Bible Strands
2 Chronicles 25:5
Then Amaziah gathered the people of Judah and assigned them according to their families to commanders of thousands and of hundreds. And he numbered those twenty years of age or older throughout Judah and Benjamin and found 300,000 chosen men able to serve in the army, bearing the spear and shield.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — King Amaziah acts as the commanding authority to organize the military forces of Judah and Benjamin. He issues the muster order immediately following his accession and his compliance with the law regarding judicial execution.
The words — The text employs וַ/יִּקְבֹּ֤ץ (va/i.yik.Botz), meaning "he assembled," and לְ/בֵית\־ אָב֗וֹת (le./veit- 'a.Vot), meaning "to the house of ancestors." These terms specify that the troop organization follows clan divisions rather than geographic or random grouping.
The thread — The age requirement of twenty years and the military numbering pattern directly parallel the census methodology in Numbers 1:3. The administrative structure by fathers' houses and commanders of thousands also mirrors the recorded divisions in 2 Chronicles 17:14 and the earlier Judah-Benjamin mobilization in 2 Chronicles 11:1.
Why it lands — The passage requires a reader to observe that military readiness is treated as a structured administrative process. It establishes that service eligibility is defined by specific age thresholds and hereditary clan assignments.
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
Moreover Amaziah gathered Judah together, and made them captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, according to the houses of their fathers, throughout all Judah and Benjamin: and he numbered them from twenty years old and above, and found them three hundred thousand choice men, able to go forth to war, that could handle spear and shield.
Cross-references
- Numbers 1:3 You and Aaron are to number those who are twenty years of age or older by their divisions—everyone who can serve in Israel’s army.
- 2 Chronicles 17:14 These are their numbers according to the houses of their fathers: From Judah, the commanders of thousands: Adnah the commander, and with him 300,000 mighty men of valor;
- 2 Chronicles 11:1 When Rehoboam arrived in Jerusalem, he mobilized the house of Judah and Benjamin—180,000 chosen warriors—to fight against Israel and restore the kingdom to Rehoboam.
- Exodus 18:25 So Moses chose capable men from all Israel and made them heads over the people as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties, and of tens.
- 1 Samuel 8:12 He will appoint some for himself as commanders of thousands and of fifties, and others to plow his ground, to reap his harvest, and to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots.
- 1 Chronicles 13:1 Then David conferred with all his leaders, the commanders of thousands and of hundreds.
- 1 Chronicles 27:1 This is the list of the Israelites—the heads of families, the commanders of thousands and of hundreds, and their officers who served the king in every matter concerning the divisions on rotating military duty each month throughout the year. There were 24,000 men in each division:
- 2 Chronicles 14:8 Asa had an army of 300,000 men from Judah bearing large shields and spears, and 280,000 men from Benjamin bearing small shields and drawing the bow. All these were mighty men of valor.
- 2 Chronicles 26:13 Under their authority was an army of 307,500 trained for war, a powerful force to support the king against his enemies.