³¹

for the flocks 

Jaziz from Hagar 

³²David’s uncle Jonathan, an educated man who possessed insight, was David’s adviser. Jonathan and Jehiel, son of Hachmoni, were in charge of the king’s sons. ³³Ahithophel was the king’s adviser. Hushai, a descendant of Archi, was the king’s friend. ³⁴Jehoiada (son of Benaiah) and Abiathar succeeded Ahithophel. Joab was the commander of the royal army.