1 David’s Mighty Men Now these are the ones who came to David at Ziklag, while he was still restricted because of Saul the son of Kish; and they were among the mighty men who helpedhimin war.
2 They were equipped with bows, using both the right hand and the leftto slingstones andto shootarrows from the bow;they wereSaul’s relatives from Benjamin.
3 The chief was Ahiezer, then Joash, the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite; and Jeziel and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth, and Beracah and Jehu the Anathothite,
4 and Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty man among the thirty, and over the thirty. 12:4In Heb the beginning of v5,making 41 vv in ch Then Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, Jozabad the Gederathite,
5 12:5v 6 in Heb Eluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah, Shephatiah the Haruphite,
6 Elkanah, Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer, Jashobeam, the Korahites,
7 and Joelah and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham of Gedor.
8 From the Gadites, mighty men of valor separated themselves to David in the stronghold in the wilderness, men of warwho had gone out for militaryduty, who could 12:8Lit arrange handle large shield and spear, and whose faces were like the faces of lions, andthey wereas swift as the gazelles on the mountains.
9 Ezerwasthe first, Obadiah the second, Eliab the third,
10 Mishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth,
11 Attai the sixth, Eliel the seventh,
12 Johanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth,
13 Jeremiah the tenth, Machbannai the eleventh.
14 These of the sons of Gad were chiefs of the army; he who was least was equal to one hundred and the greatest to one thousand.
15 These are the ones who crossed the Jordan in the first month when it was overflowing all its banks and they made all those in the valleys flee, both to the east and to the west.
16 Then some of the sons of Benjamin and Judah came to the stronghold to David.
17 David went out before them, and he answered and said to them, “If you come peacefully to me to help me, my heart shall be united with you; but if to betray me to my adversaries, since there is no violence in my hands, may the God of our fathers look onitand reprove.”
18 And the Spirit clothed Amasai, who was the chief of the thirty,and he said,“Weare yours, O David,And with you, O son of Jesse!Peace, peace to you,And peace to him who helps you;Indeed, your God helps you!”Then David received them and made them chiefs of the band.
19 Now from Manasseh also some defected to David when he was about to go to battle with the Philistines against Saul. But they did not help them, for the lords of the Philistines after counsel sent him away, saying, “Atthe cost ofour heads he may defect to his master Saul.”
20 As he went to Ziklag there defected to him from Manasseh: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu and Zillethai, chiefs of thousands who belonged to Manasseh.
21 They helped David against the marauding band, for they were all mighty men of valor, and were commanders in the army.
22 For day by daymencame to David to help him, until there was a great camp like the camp of God.David’s Military Companies in Hebron
23 Now these are the numbers of the 12:23Lit heads companies equipped formilitaryduty, who came to David at Hebron, to turn the kingdom of Saul to him, according to the 12:23Lit mouth command of Yahweh.
24 The sons of Judah who bore shield and spearwere6,800,equipped formilitaryduty.
25 Of the sons of Simeon, mighty men of valor formilitaryduty,7,100.
26 Of the sons of Levi 4,600.
27 Now Jehoiada was the leader ofthe house ofAaron, and with him were3,700,
28 also Zadok, a young man mighty of valor, and of his father’s house 22 commanders.
29 Of the sons of Benjamin, Saul’s relatives,3,000;for until now the greatest part of them had kept their allegiance to the house of Saul.
30 Of the sons of Ephraim20,800,mighty men of valor, men 12:30Or of renown who had a name in their fathers’ households.
31 Of the half-tribe of Manasseh18,000,who were designated by name to come and make David king.
32 Of the sons of Issachar, men who knewhow todiscern the times, to know what Israel should do, their chiefsweretwo hundred; and all their relativeswereat their command.
33 Of Zebulun, there were50,000who went out in the army, who could arrangethemselvesfor battle with all kinds of weapons of war and helpedDavid 12:33Lit not of double heart with an undivided heart.
34 Of Naphtalithere were1,000commanders, and with them37,000with large shield and spear.
35 Of the Danites who could arrangethemselvesfor battle,there were28,600.
36 Of Asherthere were40,000who went out in the army to arrangethemselvesfor battle.
37 From the other side of the Jordan, of the Reubenites and the Gadites and of the half-tribe of Manasseh,there were120,000with allkindsof weapons for the army for battle.
38 All these, being men of war who could draw up in battle 12:38Lit line, array; cf.12:35, 36 lines, came to Hebron withtheirwhole heart 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 prepared for them.
40 Moreover those who were near to them,evenas far as Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, brought food on donkeys, camels, mules, and on oxen, great provisionsofflour, fig cakes and bunches of raisins, wine, oil, oxen, and sheep. There was gladness indeed in Israel.