1 Chronicles 12:15

1Ch 12:15 These [are] they that went over Jordan in the first month, when it had overflown all his banks; and they put to flight all [them] of the valleys, [both] toward the east, and toward the west.

Ver. 15. These are they that went over Jordan.] To help David. Much water could not quench their love.

And they put to flight all them of the valleys.] The Philistines, who, having slain Saul, and driven the Israelites out of their habitations, dwelt now in their room; but were soon beaten out by these valiant Gadites. An autem navigio vel natando transierint, non liquet.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Ch 12:15. These are they that went over Jordan, &c. — Namely, in Saul’s time, when, it seems, the enemies of the Israelites had made an inroad, and done some mischiefs to the Israelites beyond Jordan, to whose help these persons then came. When it had overflowed all its banks — As it commonly did about that time. Probably these, being men of great courage and dexterity, swam over Jordan, at the time here specified, through their ardent desire to help their brethren, and to fight with their enemies. And they put to flight all them of the valleys — The people that lived in the valleys or deserts beyond Jordan, who, it seems, when Saul was engaged against the Philistines, took that advantage to fall upon the Israelites beyond Jordan. Both toward the east and toward the west — Both the people that lived more eastward and remote from Jordan, and those that lived more westward and nearer to it.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Which the Hebrews called Nisan, or Abib, containing half March, and half April, when Jordan was wont to overflow his banks, read Josh. 3:15.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

These are they that went over Jordan in the first month--that is, in spring, when the swollen river generally fills up the banks of its channel (see on Jos 3:14; Jos 4:19; Jos 5:10).

they put to flight all them of the valleys--This was probably done at the time of their separating themselves and their purpose being discovered, they had to cut their passage through the opposing adherents of Saul, both on the eastern and western banks. The impossibility of taking the fords at such a time, and the violent rapidity of the current, make this crossing of the Jordan--in whatever way these Gadites accomplished it--a remarkable feat.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 15. In the first month] Perhaps this was the month Nisan, which answers to a part of our March and April. This was probably before the snows on the mountains were melted, just as Jordan began to overflow its banks; or if we allow that it had already overflowed its banks, it made their attempt more hazardous, and afforded additional proof of their heroism.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(15) When it had overflown.—A proof of their valour. They did not wait till summer had made the Jordan shallow, but crossed it in spring, when perilously swollen with the rains and the melted snows of Lebanon. (Comp. Jos_3:15.)

In the first month,—March—April; in Heb, A bib or Nisan.

Had overflown.—Was fillύng or brimming over.

And they put to flight all . . . the valleys.—Literally, and they made all the valleys flee: that is, their inhabitants, who were hostile to their enterprise, both to the sunrise and the sunset, or on both sides of the river.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

15. in the first month] In Nisan (the month of harvest) when the snow was melting and filling all streams; cp. Jos_3:15.

all them of the valleys] i.e. all inhabitants of the valleys who in the interest of Saul sought to bar their march westward to join David.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Then the spirit came upon Amasai,.... Or "clothed" (f) him; a spirit of fortitude, as the Targum, of strength, courage, and presence of mind, with which he was endowed, covered, and clothed as with a garment; this was a sister's son of David's, see Sa2 17:25.

who was chief of the captains; of them that came at this time with him to David; he was afterwards Absalom's general, and designed to be David's, but was murdered by Joab:

and he said, thine are we, David, and on thy side, thou son of Jesse; which being spoken in this short and concise manner, as the supplement shows, denotes the vehemency with which he spake, and is expressive of their cordial fidelity to him, and their resolution to abide by him at all events:

peace, peace be unto thee, and peace be to thine helpers; wishing all prosperity, temporal and spiritual, to him and all his confederates and auxiliaries, among whom they reckoned themselves:

for thy God helpeth thee; which they perceived by the remarkable deliverances of him out of the hand of Saul, when in imminent danger; the Targum is,"for the Word of the Lord is for thy help:"

then David received them; into the hold, and admitted them as his friends:

and made them the captains of the band; they brought with them; or in later times, when he came to the throne.

(f) "induit", Pagninus, Montanus, &c.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

On the danger of the exploit, see the marginal reference note.

