< 1 Chronicles 12 >

1 These were the men who came to David to Ziklag, while he was still banished from the presence of Saul son of Kish. They were among the soldiers, his helpers in battle.
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 slinging stones and in shooting arrows from the bow. They were Benjamites, Saul's fellow tribesmen.
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, both sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite. There were Jeziel and Pelet, sons of Azmaveth. There were also Berakah, Jehu the Anathothite,
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 Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a soldier among the thirty (and in command of the thirty); Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, Jozabad 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, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah, Shephatiah the Haruphite,
Eluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah, and Shephatiah the Haruphite;
6 the Korahites Elkanah, Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer, Jashobeam, and
Elkanah, Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer, and Jashobeam, who were Korahites;
7 Joelah and Zebadiah, sons of Jeroham of Gedor.
and Joelah and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham from Gedor.
8 Some Gadites joined David at the stronghold in the wilderness. They were fighting men, men trained for battle, who could handle shield and spear; whose faces were as fierce as the faces of lions. They were as swift as gazelles 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 There were Ezer the leader, 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, Makbannai the eleventh.
Jeremiah the tenth, and Machbanai the eleventh.
14 These sons of Gad were leaders of the army. The least led a hundred, and the greatest led a thousand.
These Gadites were army commanders, the least of whom was a match for a hundred, and the greatest for a thousand.
15 They crossed the Jordan in the first month, when it overflowed its banks, and chased away all those living in 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 Some of the men of Benjamin and Judah came to the stronghold to David.
Other Benjamites and some men from Judah also came to David in his stronghold.
17 David went out to meet them and addressed them: “If you have come in peace to me to help me, you may join me. But if you have come to betray me to my adversaries, may the God of our ancestors see and rebuke you, since I have done no wrong.”
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 thirty. Amasai said, “We are yours, David. We are on your side, son of Jesse. Peace, may peace be to whoever helps you. May peace be to your helpers, for your God is helping you.” Then David received them and made them commanders over his men.
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 Some from Manasseh also deserted to David when he came with the Philistines against Saul to battle. Yet they did not help the Philistines, because the Philistine lords consulted with each other and sent David away. They said, “He will desert to his master Saul at the risk of our lives.”
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 When he went to Ziklag, the men of Manasseh who joined him were Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai, captains over thousands 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 They helped David fight against the roving bands, for they were fighting men. Later they became commanders in the army.
They helped David against the raiders, for they were all mighty men of valor and commanders in the army.
22 Day after day, men came to David to help him, until there was a great army, like the army 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 This is the record of the armed soldiers for war, who came to David to Hebron, to turn the kingdom of Saul over to him, which carried out Yahweh's word.
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 From Judah those who carried shield and spear were 6,800, armed for war.
From Judah: 6,800 armed troops bearing shields and spears.
25 From the Simeonites there were 7,100 fighting men.
From Simeon: 7,100 mighty men of valor, ready for battle.
26 From the Levites there were 4,600 fighting men.
From Levi: 4,600,
27 Jehoiada was the leader of Aaron's descendants, and with him were 3,700.
including Jehoiada, leader of the house of Aaron, with 3,700 men,
28 With Zadok, a young, strong, and courageous man, were twenty-two leaders from his father's family.
and Zadok, a mighty young man of valor, with 22 commanders from his own family.
29 From Benjamin, Saul's tribe, were three thousand. Most of them had remained loyal to Saul until this time.
From Benjamin, the kinsmen of Saul: 3,000, most of whom had remained loyal to the house of Saul up to that time.
30 From the Ephraimites there were 20,800 fighting men, men who were famous in their fathers' houses.
From Ephraim: 20,800 mighty men of valor, famous among their own clans.
31 From the half tribe of Manasseh there were eighteen thousand famous men who came to make David king.
From the half-tribe of Manasseh: 18,000 designated by name to come and make David king.
32 From Issachar, there were two hundred leaders who had understanding of the times and knew what Israel ought to do. All their relatives were under their command.
From Issachar, men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do: 200 chiefs with all their kinsmen at their command.
33 From Zebulun there were fifty thousand fighting men, prepared for battle, with all the weapons of war, and ready to give undivided loyalty.
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 From Naphtali there were one thousand officers, and with them thirty-seven thousand men with shields and spears.
From Naphtali: 1,000 commanders, accompanied by 37,000 men with shield and spear.
35 From the Danites there were 28,600 men prepared for battle.
From Dan: 28,600 prepared for battle.
36 From Asher there were forty thousand men prepared for battle.
From Asher: 40,000 fit for service, prepared for battle.
37 From the other side of the Jordan, from the Reubenites, Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, there were 120,000 men armed with all kinds of weapons for battle.
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 soldiers, equipped for battle, came to Hebron with firm intentions to make David king over all Israel. All the rest of Israel were in agreement to make David king also.
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 They were there with David three days, eating and drinking, for their relatives had sent them with provisions.
They spent three days there eating and drinking with David, for their relatives had provided for them.
40 In addition, those who were near to them, as far as Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, brought bread on donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen, and cakes of figs, clusters of raisins, wine, oil, oxen, and sheep, for Israel was celebrating.
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.

< 1 Chronicles 12 >