2 Samuel 8:16

16 And Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was over the host of David; and Jehoshaphat, the son of Ahilud, was recorder; (And Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was the leader of David's army; and Jehoshaphat, the son of Ahilud, was the officer in charge 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}.

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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 setted keepers in Idumea, and ordained [a] stronghold, and all Idumea was made serving to David; and the Lord kept David in all things, to whatever things he went forth. (And he set up strongholds in Edom, or Idumea, and all the Edomites served David; and so the Lord gave victory to David everywhere he went.)

15 And David reigned upon all Israel, and David did doom, and rightwiseness to all his people. (And David reigned over all Israel, and David brought justice, or judgement, and righteousness unto all his people.)

16 And Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was over the host of David; and Jehoshaphat, the son of Ahilud, was recorder; (And Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was the leader of David's army; and Jehoshaphat, the son of Ahilud, was the officer in charge of the records;)

17 and Zadok, the son of Ahitub, and Ahimelech, the son of Abiathar, were priests; and Seraiah was a scribe (and Seraiah was the writer).

18 But Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, was over Cherethites and Pelethites, that is, over archers and arrow-blasters; and the sons of David were priests. (And Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, was the leader of the Cherethites and Pelethites, that is, the archers and the arrow-blasters; and David's sons were priests.)