Then all the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and spoke, saying, “Behold, we are your bone and your flesh.
ExplanationCommentary
Verse 1. Tribes. Thus were God’s promises sweetly fulfilled, and David obtained the quiet dominion over all Israel, excepting perhaps a few of the tribe of Benjamin, according to the Vulgate. 1 Chronicles 12:29. An army of 340,822 was collected on this occasion; and David signalized the commencement of his reign, by the taking of Jerusalem. Calmet.—The tribe is Issachar is not specified in the text; but Josephus asserts, that 20,000 of them assembled; so that the army would amount to 359 (Salien) or 60 thousand, besides the 822. Calmet.—These might be considered as deputies of all the rest of their brethren, 1 Chronicles 12:38. They were abundantly supplied with all necessities. Salien.—Flesh, of the same nation, as Moses had specified. Deuteronomy 17:15. Calmet.—They now relinquish all the seeds of division, which had before hindered them from joining with their brethren of Juda. Kennicott discovers several important alterations, by comparing this history with 1 Chron. 11. Dissert. i. Bible.