1 Chronicles 12

1 The following is a list of the men who joined David when he was at Ziklag, still hiding from Saul, son of Kish. They were some of the leading warriors who fought on David's side.

Now these are those who came to David to Ziklag, while he was still kept from the presence of Saul the son of Kish; and they were among the mighty men, his helpers in war.

2 They were all skilled archers, and could shoot arrows or slingshots with their right or their left hands. They were relatives of Saul from the tribe of Benjamin.

They were armed with bows, and could use both the right hand and the left in slinging stones and in shooting arrows from the bow: they were of Saul's brothers of Benjamin.

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

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

4 Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, (a strong warrior among the Thirty, and leader over the Thirty); Jeremiah; Jahaziel; Johanan; Jozabad the Gederathite;

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

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

Eluzai, and Jerimoth, and Baaliah, and Shemariah, and Shephatiah the Haruphite,

6 Elkanah, Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer, and Jashobeam (they were Korahites);

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

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

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

8 Some warriors from the tribe of Gad went over to David's side when he was at the stronghold in the desert. They were strong and experienced warriors, battle-hardened, experts in the use of shields and spears. Their faces looked as fierce as lions, and they ran as fast as gazelles in the mountains.

Of the Gadites there separated themselves to David to the stronghold in the wilderness, mighty men of valor, men trained for war, that could handle shield and spear; whose faces were like the faces of lions, and they were as swift as the roes on the mountains;

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

Ezer the chief, Obadiah the second, Eliab the third,

10 Mishmannah (fourth), Jeremiah (fifth),

Mishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth,

11 Attai (sixth), Eliel (seventh),

Attai the sixth, Eliel the seventh,

12 Johanan (eighth), Elzabad (ninth),

Johanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth,

13 Jeremiah (tenth), Machbannai (eleventh).

Jeremiah the tenth, Machbannai the eleventh.

14 These warriors from Gad were army officers. The least able of them was in charge of 100 men; the best was in charge of 1,000.

These of the sons of Gad were captains of the army: he who was least was equal to one hundred, and the greatest to one thousand.

15 These were ones who crossed the Jordan River in the first month of the year when it overflows its banks. They chased out all the people living in the valley, both to the east and to the west.

These are those who went over the Jordan in the first month, when it had overflowed all its banks; and they put to flight all them of the valleys, both toward the east, and toward the west.

16 Some others from the tribes of Benjamin and Judah also came to join David at the stronghold.

There came of the people of Benjamin and Judah to the stronghold to David.

17 David went out to meet them and told them, “If you've come in peace to help me, we can be friends. But if you've come to betray me to my enemies, even though I've done no wrong, then may the God of our fathers see what you're doing and condemn you.”

David went out to meet them, and answered them, "If you have come peaceably to me to help me, my heart shall be knit to you; but if you have come to betray me to my adversaries, since there is no wrong in my hands, may the God of our fathers look thereon, and rebuke it."

18 Then the Spirit came upon Amasai, the leader of the Thirty. “We are yours, David, and we are with you, son of Jesse! May peace, prosperity, and success be yours and those who help you, for God is the one who is helping you.” So David allowed them to join him, and put them in charge of his bands of raiders.

Then the Spirit came on Amasai, who was chief of the Thirty, and he said, "We are yours, David, and on your side, you son of Jesse: peace, peace be to you, and peace be to your helpers; for your God helps you." Then David received them, and made them captains of the band.

19 Others came over to David's side from the tribe of Manasseh and joined him when he went with Philistines to attack Saul. However, the Philistine rulers eventually decided to send them away, saying to themselves, “It will cost us our heads if he deserts us and goes over to his master Saul.”

Of Manasseh also there fell away some to David, when he came with the Philistines against Saul to battle; but they did not help them; for the lords of the Philistines sent him away after consultation, saying, "He will fall away to his master Saul to the jeopardy of our heads."

20 The following is a list of the men from Manasseh who went over to David's side as he returned to Ziklag: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai, leaders of thousands in Manasseh.

