The big picture
1 Chronicles 27 opens in verse 1 with “Now the children of Israel after their number, to wit, the chief fathers and captains of…”, reaches its middle movement near verse 17 with “Of the Levites, Hashabiah the son of Kemuel: of the Aaronites, Zadok:”, and closes in verse 34 with “And after Ahithophel was Jehoiada the son of Benaiah, and Abiathar: and the general of…” Repeated or prominent terms include course, month, twenty, captain, children. Together, those details trace this chapter’s own movement from its opening to its conclusion.
Scripture beside the summary
1 Chronicles · King James Version · 341 Chronicles 27:1-7
1–7: The children of Israel after their number, to wit, the chief fathers and…
1 Chronicles 27:1–7 opens with “Now the children of Israel after their number, to wit, the chief fathers and captains of…” and reaches “The fourth captain for the fourth month was Asahel the brother of Joab, and Zebadiah his son…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 1 Chronicles 27 develops its own movement around course, month, twenty, captain, children, with particular weight carried by course, month, twenty.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Now the children of Israel after their number, to wit, the chief fathers and captains of thousands and hundreds, and…” The number twenty makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
“Over the first course for the first month was Jashobeam the son of Zabdiel: and in his course were twenty and four…” The number twenty makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
“Of the children of Perez was the chief of all the captains of the host for the first month.” Naming Perez keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
1 Chronicles 27:1-7
King James Version1Now the children of Israel after their number, to wit, the chief fathers and captains of thousands and hundreds, and their officers that served the king in any matter of the courses, which came in and went out month by month throughout all the months of the year, of every course were twenty and four thousand.
2Over the first course for the first month was Jashobeam the son of Zabdiel: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.
3Of the children of Perez was the chief of all the captains of the host for the first month.
4And over the course of the second month was Dodai an Ahohite, and of his course was Mikloth also the ruler: in his course likewise were twenty and four thousand.
5The third captain of the host for the third month was Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, a chief priest: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.
6This is that Benaiah, who was mighty among the thirty, and above the thirty: and in his course was Ammizabad his son.
7The fourth captain for the fourth month was Asahel the brother of Joab, and Zebadiah his son after him: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.
1 Chronicles 27:8-14
8–14: The fifth captain for the fifth month was Shamhuth the Izrahite: and in…
1 Chronicles 27:8–14 opens with “The fifth captain for the fifth month was Shamhuth the Izrahite: and in his course were twenty…” and reaches “The eleventh captain for the eleventh month was Benaiah the Pirathonite, of the children of…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 1 Chronicles 27 develops its own movement around course, month, twenty, captain, children, with particular weight carried by captain, course, month.
Context that brings the passage to life
“The fifth captain for the fifth month was Shamhuth the Izrahite: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.” The number twenty makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
“The sixth captain for the sixth month was Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite: and in his course were twenty and four…” The number twenty makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
1 Chronicles 27:8-14
King James Version8The fifth captain for the fifth month was Shamhuth the Izrahite: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.
9The sixth captain for the sixth month was Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.
10The seventh captain for the seventh month was Helez the Pelonite, of the children of Ephraim: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.
11The eighth captain for the eighth month was Sibbecai the Hushathite, of the Zarhites: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.
12The ninth captain for the ninth month was Abi-ezer the Anetothite, of the Benjamites: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.
13The tenth captain for the tenth month was Maharai the Netophathite, of the Zarhites: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.
14The eleventh captain for the eleventh month was Benaiah the Pirathonite, of the children of Ephraim: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.
1 Chronicles 27:15-21
15–21: The twelfth captain for the twelfth month was Heldai the Netophathite…
1 Chronicles 27:15–21 opens with “The twelfth captain for the twelfth month was Heldai the Netophathite, of Othniel: and in his…” and reaches “Of the half tribe of Manasseh in Gilead, Iddo the son of Zechariah: of Benjamin, Jaasiel the son…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 1 Chronicles 27 develops its own movement around course, month, twenty, captain, children, with particular weight carried by half, Manasseh, tribe.
Context that brings the passage to life
“The twelfth captain for the twelfth month was Heldai the Netophathite, of Othniel: and in his course were twenty and…” The number twenty makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
1 Chronicles 27:15-21
King James Version15The twelfth captain for the twelfth month was Heldai the Netophathite, of Othniel: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.
