Attributed commentary excerpt
Keil & Delitzsch on 1 Chronicles 12:21
A historical reference excerpt for this verse. Read it alongside the biblical text and other available sources.
Commentary on the Old Testament
C. F. Keil & F. Delitzsch · 19th-century historical commentary
Source: BibleWord.ai's local reference edition of this named work.
These (Note: We take והמּה to refer to the Manassites named in Ch1 12:20, like the והמּה of Ch1 12:1 and the הם אלּה הם eht of Ch1 12:15. Bertheau, on the contrary, thinks on various grounds that המּה refers to all the heroes who have been spoken of in vv. 1-20. In the first place, it was not the Manassites alone who took part in the conflict with Amalek, for David won the victory with his whole force of 600 men ( Sa1 30:9), among whom, without doubt, those named in vv. 1-18 were included. Then, secondly, a clear distinction is made between those who gave in their adhesion to and helped David at an earlier period ( Ch1 12:1, Ch1 12:7, Ch1 12:22), and those who came to him in Hebron ( Ch1 12:23). And finally, the general remark in Ch1 12:22 is connected with Ch1 12:21 by the grounding כּי, so that we must regard Ch1 12:21 and Ch1 12:22 as a subscription closing the preceding catalogues. but none of these arguments are very effective. The grounding כי in Ch1 12:22 does not refer to the whole of Ch1 12:21, but only to the last clause, or, to be more accurate, only to בּצּבא, showing that David had an army. The second proves nothing, and in the first only so much is correct, that not merely the seven Manassites named in Ch1 12:20 took, part in the battle with Amalek, but also the warriors who had formerly gone over to David; but from that there is not the slightest reason to conclude that this is expressed by והמּה. It is manifest from the context and the plan of the register, that וגו עזרוּ והמּה can only refer to those of whom it is said in Ch1 12:20 that they went over to David as he was returning to Ziklag. If Ch1 12:21 and Ch1 12:22 were a subscription to all the preceding registers, instead of והמּה another expression which would separate the verse somewhat more from that immediately preceding would have been employed, perhaps כּל־אלה.) helped David הגּדוּד על, against the detachment of Amalekites, who during David's absence had surprised and burnt Ziklag, and led captive the women and children ( Sa1 30:1-10). This interpretation, which Rashi also has (contra turmam Amalekitarum), and which the Vulgate hints at in its adversus latrunculos, rests upon the fact that in Sa1 30:8, Sa1 30:15, the word הגּדוּד, which in general only denotes single detachments or predatory bands, is used of the Amalekite band; whence the word can only refer to the march of David against the Amalekites, of which we have an account in Sa1 30:9., and not to the combats which he had with Saul. "For they were all valiant heroes, and were שׂרים, captains in the army," sc. which gathered round David. 1 Chronicles 12:22
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