Izrahite

Izrahite is the designation of Shamhuth, the officer in charge of David's fifth monthly division of the military organization described in 1 Chronicles 27:8. Each of the twelve divisions served one month per year under its appointed commander, with the king maintaining a rotating force of twenty-four thousand men at readiness throughout the year. Shamhuth the Izrahite commanded this rotation during the fifth month.

The clan name Izrahite is not fully explained in the text. It may be related to Zerah, one of the sons of Judah (Genesis 38:30; Numbers 26:20), with Izrahite meaning "belonging to the Zerahite family" — a variation of the Zerahite designation found elsewhere in the Davidic military lists (1 Chronicles 27:11, 13). If so, Shamhuth belonged to the Judahite clan descended from Zerah, a family that also produced notable military figures in David's service. The Izrahite designation survives only in this single verse.