1 Chronicles 12
Christian Standard Bible
David’s First Supporters
12 The following were the men who came to David at Ziklag while he was still banned from the presence of Saul son of Kish.(A) They were among the warriors who helped him in battle. 2 They were archers who could use either the right or left hand, both to sling stones and shoot arrows from a bow.(B) They were Saul’s relatives(C) from Benjamin:
3 Their chief was Ahiezer son of Shemaah the Gibeathite.
Then there was his brother Joash;
Jeziel and Pelet sons of Azmaveth;
Beracah, Jehu the Anathothite;
4 Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a warrior among the Thirty and a leader over the Thirty;
Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, Jozabad the Gederathite;
5 Eluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah, Shephatiah the Haruphite;
6 Elkanah, Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer, and Jashobeam, the Korahites;
7 and Joelah and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham from Gedor.
8 Some Gadites defected to David at his stronghold in the desert. They were valiant warriors, trained for battle, expert with shield and spear. Their faces were like the faces of lions, and they were as swift as gazelles on the mountains.(D)
9 Ezer was the chief, Obadiah second, Eliab third,
10 Mishmannah fourth, Jeremiah fifth,
11 Attai sixth, Eliel seventh,
12 Johanan eighth, Elzabad ninth,
13 Jeremiah tenth, and Machbannai eleventh.
14 These Gadites were army commanders; the least of them was a match for a hundred, and the greatest of them for a thousand.(E) 15 These are the men who crossed the Jordan in the first month[a] when it was overflowing all its banks,(F) and put to flight all those in the valleys to the east and to the west.
16 Other Benjaminites and men from Judah also went to David at the stronghold.(G) 17 David went out to meet them and said to them, “If you have come in peace to help me, my heart will be united with you, but if you have come to betray me to my enemies even though my hands have done no wrong, may the God of our ancestors look on it and judge.”
18 Then the Spirit enveloped[b](H) Amasai,(I) chief of the Thirty, and he said:
We are yours, David,
we are with you, son of Jesse!
Peace, peace to you,
and peace to him who helps you,(J)
for your God helps you.
So David received them and made them leaders of his troops.
19 Some Manassites defected to David when he went with the Philistines to fight against Saul. However, they did not help the Philistines because the Philistine rulers sent David away after a discussion. They said, “It will be our heads if he defects to his master Saul.”(K) 20 When David went to Ziklag, some men from Manasseh defected to him: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai, chiefs of thousands in Manasseh. 21 They helped David against the raiders,(L) for they were all valiant warriors and commanders in the army. 22 At that time, men came day after day to help David until there was a great army, like an army of God.[c](M)
David’s Soldiers in Hebron
23 The numbers of the armed troops who came to David at Hebron to turn Saul’s kingdom over to him,(N) according to the Lord’s word,(O) were as follows:
24 From the Judahites: 6,800 armed troops bearing shields and spears.
25 From the Simeonites: 7,100 valiant warriors ready for war.
26 From the Levites: 4,600 27 in addition to Jehoiada, leader of the house of Aaron, with 3,700 men; 28 and Zadok,(P) a young valiant warrior, with 22 commanders from his ancestral family.[d]
29 From the Benjaminites, the relatives of Saul:(Q) 3,000 (up to that time the majority of the Benjaminites maintained their allegiance to the house of Saul).
30 From the Ephraimites: 20,800 valiant warriors who were famous men in their ancestral families.[e]
31 From half the tribe of Manasseh: 18,000 designated by name to come and make David king.
32 From the Issacharites, who understood the times(R) and knew what Israel should do: 200 chiefs with all their relatives under their command.
33 From Zebulun: 50,000 who could serve in the army, trained for battle with all kinds of weapons of war, with one purpose(S) to help David.[f]
34 From Naphtali: 1,000 commanders accompanied by 37,000 men with shield and spear.
35 From the Danites: 28,600 trained for battle.
36 From Asher: 40,000 who could serve in the army, trained for battle.
37 From across the Jordan—from the Reubenites, Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh: 120,000 men equipped with all the military weapons of war.
38 All these warriors, lined up in battle formation, came to Hebron wholeheartedly determined to make David king over all Israel. All the rest of Israel was also of one mind to make David king.(T) 39 They spent three days there eating and drinking with David, for their relatives had provided for them. 40 In addition, their neighbors from as far away as Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali came and brought food on donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen—abundant provisions of flour, fig cakes, raisins, wine and oil, herds, and flocks.(U) Indeed, there was joy in Israel.
