from the bow; they were of Saul's brethren of Benjamin. 3The chief was Ahiezer, then Joash, the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite; and Jeziel, and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth; and Beracah, and Jehu the Anathothite; 4and Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty man among the thirty, and over the thirty; and Jeremiah, and Jahaziel, and Johanan, and Jozabad the Gederathite; 5Eluzai, and Jerimoth, and Bealiah, and Shemariah, and Shephatiah the Haruphite; 6Elkanah, and Isshiah, and Azarel, and Joezer, and Jashobeam, the Korahites; 7and Joelah, and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham of Gedor. 8And of the Gadites there separated themselves unto David to the hold in the wilderness, mighty men of
they were of Saul's brethren of Benjamin] Brother is used in Heb. and Arabic for fellow-tribesman; cp. 2 Sam. xix. 12. The loyalty of Benjamin to Saul even after his death is attested by 2 Sam. ii. 15, 25, 31. But the importance of Benjamites in the post-exilic period would encourage such a tradition as is here recorded.
3. The chief was A., then J.] Read (cp. LXX.) A. the chief, J. the son (sing.) of Shemaah.
Jehu the Anathothite] i.e. man of Anathoth. See xi. 28, note.
4. among the thirty, and over the thirty] Ishmaiah's name does not occur among the thirty (2 Sam. xxiii. 24—39); the phrase is therefore perhaps only a kind of superlative; Ishmaiah was worthy to be ranked with the thirty or even above them. Probably however the list in ch. xi. and that in ch. xii. belong to different times.
the Gederathite] i.e. the man of Gederah. The only Gederah known was in the Judean Shephelah (Josh. xv. 36), so that it would seem that some men of Judah are reckoned along with the Benjamites in these verses. Similarly in ver. 7 men of the Judean town of Gedor (iv. 4; Josh. xv. 58) are mentioned. Perhaps therefore some words introducing the names of Judean heroes have dropped out. But an identification with a Benjamite village Jedireh, N. of Jerusalem, is also possible.
6. the Korahites] Probably not the Levitic but the Calebite sons of Korah (ii. 43), who belonged to Judah, are meant.
8—15. Gadite Adherents of David.
8. And of the Gadites] The Gadites had the name of marauders (Gen. xlix. 19), and David's mode of life would attract them. Chronologically ver. 8 should precede ver. 1; David was first "in the hold" and afterwards in Ziklag. On the reference to Gad and Manasseh (ver. 19) see 2 Chr. xv. 9.
separated themselves] i.e. left their brethren E. of Jordan and came W.
to the hold in the wilderness] It is uncertain whether this hold be or be not the cave of Adullam. On the latter see xi. 15, note.
