2 Samuel 8:16

16 And Jo'ab the son of Zeru'iah was over the army; and Jehosh'aphat the son of Ahi'lud was recorder;

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}.

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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 garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom he put garrisons, and all the E'domites became David's servants. And the LORD gave victory to David wherever he went.

15 So David reigned over all Israel; and David administered justice and equity to all his people.

16 And Jo'ab the son of Zeru'iah was over the army; and Jehosh'aphat the son of Ahi'lud was recorder;

17 and Zadok the son of Ahi'tub and Ahim'elech the son of Abi'athar were priests; and Serai'ah was secretary;

18 and Benai'ah the son of Jehoi'ada was over the Cher'ethites and the Pel'ethites; and David's sons were priests.