2 Chronicles 26:11

Moreover Uzziah had an host of fighting men, that went out to war by bands, according to the number of their account by the hand of Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the ruler, under the hand of Hananiah, one of the king's captains.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(11) Moreover . . . fighting men.—Literally, And Uzziah had a host making war (or, doing battle).

That went out to war.—Literally, goers forth in the host.

By bands.—Or, in troops (lig’dûd)—i.e., in regular array; in organised bodies. Probably each house formed a distinct troop. (See 2Chronicles 26:13.)

According to the number of their account.—In the number of their muster (pĕquddāh,” census”).

By the hand of Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the ruler.—These two royal officials had been entrusted with the draught of the muster rolls. They were “under the hand “—i.e., the direction and superintendence—of Hanamah, who was “one of the king’s captains,” or staff officers.

Under the hand.—Or, at the side ((al y ad) (1Chronicles 25:2).

Benson Commentary

2 Chronicles 26:11. Now therefore deliver the captives — Release your brethren, whom you have made prisoners, and send them home again with care. For the fierce wrath of the Lord is upon you — And there is no other way of escaping it, but by showing mercy.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

26:1-15 As long as Uzziah sought the Lord, and minded religion, God made him to prosper. Those only prosper whom God makes to prosper; for prosperity is his gift. Many have owned, that as long as they sought the Lord, and kept close to their duty, they prospered; but when they forsook God, every thing went cross. God never continues either to bless the indolent or to withhold his blessing from the diligent. He will never suffer any to seek his face in vain. Uzziah's name was famed throughout all the neighbouring countries. A name with God and good people makes truly honourable. He did not delight in war, nor addict himself to sports, but delighted in husbandry.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

He built towers in the desert - Refuges for the flocks and the herdsmen in the wild pasture country on the borders of the holy land, especially toward the south and southeast.

Wells - The marginal translation is preferable. Judaea depends largely for its water-supply on reservoirs in which the rain-fall is stored. These are generally cut in the natural rock, and covered at top.

For he had much cattle ... - Some prefer, "for he had much cattle there, and in the low country, and on the dawns," with allusion to three pasture districts:

(1) The "wilderness," or high tract to the south and southeast, extending from the western shores of the Dead Sea to the vicinity of Beersheba;

(2) The "low country," or maritime plain on the west, between the hills of Judaea and the sea; and

(3) The "downs," or rich grazing land beyond the Jordan, on the plateau of Gilead. Uzziah's possession of this last-named district must have been connected with the submission of the Ammonites (see 2 Chronicles 26:8).

In the mountains, and in Carmel - These terms describe Judaea Proper - the hilly tract between the low maritime plain on the one side, and the wilderness and Jordan valley on the other. By "Carmel" we must understand, not the mountain of that name, which belonged to Samaria, but the cultivated portions of the Judaean hill-tract (see the margin).

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

2Ch 26:11-15. His Host, and Engines of War.

11-15. an host of fighting men, that went out to war by bands—He raised a strong body of militia, divided into companies or regiments of uniform size, which served in rotation. The enumeration was performed by two functionaries expert in the drawing up of military muster-rolls, under the superintendence of Hananiah, one of the high officers of the crown. The army consisted of 307,500 picked men, under the command of two thousand gallant officers, chiefs or heads of fathers' houses, so that each father's house formed a distinct band. They were fully equipped with every kind of military accoutrements, from brazen helmets, a habergeon or coat of mail, to a sling for stones.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

That went out to war by bands, i.e. some bands at one time, and some at another, as occasion required. See Poole "1 Chronicles 27:1", See Poole "2 Chronicles 13:14".

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Moreover, Uzziah had an host of fighting men,.... A standing army:

that went out to war by bands; to annoy his enemies, and to scour the country from thieves and robbers, that came in troops to plunder:

according to the number of their account, by the hand of Jeiel the scribe; the secretary of war, who ordered these bands, settled their number, and directed their destination:

and Maaseiah the ruler; or officer over them, a lieutenant:

under the hand of Hananiah, one of the king's captains; that had the command of them, or at least of one of them.

Geneva Study Bible

Moreover Uzziah had an host of fighting men, that went out to war by bands, according to the number of their account by the hand of Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the ruler, under the hand of Hananiah, one of the king's captains.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

11–15 (no parallel in Kings). Uzziah’s Army

11. by bands] This expression indicates that this army was used not for some great war, offensive or defensive, but for marauding or “punitive” expeditions against neighbouring tribes.

of their account by the hand of Jeiel] R.V. of their reckoning made by Jeiel.

the ruler] R.V. the officer. The same Heb. word (shôṭçr) is used Deuteronomy 20:5; Deuteronomy 20:8-9.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 11. - That went out to war by bands; Hebrew, יוצְאֵי צָבָא לִגְדוּד. The last of these words occurs thirty-three times, and is rendered "troop" ten times, "company" four times, "band" fourteen times, and (too generically) "army "five times. The middle word occurs above four hundred times, is rendered "host" an immense preponderance of these times, and probably should have been so rendered without exception. The first word is the pool participle kal of the familiar verb יָצָא, and compels the translation (given literally),' the goers out of the host by hands." Meantime, if the persons here spoken of were leaders, as seems possible, the hiph. participle is required (which would postulate an initial mem for the present initial yod), and a most typical example among some thirty others essentially similar may be quoted from Isaiah 40:26. Their account by the hand of Jeiel; i.e. their muster tabulated by Jeiel, whose office is mentioned before in our 2 Chronicles 25:11. Under the hand of Hananiah. That is, Hananiah was head of the whole matter of the registering, etc. 2 Chronicles 26:11

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

His army. He had a host of fighting men that went out to war by bands (לגדוּד, in bands), "in the number of their muster by Jeiel the scribe, and Maaseiah the steward (שׁטר), under Hananiah, one of the king's captains." The meaning is: that the mustering by which the host was arranged in bands or detachments for war service, was undertaken by (בּיד) two officials practised in writing and the making up of lists, who were given as assistants to Hananiah, one of the princes of the kingdom (יד על), or placed at his disposal.