1 Chronicles 12
Expanded Bible
Warriors Join David
12 These were the men who came to David at Ziklag when David was ·hiding [banished; kept away] from Saul son of Kish. They were among the ·warriors [champions] who helped David in battle. 2 They ·came [were armed/equipped] with bows for weapons and could use either their right or left hands to shoot arrows or to sling rocks. They were Saul’s relatives from the tribe of Benjamin. 3 Ahiezer was their ·leader [chief], and there was Joash. (Ahiezer and Joash were sons of Shemaah, who was from the town of Gibeah.) There were also Jeziel and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth. There were Beracah and Jehu from the town of Anathoth. 4 And there was Ishmaiah from the town of Gibeon; he was one of the Thirty. In fact, he was the leader of the Thirty. There were Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, and Jozabad from Gederah. 5 There were Eluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, and Shemariah. There was Shephatiah from Haruph. 6 There were Elkanah, Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer, and Jashobeam from the ·family group of Korah [L Korahites]. 7 And there were Joelah and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham, from the town of Gedor.
8 Part of the people of Gad joined David at his stronghold in the ·desert [wilderness]. They were ·brave warriors [L mighty men of valor] trained for war and ·skilled [expert] with shields and spears. They ·were as fierce as [L had faces of] lions and as ·fast [swift; or nimble] as gazelles over the hills.
9 Ezer was the leader of Gad’s army, and Obadiah was second in command. Eliab was third, 10 Mishmannah was fourth, Jeremiah was fifth, 11 Attai was sixth, Eliel was seventh, 12 Johanan was eighth, Elzabad was ninth, 13 Jeremiah was tenth, and Macbannai was eleventh in command.
14 They were the ·commanders [leaders; captains] of the army from Gad. The least of these leaders ·was in charge of [or was a match for; could take on; L was equal to] a hundred soldiers, and the greatest ·was in charge of [or was a match for; could take on; L was equal to] a thousand. 15 They crossed the Jordan River and ·chased away [drove out; put to flight] the people living in the ·valleys [lowlands], to the east and to the west. This happened in the first month of the year when the Jordan ·floods the valley [was overflowing its banks].
16 ·Other people from the tribes [L Some of the sons] of Benjamin and Judah also came to David at his stronghold. 17 David went out to meet them and said to them, “If you have come peacefully to help me, ·I welcome you. Join me. […I am your friend; or we will make an alliance; L my heart will be united with you]. But if you have come to ·turn me over to my enemies [betray me to my adversaries], even though I have ·done nothing wrong [L no violence in my hands], the God of our ·ancestors [L fathers] will see this and ·punish you [L judge/decide].”
18 Then the Spirit ·entered [came upon; L clothed] Amasai, the ·leader [chief] of the Thirty, and he said:
“We ·belong to you [are yours], David.
We are with you, son of Jesse.
·Success, success [Peace and prosperity] to you.
·Success [Peace] to those who help you,
because your God helps you.”
So David ·welcomed [received] these men and made them ·leaders [captains] of his ·army [fighters; raiders].
19 Some of the men from Manasseh also ·joined [defected/deserted to] David when he went with the Philistines to fight Saul. But David and his men did not really help the Philistines. After ·talking about it [consultation], the Philistine leaders decided to send David away. They said, “If David ·goes [defects; deserts] back to his master Saul, ·we will be killed [L it will be our heads].” 20 These are the men from Manasseh who ·joined [defected/deserted to] David when he went to Ziklag: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai. Each of them was a ·leader [captain; chief] of a thousand men from Manasseh. 21 All these men of Manasseh were ·brave soldiers [L mighty men of valor], and they helped David fight against ·groups of men who went around the country robbing people [raiding bands]. These soldiers became ·commanders [captains] in David’s army. 22 Every day more men ·joined [came to help] David, and his army became ·large [great], like the army of God.
Others Join David at Hebron
23 These are the numbers of the soldiers ·ready [armed] for battle who ·joined [came to] David at Hebron. They came to help turn the kingdom of Saul over to David, ·just as the Lord had said [L according to the word of the Lord].
24 There were sixty-eight hundred armed ·men from [L descendants/sons of] Judah, carrying shields and spears.
25 There were seventy-one hundred men from Simeon. They were ·warriors [L mighty men of valor] ready for war.
26 There were forty-six hundred ·men from [L descendants/sons of] Levi. 27 Jehoiada, a leader from Aaron’s family, was in that group. There were thirty-seven hundred with him. 28 Zadok was also in that group. He was a ·strong [brave] young warrior, and with him came twenty-two leaders from his ·family [L father’s house].
