The twelfth captain for the twelfth month was Heldai the Netophathite, of Othniel: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.
The twelfth captain for the twelfth month was Heldai from Netophah, who was from Othniel's family. He commanded twenty-four thousand men.
This verse describes the final military captain in King David's organized army, showing how carefully the kingdom's defense was structured with rotating leadership throughout the year.
📚 Historical Context
This verse is part of a detailed record of King David's military organization, where he divided his army into twelve divisions of 24,000 men each, with different commanders serving one month per year. This system ensured that Israel always had a standing army ready for defense while allowing most soldiers to return to their farms and families for eleven months of the year. Netophah was a town near Bethlehem, and Othniel was likely referring to the famous judge who delivered Israel from foreign oppression.
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