29. Sharon] The great maritime plain bounded on the east by the “lowland” (Shephelah). “The valleys” would probably be the depressions among the hills of the Shephelah which open out into Sharon; compare Canticles ii. 1.
³⁰and over the camels was Obil the Ishmaelite: and over the asses was Jehdeiah the Meronothite:
30. Obil] The name is a form of the Arabic word ābil, “one who feeds camels.”
the Meronothite] Meronoth was perhaps near Gibeon and Mizpah; compare Nehemiah iii. 7.
³¹and over the flocks was Jaziz the Hagrite. All these were the rulers of the substance which was king David’s.
31. Hagrite] Compare v. 10.
32–34 (compare xviii. 15–17 = 2 Samuel viii. 16–18; compare 2 Samuel xx. 23–26).
David’s Officers at Court.
³²Also Jonathan David’s uncle[¹] was a counsellor, a man of understanding, and a scribe: and Jehiel the son of Hachmoni was with the king’s sons:
[¹] Or, brother’s son.
32. Jonathan David’s uncle] The name Jonathan is common in Hebrew, but no uncle of David is elsewhere mentioned. A “Jonathan, son of Shimea,” David’s brother, is referred to in xx. 7 (= 2 Samuel xxi. 21), and many scholars in consequence prefer to follow the margin and render Jonathan, David’s brother’s son. Curtis renders David’s lover, taking the reference to be to Jonathan, Saul’s son, who as the friend of David’s youth might be spoken of as his first “counsellor.” This view seems improbable but is not impossible, despite the phrase “and a scribe” which could not possibly be said of Saul’s warrior son. There is some evidence that those words are a gloss, and it is true that the list is not one of living men only (compare Ahithophel), whilst finally the Chronicler might well be tempted to drag in an allusion to a relationship so well-known and so creditable to David.