1These were the men who came to David at Ziklag, while he was banished from the presence of Saul son of Kish (they were among the warriors who helped him in battle;2they were armed with bows and were able to shoot arrows or to sling stones right-handed or left-handed; they were relatives of Saul from the tribe of Benjamin):3Ahiezer their chief and Joash the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite; Jeziel and Pelet the sons of Azmaveth; Berakah, Jehu the Anathothite,4and Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty warrior among the Thirty, who was a leader of the Thirty; Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, Jozabad the Gederathite,[1]5Eluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah and Shephatiah the Haruphite;6Elkanah, Ishiah, Azarel, Joezer and Jashobeam the Korahites;7and Joelah and Zebadiah the sons of Jeroham from Gedor.8Some Gadites defected to David at his stronghold in the wilderness. They were brave warriors, ready for battle and able to handle the shield and spear. Their faces were the faces of lions, and they were as swift as gazelles in the mountains.9Ezer was the chief, Obadiah the second in command, Eliab the third,10Mishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth,11Attai the sixth, Eliel the seventh,12Johanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth,13Jeremiah the tenth and Makbannai the eleventh.14These Gadites were army commanders; the least was a match for a hundred, and the greatest for a thousand.15It was they who crossed the Jordan in the first month when it was overflowing all its banks, and they put to flight everyone living in the valleys, to the east and to the west.16Other Benjaminites and some men from Judah also came to David in his stronghold.17David went out to meet them and said to them, ‘If you have come to me in peace to help me, I am ready for you to join me. But if you have come to betray me to my enemies when my hands are free from violence, may the God of our ancestors see it and judge you.’18Then the Spirit came on Amasai, chief of the Thirty, and he said: ‘We are yours, David! We are with you, son of Jesse! Success, success to you, and success to those who help you, for your God will help you.’ So David received them and made them leaders of his raiding bands.19Some of the tribe of Manasseh defected to David when he went with the Philistines to fight against Saul. (He and his men did not help the Philistines because, after consultation, their rulers sent him away. They said, ‘It will cost us our heads if he deserts to his master Saul.’)20When David went to Ziklag, these were the men of Manasseh who defected to him: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu and Zillethai, leaders of units of a thousand in Manasseh.21They helped David against raiding bands, for all of them were brave warriors, and they were commanders in his army.22Day after day men came to help David, until he had a great army, like the army of God.[2]
Others join David at Hebron
23These are the numbers of the men armed for battle who came to David at Hebron to turn Saul’s kingdom over to him, as the Lord had said:24from Judah, carrying shield and spear – 6,800 armed for battle;25from Simeon, warriors ready for battle – 7,100;26from Levi – 4,600,27including Jehoiada, leader of the family of Aaron, with 3,700 men,28and Zadok, a brave young warrior, with 22 officers from his family;29from Benjamin, Saul’s tribe – 3,000, most of whom had remained loyal to Saul’s house until then;30from Ephraim, brave warriors, famous in their own clans – 20,800;31from half the tribe of Manasseh, designated by name to come and make David king – 18,000;32from Issachar, men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do – 200 chiefs, with all their relatives under their command;33from Zebulun, experienced soldiers prepared for battle with every type of weapon, to help David with undivided loyalty – 50,000;34from Naphtali – 1,000 officers, together with 37,000 men carrying shields and spears;35from Dan, ready for battle – 28,600;36from Asher, experienced soldiers prepared for battle – 40,000;37and from east of the Jordan, from Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh, armed with every type of weapon – 120,000.38All these were fighting men who volunteered to serve in the ranks. They came to Hebron fully determined to make David king over all Israel. All the rest of the Israelites were also of one mind to make David king.39The men spent three days there with David, eating and drinking, for their families had supplied provisions for them.40Also, their neighbours from as far away as Issachar, Zebulun and Naphtali came bringing food on donkeys, camels, mules and oxen. There were plentiful supplies of flour, fig cakes, raisin cakes, wine, olive oil, cattle and sheep, for there was joy in Israel.
