📖WEB · 1 Chronicles 27:7
What does 1 Chronicles 27:7 mean?
"The fourth captain for the fourth month was Asahel the brother of Joab, and Zebadiah his son after him: and in his division were twenty-four thousand."
— 1 Chronicles 27:7 (World English Bible)
Surrounding context
Over the division of the second month was Dodai the Ahohite, and his division; and Mikloth the ruler: and in his division were twenty-four thousand.
The third captain of the army for the third month was Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada the priest, chief: and in his division were twenty-four thousand.
This is that Benaiah who was the mighty man of the thirty, and over the thirty: and of his division was Ammizabad his son.
The fourth captain for the fourth month was Asahel the brother of Joab, and Zebadiah his son after him: and in his division were twenty-four thousand.
The fifth captain for the fifth month was Shamhuth the Izrahite: and in his division were twenty-four thousand.
The sixth captain for the sixth month was Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite: and in his division were twenty-four thousand.
The seventh captain for the seventh month was Helez the Pelonite, of the children of Ephraim: and in his division were twenty-four thousand.
Explanation
This verse comes from a long administrative list in 1 Chronicles 27, where the author records how King David organized Israel's military forces. The nation was divided into twelve divisions, each responsible for guard duty during one month of the year, so that at any given time a rotating force of 24,000 men was on active service while the rest remained free to tend to their farms, families, and ordinary work. Verse 7 tells us that the division serving in the fourth month was commanded by Asahel, the brother of Joab (David's famous general), and that after Asahel, his son Zebadiah took over leadership of that same division. Like the other divisions listed in the chapter, this one also numbered twenty-four thousand men.
The context is important: Asahel was a real historical figure from earlier in David's story. He was a swift runner and loyal soldier who was killed in battle by Abner during the civil conflict between the house of Saul and the house of David, recorded in 2 Samuel 2. By the time 1 Chronicles was compiled — likely after the Babylonian exile, to help the returning Jewish community remember
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