This passage 1Ch 12:8-15 seems to be taken verbatim from an ancient source, the poetical expressions in 1Ch 12:8, 1Ch 12:14, being especially unlike the usual style of our author.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Month, Nisan. (Tirinus) --- Banks. This circumstance enhances their courage. Maundrel (Alep. p. 136) went to see the Jordan, 13th March, 1697, but the river was nine feet from the banks. Its rapidity has perhaps made its bed so much deeper, that it does not overflow so frequently at present. (Calmet)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

They that went over Jordan, to wit, in Saul’s time, when, it seems, the enemies of the Israelites had made an inroad, and done some mischiefs to the Israelites beyond Jordan, to whose help these then came.

When it had overflown all his banks; as it commonly did about that time. See Jos 3:15; 4:18; Jer 49:19. This is noted either as a description of the time when this was done, it being usual with historians to note the circumstances of great actions; or as an aggravation of the fact. And possibly these, being men of great nimbleness and dexterity, did swim over Jordan, through their ardent desire to help their brethren, and to fight with their enemies.

All them of the valleys, i.e. the people that lived in the valleys or deserts beyond Jordan, who, as it seems, when Saul was engaged against the Philistines, took that advantage to fall upon the Israelites beyond Jordan.

Toward the east, and toward the west; either,

1. The people that lived more eastward, and remote from Jordan, and those who lived more westward, or nearer to it. Or,

2. Them made they fly several ways, some eastward, some westward, as they saw the way open for them. See Deu 28:7,25.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

15. These — Namely, these Gadites. The writer thus gives in this verse an instance of their valour.

Went over Jordan in the first month — That is, in Abib, (April,) when the river usually overflows all its banks, and the crossing is both difficult and dangerous.

Put to flight all them of the valleys — This expedition of the Gadites was, perhaps, a mere scheme of predatory conquest; or, it may have been undertaken to punish the people of these valleys for marauding expeditions they had carried on. If, however, we should understand “the hold” of 1Ch_12:8 to be that of Mizpeh of Moab, where David dwelt awhile, (1Sa_22:3-5,) this exploit of the Gadites may have taken place at the time they separated themselves from the rest of the Gadites. In resorting unto David they may have met with opposition from Saul’s partisans, and were therefore obliged to fight their way through the valleys east and west of the Jordan.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

In the first month. This corresponds with our end of March. The interesting incident of this verse is unrecorded in detail elsewhere (Jos_3:15; Jer_12:5 Jer_49:19 Jer_50:44)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Then the spirit came upon Amasai,.... Or "clothed" (f) him; a spirit of fortitude, as the Targum, of strength, courage, and presence of mind, with which he was endowed, covered, and clothed as with a garment; this was a sister's son of David's, see Sa2 17:25.

who was chief of the captains; of them that came at this time with him to David; he was afterwards Absalom's general, and designed to be David's, but was murdered by Joab:

and he said, thine are we, David, and on thy side, thou son of Jesse; which being spoken in this short and concise manner, as the supplement shows, denotes the vehemency with which he spake, and is expressive of their cordial fidelity to him, and their resolution to abide by him at all events:

peace, peace be unto thee, and peace be to thine helpers; wishing all prosperity, temporal and spiritual, to him and all his confederates and auxiliaries, among whom they reckoned themselves:

for thy God helpeth thee; which they perceived by the remarkable deliverances of him out of the hand of Saul, when in imminent danger; the Targum is,"for the Word of the Lord is for thy help:"

then David received them; into the hold, and admitted them as his friends:

and made them the captains of the band; they brought with them; or in later times, when he came to the throne.

(f) "induit", Pagninus, Montanus, &c.

Keil & Delitzsch — Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament (1861–1891) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API. (Old Testament only.)

first month

i.e. April.

The Scofield Reference Bible (1917 edition), notes by C. I. Scofield — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

these were some of the sons of Gad as is written above (v. 8): “And some of the Gadites separated to David.”

the smallest one a hundred The smallest of them could pursue a hundred.

and the greatest a thousand And the greatest of them could pursue a thousand. This is an actualization of the verse (Lev. 26:8): “Five of you will pursue one hundred, and one hundred of you, etc.”

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.