Commentary - 1 Chronicles 27:32-34

Bird's-eye view

In this brief section of 1 Chronicles 27, the Chronicler provides us with a list of David's chief counselors and his top military commander. After detailing the military divisions and the tribal leaders, the focus shifts to the inner circle, the men who had the king's ear. This is not merely a historical footnote or a dry list of names for the archives. It is a snapshot of how a kingdom is managed. A king, even one as gifted as David, does not rule in a vacuum. He is surrounded by advisors, friends, scribes, and generals. This passage invites us to consider the nature of counsel, the difference between human wisdom and divine wisdom, and the kind of men a godly king ought to have around him. And as with all such lists in the Old Testament, it should ultimately drive us to look past David's court to the court of the Great King, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is Himself our Wonderful Counselor.

The names here are not all unfamiliar. Ahithophel's name leaps out, a stark reminder of brilliance turned to treachery. Hushai's name stands as a testimony to loyalty. Joab's name is a complex knot of fierce loyalty, brutal pragmatism, and self-interest. This is a realistic picture of any administration, this side of glory. It is a mixture of wisdom, friendship, cunning, and raw power. The stability of David's throne depended, in a human sense, on how he navigated the advice and actions of these men. The ultimate stability of his throne, of course, depended entirely upon the covenant faithfulness of God. This passage shows us the instruments God used, both the sharp and the dull, to govern His people Israel.

Outline

Context In 1 Chronicles

First Chronicles is a book of restoration and remembrance. Written after the exile, it serves to remind the returned remnant of their identity in God's covenant purposes. The Chronicler is not just repeating what was written in Samuel and Kings; he is re-framing it. He emphasizes the themes of the Temple, true worship, and the Davidic monarchy as the instrument of God's rule. This particular chapter, chapter 27, is a detailed administrative list. It outlines the military structure, the tribal oversight, and now, the personal advisors to the king. In a book concerned with the right ordering of God's people, this list is crucial. It shows that a godly kingdom is not just about having a man after God's own heart on the throne; it is also about the structures of wisdom and authority that support him. This list demonstrates the organization and seriousness with which David approached his God-given task of shepherding Israel.

Clause-by-Clause Commentary

Verse 32

32 Also Jonathan, David’s uncle, was a counselor, a man of understanding, and a scribe; and Jehiel the son of Hachmoni was with the king’s sons.

The first man named is Jonathan, David's uncle. He is described with three titles: a counselor, a man of understanding, and a scribe. This is a potent combination. A counselor gives advice. A man of understanding possesses insight and discernment. A scribe is a man of the book, a man skilled in the law and in letters. Here is a man who is not just smart, but wise, and not just wise, but educated. This is the kind of man you want near the king. He is family, which implies a certain level of trust, but his qualifications are what are highlighted. Godly rule requires more than good intentions; it requires competence. It requires men who can think, who can discern, and who know the standards by which the nation is to be governed, which for Israel was the law of God. Wisdom is not a vague feeling; it is rooted in the fear of the Lord and articulated through understanding.

Then we have Jehiel, who was "with the king's sons." He was their tutor, their mentor. David understood that the future of the kingdom depended on the character and training of his sons. He didn't just throw them into the court to figure things out. He put a man over them to shape them. The task of raising princes is the task of raising future kings. This is a profound responsibility. How were they to learn justice, mercy, and the ways of God? By having a man like Jehiel to instruct them. This is a picture of discipleship at the highest level of government. The health of the next generation depends on the faithfulness of the tutors in this generation.

Verse 33

33 Ahithophel was counselor to the king; and Hushai the Archite was the king’s friend.

Here we have two of the most famous advisors in David's life, placed side-by-side in stark contrast. First, Ahithophel. He was simply "counselor to the king." The book of Samuel tells us his counsel was like that of one who inquires of God; it was that good (2 Sam. 16:23). He was the shrewdest political mind in Israel. But his name is forever stained with treason. He joined Absalom's rebellion, and his brilliant advice, had it been followed, would have meant the end of David. Ahithophel represents worldly wisdom at its peak, untethered from loyalty and the fear of God. His wisdom was a tool, a weapon, and he was willing to sell it to the highest bidder. His story is a solemn warning that intelligence and godliness are not the same thing. A man can have a brilliant mind and a depraved heart. His end was to hang himself when his counsel was rejected, a picture of prideful wisdom collapsing under its own weight.

