Warriors join David
1These were the men who came to David at Ziklag, while he was banished from the presence of Saul son of Kish (they were among the warriors who helped him in battle; 2they were armed with bows and were able to shoot arrows or to sling stones right-handed or left-handed; they were relatives of Saul from the tribe of Benjamin):
3Ahiezer their chief and Joash the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite;
Jeziel and Pelet the sons of Azmaveth;
Berakah, Jehu the Anathothite, 4and Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty warrior among the Thirty, who was a leader of the Thirty;
Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, Jozabad the Gederathite,12:4 In Hebrew texts the second half of this verse (Jeremiah… Gederathite) is numbered 12:5, and 12:5-40 is numbered 12:6-41. 5Eluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah and Shephatiah the Haruphite;
6Elkanah, Ishiah, Azarel, Joezer and Jashobeam the Korahites;
7and Joelah and Zebadiah the sons of Jeroham from Gedor.
8Some Gadites defected to David at his stronghold in the wilderness. They were brave warriors, ready for battle and able to handle the shield and spear. Their faces were the faces of lions, and they were as swift as gazelles in the mountains.
9Ezer was the chief,
Obadiah the second in command, Eliab the third,
10Mishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth,
11Attai the sixth, Eliel the seventh,
12Johanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth,
13Jeremiah the tenth and Makbannai the eleventh.
14These Gadites were army commanders; the least was a match for a hundred, and the greatest for a thousand. 15It was they who crossed the Jordan in the first month when it was overflowing all its banks, and they put to flight everyone living in the valleys, to the east and to the west.
16Other Benjaminites and some men from Judah also came to David in his stronghold. 17David went out to meet them and said to them, ‘If you have come to me in peace to help me, I am ready for you to join me. But if you have come to betray me to my enemies when my hands are free from violence, may the God of our ancestors see it and judge you.’
18Then the Spirit came on Amasai, chief of the Thirty, and he said:
‘We are yours, David!
We are with you, son of Jesse!
Success, success to you,
and success to those who help you,
for your God will help you.’
So David received them and made them leaders of his raiding bands.
19Some of the tribe of Manasseh defected to David when he went with the Philistines to fight against Saul. (He and his men did not help the Philistines because, after consultation, their rulers sent him away. They said, ‘It will cost us our heads if he deserts to his master Saul.’) 20When David went to Ziklag, these were the men of Manasseh who defected to him: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu and Zillethai, leaders of units of a thousand in Manasseh. 21They helped David against raiding bands, for all of them were brave warriors, and they were commanders in his army. 22Day after day men came to help David, until he had a great army, like the army of God.12:22 Or a great and mighty army
Others join David at Hebron
23These are the numbers of the men armed for battle who came to David at Hebron to turn Saul’s kingdom over to him, as the Lord had said:
24from Judah, carrying shield and spear – 6,800 armed for battle;
25from Simeon, warriors ready for battle – 7,100;
26from Levi – 4,600, 27including Jehoiada, leader of the family of Aaron, with 3,700 men, 28and Zadok, a brave young warrior, with 22 officers from his family;
29from Benjamin, Saul’s tribe – 3,000, most of whom had remained loyal to Saul’s house until then;
30from Ephraim, brave warriors, famous in their own clans – 20,800;
31from half the tribe of Manasseh, designated by name to come and make David king – 18,000;
32from Issachar, men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do – 200 chiefs, with all their relatives under their command;
33from Zebulun, experienced soldiers prepared for battle with every type of weapon, to help David with undivided loyalty – 50,000;
34from Naphtali – 1,000 officers, together with 37,000 men carrying shields and spears;
35from Dan, ready for battle – 28,600;
36from Asher, experienced soldiers prepared for battle – 40,000;
37and from east of the Jordan, from Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh, armed with every type of weapon – 120,000.
38All these were fighting men who volunteered to serve in the ranks.
They came to Hebron fully determined to make David king over all Israel. All the rest of the Israelites were also of one mind to make David king. 39The men spent three days there with David, eating and drinking, for their families had supplied provisions for them. 40Also, their neighbours from as far away as Issachar, Zebulun and Naphtali came bringing food on donkeys, camels, mules and oxen. There were plentiful supplies of flour, fig cakes, raisin cakes, wine, olive oil, cattle and sheep, for there was joy in Israel.
