2 Samuel 8:16

16 And Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the army; and Jehoshaphat, the son of Ahilud, was keeper of the records;

2 Samuel 8:16 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 8:16

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, ( 1 Chronicles 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 ( Esther 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" ^F7; 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}.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F7 (rykzm) "commemorans", Montanus; "commemorator", Syr. Ar. "memorans, sive reducens in memoriam", Vatablus.
F8 Vid. Beckium in Targ. 1 Chron. xviii. 15.

2 Samuel 8:16 In-Context

14 And he put armed forces in Edom; all through Edom he had armed forces stationed, and all the Edomites became servants to David. And the Lord made David overcome wherever he went.

15 And David was king over all Israel, judging and giving right decisions for all his people.

16 And Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the army; and Jehoshaphat, the son of Ahilud, was keeper of the records;

17 And Zadok and Abiathar, the son of Ahimelech, the son of Ahitub, were priests; and Seraiah was the scribe;

18 And Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David's sons were priests.