The fourth captain for the fourth month was Asahel the brother of Joab, and Zebadiah his son after him: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.

The fourth, for the fourth month, was Asahel the brother of Joab, and Zabadias his son after him: and in his company were four and twenty thousand.

The fourth, for the fourth month, was Asahel, the brother of Joab, and his son Zebadiah after him; and in his company there were twenty-four thousand.

Asahel died before the courses, as here described, could have been instituted. Perhaps the arrangements of David in his later years were based upon institutions belonging to the period of his reign at Hebron.

Asahel the brother of Joab - This verse proves that the division and arrangement mentioned above were made before David was acknowledged king in Hebron; for Asahel, the brother of Joab, who was fourth captain, was slain by Abner, while Ishbosheth reigned over Israel at Mahanaim, 2-Samuel 2:19-23.

Asahel--This officer having been slain at the very beginning of David's reign [2-Samuel 2:23], his name was probably given to this division in honor of his memory, and his son was invested with the command.

From here onwards the mode of expression is very much compressed: the fourth of the fourth month, instead of the chief of the fourth host of the fourth month. Asahel (see 1-Chronicles 11:26 and on 2-Samuel 23:24) was slain by Abner (2-Samuel 2:18-23) in the beginning of David's reign, and consequently long before the division of the army here recorded. The words, "and Zebadiah his son after him," point to his death, as they mention his son as his successor in the command of the fourth division of the army. When Asahel, therefore, is called commander of the fourth division of the host, it is done merely honoris caus, since the division over which his son was named, de patris defuncti nomine (Cler.).