Next is Hushai the Archite, who was "the king's friend." This is a formal title, but it also describes a genuine reality. Hushai's loyalty to David ran deeper than political calculation. When Ahithophel betrayed David, Hushai feigned loyalty to Absalom in order to frustrate the counsel of Ahithophel. He gave bad advice on purpose, and he did it out of love for his king. And the text of Samuel tells us why his bad advice was accepted: "for the LORD had ordained to defeat the good counsel of Ahithophel, to the intent that the LORD might bring evil upon Absalom" (2 Sam. 17:14). Here is the heart of the matter. God is sovereign over all counsel, good and bad. He uses the loyalty of a friend like Hushai to defeat the treachery of a genius like Ahithophel. This verse reminds us that in the kingdom of God, friendship and faithfulness are of higher value than mere brilliance.

Verse 34

34 Jehoiada the son of Benaiah, and Abiathar succeeded Ahithophel; and Joab was the commander of the king’s army.

After Ahithophel's treason and death, his office did not remain vacant. Counsel continues. Jehoiada and Abiathar succeeded him. It is interesting that it took two men to replace the one. Jehoiada was the son of Benaiah, one of David's mighty men and chief of his bodyguard. This suggests a man of action and loyalty. Abiathar was the priest who had been with David since the early days of his flight from Saul. He brought the ephod and inquired of the Lord for David. So here we have a warrior's son and a priest taking the place of the political savant. This points to a different kind of counsel, one perhaps more grounded in loyal action and spiritual inquiry than in pure political strategy. After the devastating betrayal by Ahithophel, it makes sense that David would value faithfulness and a connection to God's revealed will above all else.

And last, we have Joab. "Joab was the commander of the king's army." This is a blunt statement of fact. Joab was David's nephew, a brilliant and ruthless general. He was fiercely loyal to David's throne, but often on his own terms. He was a man of blood, and his actions were frequently a source of grief to David, such as the murders of Abner and Amasa, and the killing of Absalom against the king's explicit command. Joab represents the hard necessity of power in a fallen world. David needed a man who could win battles, and Joab was that man. But Joab was also a constant problem, a man David could not fully control and whose sins would have to be dealt with by Solomon. He is a picture of the fact that the instruments God gives us to rule are often flawed and complicated. The sword of the state is a heavy and dangerous thing, and the men who wield it are rarely simple saints.

Application

This short list of names is a master class in the politics of a fallen world. Every leader, whether of a nation, a church, or a family, surrounds himself with counselors. The question is what kind of counsel we seek. Do we seek the flashy, worldly wisdom of an Ahithophel, which promises results but has no root in faithfulness? Or do we cultivate the loyal friendship of a Hushai, which may seem less strategic but is grounded in covenant love?

We see that a kingdom needs all kinds of men. It needs scribes who know the book, tutors who raise the next generation, priests who inquire of the Lord, and generals who can fight. But over all of this, we see the sovereign hand of God, who establishes the king's throne. David's kingdom was not ultimately secured by Jonathan's understanding, Hushai's friendship, or even Joab's military might. It was secured by the promise of God.

And this all points us to a greater King and a greater kingdom. Our king is the Lord Jesus. He is not in need of flawed counselors, for He is Himself Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. The wisdom of Ahithophel is foolishness to Him. The loyalty of Hushai is but a shadow of the friendship He offers to us. The power of Joab is nothing compared to the power of the one who commands legions of angels. In Christ, we have a perfect king whose inner circle is the Holy Trinity, and whose counsel is the very Word of God. He builds His kingdom not with political maneuvering and military might, but through the foolishness of the cross, and He invites us to be not just subjects, but friends.