come and make David king. 32And of the children of Issachar, men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their commandment. 33Of Zebulun, such as were able to go out in the host, that could set the battle in array, with all manner of instruments of war, fifty thousand; and that could order the battle array, and were not of double heart. 34And of Naphtali a thousand captains, and with them with shield and spear thirty and seven thousand. 35And of the Danites that could set the battle in array, twenty and eight thousand and six hundred. 36And of Asher, such as were able to go out in the host, that could set the battle in array, forty thousand. 37And on the other side of Jordan, of the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and of the half tribe of Manasseh, with all manner of instruments of war for the battle, an hundred and twenty thousand. 38All these, being men of war, that could order the battle array, came with a perfect heart to Hebron, to make David king over all Israel: and all the rest also of Israel were of one heart to make David king. 39And they were there with David three days, eating and drinking: for their brethren had made
kept, recording however not necessarily individuals but simply households. The phrase does not mean picked representatives. Note how the Chronicler skilfully lightens his statistics by some descriptive phrase: so also in vv. 32 ff.
32. that had understanding of the times] Cp. Esth. i. 13, "which knew the times." "Times" are "opportunities," "vicissitudes" (cp. xxix. 30), "experiences," good or bad (cp. Ps. xxxi. 15). The phrase means, therefore, "men of experience, having knowledge of the world." Some suppose that the phrase refers to astrological skill (knowledge of auspicious "times and seasons").
33. such as were able, etc.] This description is intended to exclude mere lads (such as David appeared to be, 1 Sam. xvii. 33) who might be in attendance on the warriors.
that could order, etc.] i.e. who moved as one man in battle array; cp. ver. 8, note on shield and spear. For "of double heart" cp. 2 Chr. xxx. 12, "one heart."
37. an hundred and twenty thousand] Evidently a round number, giving 40,000 to each tribe; cp. ver. 36.
38. with a perfect heart] i.e. with whole, undivided heart.
39. eating and drinking] The feasting probably began with the