1 Chronicles 12
Legacy Standard Bible
David’s Mighty Men
12 (A)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 helped him in war. 2 They were equipped with bows, (B)using both the right hand and the left to sling stones and to shoot arrows from the bow; (C)they were Saul’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. [a]Then Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, Jozabad the Gederathite,
5 [b]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 war who had gone out for military duty, who could [c]handle large shield and spear, and whose faces were like the faces of lions, and (D)they were as swift as the gazelles on the mountains.
9 Ezer was 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, Machbannai the eleventh.
14 These of the sons of Gad were chiefs of the army; (E)he who was least was equal to one hundred and the greatest to one thousand. 15 (F)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 on it and reprove.” 18 And (G)the Spirit clothed (H)Amasai, who was the chief of the thirty, and he said,
“We are yours, O David,
And with you, O son of Jesse!
(I)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 (J)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, “At the cost of our 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 (K)the marauding band, for they were all mighty men of valor, and were commanders in the army. 22 For day by day men came to David to help him, until there was a great camp (L)like the camp of God.
David’s Military Companies in Hebron
23 Now these are the numbers of the [d]companies equipped for military duty, (M)who came to David at Hebron, (N)to turn the kingdom of Saul to him, (O)according to the [e]command of Yahweh.
24 The sons of Judah who bore shield and spear were 6,800, equipped for military duty.
25 Of the sons of Simeon, mighty men of valor for military duty, 7,100.
26 Of the sons of Levi 4,600.
27 Now Jehoiada was the leader of the house of Aaron, and with him were 3,700,
28 also (P)Zadok, a young man mighty of valor, and of his father’s house 22 commanders.
29 Of the sons of Benjamin, (Q)Saul’s relatives, 3,000; for until now (R)the greatest part of them had kept their allegiance to the house of Saul.
30 Of the sons of Ephraim 20,800, mighty men of valor, men [f]who had a name in their fathers’ households.
31 Of the half-tribe of Manasseh 18,000, who were designated by name to come and make David king.
32 Of the sons of Issachar, (S)men who knew how to discern the times, to know what Israel should do, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their relatives were at their command.
33 Of Zebulun, there were 50,000 who went out in the army, who could arrange themselves for battle with all kinds of weapons of war and helped David [g]with (T)an undivided heart.
34 Of Naphtali there were 1,000 commanders, and with them 37,000 with large shield and spear.
35 Of the Danites who could arrange themselves for battle, there were 28,600.
36 Of Asher there were 40,000 who went out in the army to arrange themselves for battle.
37 From the other side of the Jordan, of the Reubenites and the Gadites and of the half-tribe of Manasseh, there were 120,000 with all kinds of weapons for the army for battle.
38 All these, being men of war who could draw up in battle [h]lines, came to Hebron with (U)their whole 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, even as far as Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, (V)brought food on donkeys, camels, mules, and on oxen, great provisions of flour, fig cakes and bunches of raisins, wine, oil, oxen, and sheep. There was gladness indeed in Israel.
Footnotes
- 1 Chronicles 12:4 In Heb the beginning of v 5, making 41 vv in ch
- 1 Chronicles 12:5 v 6 in Heb
- 1 Chronicles 12:8 Lit arrange
- 1 Chronicles 12:23 Lit heads
- 1 Chronicles 12:23 Lit mouth
- 1 Chronicles 12:30 Or of renown
- 1 Chronicles 12:33 Lit not of double heart
- 1 Chronicles 12:38 Lit line, array; cf. 12:35, 36
1 Chronicles 12
New Catholic Bible
Chapter 12
David’s First Followers. 1 These were the men who came to David while he was at Ziklag, a fugitive from Saul, the son of Kish. They were the brave warriors who helped him in battle. 2 They were armed with bows, and they could sling stones or shoot arrows from a bow with their right hand or their left. They were kinsmen of Saul from Benjamin.
3 Ahiezer was their leader, and then Joash, who were the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite. There were Jeziel and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth; Beracah; Jehu the Anathothite; 4 Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a brave warrior from among the Thirty and the leader of the Thirty; Jeremiah; Jahaziel; Johanan; Jozabad the Gederathite; 5 Eluzai; Jerimoth; Bealiah; Shemariah; Shephatiah the Haruphite; 6 Elkanah; Isshiah; Azarel; Joezer; Jashobeam the Korahite; 7 and Joelah and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham from Gedor.