1 Chronicles 12
English Standard Version
The Mighty Men Join David
1Now these are the men who came to David at Ziklag, while he could not move about freely because of Saul the son of Kish. And they were among the mighty men who helped him in war. (1Sa 27:2)2They were bowmen and could shoot arrows and sling stones with either the right or the left hand; they were Benjaminites, Saul’s kinsmen. (Jud 3:15; Jud 20:16; 1Ch 12:29; 2Ch 17:17; Ps 78:9)3The chief was Ahiezer, then Joash, both sons of Shemaah of Gibeah; also Jeziel and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth; Beracah, Jehu of Anathoth, (Jos 18:28; 1Ch 11:28; 1Ch 27:12)4Ishmaiah of Gibeon, a mighty man among the thirty and a leader over the thirty; Jeremiah,[1] Jahaziel, Johanan, Jozabad of Gederah, (Jos 9:3)5Eluzai,[2] Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah, Shephatiah the Haruphite;6Elkanah, Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer, and Jashobeam, the Korahites; (1Ch 9:19)7And Joelah and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham of Gedor.8From the Gadites there went over to David at the stronghold in the wilderness mighty and experienced warriors, expert with shield and spear, whose faces were like the faces of lions and who were swift as gazelles upon the mountains: (2Sa 2:18)9Ezer the chief, Obadiah second, Eliab third,10Mishmannah fourth, Jeremiah fifth,11Attai sixth, Eliel seventh,12Johanan eighth, Elzabad ninth,13Jeremiah tenth, Machbannai eleventh.14These Gadites were officers of the army; the least was a match for a hundred men and the greatest for a thousand. (Le 26:8)15These are the men who crossed the Jordan in the first month, when it was overflowing all its banks, and put to flight all those in the valleys, to the east and to the west. (Jos 3:15)16And some of the men of Benjamin and Judah came to the stronghold to David.17David went out to meet them and said to them, “If you have come to me in friendship to help me, my heart will be joined to you; but if to betray me to my adversaries, although there is no wrong in my hands, then may the God of our fathers see and rebuke you.”18Then the Spirit clothed Amasai, chief of the thirty, and he said, “We are yours, O David, and with you, O son of Jesse! Peace, peace to you, and peace to your helpers! For your God helps you.” Then David received them and made them officers of his troops. (Jud 3:10; 1Sa 25:6; 2Sa 17:25)19Some of the men of Manasseh deserted to David when he came with the Philistines for the battle against Saul. (Yet he did not help them, for the rulers of the Philistines took counsel and sent him away, saying, “At peril to our heads he will desert to his master Saul.”) (1Sa 29:2; 1Sa 29:4)20As he went to Ziklag, these men of Manasseh deserted to him: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai, chiefs of thousands in Manasseh.21They helped David against the band of raiders, for they were all mighty men of valor and were commanders in the army. (1Sa 30:1)22For from day to day men came to David to help him, until there was a great army, like an army of God.23These are the numbers of the divisions of the armed troops who came to David in Hebron to turn the kingdom of Saul over to him, according to the word of the Lord. (1Sa 16:1; 1Sa 16:3; 2Sa 2:3; 2Sa 5:1; 1Ch 10:14; 1Ch 11:1; 1Ch 11:3; 1Ch 11:10)24The men of Judah bearing shield and spear were 6,800 armed troops.25Of the Simeonites, mighty men of valor for war, 7,100.26Of the Levites 4,600.27The prince Jehoiada, of the house of Aaron, and with him 3,700.28Zadok, a young man mighty in valor, and twenty-two commanders from his own fathers’ house. (2Sa 8:17; 1Ch 6:8)29Of the Benjaminites, the kinsmen of Saul, 3,000, of whom the majority had to that point kept their allegiance to the house of Saul. (2Sa 2:8; 1Ch 12:2)30Of the Ephraimites 20,800, mighty men of valor, famous men in their fathers’ houses.31Of the half-tribe of Manasseh 18,000, who were expressly named to come and make David king. (Nu 1:17)32Of Issachar, men who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, 200 chiefs, and all their kinsmen under their command. (Es 1:13)33Of Zebulun 50,000 seasoned troops, equipped for battle with all the weapons of war, to help David[3] with singleness of purpose. (1Ch 12:36; 1Ch 12:38; Ps 12:2)34Of Naphtali 1,000 commanders with whom were 37,000 men armed with shield and spear.35Of the Danites 28,600 men equipped for battle.36Of Asher 40,000 seasoned troops ready for battle. (2Sa 2:9; 1Ch 12:33)37Of the Reubenites and Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh from beyond the Jordan, 120,000 men armed with all the weapons of war.38All these, men of war, arrayed in battle order, came to Hebron with a whole heart to make David king over all Israel. Likewise, all the rest of Israel were of a single mind to make David king. (1Ki 8:61; 1Ch 12:33)39And they were there with David for three days, eating and drinking, for their brothers had made preparation for them.40And also their relatives, from as far as Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, came bringing food on donkeys and on camels and on mules and on oxen, abundant provisions of flour, cakes of figs, clusters of raisins, and wine and oil, oxen and sheep, for there was joy in Israel. (1Sa 25:18; 1Sa 30:12)