1 Chronicles 27:4

And 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.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(4) Dodai an Ahohite.—The Ahohite. 1Chronicles 11:11 proves that the right reading is Eliezer son of Dodai the Ahohite.

And of his course was Mikloth also the ruler.—Literally, and his course, and Mikloth the prince (nāgîd); which appears meaningless. Perhaps the “and” before Mikloth is spurious. (Comp. end of 1Chronicles 27:6.) The sense may then be that this division included Mikloth “the prince,” an unknown personage; or that Mikloth was the chief man in the division. (See 1Chronicles 8:32; 1Chronicles 9:37, where Mikloth is a Benjamite name.) The LXX. and Vulg. agree with Authorised Version; the Syriac and Arabic are wanting in this chapter.

Benson Commentary

1 Chronicles 27:4. And Mikloth also was the ruler — Either, 1st, The captain of this course after the death of this Dodai, as Zebadiah was after Asahel, 1 Chronicles 27:7. Or, 2d, His lieutenant, or deputy, in case of his necessary absence. Or, rather, 3d, One of the officers of his course; who seems here to be particularly named, as a person then of great note and eminence.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

27:1-15 In the kingdoms of this world readiness for war forms a security for peace; in like manner, nothing so much encourages Satan's assaults as to be unwatchful. So long as we stand armed with the whole armour of God, in the exercise of faith, and preparation of heart for the conflict, we shall certainly be safe, and probably enjoy inward peace.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Dodai The words "Eleazar, son of," have probably fallen out before Dodai (or Dodo). According to Jewish tradition, EIeazar 1 Chronicles 11:12 was cousin to David; his father, Dodai, being Jesse's brother. Mikloth was probably second in command to Eleazar.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

4. second month was Dodai—or, "Dodo." Here the text seems to require the supplement of "Eleazar the son of Dodo" (2Sa 23:9).

Matthew Poole's Commentary

Of his course was Mikloth the ruler; who was either,

1. The captain of this course after the death of this Dodai, as Zebadiah was after Asahel, 1 Chronicles 27:7. But the differing phrase there and here sufficiently intimates that the same thing is not meant in both places. Or,

2. His lieutenant or deputy, in case of his necessary absence. But why should such a one be named here, and not in the rest of the courses? Or rather,

3. One of the officers of his course, who seems here particularly to be named as a person then of great note and eminency.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Over the first course for the first month,.... The month Nisan, sometimes called Abib, which was March:

was Jashobeam the son of Zabdiel; the first and chief of David's worthies, 1 Chronicles 11:11.

and in his course were twenty and four; and so in all the following ones; this man was of the posterity of Perez, or Pharez, a son of Judah, and so had the preference and command of all the captains of the army for that month:

Dodai an Ahohite; the same with Dodo, 1 Chronicles 11:12 was over the course of the second month, the month Ziv, sometimes called Jiar, or April; and his lieutenant or successor was Mikloth:

Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, a chief priest; or rather a prince, a principal officer, was general of the army for the third month, Sivan, or May; the same was mighty among the thirty, and even above them, for he was among the three mighty, 1 Chronicles 11:22 and Ammizabad his son succeeded him, or was his deputy, when other ways employed: though led by our version here, and following the Jewish writers, I have called Benaiah a priest; see Gill on 1 Kings 2:31, yet I am now rather of opinion that he was not one; for though priests might bear arms on some occasions, yet it is not likely that one should be in a constant military office, and especially general of an army; and besides, this man was of Kabzeel, a city in the tribe of Judah, which is not mentioned among the Levitical cities, see 2 Samuel 23:20. Asahel the brother of Joab was over the course for the fourth month, Tammuz, or June, and who being slain by Abner, his son Zebadiah succeeded him: Shamhuth, the same with Shammah, 2 Samuel 23:11 and Shammoth, 1 Chronicles 11:27 was captain for the fifth month, Ab, or July: Ira the son of Ikkesh, the Tekoite, was over the course of the sixth month, Elul, or August, see 1 Chronicles 11:28. Helez the Pelonite was captain for the seventh month, Tisri, or September, see 1 Chronicles 11:27, the captain for the eighth month, Marchesvan, sometimes called Bul, or October, was Sibbecai the Hushathite, of the Zarbites, of the posterity of Zerah, a son of Judah in the line of Hushah, 1 Chronicles 4:4, the captain of the course for the ninth month, Cisleu, or November was Abiezer, of Anethoth, in the tribe of Benjamin, see 1 Chronicles 11:28, Maharai, of Netophah, in the tribe of Judah, and of the posterity of Zerah, was over the course for the tenth month, Tebet, or December, see 1 Chronicles 11:30 and the captain for the eleventh month, Sheber, or January, was Benaiah, of Pirathon, in the tribe of Ephraim, see 1 Chronicles 11:31 and over the course for the twelfth month, Adar, or February, was Heldai the Netophathite, the same with Heled, 1 Chronicles 11:30 and who was of the posterity of Othniel, the first judge in Israel, Judges 1:13.

Geneva Study Bible

And over the course of the second month was Dodai an Ahohite, and of his course was Mikloth also the {b} ruler: in his course likewise were twenty and four thousand.

(b) That is, Dodais lieutenant.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

4. Dodai an Ahohite] Perhaps we should read (cp. 1 Chronicles 11:12), “Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite.”

of his course was Mikloth also the ruler] The words are corrupt and are omitted in the LXX. Perhaps the original text said that Mikloth (a Benjamite, 1 Chronicles 8:32) was deputy-ruler over this course. Cp. 1 Chronicles 27:6.

in his course likewise] R.V. and in his course.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 4. - Before the name Dodai we must supply "Eleazar the son of," on the authority of 1 Chronicles 11:12; 2 Samuel 23:9. The allusion to Mikloth (of the tribe of Benjamin, according to 1 Chronicles 8:32; 1 Chronicles 9:37) in this verse is not plain. The translation may possibly be the same which our Authorized Version gives, And over the course of the second month was (Eleazar, the son of) Dodai the Ahohite, and (over) his (or, its) course also Mikloth was ruler. The appearances of the Hebrew text, however, favour the supposition of an inaccurate text. A somewhat similar con. struction and position of words in ver. 6 is less difficult by the absence of a conjunction before Ammizabad. 1 Chronicles 27:4

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

Before דּודי, according to 1 Chronicles 11:12, בּן אלעזר has been dropped out (see on 2 Samuel 23:9). The words הנּגיד וּמקלות וּמחלקתּו are obscure. At the end of the sixth verse similar words occur, and hence Bertheau concludes that וּ before מקלות is to be struck out, and translated, "and his divisions, Mikloth the prince," which might denote, perhaps, "and his division is that over which Mikloth was prince." Older commentators have already translated the word in a similar manner, as signifying that Mikloth was prince or chief of this division under the Ahohite Eleazar. All that is certain is, that מקלות is a name which occurred in 1 Chronicles 8:32 and 1 Chronicles 9:37 among the Benjamites.