1 Chronicles 12

1 Now these were the men who came to David at Ziklag, while he was still banished from the presence of Saul son of Kish (they were among the mighty men who helped him in battle;

Also, these went to David at Ziklag, while he was still fleeing from Saul, the son of Kish. And they were very strong and distinguished fighters,

2 they were archers using both the right and left hands to sling stones and shoot arrows; and they were Saul’s kinsmen from Benjamin):

bending the bow, and using either hand in casting stones with slings, and shooting arrows. From the brothers of Saul, out of Benjamin:

3 Ahiezer their chief and Joash, who were the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite; Jeziel and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth; Beracah; Jehu the Anathothite;

the leader was Ahiezer, with Joash, sons of Shemaah from Gibeah, and Jeziel and Pelet, sons of Azmaveth, and Beracah and Jehu, from Anathoth.

4 Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty man among the Thirty and a leader over the Thirty; Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, and Jozabad the Gederathite;

Also, there was Ishmaiah, from Gibeon, the strongest among the thirty and over the thirty; Jeremiah, and Jahaziel, and Johanan, and Jozabad, from Gederah;

5 Eluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah, and Shephatiah the Haruphite;

and Eluzai, and Jerimoth, and Bealiah, and Shemariah, and Shephatiah, the Haruphites;

6 Elkanah, Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer, and Jashobeam, who were Korahites;

Elkanah, and Isshiah, and Azarel, and Joezer, and Jashobeam, from Carehim;

7 and Joelah and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham from Gedor.

and also Joelah and Zebadiah, sons of Jeroham, from Gedor.

8 Some Gadites defected to David at his stronghold in the desert. They were mighty men of valor, trained for battle, experts with the shield and spear, whose faces were like the faces of lions and who were as swift as gazelles on the mountains:

Then too, from Gad, there went over to David, when he was hiding in the desert, very robust men, who were excellent fighters, taking hold of shield and spear; their faces were like the faces of a lion, and they were swift like the roe deer upon the mountains.

9 Ezer the chief, Obadiah the second in command, Eliab the third,

Ezer was the leader, Obadiah the second, Eliab the third,

10 Mishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth,

Mishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth,

11 Attai the sixth, Eliel the seventh,

Attai the sixth, Eliel the seventh,

12 Johanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth,

Johanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth,

13 Jeremiah the tenth, and Machbanai the eleventh.

Jeremiah the tenth, Machbannai the eleventh.

14 These Gadites were army commanders, the least of whom was a match for a hundred, and the greatest for a thousand.

These were from the sons of Gad, leaders of the army. The least was in charge of one hundred soldiers, and the greatest was in charge of one thousand.

15 These are the ones who crossed the Jordan in the first month when it was overflowing all its banks, and they put to flight all those in the valleys, both to the east and to the west.

These are the ones who crossed over the Jordan in the first month, when it is accustomed to overflow its banks. And they put to flight all those who were staying in the valleys, to the eastern region and to the west.

16 Other Benjamites and some men from Judah also came to David in his stronghold.

Then some from Benjamin and from Judah also arrived at the stronghold where David was staying.

17 And David went out to meet them, saying, “If you have come to me in peace to help me, my heart will be united with you; but if you have come to betray me to my enemies when my hands are free of violence, may the God of our fathers see it and judge you.”

And David went out to meet them, and he said: “If you have arrived peacefully, so as to be a help to me, may my heart be joined to you; but if to betray me to my adversaries, though I have no iniquity in my hands, may the God of our fathers see and judge.”

18 Then the Spirit came upon Amasai, the chief of the Thirty, and he said: “We are yours, O David! We are with you, O son of Jesse! Peace, peace to you, and peace to your helpers, for your God helps you.” So David received them and made them leaders of his troops.

Truly, the Spirit clothed Amasai, the leader among the thirty, and he said: “O David, we are yours! O son of Jesse, we are for you! Peace, peace to you, and peace to your helpers. For your God helps you.” Therefore, David received them, and he appointed them as leaders of troops.

19 Some from Manasseh defected to David when he went with the Philistines to fight against Saul. (They did not help the Philistines because the Philistine rulers consulted and sent David away, saying, “It will cost us our heads if he defects to his master Saul.”)

Moreover, some from Manasseh crossed over to David, when he went forth with the Philistines against Saul, so that he might fight. But he did not fight with them. For the leaders of the Philistines, taking counsel, sent him back, saying, “To the peril of our own heads, he will return to his lord, Saul.”

