IV.--DAVID'S PRIVY COUNCIL 1Chronicles 27:32-34).

(32) Also Jonathan David's uncle was a counsellor.--A son of David's brother Shimeah was named Jonathan (1Chronicles 20:7; 2Samuel 21:21). Nothing further is known of the present Jonathan than what is here related.

A wise man, and a scribe.--Rather, a sage and a scholar was he. The word rendered "scribe" (soph?r) usually answers to the ?????????? of the New Testament, and so the LXX. gives it here. We may remember that in the rude epochs of society mere writing has been esteemed an art, so that a king of England who could write was dubbed Beauclerc, "fine scholar." Charles the Great never got so far as signing his own name, though he made great efforts to do so. But writing goes back to a very ancient period among Semitic races, and soph?r probably means here, as in Ezra 7:6, "a man of letters," or "skilled in the sacred law." (See 1Chronicles 2:55; Isaiah 33:18; Psalm 45:2.) David's official soph?r, or scribe, was Shavsha (1Chronicles 18:16).

Jehiel the son of Hachmoni.--Rather, son of a Hachmonite. (Comp. 1Chronicles 11:11.)

With the king's sons--That is, their tutor. The similar lists in 2Samuel 8:15-18, 1Chronicles 18:15-17, and 2Samuel 20:23-26, lack representatives of the two offices mentioned in this verse. Obviously this account is independent of those.

(33) And Ahithophel was the king's counsellor.--Rather, a counsellor of the king's--Ahithophel, the faithless adviser, who committed suicide when his treachery proved unsuccessful (2Samuel 15:31 seq., 2Samuel 17:23).

Hushai the Archite.--The faithful counsellor, who baffled the wisdom of Ahithophel (2 Samuel 17).

(34) And after Ahithophel--After his death, Jehoiada the son of Benaiah, and Abiathar, the Ithamarite high priest, were David's advisers. Benaiah's father was named Jehoiada (see 1Chronicles 27:5, and 1Chronicles 11:22; 1Chronicles 18:17), so that David's counsellor Jehoiada bore the name of his grandfather--a common enough occurrence. Others assume that the right reading is "Benaiah the son of Jehoiada," who may have been an adviser of David, as well as captain of his guard.

Verses 32-34. - These verses contain the names of seven men of high position, and who were, at all events, important enough, in one respect or another, for this closing special mention.

1. Jonathan and Ahithophel are singled out as counsellors (יועֵצ) of the king.

2. Hushai the Archite is mentioned as the companion (רֵעַ) of the king.

3. Jehoiada the son of Benaiah, and Abiathar are mentioned as standing in a similar relation of counsellors to the king with Ahithophel, but after him.

4. The great general of the whole army of the king (שַׂר־צָבָא), Joab, has a place found for his name.

5. And the name of Jehiel is mentioned as of one with the king's sons. The first thing which may be observed as to this enumeration is that it is not one whole belonging to the later portion of David's time. Ahithophel had brag before put an end to his own life (2 Samuel 17:21-23; also see 2 Samuel 15:12, 31, 34; 16:20-23). Secondly, that out of the seven names, four or five are already well known to us in some other capacity; for see the lists of 1 Chronicles 18:14-17; 2 Samuel 8:16-18; 2 Samuel 20:23-26. And thirdly, that in one or two instances, a different or additional part is assigned to the names mentioned. The impression left with us is rather of honourable or special mention made of seven who had been distinguished helpers of the king or the kingdom at one time or another. Verse 32. - Nothing is known of any uncle to David, named Jonathan, but special mention is made, in 1 Chronicles 20:7 and 2 Samuel 21:21, of a nephew, son of Shimea, who rendered valuable service, and u-hose name was Jonathan. It is possible that the Hebrew דּור may mean "nephew," as simply meaning "relative." It must be admitted, however, as very remarkable, that in Leviticus, Numbers, the historical books, Jeremiah, and Amos, to the number of sixteen times in all, the word confessedly means "uncle;" while this seventeenth time, it would appear to mean "nephew." On the other hand, in Proverbs, Canticles, Isaiah, Ezekiel, to the number of thirty-six times in all, the word follows its other branch of signification of "love," and in particular "one beloved." Nothing certain can be said of the Jehiel of this verse, but, if a son of Hachmoni, we may presume him to have been related to Jashobeam of ver. 2 and 1 Chronicles 11:11.

