Poole on 2 Samuel 20:23-26: David's Court Officials

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Verse 23:[1]  Now (2 Sam. 8:16, 18) Joab was over all the host of Israel:  and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites…

[Joab was over the army]  He recovered command in a wicked manner (Junius), with the king reluctant rather than willing (Malvenda), with Amasa slain (Sanchez, Munster).  David appears to be subject to necessity.  Now, kings are often compelled to bear what they would not (Martyr).  Another was not able to be substituted without great commotions (Menochius).  This record of magistrates is repeated, so that it might be shown how David was again made king:  for so great were those commotions, that he was appearing to have been cast down from his place (Martyr).

Joab was over all the host of Israel:  the good success of this and of the former expedition, under the conduct of Joab, had so fixed his interest in the army, and others of David’s fastest friends, that the king could not without danger to the public well displace him.

[Over the Cherethites, etc.]  The cohorts of the king:  For, even if Joab were over the whole army, they were having their own prefect (Martyr).

Verse 24:[2]  And Adoram was (1 Kings 4:6) over the tribute:  and (2 Sam. 8:16; 1 Kings 4:3) Jehoshaphat the son of Ahilud was recorder (or, remembrancer[3])…

[Over the tribute]  That is, he was in charge of receiving the money from taxes (Vatablus).  The treasurer of the king (Menochius).

Over the tribute; the receiver and manager of the king’s public revenue.  See on 1 Kings 4:6.

[The recorder, הַמַּזְכִּיר]  Remembrancer, like a secretary among us, or a chancellor (Piscator); from memory, or from books of supplication (Martyr).  See 2 Samuel 8:16 (Vatablus).

Jehoshaphat was recorder:  see on 2 Samuel 8:16.

Verse 25:[4]  And Sheva was scribe:  and (2 Sam. 8:17; 1 Kings 4:4) Zadok and Abiathar were the priests…

[Scribe]  Secretary, or who was consigning to writing the acts and matters conducted (Martyr).  See on 2 Samuel 8:17[5] (Menochius).

Zadok and Abiathar were the priests:  See 2 Samuel 8:17; 15:35.

Verse 26:[6]  (2 Sam. 23:28) And Ira also the Jairite was a chief ruler (or, a prince,[7] Gen. 41:45;[8] Ex. 2:16;[9] 2 Sam. 8:18[10]) about David.

The Jairite; so called from his birth or dwelling in the country of Jair in Gilead, Numbers 32:41; Judges 10:4.

[He was the priest of David, ‎לְדָוִד]  To David (Septuagint, Syriac, Munster, Montanus, Strigelius, Arabic).  A Priest properly so called, who was near to David, and was performing sacred rites for him (Sanchez out of Tostatus and Theodoret); just as today kings have their own clergymen; that is to say, he was the first and principal of David’s clergymen (Lapide).  [Others take this politically:]  כֹּהֵן, a chief ruler for David (Junius and Tremellius), or to David (Piscator).  A prince of David (Pagnine, Jonathan), an authority (Castalio).  First counselor, most intimate friend (Vatablus, similarly Lapide, Sanchez, Menochius, Osiander, Martyr, Malvenda).  Just as the sons of David are called priests, 2 Samuel 8:18 (Lapide).  Perhaps he was put in the place of Ahithophel (Martyr); that is to say, the most holy/dedicated to David, that is, the most intimate (Malvenda).

A chief ruler; either the president of the king’s council; or his chief minister (as the Hebrew word כֹּהֵן/cohen signifies) of state, instead of Ahithophel; or in some other very high place near the king’s person.  Compare 2 Samuel 8:18, where this title is given to David’s sons, the chief of which were now cut off.  And these things are here repeated with some alteration to show that David was now fully reestablished in his former estate.

[1] Hebrew:  ‎וְיוֹאָ֕ב אֶ֥ל כָּל־הַצָּבָ֖א יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וּבְנָיָה֙ בֶּן־יְה֣וֹיָדָ֔ע עַל־הַכְּרִ֖י וְעַל־הַפְּלֵתִֽי׃

[2] Hebrew:  ‎וַאֲדֹרָ֖ם עַל־הַמַּ֑ס וִיהוֹשָׁפָ֥ט בֶּן־אֲחִיל֖וּד הַמַּזְכִּֽיר׃

[3] Hebrew:  ‎הַמַּזְכִּיר.

[4] Hebrew:  ‎וְשֵׁיָָ֖א סֹפֵ֑ר וְצָד֥וֹק וְאֶבְיָתָ֖ר כֹּהֲנִֽים׃

[5] 2 Samuel 8:17:  “And Zadok the son of Ahitub, and Ahimelech the son of Abiathar, were the priests; and Seraiah was the scribe (‎סוֹפֵר)…”

[6] Hebrew:  ‎וְגַ֗ם עִירָא֙ הַיָּ֣אִרִ֔י הָיָ֥ה כֹהֵ֖ן לְדָוִֽד׃ ס

[7] Hebrew:  ‎כֹהֵן.

[8] Genesis 41:45:  “And Pharaoh called Joseph’s name Zaphnath-paaneah; and he gave him to wife Asenath the daughter of Potipherah priest of On (‎כֹּהֵ֥ן אֹ֖ן).  And Joseph went out over all the land of Egypt.”

[9] Exodus 2:16:  “Now to the priest of Midian (‎וּלְכֹהֵ֥ן מִדְיָ֖ן) were seven daughters:  and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father’s flock.”

[10] 2 Samuel 8:18:  “And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over both the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David’s sons were chief rulers (‎כֹּהֲנִים).”