²⁵And over the king’s treasuries was Azmaveth the son of Adiel: and over the treasuries in the fields, in the cities, and in the villages, and in the castles, was Jonathan the son of Uzziah: ²⁶and over them that did the work of the field for tillage of the ground was Ezri the son of Chelub:
25. castles] Literally towers; compare 2 Chronicles xxvi. 10, xxvii. 4.
²⁷and over the vineyards was Shimei the Ramathite: and over the increase of the vineyards for the wine cellars was Zabdi the Shiphmite:
27. the Ramathite] The well-known Ramah was in Benjamin, but there was also a Ramah (or Ramoth) of the South (Joshua xix. 8; 1 Samuel xxx. 27) from which the epithet “Ramathite” might be derived.
the Shiphmite] The adjective is probably derived from “Siphmoth” (1 Samuel xxx. 28), the name of a place in the south of Judah. If so, we should read either “Siphmite” here, or “Shiphmoth” in 1 Samuel.
²⁸and over the olive trees and the sycomore trees that were in the lowland was Baal-hanan the Gederite: and over the cellars of oil was Joash:
28. sycomore] The fig-mulberry, a tree having leaves like mulberry-leaves, and bearing a fruit resembling figs. Compare 2 Chronicles i. 15; Amos, vii. 14.
in the lowland] Hebrew Shephelah. See note on 2 Chronicles i. 15 (“vale”).
Gederite] i.e. inhabitant of “Geder” (Joshua xii. 13), perhaps another form of “Gederah” (Joshua xv. 36). A place in the south of Judah is intended in any case. See note on xii. 4.
²⁹and over the herds that fed in Sharon was Shitrai the Sharonite: and over the herds that were in the valleys was Shaphat the son of Adlai: