(11) Moreover . . . fighting men.--Literally, And Uzziah had a host making war (or, doing battle).
That went out to war.--Literally, goers forth in the host.
By bands.--Or, in troops (lig'd-d)--i.e., in regular array; in organised bodies. Probably each house formed a distinct troop. (See 2 Chronicles 26:13.)
According to the number of their account.--In the number of their muster (p?qudd?h," census").
By the hand of Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the ruler.--These two royal officials had been entrusted with the draught of the muster rolls. They were "under the hand "--i.e., the direction and superintendence--of Hanamah, who was "one of the king's captains," or staff officers.
Verse 11. - That went out to war by bands; Hebrew, יוצְאֵי צָבָא לִגְדוּד. The last of these words occurs thirty-three times, and is rendered "troop" ten times, "company" four times, "band" fourteen times, and (too generically) "army "five times. The middle word occurs above four hundred times, is rendered "host" an immense preponderance of these times, and probably should have been so rendered without exception. The first word is the pool participle kal of the familiar verb יָצָא, and compels the translation (given literally),' the goers out of the host by hands." Meantime, if the persons here spoken of were leaders, as seems possible, the hiph. participle is required (which would postulate an initial mem for the present initial yod), and a most typical example among some thirty others essentially similar may be quoted from Isaiah 40:26. Theiraccount by the hand of Jeiel;i.e. their muster tabulated by Jeiel, whose office is mentioned before in our 2 Chronicles 25:11. Under the hand of Hananiah. That is, Hananiah was head of the whole matter of the registering, etc.
26:1-15 As long as Uzziah sought the Lord, and minded religion, God made him to prosper. Those only prosper whom God makes to prosper; for prosperity is his gift. Many have owned, that as long as they sought the Lord, and kept close to their duty, they prospered; but when they forsook God, every thing went cross. God never continues either to bless the indolent or to withhold his blessing from the diligent. He will never suffer any to seek his face in vain. Uzziah's name was famed throughout all the neighbouring countries. A name with God and good people makes truly honourable. He did not delight in war, nor addict himself to sports, but delighted in husbandry.
Moreover, Uzziah had an host of fighting men,.... A standing army:
that went out to war by bands; to annoy his enemies, and to scour the country from thieves and robbers, that came in troops to plunder:
according to the number of their account, by the hand of Jeiel the scribe; the secretary of war, who ordered these bands, settled their number, and directed their destination:
and Maaseiah the ruler; or officer over them, a lieutenant:
under the hand of Hananiah, one of the king's captains; that had the command of them, or at least of one of them.
That went out to war.--Literally, goers forth in the host.
By bands.--Or, in troops (lig'd-d)--i.e., in regular array; in organised bodies. Probably each house formed a distinct troop. (See 2 Chronicles 26:13.)
According to the number of their account.--In the number of their muster (p?qudd?h," census").
By the hand of Jeiel the scribe and Maaseiah the ruler.--These two royal officials had been entrusted with the draught of the muster rolls. They were "under the hand "--i.e., the direction and superintendence--of Hanamah, who was "one of the king's captains," or staff officers.
Under the hand.--Or, at the side ((al y ad) (1 Chronicles 25:2).
that went out to war by bands; to annoy his enemies, and to scour the country from thieves and robbers, that came in troops to plunder:
according to the number of their account, by the hand of Jeiel the scribe; the secretary of war, who ordered these bands, settled their number, and directed their destination:
and Maaseiah the ruler; or officer over them, a lieutenant:
under the hand of Hananiah, one of the king's captains; that had the command of them, or at least of one of them.