1 Chronicles 12

1 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,

Now these are the men who came to David at Ziklag, while he was still shut up, because of Saul, the son of Kish; they were among the strong men, his helpers in war.

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

They were armed with bows, and were able to send stones, and arrows from the bow, with right hand or left: they were Saul's brothers, of Benjamin.

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

Ahiezer was their chief, then Joash, the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite; and Jeziel and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth; and Beracah and Jehu the Anathothite;

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

And Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a great man among the thirty, and their chief; and Jeremiah and Jehaziel and Johanan and Jozabad the Gederathite;

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

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

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

Elkanah and Isshiah and Azarel and Joezer and Jashobeam, the Korahites;

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

And Joelah and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham of Gedor.

8 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.

And some of the Gadites, siding with David, went to his strong place in the waste land, great and strong men, trained for war, expert in the use of arms, whose faces were like the faces of lions, and they were quick-footed like roes on the mountains;

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

Ezer their chief, 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, Machbannai the eleventh.

Jeremiah the tenth, Machbannai the eleventh.

14 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.

These Gadites were captains of the army; the least of them was captain over a hundred men, and the greatest over a thousand.

15 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.

It was they who went over Jordan in the first month, when the river was overflowing, and put to flight all the people of the valleys, to the east and to the west.

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

And some of the children of Benjamin and Judah came to David in his strong place.

17 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.”

And David went out to them, and said to them, If you have come in peace to give me help, my heart will be united with yours; but if you have come to give me up to those who would take my life, though my hands are clean from wrongdoing, then may the God of our fathers see it and give you punishment.

18 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.

Then the spirit came on Amasai, who was chief of the captains, and he said, We are yours, David, we are on your side, O son of Jesse: may peace be with you and peace be with your helpers; for God is your helper. Then David took them into his army and made them captains of the band.

19 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.”

And some of the men of Manasseh came over to David, when he went with the Philistines to the war against Saul, but he gave them no help: for the lords of the Philistines, after discussion, sent him away, saying, He will go back to his master Saul, at the price of our lives.

20 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.

Then when he went back to Ziklag, there came over to him, of the men of Manasseh, Adnah and Jozabad and Jediael and Michael and Jozabad and Elihu and Zillethai, captains of thousands from the armies of Manasseh.

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

And they gave David help against the armed bands, for they were all great men of war, and captains in the army.

22 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.

And from day to day more supporters came to David, till he had a great army like the army of God.

23 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:

These are the numbers of the chiefs of the armed men, ready for war, who came to David at Hebron, to give the kingdom of Saul into his hands, as the Lord had said.

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

There were six thousand, eight hundred spearmen of the children of Judah, armed for war;

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

Seven thousand, one hundred of the children of Simeon, great men of war;

26 from the sons of Levi, four thousand six hundred;

Of the children of Levi, four thousand, six hundred.

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

And Jehoiada, chief of the family of Aaron, and with him three thousand, seven hundred men;

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

And Zadok, a young man, great and strong in war, with twenty-two captains from his father's people.

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

And of the children of Benjamin, the brothers of Saul, three thousand; for up to that time the greater part of them had been true to Saul.

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

And of the children of Ephraim, twenty thousand, eight hundred great men of war, men of great name in their families.

31 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.

And from the half-tribe of Manasseh, eighteen thousand, listed by name, came to make David king.

32 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.

And of the children of Issachar, there were two hundred chiefs, men who had expert knowledge of the times and what it was best for Israel to do, and all their brothers were under their orders.

33 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.

Of Zebulun, there were fifty thousand men, who went out with the army, expert in ordering the fight, to give help with all sorts of arms; true-hearted men.

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

And of Naphtali, a thousand captains with thirty-seven thousand spearmen.

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

And of the Danites, twenty-eight thousand, six hundred, expert in ordering the fight.

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

And of Asher, forty thousand who went out with the army, expert in ordering the fight.

37 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.

From the other side of Jordan, there were a hundred and twenty thousand of the Reubenites and the Gadites and the men of the half-tribe of Manasseh, armed with every sort of instrument of war.

38 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.

All these men of war, expert in ordering the fight, came to Hebron with the full purpose of making David king over all Israel; and all the rest of Israel were united in their desire to make David king.

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

For three days they were there with David, feasting at his table, for their brothers had made ready food for them.

40 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.

And those who were near, as far as Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, came with food on asses and camels and mules and oxen, with meal for food and cakes of figs and masses of grapes, and wine and oil and oxen and sheep in great numbers, for there was joy in Israel.