Bible Strands
1 Chronicles 12:24
From Judah: 6,800 armed troops bearing shields and spears.
Berean Standard Bible
Follow its threads on the canvas →
Study note
Setting — The narrator records tribal military contributions arriving at Hebron as David prepares to receive Saul’s kingdom per the Lord’s directive. This moment captures the formal transfer of political and military allegiance to David.
The words — נֹשְׂאֵ֥י (no.se.'Ei) denotes those who carry or bear equipment, while צִנָּ֖ה (tzi.Nah) specifies the protective shield. Together they define the 6,800 men as equipped fighters rather than untrained conscripts.
The thread — This tribal muster pattern repeats throughout 1 Chronicles 12:25-37 with Simeon, Gad, Manasseh, and others. Parallel accounts of tribal leaders swearing allegiance to David at Hebron appear in 2 Samuel 5:1-3 and 1 Chronicles 11:1-3.
Why it lands — The text records a precise headcount of armed support before David’s coronation, establishing that his rule rested on verified tribal mobilization. A reader must note that spiritual mandate and military logistics are presented as simultaneous requirements for kingship.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
The children of Judah that bare shield and spear were six thousand and eight hundred, ready armed to the war.