As he went to Ziklag, there fell to him of Manasseh, Adnah, and Jozabad, and Jediael, and Michael, and Jozabad, and Elihu, and Zillethai, captains of thousands who were of Manasseh.

21 They helped David against raiders for they were all strong and experienced warriors and commanders in the army.

They helped David against the band of rovers: for they were all mighty men of valor, and were captains in the army.

22 Men arrived daily to help David until he had a large army, like the army of God.

For from day to day men came to David to help him, until there was a great army, like the army of God.

23 This is a list of the numbers of armed warriors who came and joined David in Hebron to turn over Saul's kingdom to him, as the Lord had said.

These are the numbers of the heads of those who were armed for war, who came to David to Hebron, to turn the kingdom of Saul to him, according to the word of Jehovah.

24 From the tribe of Judah, 6,800 warriors carrying shields and spears.

The people of Judah who bore shield and spear were six thousand and eight hundred, armed for war.

25 From the tribe of Simeon, 7,100 strong warriors.

Of the people of Simeon, mighty men of valor for the war, seven thousand and one hundred.

26 From the tribe of Levi, 4,600,

Of the descendants of Levi four thousand and six hundred.

27 including Jehoiada, leader of the family of Aaron, and with him 3,700,

Jehoiada was the leader of the household of Aaron; and with him were three thousand and seven hundred,

28 and Zadok, a strong young warrior, with 22 members of his family, all officers.

and Zadok, a young man mighty of valor, and of his father's house twenty-two captains.

29 From the tribe of Benjamin, from among Saul's relatives, 3,000, most of whom had remained loyal to Saul up until this time.

Of the people of Benjamin, the brothers of Saul, three thousand: for hitherto the greatest part of them had kept their allegiance to the house of Saul.

30 From the tribe of Ephraim, 20,800 strong warriors, each highly regarded in his own clan.

Of the people of Ephraim twenty thousand eight hundred, mighty men of valor, famous men in their fathers' houses.

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

Of the half-tribe of Manasseh eighteen thousand, who were mentioned by name, to come and make David king.

32 From the tribe of Issachar came leaders who knew and could understand the signs of the times and what Israel should do—a total of 200 leaders of the tribe together with their relatives.

Of the people of Issachar, men who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, their heads were two hundred; and all their brothers were at their commandment.

33 From the tribe of Zebulun, 50,000 warriors. They were fully armed and battle-ready, and totally dedicated.

Of Zebulun, such as were able to go out in the army, who could set the battle in array, with all kinds of instruments of war, fifty thousand, to help David and were not of double heart.

34 From the tribe of Naphtali, 1,000 officers and 37,000 warriors carrying shields and spears.

Of Naphtali one thousand captains, and with them with shield and spear thirty-seven thousand.

35 From the tribe of Dan, 28,600 warriors, all battle-ready.

Of the Danites who could set the battle in array, twenty-eight thousand six hundred.

36 From the tribe of Asher, 40,000 experienced warriors, all battle-ready.

Of Asher, such as were able to go out in the army, who could set the battle in array, forty thousand.

37 From the east side of the Jordan River, from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, 120,000 warriors carrying all kinds of weapons.

On the other side of the Jordan, of the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and of the half-tribe of Manasseh, with all kinds of instruments of war for the battle, one hundred twenty thousand.

38 All these men came to Hebron dressed for battle, completely committed to making David king. All of Israel agreed that David should become king.

All these being men of war, who could order the battle array, 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 stayed three days there, eating and drinking together, for their relatives had provided them with supplies.

They were there with David three days, eating and drinking; for their brothers had made preparation for them.

40 Their neighbors, even as far away as Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali, arrived bringing food on donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen. They had plenty of flour, fig cakes, bunches of raisins, wine, olive oil, cattle, and sheep, for Israel was so happy.

Moreover those who were near to them, as far as Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, brought bread on donkeys, and on camels, and on mules, and on oxen, food of meal, cakes of figs, and clusters of raisins, and wine, and oil, and cattle, and sheep in abundance: for there was joy in Israel.