David also had contingents of foreign mercenaries (including Philistines1) in his pay as bodyguards, undoubtedly to increase the likelihood of their loyalty and to protect himself from local power struggles and potential revolt. Expanding military needs required reorganization of the army and of the nation itself. By the end of David’s reign, he had reorganized the militia into twelve different divisions (1 Chron. 27:1–24) rather than along tribal lines. Each division consisted of 24,000 men (24