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;

Now these are they that came to David to Siceleg, while he yet fled from Saul the son of Cia, and they were most valiant and excellent warriors,

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 hurling stones with slings, and shooting arrows: of the brethren of Saul 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 chief was Ahiezer, and Joas, the sons of Samaa of Gabaath, and Jaziel, and Phallet the sons of Azmoth, and Beracha, and Jehu an Anathothite.

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

And Samaias of Gabaon, the stoutest amongst the thirty and over the thirty; Jeremias, and Jeheziel, and Johanan, and Jezabad of Gaderoth;

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

And Eluzai, and Jerimuth, and Baalia, and Samaria, and Saphatia the Haruphite;

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

Elcana, and Jesia, and Azareel, and Joezer, and Jesbaam of Carehim:

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

And Joela, and Zabadia the sons of Jeroham of 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:

From Gaddi also there went over to David, when he lay hid in the wilderness most valiant men, and excellent warriors, holding shield and spear: whose faces were like the faces of a lion, and they were swift like the roebucks on the mountains.

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

Ezer the chief, Obdias the second, Eliab the third,

10 Mishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth,

Masmana the fourth, Jeremias the fifth.

11 Attai the sixth, Eliel the seventh,

Ethi the sixth, Eliel the seventh,

12 Johanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth,

Johanan the eighth, Elzebad the ninth,

13 Jeremiah the tenth, and Machbanai the eleventh.

Jerenias the tenth, Machbani 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 of the sons of Gad, captains of the army: the least of them was captain over a hundred soldiers, and the greatest over a 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 they who passed over the Jordan in the first month, when it is used to how over its banks: and they put to flight all that dwelt in the valleys both toward the east and toward the west.

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

And there came also of the men of Benjamin, and of Juda to the hold, in which David abode.

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 said: If you are come peaceably to me to help me, let my heart be joined to you: but if you plot against me for my enemies whereas I have no iniquity in my hands, let 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.

But the spirit came upon Amasai the chief among thirty, and he said: We are thine, O David, and for thee, O son of Isai: peace, peace be to thee, and peace to thy helpers. For thy God helpeth thee. So David received them, and made them captains of the band.

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.”)

And there were some of Manasses that went over to David, when he came with the Philistines against Saul to fight: but he did not fight with them: because the lords of the Philistines taking counsel sent him back, saying: With the danger of our heads he will return to his master 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.

So when he went back to Siceleg, there fled to him of Manasses, Ednas and Jozabad, and Jedihel, and Michael, and Ednas, and Jozabad, and Eliu, and Salathi, captains of thousands in Manasses.

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

These helped David against the rovers: for they were all most valiant men, and were made commanders 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.

Moreover day by day there came some to David to help him till 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:

And this is the number of the chiefs of the army who came to David, when he was in Hebron, to transfer to him the kingdom of Saul, according to the word of the Lord.

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

The sons of Juda bearing shield and spear, six thousand eight hundred well appointed to war.

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

Of the sons of Simeon valiant men for war, seven thousand one hundred.

26 From Levi: 4,600,

Of the sons of Levi, four thousand six hundred.

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

And Joiada prince of the race 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.

Sadoc also a young man of excellent disposition, and the house of his father, twenty-two principal men.

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 of the sons of Benjamin the brethren of Saul, three thousand: for hitherto a great part of them followed the house of Saul.

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

And of the sons of Ephraim twenty thousand eight hundred, men of great valour renowned in their kindreds.

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

And of the half tribe of Manasses, eighteen thousand, every one by their names, came to make David 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 of the sons of Issachar men of understanding, that knew all times to order what Israel should do, two hundred principal men: and all the rest of the tribe followed 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.

And of Zabulon such as went forth to battle, and stood in array well appointed with armour for war, there came fifty thousand to his aid, with no double heart.

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

And of Nephtali, a thousand leaders: and with them seven and thirty thousand, furnished with shield and spear.

35 From Dan: 28,600 prepared for battle.

Of Dan also twenty-eight thousand six hundred prepared for battle.

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

And of Aser forty thousand going forth to fight, and challenging in battle.

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.

And on the other side of the Jordan of the sons of Ruben, and of Gad, and of the half of the tribe of Manasses a hundred and twenty thousand, furnished with arms for war.

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 well appointed to fight, 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.

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

And they were there with David three days eating and drinking: for their brethren had prepared 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 they that were near them even as far as Issachar, and Zabulon, and Nephtali, brought leaves on asses, and on camels, and on mules, and on oxen, to eat: meal, figs, raisins, wine, oil, and oxen, and sheep in abundance, for there was joy in Israel.