29 There were three thousand men from Benjamin, who were Saul’s ·relatives [kinsmen; L brothers]. Most of them had ·remained loyal [kept their allegiance] to Saul’s ·family [L house] until then.
30 There were twenty thousand eight hundred ·men from [L sons of] Ephraim. They were brave warriors and were famous men in their ·own family groups [clans].
31 There were eighteen thousand men from ·West [L the half-tribe of] Manasseh. Each one was ·especially chosen [L designated by name] to make David king.
32 There were two hundred leaders from Issachar. They knew what Israel should do, and they ·knew the right time to do it [or understood the times]. Their ·relatives [kinsmen; L brothers] were with them and under their command.
33 There were fifty thousand men from Zebulun. They were ·trained [skilled] soldiers and ·knew how to use [equipped with] every kind of weapon of war. They followed David ·completely [with undivided loyalty/heart].
34 There were one thousand ·officers [commanders; captains] from Naphtali. They had thirty-seven thousand soldiers with them who carried shields and spears.
35 There were twenty-eight thousand six hundred men from Dan, who were ready for ·war [battle].
36 There were forty thousand trained soldiers from Asher, who were ready for ·war [battle].
37 There were one hundred twenty thousand soldiers from the east side of the Jordan River from the people of Reuben, Gad, and ·East [L the half-tribe of] Manasseh. They had every kind of weapon.
38 All these fighting men were ready to go to war. They came to Hebron ·fully agreed [determined; L with a complete/perfect heart] to make David king of all Israel. All the other Israelites also ·agreed [L were of one mind] to make David king. 39 They spent three days there with David, eating and drinking, because their ·relatives [kinsmen; L brothers] had prepared food for them. 40 Also, their neighbors came from as far away as Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali, bringing food on donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen. They brought much flour, fig cakes, raisins, wine, oil, ·cows [oxen; cattle], and sheep, because ·the people of Israel were very happy [there was great joy in Israel].
1 Chronicles 12
King James Version
12 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 hurling stones and shooting arrows out of a bow, even of Saul's brethren of Benjamin.
3 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 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, and Jerimoth, and Bealiah, and Shemariah, and Shephatiah the Haruphite,
6 Elkanah, and Jesiah, and Azareel, and Joezer, and Jashobeam, the Korhites,
7 And Joelah, and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham of Gedor.
8 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 Ezer the 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, Machbanai the eleventh.
14 These were of the sons of Gad, captains of the host: one of the least was over an hundred, and the greatest over a thousand.
15 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 And there came of the children of Benjamin and Judah to the hold unto David.
17 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 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 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 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 And they helped David against the band of the rovers: for they were all mighty men of valour, and were captains in the host.
22 For at that time day by day there came to David to help him, until it was a great host, like the host of God.
23 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 the Lord.
24 The children of Judah that bare shield and spear were six thousand and eight hundred, ready armed to the war.
25 Of the children of Simeon, mighty men of valour for the war, seven thousand and one hundred.
26 Of the children of Levi four thousand and six hundred.
27 And Jehoiada was the leader of the Aaronites, and with him were three thousand and seven hundred;
28 And Zadok, a young man mighty of valour, and of his father's house twenty and two captains.
29 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 And of the children of Ephraim twenty thousand and eight hundred, mighty men of valour, famous throughout the house of their fathers.
31 And of the half tribe of Manasseh eighteen thousand, which were expressed by name, to come and make David king.
32 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 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 And of Naphtali a thousand captains, and with them with shield and spear thirty and seven thousand.
35 And of the Danites expert in war twenty and eight thousand and six hundred.
36 And of Asher, such as went forth to battle, expert in war, forty thousand.
37 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 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 And there they were with David three days, eating and drinking: for their brethren had prepared for them.
40 Moreover they that were nigh them, even unto Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, brought bread on asses, 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.
1 Chronicles 12
New King James Version
The Growth of David’s Army(A)
12 Now (B)these were the men who came to David at (C)Ziklag while he was still a fugitive from Saul the son of Kish; and they were among the mighty men, helpers in the war, 2 armed with bows, using both the right hand and (D)the left in hurling stones and shooting arrows with the bow. They were of Benjamin, Saul’s brethren.
