The third army commander, as chief for the third month, was Benaiah son of Jehoiada the priest. There were 24,000 men in his division.
We have here an account of the regulation of the militia of the kingdom. David was himself a man of war, and had done great things with the sword; he had brought into the field great armies. Now here we are told how he marshalled them when God had given him rest from all his enemies.
Commenting on 1 Chronicles 27:1-15
Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, a chief priest - Why should not this clause be read as it is in the Hebrew? "Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada the priest, a captain; and in his course," etc. Or, as the Targum has it, "The third captain of the host for the month Sivan was Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada the priest, who was constituted a chief."...
1Ch 27:5-6 Here the form of expression is changed; הצּבא שׂר, the chief of the third host, begins the sentence. As to Benaiah, see 1Ch 11:22 and the commentary on 2Sa 23:20. ראשׁ does not belong to הכּהן, but is the predicate of Benaiah: “the prince of the ... was Benaiah ... as head,” sc. of the division for the third month.
Commenting on 1 Chronicles 27:5-6