8 Some Gadites joined David in the wilderness. They were brave men, warriors ready for battle, able to handle the shield and the spear. Their faces were as fierce as the faces of lions, and they were as swift as gazelles upon the mountains. 9 Ezer was the first; Obadiah was the second; Eliab was the third; 10 Mishmannah was the fourth; Jeremiah was the fifth; 11 Attai was the sixth; Eliel was the seventh; 12 Johanan was the eighth; Elzabad was the ninth; 13 Jeremiah the tenth; and Machbannai the eleventh. 14 These Gadites were captains of the army. The weakest of them was worth a hundred, the strongest was worth a thousand. 15 They were crossing over the Jordan during the first month when it was overflowing its banks, and they put to flight everyone who was living in the valleys to the east and the west.
16 Some other Benjaminites and Judahites also went out to David in his stronghold. 17 David went out to meet them and he said to them, “If you have come to me in peace, to help me, then your heart will be one with my heart. But if you are here to betray me to my enemies even though my hands are innocent, may the God of our fathers see it and rebuke you.”
18 The Spirit then came upon Amasai, the leader of the captains, and he said,
“We are yours, David.
We will be with you, O son of Jesse.
May it go well with you,
and may it go well with those who help you,
for your God will help you.”
David received them and made them captains of his raiding parties.
19 Some men from Manasseh went over to David when he went to the Philistines to fight against Saul. He, however, did not help them because the lords of the Philistines had discussed it and sent him away saying, “It would cost us our heads if he were to defect to his master Saul.”
20 These were the men of Manasseh who went over to him in Ziklag: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai. They were captains of the thousands in Manasseh. 21 They helped David fight against the raiding parties, and they were brave warriors, all of them captains of the army.
22 From that time on, more men would arrive daily to help David until he had a large army, like an army of God.[a]
23 Assembly at Hebron. These are the numbers of the bands of those who came to David in Hebron ready for battle. They turned Saul’s kingdom over to him, according to the word of the Lord.
24 From Judah, there were six thousand, eight hundred men bearing shield and spear, ready for battle. 25 From Simeon there were seven thousand, one hundred brave warriors, ready for battle. 26 From Levi there were four thousand, six hundred men. 27 These included Jehoiada, the leader of the Aaronites, and with him there were three thousand, seven hundred men. 28 There was Zadok, a young man who was a brave warrior, with twenty-two captains from his father’s household. 29 From Benjamin, Saul’s kinsmen, there were three thousand men, most of whom had remained faithful to the house of Saul until then. 30 From Ephraim there were twenty thousand, eight hundred brave warriors who were famous in their ancestral clans. 31 There were eighteen thousand men from one-half of the tribe of Manasseh. They were designated by name to go and make David king. 32 From Issachar there were two hundred leaders with their brethren under them. They understood well the time and what Israel should do.[b] 33 From Zebulun there were fifty thousand experienced fighters ready to go into battle. They had every different type of weapon, and they were of undivided loyalty. 34 From Naphtali there were one thousand captains along with thirty-seven thousand men armed with shield and spear. 35 From Dan there were twenty-eight thousand, six hundred men, ready for battle. 36 From Asher there were forty thousand experienced fighters ready for battle. 37 From the eastern side of the Jordan, there were one hundred and twenty thousand men armed with every different type of weapon from Reuben, Gad, and one-half of the tribe of Manasseh.
38 All of these were well-trained fighting men. They came to Hebron for they wholeheartedly wanted to make David king over all of Israel. The rest of Israel was in agreement to make David king.[c] 39 They spent three days eating and drinking with David (for their brethren had provided provisions for them). 40 Their neighbors from as far away as Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali brought food on their donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen: plentiful supplies of flour, fig cakes, raisin cakes, wine, oil, oxen, and sheep, for joy had spread throughout Israel.
Footnotes
- 1 Chronicles 12:22 Army of God: David built a large and powerful army that won countless victories and indeed seemed to be on a higher plane than other military groups.
- 1 Chronicles 12:32 According to Hebrew tradition, the descendants of Issachar were experts in astronomy.
- 1 Chronicles 12:38 There was an extraordinary show of support for making David their king—both from the military (over 300,000) and general population.
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