(8) Zadok the priest (son of Ahitub) was the representative of the family of Eleazar, elder son of Aaron, as Abiathar of the family of Ithamar, the younger son (1Chronicles 24:3). As a "young man of valour," under "Jehoiada, leader of the Aaronites," he joined David at Hebron with 3,700 men (1Chronicles 12:28), and had been left in charge of the Tabernacle at Gibeon (1Chronicles 16:39) after the removal of the Ark to Jerusalem. On his relation to Abiathar, see 1Kings 2:35.

Benaiah, the son of "Jehoiada, a chief priest," and therefore of Levitical origin. (See 2Samuel 8:18; 2Samuel 23:20-23; 1Chronicles 27:5-6.) His rank is given in 2Samuel 23:23, as intermediate between the "three mighty men" and "the thirty," and in 1Chronicles 27:5, as "the third captain of the host for the third month"; but his command of the bodyguard gave him special importance, second only to that of Joab (2Samuel 20:23), and perhaps of even greater importance for immediate action. (It is notable that there is no mention of Abishai, who is named as prior to Benaiah among "the mighty men" in 2Samuel 23:18-22. It may be inferred that he was dead; otherwise he could hardly have been omitted here.)

Nathan the prophet.--See 2Samuel 7:2; 2Samuel 12:1; 2Samuel 12:25. In the whole chapter he appears rather as a chief officer and counsellor of David, than in the loftier aspect of the prophetic character. He was also the royal chronicler of the reigns of David and Solomon (1Chronicles 29:29; 2Chronicles 9:29).

Shimei, and Rei.--Ewald conjectures that these were two brothers of David, called Shimma and Raddai in 1Chronicles 2:13-14. These, however, being older than David, would now be in extreme old age. Of Rei, we have no mention elsewhere; but there is a Shimei (in 1Kings 4:18), a high officer of Solomon; a "Shimea," brother of Solomon (in 1Chronicles 3:5), and a "Shammah," one of the "mighty men" (in 2Samuel 23:11).

The mighty men.--See 2Samuel 23:8-39. The name Gibborim is a technical name, and is thought to designate a picked body of troops, the standing nucleus of the armies of Israel. It is commonly inferred that they were the successors of the six hundred men of David's band during his life of wandering and exile, and that "the three" and "the thirty" (2 Samuel 23) were their officers. They are mentioned as attached to the person of David in 2Samuel 10:7; 2Samuel 16:6, 2Sa_20:7.

Verse 8. - But Zadok the priest [2 Samuel 8:17. It is generally said to be difficult to explain "how Zadok and Abiathar came both to be "priests at this time." Rawlinson, who adds that "the best explanation is that Abiathar was the real high priest," officiating in Zion, while Zadok acted as chief priest at the tabernacle at Gibeon. (Bahr, by a strange oversight, assigns to Zadok the care of the ark on Mount Zion, whereas 1 Chronicles 16:39, distinctly connects his ministry with the tabernacle of witness at Gibeon.) But the precedence (see on ver. 7) generally assigned to Zadok is hardly consistent with the idea that Abiathar was "the real high priest." The fact is that a duality of high priests, associated, apparently, on pretty equal terms, was not unknown in Jewish history. The cases of Eleazer and Ithamar, Hophni and Phinehas, Annas and Caiaphas, will occur to all. 2 Kings 25:18, speaks of "the chief priest" and "the second priest;" 2 Chronicles 31:10, of the "chief priest of the house of Zadok." And a dual priesthood would be the more necessary in David's days, because of the two sanctuaries, Zion and Gibeon. We find, however, from 1 Chronicles 15:11, that Zadok was already priest at the time of the bringing up of the ark. And the true explanation, no doubt, is that Zadok had succeeded some member of his family, in all probability Jehoiada, called in 1 Chronicles 12:27, "the leader of Aaron" (Hebrews), who had certainly been high priest in the time of Saul (1 Chronicles 27:5), and who would hardly be degraded when, with 3700 followers, he joined David at Hebron. On his decease, or cession of orifice, Zadok, who had joined at the same time with a large contingent,was associated with Abiathar in the priest's office. This dual arrangement, consequently, was the result of David's having taken over a high priest from Saul, together with the kingdom, when he had Abiathar as priest already,] and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, [i.e., Jehoiada the high priest (1 Chronicles 27:5). Benaiah was consequently a Levite, and of the family of Aaron; set, however, by David, because of his prowess (2 Samuel 23:20, 21; 1 Chronicles 11:22) over the bodyguard (2 Samuel 8:18; 1 Chronicles 18:17). Probably he was a near relative of Zadok.], and Nathan the prophet [a Jewish tradition makes Nathan the eighth son of Jesse. He comes before us 2 Samuel 7:2, 3, 17; 2 Samuel 12:1-12, 25] and Shimei [by Ewald identified with Shammah (1 Samuel 16:9), or Shimeah, David's brother (2 Samuel 13:3; 2 Samuel 21:21). Others suppose him to be the Shimei of 1 Kings 4:18. But see note on chap. 2:8. Josephus calls Shimei (not Rei, as Bahr states) ὁ Δαυίδου φίλος], and Rei [this name occurs here only. Ewald would identify him with Raddai (1 Chronicles 2:14), another brother of David, but on very slender grounds], and the mighty men [or heroes. Gesen. "chiefs." Not the 600 men who formed David's band in his wanderings (1 Samuel 25:13; 1 Samuel 27:2) (Rawlinson), but the 30 (or 37) to whom this name of Gibborim is expressly given, 2 Samuel 23:8; 1 Chronicles 11:15, 25; 1 Chronicles 29:24. Comp. 2 Kings 10:25, Hebrews] which belonged to David [same expression as in 2 Samuel 23:8] were not with Adonijah.

1:5-10 Indulgent parents are often chastised with disobedient children, who are anxious to possess their estates. No worldly wisdom, nor experience, nor sacredness of character, can insure the continuance in any former course of those who remain under the power of self-love. But we may well wonder by what arts Joab and Abiathar could be drawn aside.But Zadok the priest,.... Who bid fair to be the high priest on Solomon's coming to the throne as he was:

and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada; who was near David's person, and over his bodyguards, the Cherethites and Pelethites:

and Nathan the prophet; a very great intimate of David's, and his seer, whom he consulted on all occasions:

and Shimei; who, according to Abarbinel, was Shimei the son of Gera, who had cursed David, and was afraid of entering into the conspiracy, lest he should be involved in trouble again: though some think this may be that Shimei, one of Solomon's twelve officers, as after constituted, 1 Kings 4:18;

and Rei; whom the same writer takes to be Hushai the Archite, David's friend:

and the mighty men which belonged to David; that were about his person, his guards, the Cherethites and Pelethites:

were not with Adonijah; they did not join him, and indeed were not invited by him.