16Furthermore over the tribes of Israel: the ruler of the Reubenites was Eliezer the son of Zichri: of the Simeonites, Shephatiah the son of Maachah:
17Of the Levites, Hashabiah the son of Kemuel: of the Aaronites, Zadok:
18Of Judah, Elihu, one of the brethren of David: of Issachar, Omri the son of Michael:
19Of Zebulun, Ishmaiah the son of Obadiah: of Naphtali, Jerimoth the son of Azriel:
20Of the children of Ephraim, Hoshea the son of Azaziah: of the half tribe of Manasseh, Joel the son of Pedaiah:
21Of the half tribe of Manasseh in Gilead, Iddo the son of Zechariah: of Benjamin, Jaasiel the son of Abner:
1 Chronicles 27:22-28
22–28: Of Dan, Azareel the son of Jeroham. These were the princes of the tribes…
1 Chronicles 27:22–28 opens with “Of Dan, Azareel the son of Jeroham. These were the princes of the tribes of Israel.” and reaches “And over the olive trees and the sycomore trees that were in the low plains was Baal-hanan the…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 1 Chronicles 27 develops its own movement around course, month, twenty, captain, children, with particular weight carried by Israel, number, cellars.
Context that brings the passage to life
“Of Dan, Azareel the son of Jeroham. These were the princes of the tribes of Israel.” Naming Azareel and Dan keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
“But David took not the number of them from twenty years old and under: because the LORD had said he would increase…” The number twenty makes the report concrete. Ask whether it measures time, people, distance, repetition, or completeness before deciding what weight it carries.
1 Chronicles 27:22-28
King James Version22Of Dan, Azareel the son of Jeroham. These were the princes of the tribes of Israel.
23But David took not the number of them from twenty years old and under: because the LORD had said he would increase Israel like to the stars of the heavens.
24Joab the son of Zeruiah began to number, but he finished not, because there fell wrath for it against Israel; neither was the number put in the account of the chronicles of king David.
25And over the king’s treasures was Azmaveth the son of Adiel: and over the storehouses in the fields, in the cities, and in the villages, and in the castles, was Jehonathan the son of Uzziah:
26And over them that did the work of the field for tillage of the ground was Ezri the son of Chelub:
27And over the vineyards was Shimei the Ramathite: over the increase of the vineyards for the wine cellars was Zabdi the Shiphmite:
28And over the olive trees and the sycomore trees that were in the low plains was Baal-hanan the Gederite: and over the cellars of oil was Joash:
1 Chronicles 27:29-34
29–34: Over the herds that fed in Sharon was Shitrai the Sharonite: and over…
1 Chronicles 27:29–34 opens with “And over the herds that fed in Sharon was Shitrai the Sharonite: and over the herds that were in…” and reaches “And after Ahithophel was Jehoiada the son of Benaiah, and Abiathar: and the general of the…” by its final verse. That movement develops the focus on 1 Chronicles 27 develops its own movement around course, month, twenty, captain, children, with particular weight carried by king’s, Ahithophel, counsellor.
Context that brings the passage to life
“And over the herds that fed in Sharon was Shitrai the Sharonite: and over the herds that were in the valleys was…” Naming Adlai and Shaphat keeps the account rooted in particular people or places. Follow where the name returns and what changes around it.
1 Chronicles 27:29-34
King James Version29And over the herds that fed in Sharon was Shitrai the Sharonite: and over the herds that were in the valleys was Shaphat the son of Adlai:
30Over the camels also was Obil the Ishmaelite: and over the asses was Jehdeiah the Meronothite:
31And over the flocks was Jaziz the Hagerite. All these were the rulers of the substance which was king David’s.
32Also Jonathan David’s uncle was a counsellor, a wise man, and a scribe: and Jehiel the son of Hachmoni was with the king’s sons:
33And Ahithophel was the king’s counsellor: and Hushai the Archite was the king’s companion:
34And after Ahithophel was Jehoiada the son of Benaiah, and Abiathar: and the general of the king’s army was Joab.
Details worth noticing
The opening image
1 Chronicles 27:1 begins with “Now the children of Israel after their number, to wit, the chief fathers and captains of thousands and hundreds, and their officers that served the king in…”
Where the chapter turns
1 Chronicles 27:23 forms a natural hinge: “But David took not the number of them from twenty years old and under: because the LORD had said he would increase Israel like to the stars of the heavens.”
The final note
1 Chronicles 27:34 leaves the reader with “And after Ahithophel was Jehoiada the son of Benaiah, and Abiathar: and the general of the king’s army was Joab.”
A word trail through the chapter
The words course, month, twenty, captain, children, Israel help reveal the chapter’s repeated concerns.
What makes the deception more than a harmless family trick?
Jacob exploits his father's blindness, impersonates his brother and invokes God while lying.
What does the family lose?
Trust, safety and proximity: Jacob must flee, and Esau carries murderous resentment.
Text first
Where readers differ
The chapter summary begins with what the passage says and how its parts fit together. It does not assume one denomination has already settled every question. Where a conclusion depends on a tradition, literary theory, or historical reconstruction, that dependence is named openly.
The KJV text is presented first. Interpretive conclusions are labeled, and differences are introduced only when they help a reader understand why serious communities do not always reach the same answer.
Comparative interpretive notes for this chapter are in preparation. Until reviewed notes are ready, this page separates the KJV text from summary and application without claiming that serious readers agree on every question.
