דברי הימים א, פרק י״ב, פסוק כ״ג

The steady rise of David's leadership was marked by a remarkable and continuous gathering of supporters. As the era of his early struggles drew to a close, the detailed record of individual warriors who stood by him before his kingship transitions into a broader summary of his growing strength [ביאור שטיינזלץ]. Rather than naming every individual who arrived, the focus shifts to the sheer momentum of the movement. Men arrived to support him constantly, day after day [רש״י, מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ].

This unbroken stream of followers from the various tribes journeying to David's camps began when he returned to the land of Judah to take the throne. It perfectly mirrors the historical shift taking place at the time, as David steadily gained power while the house of Saul slowly faded [מלבי״ם].

The relentless arrival of new supporters caused David's army to swell into an exceptionally massive camp, ultimately compared to a camp of God. The primary approach among commentators understands this comparison as a figure of speech meant to highlight the sheer magnitude of the army. In biblical language, attaching God's name to a description is a common way to express something of extraordinary size, meaning this was simply a tremendously large military force [רד״ק, מצודת דוד, ביאור שטיינזלץ, רש״י]. Conversely, another perspective views this description as an indication of divine providence. According to this approach, David's army could not have grown to such massive proportions through natural means alone. Its expansion was a direct result of God's will and power, making it a literal camp of God, much like the camp of angels encountered by the patriarch Jacob [רש״י].