27
David’s Government Officials
1 This 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.
2 Jashobeam, son of Zabdiel, was in charge of the first unit, the one during the first month. In his unit there were 24,000. 3 He was a descendant of Perez, and he was head of all of the army’s officers for the first month.
4 Dodai, 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.
5 The 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. 6 This Benaiah was one of the thirty fighting men and commander of the thirty as well as his own unit. His son was Ammizabad.
7 Asahel, 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.
8 Shamhuth, Izrah’s descendant, was commander of the fifth unit during the fifth month. In his unit there were 24,000.
9 Ira, the son of Ikkesh from Tekoa, was in charge of the sixth unit during the sixth month. In his unit there were 24,000.
10 Helez, 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.
11 Sibbecai, a descendant of Zerah from Hushah, was in charge of the eighth unit during the eighth month. In his unit there were 24,000.
12 Abiezer, 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.
13 Mahrai, a descendant of Zerah from Netophah, was in charge of the tenth unit during the tenth month. In his unit there were 24,000.
14 Benaiah, 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.
15 During the twelfth month, the twelfth unit was commanded by Heldai from Netophah. He was Othniel’s descendant. In his unit there were 24,000.
16 The 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.
23 David 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. 24 Joab, 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.
25 These were all the commanders in charge of King David’s property:*
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
30 for the camels
Obil, a descendant of Ishmael
for the donkeys
Jehdeiah from Meronoth
31 for the flocks
Jaziz from Hagar
32 David’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. 33 Ahithophel was the king’s adviser. Hushai, a descendant of Archi, was the king’s friend. 34 Jehoiada (son of Benaiah) and Abiathar succeeded Ahithophel. Joab was the commander of the royal army.
* 27:25 The last part of verse 32 has been moved to the beginning of verse 25 to express the complex Hebrew paragraph structure more clearly in English.