Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Samuel 8:16
And Joab the son of Zeruiah [was] over the host; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud [was] recorder;
16. recorder ] Or, remembrancer, a state officer of high rank, who seems not only to have kept a record of events, but to have acted as the king’s adviser. His importance is indicated by 2Ki 18:18; 2Ki 18:37, where he appears as one of the king’s representatives, and 2Ch 34:8, where he is mentioned as one of the commissioners for restoring the Temple. The traveller Chardin describes a similar officer of the Persian court, whose duty it is to furnish the king and his ministers with an account of all important events that take place in the kingdom, and to keep a record of them, and also to register the royal acts and decrees. Travels, III., p. 328.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
For a similar account of the officers of Solomons kingdom, see 1Ki 4:1-6, where Jehoshaphat is still the recorder, and Benaiah is advanced to be captain of the host in the room of Joab. The recorder seems to have been a high officer of state, a kind of chancellor, whose office was to keep a record of the events of the kingdom for the kings information, and hence, he would naturally be the kings adviser. See Est 6:1-2; Isa 36:22; 2Ch 34:8. Such an officer is found among the ancient Egyptians and Persians.
Ahimelech the son of Abiathar – According to 1Sa 22:9-23, Abiathar, Zadoks colleague, was the son of Ahimelech. Abiathar the son of Ahimelech continued to be priest through the reign of David. (Compare also 1Ki 1:7, 1Ki 1:42; 1Ki 2:22-27.) It almost necessarily follows that there is some error in the text.
The scribe – Or secretary of state 2Ki 12:10; 2Ki 18:37, different from the military scribe (Jdg 5:14 note).
2Sa 8:18
The Cherethites and the Pelethites – See the marginal reference note.
Chief rulers – The word kohen, here rendered a chief ruler, is the regular word for a priest. In the early days of the monarchy the word kohen had not quite lost its etymological sense, from the root meaning to minister, or manage affairs, though in later times its technical sense alone survived.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 16. Joab – was over the host] General and commander-in-chief over all the army.
Ahilud – recorder] mazkir, remembrancer; one who kept a strict journal of all the proceedings of the king and operations of his army; a chronicler. See the margin.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Joab having doubtless declared his repentance for his former crimes, and having done eminent service for his country, and having received the chief command by virtue of Davids promise and contract, 2Sa 5:8, was still continued in his place.
Recorder; either, first, The writer of chronicles. But it is not likely he would have been put among the great officers of state and church. Or, secondly, The treasurer, who examined all the accounts, and kept records of them. Or, thirdly, The kings counsellor, as Ahithophel is called, 2Sa 15:12; 1Ch 27:33, who was to bring things of moment to the kings mind and remembrance, and to admonish him from time to time of things fit to be done. See 1Ki 4:3; 2Ki 18:18.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
16. Joab . . . was over the hostbyvirtue of a special promise (2Sa5:8).
recorderhistoriographeror daily annalist, an office of great trust and importance in Easterncountries.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And Joab the son of Zeruiah [was] over the host,…. Which was not only owing to his relation to David, being his sister’s son, but to his promise that whoever smote the Jebusites first should be chief and captain; that is, should have the command of the army under him; this Joab did; and so was entitled to this office, and was put into it, and continued in it, 1Ch 11:6;
and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud [was] recorder; of memorable events, who kept a diary of whatsoever remarkable happened, which were digested into a chronicle, history, or annals; see Es 6:1; so the Targum, he
“was appointed over the memorials;”
or book of memorials, as Kimchi interprets it; that is, to take care of it, and see that everything worthy of notice was inserted in it; or was “remembrancer” g; one that put the king in mind what was to be done every day, or in certain cases, and so R. Isaiah explains it, the king’s counsellor; some take him to be chancellor, as Luther and others h.
