⁸ Some of the Gadites joined David at the stronghold in the wilderness. They were warriors who were trained for battle; they carried shields and spears. They were as fierce as lions and could run as quickly as gazelles across the hills.^{[a] 9} Ezer was the leader, Obadiah the second in command, 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 Machbannai the eleventh. ¹⁴ These Gadites were military leaders; the least led a hundred men, the greatest a thousand.^{[b] 15} They crossed the Jordan River^[c] in the first month,^[d] when it was overflowing its banks, and routed those living in all the valleys to the east and west.^[e]

³⁷ From the other side of the Jordan, from Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, there were 120,000 men armed with all kinds of weapons.

³⁸ All these men were warriors who were ready to march.^[a] They came to Hebron to make David king over all Israel by acclamation;^[b] all the rest of the Israelites also were in agreement that David should become king.^[c]