1 Chronicles 12:9

Ezer the first, Obadiah the second, Eliab the third,

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(9) The first.—The chief 1Chronicles 12:3 (har’osh).

(9-13) Eleven heroes of Gad.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

12:1-22 Here is an account of those who appeared and acted as David's friends, while he was persecuted. No difficulties or dangers should keep the sinner from coming to the Savior, nor drive the believer from the path of duty. Those who break through, and overcome in these attempts, will find abundant recompence. From the words of Amasai we may learn how to testify our affection and allegiance to the Lord Jesus; his we must be throughly; on his side we must be forward to appear and act. If we are under the influence of the Spirit, we shall desire to have our lot among them, and to declare ourselves on their side; if in faith and love we embrace the cause of Christ, he will receive, employ, and advance us.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Into the hold to the wilderness - Rather, "into the hold toward the wilderness." Some understand by this Ziklag, some En-gedi 1 Samuel 24:1-2; but it seems most probable that here and in 1 Chronicles 12:16 the stronghold of Adullam is intended 1 Chronicles 11:15-16.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

8-13. of the Gadites there separated themselves unto David—that is, from the service of Saul and from the rest of the Gadites who remained steadfast adherents of his cause.

into the hold—or fortress, that is, of Ziklag, which was in the wilderness of Judah.

whose faces were like the faces of lions, &c.—A fierce, lion-like countenance (2Sa 1:23), and great agility in pursuit (2Sa 2:18), were qualities of the highest estimation in ancient warfare.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

No text from Poole on this verse.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Ezer the first,.... This, and those that follow, are the names of the Gadites given, according to their age, or merit, or order in coming to David: Obadiah, Eliab, Mishmannah, Jeremiah, Attai, Eliel, Johanan, Elzabad, Jeremiah, Machbanai; in all eleven.

Geneva Study Bible

Ezer the first, Obadiah the second, Eliab the third,

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Pulpit Commentary

Verses 9-13. - The eleven names of these verses are all known elsewhere, but none of them as designating the same persons. 1 Chronicles 12:9

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

The Gadites, Benjamites, and men of Judah who joined themselves to David during his sojourn in the mountain fastness. - 1 Chronicles 12:8. David's sojourn in the mountain hold falls in the first years of his flight from Saul, 1 Samuel 22:1. מצד, pointed with Pathach instead of with Kamets (מצד, cf. 1 Chronicles 12:16), on account of its intimate connection with מדבּרה, is synonymous with מצוּדה (1 Samuel 24:22, etc.). The addition מדבּרה, "towards the wilderness," shows that מצד denotes a mountain-top or mountain-fortress in the wilderness of Judah. If we compare the account in 1 Samuel 22-24, we learn that David at that time did not hide himself in one single definite mountain-fortress, but sought and found resting-places, now here, now there, in the wilderness, on the summits of the hills (cf. בּמּצדות בּמּדבּר, 1 Samuel 23:14; 1 Samuel 24:1); so that מצד here is to be understood, as המּצוּדה, 1 Samuel 24:3, also is, generally of the fastnesses in the mountains of Judah. At that time there gathered round David a great company of discontented and oppressed men, to the number of about 400, - men dissatisfied with Saul's rule, whose leader he became, and who soon amounted to 600 men (1 Samuel 22:2 and 1 Samuel 23:13). To these belong the Gadites, and the men out of Benjamin and Judah, whose adhesion to David is noticed in our verses. נבדּלוּ, they separated themselves from the other Gadites who were on Saul's side, "strong heroes," as in Joshua 8:3; cf. חיל גּבּורי, 1 Chronicles 5:24; 1 Chronicles 7:2, 1 Chronicles 7:9, etc. למּלחמה צבא אנשׁי, men for service in the host for the war, i.e., combatants practised in war. ורמח צנּה ערכי, preparing shield and spear, i.e., wielding shield and spear, practised in their use: the preparing of these weapons includes the handling of them. Instead of ורמח, Veneta and many of the older copies have וּמגן; but it is not supported by MS authority, and moreover is not congruous with the passage. Lions' faces their faces, i.e., lion-like in appearance, thoroughly warlike figures; cf. 2 Samuel 1:23. "As roes running swiftly on the mountains;" cf. 2 Samuel 2:18. This description of the strength and swiftness of these warriors recalls, as Bertheau remarks, the similar expressions used in the historical books concerning heroes of David's time. It has manifestly been drawn from the original documents, not added by the chronicler. In 1 Chronicles 12:9-13 the names are enumerated individually. עשׂר עשׁתּי, at the end of a series of ordinal numbers, denotes the eleventh; cf. 1 Chronicles 24:12.