3 The chief was Ahiezer, then Joash, the sons of [a]Shemaah the Gibeathite; Jeziel and Pelet the sons of Azmaveth; Berachah, and Jehu the Anathothite; 4 Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty man among the thirty, and over the thirty; Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, and Jozabad the Gederathite; 5 Eluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah, and Shephatiah the Haruphite; 6 Elkanah, Jisshiah, Azarel, Joezer, and Jashobeam, the Korahites; 7 and Joelah and Zebadiah the sons of Jeroham of Gedor.
8 Some Gadites [b]joined David at the stronghold in the wilderness, mighty men of valor, men trained for battle, who could handle shield and spear, whose faces were like the faces of lions, and were (E)as swift as gazelles on the mountains: 9 Ezer the 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, and Machbanai the eleventh. 14 These were from the sons of Gad, captains of the army; the least was over a hundred, and the greatest was over a (F)thousand. 15 These are the ones who crossed the Jordan in the first month, when it had overflowed all its (G)banks; and they put to flight all those in the valleys, to the east and to the west.
16 Then some of the sons of Benjamin and Judah came to David at the stronghold. 17 And David went out [c]to meet them, and answered and said to them, “If you have come peaceably to me to help me, my heart will be united with you; but if to betray me to my enemies, since there is no [d]wrong in my hands, may the God of our fathers look and bring judgment.” 18 Then the Spirit [e]came upon (H)Amasai, chief of the captains, and he said:
“We are yours, O David;
We are on your side, 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 captains of the troop.
19 And some from Manasseh defected to David (I)when he was going with the Philistines to battle against Saul; but they did not help them, for the lords of the Philistines sent him away by agreement, saying, (J)“He may defect to his master Saul and endanger our heads.” 20 When he went to Ziklag, those of Manasseh who defected to him were Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai, captains of the thousands who were from Manasseh. 21 And they helped David against (K)the bands of raiders, for they were all mighty men of valor, and they were captains in the army. 22 For at that time they came to David day by day to help him, until it was a great army, (L)like the army of God.
David’s Army at Hebron
23 Now these were the numbers of the [f]divisions that were equipped for war, and (M)came to David at (N)Hebron to (O)turn over the kingdom of Saul to him, (P)according to the word of the Lord: 24 of the sons of Judah bearing shield and spear, six thousand eight hundred [g]armed for war; 25 of the sons of Simeon, mighty men of valor fit for war, seven thousand one hundred; 26 of the sons of Levi four thousand six hundred; 27 Jehoiada, the leader of the Aaronites, and with him three thousand seven hundred; 28 (Q)Zadok, a young man, a valiant warrior, and from his father’s house twenty-two captains; 29 of the sons of Benjamin, relatives of Saul, three thousand (until then (R)the greatest part of them had remained loyal to the house of Saul); 30 of the sons of Ephraim twenty thousand eight hundred, mighty men of valor, [h]famous men throughout their father’s house; 31 of the half-tribe of Manasseh eighteen thousand, who were designated by name to come and make David king; 32 of the sons of Issachar (S)who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their command; 33 of Zebulun there were fifty thousand who went out to battle, expert in war with all weapons of war, (T)stouthearted men who could keep ranks; 34 of Naphtali one thousand captains, and with them thirty-seven thousand with shield and spear; 35 of the Danites who could keep battle formation, twenty-eight thousand six hundred; 36 of Asher, those who could go out to war, able to keep battle formation, forty thousand; 37 of the Reubenites and the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh, from the other side of the Jordan, one hundred and twenty thousand armed for battle with every kind of weapon of war.
38 All these men of war, who could keep ranks, came to Hebron with a loyal heart, to make David king over all Israel; and all the rest of Israel were of (U)one mind to make David king. 39 And they were there with David three days, eating and drinking, for their brethren had prepared for them. 40 Moreover those who were near to them, from as far away as Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, were bringing food on donkeys and camels, on mules and oxen—provisions of flour and cakes of figs and cakes of raisins, wine and oil and oxen and sheep abundantly, for there was joy in Israel.
Footnotes
- 1 Chronicles 12:3 Or Hasmaah
- 1 Chronicles 12:8 Lit. separated themselves to
- 1 Chronicles 12:17 Lit. before them
- 1 Chronicles 12:17 Lit. violence
- 1 Chronicles 12:18 Lit. clothed
- 1 Chronicles 12:23 Lit. heads of those
- 1 Chronicles 12:24 equipped
- 1 Chronicles 12:30 Lit. men of names
The Expanded Bible, Copyright © 2011 Thomas Nelson Inc. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
