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 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.

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 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 brethren of 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,

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,

4 Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a soldier among the thirty (and in command of the thirty); Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, Jozabad the Gederathite,

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

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

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

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

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

7 Joelah and Zebadiah, sons of Jeroham of Gedor.

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

And of the Gadites there separated themselves unto 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 upon the mountains;

9 There were Ezer the leader, Obadiah the second, Eliab the third,

Ezer the first, 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, Makbannai the eleventh.

Jeremiah the tenth, 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 were of the sons of Gad, captains of the army: one of the least was over an hundred, and the greatest over 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 they that went over Jordan in the first month, when it had overflown all his banks; and they put to flight all them of the valleys, both toward the east, and toward the west.

16 Some of the men of Benjamin and Judah came to the stronghold to David.

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

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, and answered and said unto them, If ye be come peaceably unto me to help me, mine heart shall be knit unto you: but if ye be come to betray me to mine enemies, seeing there is no wrong in mine hands, the God of our fathers look thereon, and rebuke it.

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, who was chief of the captains, and he said, Thine are we, David, and on thy side, thou son of Jesse: peace, peace be unto thee, and peace be to thine helpers; for thy God helpeth thee. Then David received them, and made them captains of the band.

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.”

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

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.

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.

21 They helped David fight against the roving bands, for they were fighting men. Later they became commanders in the army.

And they helped David against the band of the rovers: for they were all mighty men of valour, and were captains 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 day by day there came to David to help him, until it was 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.

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 Yhwh.

24 From Judah those who carried shield and spear were 6,800, armed for war.

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

25 From the Simeonites there were 7,100 fighting men.

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

26 From the Levites there were 4,600 fighting men.

Of the children of Levi four thousand and six hundred.

27 Jehoiada was the leader of Aaron's descendants, and with him were 3,700.

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

28 With Zadok, a young, strong, and courageous man, were twenty-two leaders from his father's family.

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

29 From Benjamin, Saul's tribe, were three thousand. Most of them had remained loyal to Saul until this time.

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

30 From the Ephraimites there were 20,800 fighting men, men who were famous in their fathers' houses.

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

31 From the half tribe of Manasseh there were eighteen thousand famous men who came to make David king.

And of the half tribe of Manasseh eighteen thousand, which were expressed 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.

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 brethren were at their commandment.

33 From Zebulun there were fifty thousand fighting men, prepared for battle, with all the weapons of war, and ready to give undivided loyalty.

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.

34 From Naphtali there were one thousand officers, and with them thirty-seven thousand men with shields and spears.

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

35 From the Danites there were 28,600 men prepared for battle.

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

36 From Asher there were forty thousand men prepared for battle.

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

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 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.

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, 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.

39 They were there with David three days, eating and drinking, for their relatives had sent them with provisions.

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

Moreover they that were nigh them, even unto Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, brought bread on donkeys, 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.