📖WEB · 1 Chronicles 12:11
What does 1 Chronicles 12:11 mean?
"Attai the sixth, Eliel the seventh,"
— 1 Chronicles 12:11 (World English Bible)
Surrounding context
Some Gadites joined David in the stronghold in the wilderness, mighty men of valor, men trained for war, who could handle shield and spear; whose faces were like the faces of lions, and they were as swift as the gazelles on the mountains:
Ezer the chief, Obadiah the second, Eliab the third,
Mishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth,
Attai the sixth, Eliel the seventh,
Johanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth,
Jeremiah the tenth, and Machbannai the eleventh.
These of the sons of Gad were captains of the army: he who was least was equal to one hundred, and the greatest to one thousand.
Explanation
First Chronicles 12:11 is a single line from a longer list of names, and on its own it simply identifies two men, Attai and Eliel, ranking sixth and seventh in a roster of warriors. There is no independent statement or command here; the verse only makes sense as part of the larger list surrounding it.
The context is important for understanding why this list exists at all. First Chronicles 12 recounts the men who came to David's side during the period when he was an outlaw fleeing from King Saul, and later when he was made king at Hebron. Verses 8-15 specifically name mighty warriors from the tribe of Gad who crossed the Jordan River, even at flood stage, to join David at his stronghold. These were skilled fighters, described as having faces like lions and feet swift as gazelles on the mountains. Attai and Eliel are simply two names within that group, ranked according to some order of prominence
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