27:16-34 The officers of the court, or the rulers of the king's substance, had the oversight and charge of the king's tillage, his vineyards, his herds, his flocks, which formed the wealth of eastern kings. Much of the wisdom of princes is seen in the choice of their ministry, and common persons show it in the choice of their advisers. David, though he had all these about him, preferred the word of God before them all. Thy testimonies are my delight and my counsellors.And over the king's treasures was Azmaveth the son of Adiel,.... The historian here proceeds to relate who were employed in the economical and civil affairs of David; and the first mentioned is the lord of his treasury, who had the care of his gold and silver brought into his exchequer, either by a levy on his own people, or by the tribute of others: Jehonathan the son of Uzziah had the care of the storehouses, in which were laid up what the fields, cities, villages, and castles that belonged to the king produced, whether by fruits gathered in, or by rents collected: Ezri the son of Chelub looked after his workmen in the fields, employed in the tillage of the ground: Shimei of Ramath, in the tribe of Benjamin, had the care of the vineyards, to see that they were dressed and pruned, and kept in good order: Zabdi of Shepham, Numbers 34:10 had the charge of the wine squeezed out of the grapes, both in the presses and in the cellars: Baalhanan of Gedor, in the tribe of Judah, Joshua 15:36 was over the olive and sycamore trees, to see that they were well taken care of: and Joash was entrusted with the cellars where the oil was deposited: Shitrai the Sharonite had the herds of cattle fed in Sharon committed to his trust; whether in Sharon beyond Jordan, or that about Lydda and Joppa, near the Mediterranean sea, both affording fruitful pastures for herds; and this man, being of Sharon, was a fit man to be employed in such service: and Shaphat the son of Adlai was over those herds that were in the valleys, where were good pastures for them; such officers Pharaoh king of Egypt had, Genesis 47:6 and as early as the times of Ninus king of Assyria, one named Simma was master of the king's cattle (l), as Faustulus was to Amulius king of the Latines (m); and so Tyrrhus in Virgil (n) had the command of all the king's cattle; and Cicero mentions another in the same office (o): Obil the Ishmaelite (an Arab, as the Targum) had the care of the camels; and a very proper person he was, who must know the nature of them, and how to manage them, Arabia, or the land of the Ishmaelites, abounding with them. This man was so called, either because he was an Ishmaelite by birth, and was proselyted to the Jewish religion; or he was an Israelite that had dwelt some time in the land of Ishmael, and therefore so called. Bochart (p) thinks he had his name of Obil from his office, the word in the Arabic language signifying a keeper of camels. Jehdeiah the Meronothite was over the asses, which were employed in ploughing and carrying burdens; and Jaziz the Hagarite was over the flocks of sheep, the chief shepherd, who had the command of all the under shepherds, and a very proper person, being an Hagarite, or Arab; for such dwelt in tents for the sake of pasturage for their flocks, as Jarchi notes: these were the principal men that had the care of David's personal substance; so, in later times, the Roman Caesars (q) had such sort of servants to take care of their farms, fields, fruit, cattle, &c. the rest that follow were David's courtiers. Jonathan, or to whom David was uncle, the son of Shimea, his brother being a wise and learned man, was his counsellor, see 2 Samuel 21:21 and Jehiel the Hachmonite was preceptor, or tutor to the king's sons, that brought them up, and took care of their education; Ahithophel was his counsellor until the conspiracy and rebellion of Absalom; and Hushai the Archite was his companion, friend, and favourite, with whom he conversed at leisure hours. After the death of Ahithophel, Jehoiada the son of Benaiah, and Abiathar, were his counsellors, and Joab the general of his army.

(l) Diodor. Sicul. l. 2. p. 93. (m) Liv. Hist. Decad. 1. l. 1. p. 5. (n) Aeneid. l. 7. Tyrrhusque pater, &c. ver. 485. (o) Apud Servium, in ib. (p) Hierozoic. par. 1. l. 2. c. Colossians 77. (q) Vid. Pignorium de Servis, p. 548.