20 When David went to Ziklag, these men of Manasseh defected to him: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai, chiefs of thousands in Manasseh.

And so, when he returned to Ziklag, some fled over to him from Manasseh: Adnah, and Jozabad, and Jediael, and Michael, and Adnah, and Jozabad, and Elihu, and Zillethai, leaders of thousands in Manasseh.

21 They helped David against the raiders, for they were all mighty men of valor and commanders in the army.

These offered assistance to David against the robbers. For all were very strong men, and they became leaders in the army.

22 For at that time men came to David day after day to help him, until he had a great army, like the army of God.

Then, too, some came to David throughout each day, in order to help him, until they became a great number, like the army of God.

23 Now these are the numbers of men armed for battle who came to David at Hebron to turn Saul’s kingdom over to him, in accordance with the word of the LORD:

Now this is the number of the leaders of the army who went to David when he was at Hebron, so that they might transfer the kingdom of Saul to him, in accord with the word of the Lord:

24 From Judah: 6,800 armed troops bearing shields and spears.

the sons of Judah, carrying shield and spear, six thousand eight hundred, equipped for battle;

25 From Simeon: 7,100 mighty men of valor, ready for battle.

from the sons of Simeon, very strong men for the fight, seven thousand one hundred;

26 From Levi: 4,600,

from the sons of Levi, four thousand six hundred;

27 including Jehoiada, leader of the house of Aaron, with 3,700 men,

as well as Jehoiada, a leader from the stock of Aaron, and with him three thousand seven hundred;

28 and Zadok, a mighty young man of valor, with 22 commanders from his own family.

and then Zadok, a youth of distinguished qualities, and the house of his father, twenty-two leaders;

29 From Benjamin, the kinsmen of Saul: 3,000, most of whom had remained loyal to the house of Saul up to that time.

and from the sons of Benjamin, brothers of Saul, three thousand, for still a great part of them were following the house of Saul.

30 From Ephraim: 20,800 mighty men of valor, famous among their own clans.

Then from the sons of Ephraim, there were twenty thousand eight hundred, very strong and robust men, renowned among their kindred.

31 From the half-tribe of Manasseh: 18,000 designated by name to come and make David king.

And out of the one half tribe of Manasseh, eighteen thousand, each by their names, went forth so that they might appoint David as king.

32 From Issachar, men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do: 200 chiefs with all their kinsmen at their command.

Also, from the sons of Issachar, there were learned men, who knew each of the times, in order to anticipate what Israel ought to do, two hundred leaders. And all the remainder of the tribe were following their counsel.

33 From Zebulun: 50,000 fit for service, trained for battle with all kinds of weapons of war, who with one purpose were devoted to David.

Then, from Zebulun, there were those who went forth to battle, and who were standing in a battle line, prepared with the weapons of warfare; these fifty thousand arrived to assist, without duplicity of heart.

34 From Naphtali: 1,000 commanders, accompanied by 37,000 men with shield and spear.

And from Naphtali, there were one thousand leaders; and with them were thirty-seven thousand, prepared with shield and spear.

35 From Dan: 28,600 prepared for battle.

And then from Dan, there were twenty-eight thousand six hundred, ready for battle.

36 From Asher: 40,000 fit for service, prepared for battle.

And from Asher, there were forty thousand, going forth to fight, and summoned to the battle line.

37 And from east of the Jordan, from Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh there: 120,000 armed with every kind of weapon of war.

Then, across the Jordan, there were, from the sons of Reuben, and from Gad, and from the one half tribe of Manasseh, one hundred twenty thousand, prepared with the weapons of warfare.

38 All these men of war, arrayed for battle, came to Hebron fully determined to make David king over all Israel. And all the rest of the Israelites were of one mind to make David king.

All these men of war, equipped for the fight, went with a perfect heart to Hebron, so that they might appoint David as king over all of Israel. Then, too, all the remainder of Israel were of one heart, so that they might make David king.

39 They spent three days there eating and drinking with David, for their relatives had provided for them.

And they were in that place with David for three days, eating and drinking. For their brothers had made preparations for them.

40 And their neighbors from as far away as Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali came bringing food on donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen—abundant supplies of flour, fig cakes and raisin cakes, wine and oil, oxen and sheep. Indeed, there was joy in Israel.

Moreover, those who were near to them, even as far as Issachar, and Zebulun, and Naphtali, were bringing, on donkeys and camels and mules and oxen, bread for their provisions, with grain, dried figs, dried grapes, wine, oil, and oxen and sheep, with all abundance. For indeed, there was joy in Israel.