1Now these are they that came to David to Ziklag, while he yet kept himself close because of Saul the son of Kish: and they were among the mighty men, helpers of the war.12.1 while…: Heb. being yet shut up 2They were armed with bows, and could use both the right hand and the left in hurling stones and shooting arrows out of a bow, even of Saul’s brethren of Benjamin. 3The chief was Ahiezer, then Joash, the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite; and Jeziel, and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth; and Berachah, and Jehu the Antothite,12.3 Shemaah: or, Hasmaah 4And Ismaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty man among the thirty, and over the thirty; and Jeremiah, and Jahaziel, and Johanan, and Josabad the Gederathite, 5Eluzai, and Jerimoth, and Bealiah, and Shemariah, and Shephatiah the Haruphite, 6Elkanah, and Jesiah, and Azareel, and Joezer, and Jashobeam, the Korhites, 7And Joelah, and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham of Gedor. 8And of the Gadites there separated themselves unto David into the hold to the wilderness men of might, and men of war fit for the battle, that could handle shield and buckler, whose faces were like the faces of lions, and were as swift as the roes upon the mountains;12.8 of war: Heb. of the host12.8 as swift…: Heb. as the roes upon the mountains to make haste 9Ezer the first, Obadiah the second, Eliab the third, 10Mishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth, 11Attai the sixth, Eliel the seventh, 12Johanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth, 13Jeremiah the tenth, Machbanai the eleventh. 14These were of the sons of Gad, captains of the host: one of the least was over an hundred, and the greatest over a thousand.12.14 one…: or, one that was least could resist an hundred, and the greatest a thousand 15These are they that went over Jordan in the first month, when it had overflown all his banks; and they put to flight all them of the valleys, both toward the east, and toward the west.12.15 overflown: Heb. filled over 16And there came of the children of Benjamin and Judah to the hold unto David. 17And David went out to meet them, and answered and said unto them, If ye be come peaceably unto me to help me, mine heart shall be knit unto you: but if ye be come to betray me to mine enemies, seeing there is no wrong in mine hands, the God of our fathers look thereon, and rebuke it.12.17 to meet…: Heb. before them12.17 be knit: Heb. be one12.17 wrong: or, violence 18Then the spirit came upon Amasai, who was chief of the captains, and he said, Thine are we, David, and on thy side, thou son of Jesse: peace, peace be unto thee, and peace be to thine helpers; for thy God helpeth thee. Then David received them, and made them captains of the band.12.18 came…: Heb. clothed 19And there fell some of Manasseh to David, when he came with the Philistines against Saul to battle: but they helped them not: for the lords of the Philistines upon advisement sent him away, saying, He will fall to his master Saul to the jeopardy of our heads.12.19 to the…: Heb. on our heads 20As he went to Ziklag, there fell to him of Manasseh, Adnah, and Jozabad, and Jediael, and Michael, and Jozabad, and Elihu, and Zilthai, captains of the thousands that were of Manasseh. 21And they helped David against the band of the rovers: for they were all mighty men of valour, and were captains in the host.12.21 against…: or, with a band 22For at that time day by day there came to David to help him, until it was a great host, like the host of God.
23¶ And these are the numbers of the bands that were ready armed to the war, and came to David to Hebron, to turn the kingdom of Saul to him, according to the word of the LORD.12.23 bands: or, captains, or, men: Heb. heads 24The children of Judah that bare shield and spear were six thousand and eight hundred, ready armed to the war.12.24 armed: or, prepared 25Of the children of Simeon, mighty men of valour for the war, seven thousand and one hundred. 26Of the children of Levi four thousand and six hundred. 27And Jehoiada was the leader of the Aaronites, and with him were three thousand and seven hundred; 28And Zadok, a young man mighty of valour, and of his father’s house twenty and two captains. 29And of the children of Benjamin, the kindred of Saul, three thousand: for hitherto the greatest part of them had kept the ward of the house of Saul.12.29 kindred: Heb. brethren12.29 the greatest…: Heb. a multitude of them 30And of the children of Ephraim twenty thousand and eight hundred, mighty men of valour, famous throughout the house of their fathers.12.30 famous: Heb. men of names 31And of the half tribe of Manasseh eighteen thousand, which were expressed by name, to come and make David king. 32And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their commandment. 33Of Zebulun, such as went forth to battle, expert in war, with all instruments of war, fifty thousand, which could keep rank: they were not of double heart.12.33 expert…: or, rangers of battle, or, ranged in battle12.33 keep…: or, set the battle in array12.33 not…: Heb. without a heart and a heart 34And of Naphtali a thousand captains, and with them with shield and spear thirty and seven thousand. 35And of the Danites expert in war twenty and eight thousand and six hundred. 36And of Asher, such as went forth to battle, expert in war, forty thousand.12.36 expert: or, keeping their rank 37And on the other side of Jordan, of the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and of the half tribe of Manasseh, with all manner of instruments of war for the battle, an hundred and twenty thousand. 38All these men of war, that could keep rank, came with a perfect heart to Hebron, to make David king over all Israel: and all the rest also of Israel were of one heart to make David king. 39And there they were with David three days, eating and drinking: for their brethren had prepared for them. 40Moreover they that were nigh them, even unto Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, brought bread on asses, and on camels, and on mules, and on oxen, and meat, meal, cakes of figs, and bunches of raisins, and wine, and oil, and oxen, and sheep abundantly: for there was joy in Israel.12.40 meat…: or, victual of meal
