David Assigns Army Commanders
1 Each month a group of 24,000 men served as soldiers in Israel's army. These men, which included the family leaders, army commanders, and officials of the king, were under the command of the following men, arranged by the month of their service:
2 In the first month, Jashobeam the son of Zabdiel, 3 a descendant of Perez;4 in the second month, Dodai the Ahohite, whose assistant was Mikloth; 5 in the third month, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada the priest, 6 who was the leader of the Thirty Warriors, and whose son Ammizabad was also an army commander; 7 in the fourth month, Asahel the brother of Joab, whose son Zebadiah took over command after him;8 in the fifth month, Shamhuth from the Izrah clan;9 in the sixth month, Ira the son of Ikkesh from Tekoa;10 in the seventh month, Helez from Pelon in the territory of Ephraim;11 in the eighth month, Sibbecai from Hushah of the Zerah clan;12 in the ninth month, Abiezer from Anathoth in the territory of Benjamin;13 in the tenth month, Maharai from Netophah of the Zerah clan;14 in the eleventh month, Benaiah from Pirathon in the territory of Ephraim;15 in the twelfth month, Heldai from Netophah, who was a descendant of Othniel.David Assigns Tribal Leaders
16-22 Here is a list of the leaders of each tribe in Israel:
Eliezer son of Zichri was over Reuben; Shephatiah son of Maacah was over Simeon; Hashabiah son of Kemuel was over the Levites, and Zadok the priest was over the descendants of Aaron; Elihu the brother of David was over Judah; Omri son of Michael was over Issachar; Ishmaiah son of Obadiah was over Zebulun; Jerimoth son of Azriel was over Naphtali; Hoshea son of Azaziah was over Ephraim; Joel son of Pedaiah was over West Manasseh; Iddo son of Zechariah was over East Manasseh; Jaasiel son of Abner was over Benjamin; Azarel son of Jeroham was over Dan.
23 When David decided to count the people of Israel, he gave orders not to count anyone under 20 years of age, because the Lord had promised long ago that Israel would have as many people as there are stars in the sky. 24 Joab the son of Zeruiah had begun to count the people, but he stopped when the Lord began punishing Israel. So the total number was never included in David's official records.
Officials in Charge of the King's Property
25 Azmaveth the son of Adiel was in charge of the king's personal storage rooms. Jonathan the son of Uzziah was in charge of the king's other storerooms that were in the towns, the villages, and the defense towers in Israel.
26 Ezri the son of Chelub was in charge of the workers who farmed the king's land.
27 Shimei from Ramah was in charge of the vineyards, and Zabdi from Shepham was in charge of storing the wine.
28 Baal Hanan from Geder was in charge of the olive and sycamore trees in the western foothills, and Joash was in charge of storing the olive oil.
29 Shitrai from Sharon was responsible for the cattle that were kept in Sharon Plain, and Shaphat son of Adlai was responsible for those kept in the valleys.
30 Obil the Ishmaelite was in charge of the camels, Jehdeiah from Meronoth was in charge of the donkeys, and Jaziz the Hagrite was in charge of the sheep and goats.
31 These were the men in charge of David's royal property.
David's Personal Advisors
32 David's uncle Jonathan was a wise and intelligent advisor. He and Jehiel the son of Hachmoni taught David's sons.
33 Ahithophel and Hushai the Archite were two of David's advisors. 34 Jehoiada the son of Benaiah was the king's advisor after Ahithophel, and later, Abiathar was his advisor.
Joab was commander of Israel's army.
Military and Civil Organization
1 This is the list of the Israelite heads of families and clan leaders and their officials who administered the work of the kingdom. Each month of the year a different group of twenty-four thousand men was on duty under the commander for that month.
2-15 The following were the commanders for each month:
First month: Jashobeam son of Zabdiel (he was a member of the clan of Perez, a part of the tribe of Judah)
Second month: Dodai, a descendant of Ahohi (Mikloth was his second in command)
Third month: Benaiah son of Jehoiada the priest; he was the leader of “The Thirty” (his son Ammizabad succeeded him as commander of this group)
Fourth month: Asahel, brother of Joab (his son Zebadiah succeeded him)
Fifth month: Shamhuth, a descendant of Izhar
Sixth month: Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa
Seventh month: Helez, an Ephraimite from Pelon
Eighth month: Sibbecai from Hushah (he was a member of the clan of Zerah, a part of the tribe of Judah)
Ninth month: Abiezer from Anathoth in the territory of the tribe of Benjamin
Tenth month: Maharai from Netophah (he was a member of the clan of Zerah)
Eleventh month: Benaiah from Pirathon in the territory of the tribe of Ephraim
Twelfth month: Heldai from Netophah (he was a descendant of Othniel)
Administration of the Tribes of Israel
16-22 This is the list of the administrators of the tribes of Israel:
Tribe AdministratorReuben Eliezer son of ZichriSimeon Shephatiah son of MaacahLevi Hashabiah son of KemuelAaron ZadokJudah Elihu, one of King David's brothersIssachar Omri son of MichaelZebulun Ishmaiah son of ObadiahNaphtali Jeremoth son of AzrielEphraim Hoshea son of AzaziahWest Manasseh Joel son of PedaiahEast Manasseh Iddo son of ZechariahBenjamin Jaasiel son of AbnerDan Azarel son of Jeroham23 King David did not take a census of the people who were under the age of twenty, because of the Lord's promise to make the people of Israel as numerous as the stars in the sky. 24 Joab, whose mother was Zeruiah, began to take a census, but he did not complete it. God punished Israel because of this census, so the final figures were never recorded in King David's official records.
Administrators of the Royal Property
25-31 This is the list of those who administered the royal property:
Royal storerooms: Azmaveth son of Adiel
Local storerooms: Jonathan son of Uzziah
Farm labor: Ezri son of Chelub
Vineyards: Shimei from Ramah
Wine cellars: Zabdi from Shepham
Olive and sycamore trees (in the western foothills): Baal Hanan from Geder
Olive oil storage: Joash
Cattle in the Plain of Sharon: Shitrai from Sharon
Cattle in the valleys: Shaphat son of Adlai
Camels: Obil, an Ishmaelite
Donkeys: Jehdeiah from Meronoth
Sheep and goats: Jaziz, a Hagrite
David's Personal Advisers
32 Jonathan, King David's uncle, was a skillful adviser and a scholar. He and Jehiel son of Hachmoni were in charge of the education of the king's sons. 33 Ahithophel was adviser to the king, and Hushai the Archite was the king's friend and counselor. 34 After Ahithophel died, Abiathar and Jehoiada son of Benaiah became advisers. Joab was commander of the royal army.