1 Chronicles 12

1 Now 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.

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;

2 They 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 brothers of Benjamin.

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

3 The 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.

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

4 And Ismaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty man among the thirty, and over the thirty; and Jeremiah, and Jahaziel, and Johanan, and Josabad the Gederathite,

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

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

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

6 Elkanah, and Jesiah, and Azareel, and Joezer, and Jashobeam, the Korhites,

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

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

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

8 And of the Gadites there separated themselves to 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 on the mountains;

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:

9 Ezer the first, Obadiah the second, Eliab the third,

Ezer the chief, Obadiah the second in command, 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, Machbanai the eleventh.

Jeremiah the tenth, and Machbanai the eleventh.

14 These were of the sons of Gad, captains of the host: one of the least was over an hundred, and the greatest over a thousand.

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

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

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.

16 And there came of the children of Benjamin and Judah to the hold to David.

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

17 And David went out to meet them, and answered and said to them, If you be come peaceably to me to help me, my heart shall be knit to you: but if you be come to betray me to my enemies, seeing there is no wrong in my hands, the God of our fathers look thereon, and rebuke it.

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.”

18 Then the spirit came on Amasai, who was chief of the captains, and he said, Your are we, 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.

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.

19 And 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 on advisement sent him away, saying, He will fall to his master Saul to the jeopardy of our heads.

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.”)

20 As 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.

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.

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

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

22 For at that time day by day there came to David to help him, until it was a great host, like the host of God.

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.

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.

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:

24 The children of Judah that bore shield and spear were six thousand and eight hundred, ready armed to the war.

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

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

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

26 Of the children of Levi four thousand and six hundred.

From Levi: 4,600,

27 And Jehoiada was the leader of the Aaronites, and with him were three thousand and seven hundred;

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

28 And Zadok, a young man mighty of valor, and of his father’s house twenty and two captains.

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

29 And of the children of Benjamin, the kindred of Saul, three thousand: for till now the greatest part of them had kept the ward of the house of Saul.

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

30 And of the children of Ephraim twenty thousand and eight hundred, mighty men of valor, famous throughout the house of their fathers.

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

31 And of the half tribe of Manasseh eighteen thousand, which were expressed by name, to come and make David king.

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

32 And 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 brothers were at their commandment.

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

33 Of 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.

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.

34 And of Naphtali a thousand captains, and with them with shield and spear thirty and seven thousand.

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

35 And of the Danites expert in war twenty and eight thousand and six hundred.

From Dan: 28,600 prepared for battle.

36 And of Asher, such as went forth to battle, expert in war, forty thousand.

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

37 And 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.

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.

38 All 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.

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.

39 And there they were with David three days, eating and drinking: for their brothers had prepared for them.

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

40 Moreover they that were near them, even to 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.

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.