1 Chronicles 12
1 Chronicles 12 is the twelfth chapter of the Books of Chronicles in the Hebrew Bible or the First Book of Chronicles in the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. The book is compiled from older sources by an unknown person or group, designated by modern scholars as "the Chronicler", and had the final shape established in late fifth or fourth century BCE. This chapter contains the list of people who joined David: before his coronation and after he was made king in Hebron. The whole chapter belongs to the section focusing on the kingship of David.
Text
This chapter was originally written in the Hebrew language. It is divided into 40 verses.Textual witnesses
Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text tradition, which includes the Aleppo Codex, and Codex Leningradensis.There is also a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint, made in the last few centuries BCE. Extant ancient manuscripts of the Septuagint version include Codex Vaticanus, Codex Sinaiticus, Codex Alexandrinus and Codex Marchalianus.
Structure
and 12 combine a 'variety of chronologically and geographically disparate lists' to establish the unity of "all Israel", with their unanimous recognition of David's kingship. The outer framework consists of David's anointing at Hebron to enclose the lists of the warriors who attended the festivities. The inner framework comprises the lists of David's forces while at Ziklag to enclose the warriors who joined him at “the stronghold”.The mighty men join David (12:1–22)
The first set of lists of the chapter contains the warriors joining David before he became king. It divides into four sections: the Benjaminites who came to David in Ziklag ; the Gadites who came toDavid's mountain stronghold, as well as the people of Benjamin and Judah ; the people of Manasseh came to David in Ziklag. Although only four tribes were mentioned, the structure clearly points to the conclusion in verse 22, that David got much support. The account of Manassites summarizes some incidents in 1 Samuel 28–30.
Verses 1–2
This passage suggests that some people of Benjamin defected to David while Saul was still reigning.- "Ziklag": located within the territory of Judah allotted to the tribe of Simeon. During Saul's reign, the Philistines apparently seized it, so their king, Achish of Gath, could give it to David, who set his headquarters in that place for sixteen months until the death of Saul.
Verses 3-4
Verse 18
Amasai's prophetic words, with "peace" mentioned three times, speak of David's closeness with his supporters at the beginning of his rise to power. This relationship would be dissolved when the kingdom was divided in the time of Rehoboam's reign.- "The thirty": is translated from the original Hebrew word השלושים, which in Masoretic tradition is written with punctuation as הַשָּׁלִישִׁים֒, ha-shə-lō-shîm, but read as הַשָּׁלִישִׁים֒, ha-shā-lî-shîm. Nadav Na'aman shows that the reading as "shālîsh" is the correct understanding and clarifies problems in interpreting, and related passages, following the interpretation of B. A. Mastin that "shālîshîm" are 'high-ranking officers who were called "of the third rank" simply because they came after the king and his senior officers'.
Verse 19