1 Chronicles 12:23-40

content/bible_journal/1chronicles_12:23-40.md

@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
++++
+title = "1 Chronicles 12:23–40"
+date = "2024-01-11"
++++
+
+### [Read the passage.](https://biblia.com/bible/esv/1Chronicles12.23-40)
+
+In addition to the mighty men, many of the regular troops went over to David's side to fight under his banner.
+Chapter 12 shows us that every tribe of Israel sent men to acclaim David as king of Israel, even the Benjaminites who had supported their kinsman Saul.
+To a modern eye, the numbers given don't really mean much, but they are actually enormous considering what we know of the population at the time.
+There are a few possibilities that allow us to reconcile what looks like a contradiction.
+
+It is possible that the word "thousand" is military jargon for a group of fighters somewhat less than a literal thousand.
+It is also possible the Hebrew consonants could be read as "chiefs" if different vowels are used.
+This would make the verses read something like "six chiefs with 800 armed troops" for verse 24.
+Finally, our knowledge of the time period could be woefully incomplete, and our population estimates are way off.
+After all, it was only recently that extra-Biblical evidence was discovered for King David.
+Skeptics have thought he was a mythological figure, like Romulus and Remus, for a long time.
+Just because the Bible doesn't agree with your understanding of the world doesn't make it wrong.
+
+The last verses emphasize how unified and overjoyed the people of Israel were about making David their king.
+All twelve tribes were in agreement, and the coronation festivities lasted for three days.
+Not only did the soldiers throw a big party at Hebron when David became king, but their relatives brought even more food and drink after them.
+
+* * *
+
+We can trust Your Word to be reliable and true for all time.