1 Chronicles 12

1 David went to Ziklag [town] to escape from [King] Saul. While he was there, many warriors came and joined him, and they helped him when he fought battles.

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 carried bows [and arrows]. They were able to shoot arrows and to sling stones. They could use either their right arms or their left arms to do that. They were relatives of Saul from the tribe of Benjamin.

Bending the bow, and using either hand in hurling stones with slings, and shooting arrows: of the brethren of Saul of Benjamin.

3 Their leader was Ahiezer. Next in command was Joash. They were both sons of Shemaah from Gibeah [city]. [These are the names of some of those warriors: ] Jeziel and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth; Beracah; Jehu from Anathoth [town];

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 from the Gibeon [city], who was a leader of the thirty mighty warriors; Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, and Jozabad from Gederah [town];

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 from Haruph [town];

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

6 Elkanah, Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer and Jashobeam, who were descendants of Korah;

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

7 Joelah and Zebadiah, who were sons of Jeroham, from Gedor [town].

And Joela, and Zabadia the sons of Jeroham of Gedor.

8 Some men from the tribe of Gad [east of the Jordan River] joined David when he was at his fortress in [the caves in] the desert. They were brave warriors who were trained for fighting battles and able to use shields and spears well. They [SYN] were as fierce as [SIM, MTY] lions, and they could run as fast as [HYP, SIM] deer/gazelles on the hills/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 was their leader. Next in command was Obadiah. Next was Eliab.

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

10 Next was Mishmannah. Next was Jeremiah.

Masmana the fourth, Jeremias the fifth.

11 Next was Attai. Next was Eliel.

Ethi the sixth, Eliel the seventh,

12 Next was Johanan. Next was Elzabad.

Johanan the eighth, Elzebad the ninth,

13 Next was [another man whose name was] Jeremiah. The last was Macbannai.

Jerenias the tenth, Machbani the eleventh,

14 Those men from the tribe of Gad were all army officers. Some of them commanded 1,000 soldiers, and some of them commanded 100 soldiers.

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 They crossed [to the west side of] the Jordan [River] during March, [at the time of the year] when the river was flooded. They chased from there all the people who lived in the valleys on both sides of the river.

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 Some other men from the tribe of Benjamin and from Judah also came to David in his fortress.

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

17 David went out [of the cave] to meet them and said to them, “If you have come peacefully to help me, I am eager to have you join with me. But if you have come to enable my enemies to capture me, even though I [SYN] have not done anything to harm you, I hope/wish that the God whom our ancestors (worshiped/belonged to) will see it and condemn/punish 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 [God’s] Spirit came upon Amasai, who was another leader of the thirty [greatest warriors], and he said, “David, we want to be with you; you who are the son of Jesse, we will join you. We know that things will go very well [DOU] for you and for those who are with you, because your God is helping you.”

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 So David welcomed those men, and he appointed them to be leaders of his soldiers. Some men from the tribe of Manasseh also joined David when he went with the soldiers of Philistia to fight against Saul’s [army]. But David and his men did not really help the army of Philistia. After the leaders of Philistia talked [about David and his soldiers], they sent David away. They said, “If David joins his master Saul again, we will all be killed {his army will kill all of us}!”

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 were the men from the tribe of Manasseh who went with him: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, [another man whose name was] Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai. Each of them had been a commander of 1,000 men [in Saul’s army].

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 were all brave soldiers, and they helped David to fight against the groups of men who roamed throughout the country, robbing people. So those men became commanders in David’s army.

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

22 Every day more men joined David’s men, and his army became large, like [SIM] the army of God (OR, a very huge army).

Moreover day by day there came some to David to help him till they became a great number, like the army of God.

23 These are the numbers of soldiers who were ready for battle who joined David at Hebron [city]. They came to help him to become the king of Israel to replace Saul, as Yahweh had promised would happen.

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 There were 6,800 men from Judah, who carried shields and spears.

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

25 There were 7,100 men from the tribe of Simeon. They were all strong warriors trained to fight battles.

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

26 There were 4,600 men from the tribe of Levi.

Of the sons of Levi, four thousand six hundred.

27 Jehoiada, who was a leader descended from Aaron, was in that group of descendants of Levi, and there were 3,700 men with him.

And Joiada prince of the race of Aaron, and with him three thousand seven hundred.

28 Zadok, a strong young soldier, was also in that group, and there were 22 other leaders from his clan who came with him.

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

29 There were 3,000 men from the tribe of Benjamin who were Saul’s relatives. Most of them had previously wanted one of Saul’s descendants to be the king.

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 There were 20,800 men from the tribe of Ephraim who were all brave warriors and trained for fighting battles and famous in their own clans.

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

31 There were 18,000 men from the half of the tribe of Manasseh [that lived west of the Jordan River]. They were all chosen to go and help David become the king.

And of the half tribe of Manasses, eighteen thousand, every one by their names, came to make David king.

32 There were 200 men who were leaders from the tribe of Issachar, along with their relatives. Those leaders always knew what the Israelis should do, and they knew the right time to do it.

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 There were 55,000 men from the tribe of Zebulun. They were all experienced warriors and knew how to use all kinds of weapons well. They were completely loyal 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 There were 1,000 officers from the tribe of Naphtali. With them were 37,000 soldiers, each carrying shields and spears.

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

35 There were 28,600 soldiers from the tribe of Dan, all trained to fight battles.

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

36 There were 47,000 experienced soldiers from the tribe of Asher, all trained to fight battles.

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

37 There were also 120,000 soldiers from the area east of the Jordan [River who joined David]. They were from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the eastern half of the tribe of Manasseh. They had all kinds of weapons.

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 those men were soldiers who volunteered to be in David’s army. They came to Hebron wanting very much to enable David to be the king of all of the Israeli people.

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 The men spent three days there with David, eating and drinking, because their families had given them food to take with them.

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

40 Also, their fellow Israelis came from as far away as the area where the tribes of Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali lived, bringing food on donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen. They brought a lot of flour, fig cakes, raisins, wine, [olive] oil, cattle and sheep. And throughout Israel, the people were very joyful.

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.