g “commemorans”, Montanus; “commemorator”, Syr. Ar. “memorans, sive reducens in memoriam”, Vatablus. h Vid. Beckium in Targ. 1 Chron. xviii. 15.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
The chief ministers were the following: – Joab (see at 2Sa 2:18) was “over the army,” i.e., commander-in-chief. Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud, of whom nothing further is known, was mazcir , chancellor; not merely the national annalist, according to the Septuagint and Vulgate ( , ; a commentariis ), i.e., the recorder of the most important incidents and affairs of the nation, but an officer resembling the magister memoriae of the later Romans, or the waka nuvis of the Persian court, who keeps a record of everything that takes place around the king, furnishes him with an account of all that occurs in the kingdom, places his vis upon all the king’s commands, and keeps a special protocol of all these things (vid., Chardin, Voyages v. p. 258, and Paulsen, Regierung der Morgenlnder, pp. 279-80).
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
(16) Was recorder.This was a different office from that of the scribe (filled by Seraiah), and appears from 2Ki. 18:18-37; 2Ch. 34:8, to have been one of considerable importance. (Comp. also Est. 6:1.) His duty is supposed to have been something like that of the modern chancellor, and he not only registered the kings decrees, but was his adviser. The same person continued to fill the office in the early years of Solomons reign (1Ki. 4:3).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
DAVID’S OFFICIALS, 2Sa 8:15-18.
16. Joab See notes on 2Sa 2:13; 2Sa 2:18.
Jehoshaphat recorder This was an officer of high rank in the ancient Eastern courts, whose especial duty was to preserve such records as are referred to in Ezr 6:1; Est 6:1. He kept an accurate record of all the items of importance that occurred in the kingdom.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
2Sa 8:16. Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder i.e. as is generally believed, remembrancer, or writer of chronicles: an employment of no mean estimation in the Eastern world, where it was customary with kings to keep daily registers of all the transactions of their reign; and a trust, which whoever discharged efficiently must be let into the true springs and secrets of action, and consequently must be received into the inmost confidence. The sacred Writer no sooner gives us an account of David’s executing judgment and justice, but he immediately adds a lift of the great officers then employed by him; for a principal part of a king’s wisdom, as well as of his felicity, consists in the choice of able ministers, to discharge the great offices of the state.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
(16) And Joab the son of Zeruiah was over the host; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder; (17) And Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, were the priests; and Seraiah was the scribe; (18) And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over both the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David’s sons were chief rulers.
The officers and servants in David’s court, are here made honourable mention of. But oh! how infinitely more honourable are the followers in the court of Jesus, whose names are written in the book of life. There, Lord, be it my portion to be found, when thou cometh to make up thy jewels. Phi 4:3 ; Rev 20:15 ; Mal 3:17 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
2Sa 8:16 And Joab the son of Zeruiah [was] over the host; and Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud [was] recorder;
Ver. 16. Was over the host. ] This honour he had purchased by his valour, 1Ch 11:6 but forfeited by his blood-guiltiness.
And Jehoshaphat was recorder.] Or, Chancellor of the kingdom, or chief chronicler.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
recorder = remembrancer.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Joab: 2Sa 19:13, 2Sa 20:23, 1Ch 11:6, 1Ch 18:15-17
Jehoshaphat: 1Ki 4:3
recorder: or, remembrancer, or writer of chronicles
Reciprocal: 2Sa 2:13 – Joab 2Sa 20:7 – General 2Sa 24:2 – Joab 1Ki 1:7 – Joab 2Ki 18:18 – the recorder 2Ch 34:8 – recorder Isa 36:3 – Shebna
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
2Sa 8:16. Jehoshaphat was recorder That is, the remembrancer, or writer of chronicles, as is generally thought; an employment, says Dr. Delaney, of no mean estimation in the eastern world, where it was customary with kings to keep daily registers of all the transactions of their reigns; and a trust which, whosoever discharged to purpose, must be let into the true springs and secrets of action; and, consequently, must be received into the utmost confidence. Some, however, rather suppose, that by the recorder, the treasurer is intended, who examined all the accounts, and kept records of them.