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1 Chronicles 12
1599 Geneva Bible

12 3 Who they were that went with David when he fled from Saul. 14 Their valiantness. 23 They that came unto him unto Hebron out of every tribe to make him King.

1 These also are they that came to David to [a]Ziklag, while he was yet kept close, because of Saul the son of Kish: and they were among the valiant and helpers of the battle.

2 They were weaponed with bows, and could use the right and the left hand with stones, and with arrows and with bows, and were of Saul’s [b]brethren, even of Benjamin.

3 The chief were Ahiezer, and Joash the sons of Shemaah a Gibeathite, and Jeziel, and Pelet the sons of Azmaveth, Berachah and Jehu the Anathothite,

4 And Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a valiant man among thirty, and above the thirty, and Jeremiah, and Jahaziel, and Johanan, and Jozabad the Gederathite,

5 Eluzai, and Jerimoth, and Bealiah, and Shemariah, and Shephatiah the Haruphite,

6 Elkanah, and Jisshiah, and Azarel, and Joezer, Jashobeam of Korah,

7 And Joelah, and Zebadiah the sons of Jeroham of [c]Gedor,

8 And of the Gadites there separated themselves some unto David into the hold of the wilderness, valiant men of war, and men of arms, and apt for battle, which could handle [d]spear and shield, and their faces were like the faces of [e]lions, and were like the roes in the mountains in swiftness,

9 Ezer the chief, Obadiah the second, Eliab the third,

10 [f]Mishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth,

11 Attai the sixth, Eliel the seventh,

12 Johanan the eight, Elzabad the ninth,

13 Jeremiah the tenth, Machbanai the eleventh.

14 These were the sons of Gad, captains of the host: one of the least could resist an hundred, and the greatest a thousand.

15 These are they that went over Jordan in the [g]first month, when he had filled over all his banks, and put to flight all them of the valley, toward the East and 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 you come to betray me to mine adversaries, seeing there is no wickedness in mine hands, the God of our fathers behold it, and rebuke it.

18 And the [h]spirit came upon Amasai, which was the chief of thirty, and he said, Thine are we, David, and with thee, O son of Jesse. Peace, peace be unto thee, and peace be unto thine helpers: for thy God helpeth thee. Then David received them, and made them captains of the garrison.

19 ¶ And of Manasseh, some fell to David, when he came with the Philistines against Saul to battle, but they [i]helped them not: for the Princes of the Philistines (A)by advisement sent him away, saying, He will fall to his master Saul [j]for 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 Zillethai, heads of the thousands that were of Manasseh.

21 And they helped David against [k]that band: for they were all valiant men, 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 [l]God.

23 And these are the numbers of the captains that were armed to battle, 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 [m]spear, were six thousand and eight hundred armed to the war.

25 Of the children of Simeon valiant men of war, seven thousand and an hundred.

26 Of the children of Levi four thousand and six hundred.

27 And Jehoiada was the chief of them of [n]Aaron: and with him three thousand and seven hundred.

28 And Zadok a young man very valiant, and of his father’s household came two and twenty captains.

29 And of the children of Benjamin the brethren of Saul three thousand: for a great part of them unto that time [o]kept the ward of the house of Saul.

30 And of the children of Ephraim twenty thousand, and eight hundred valiant men and famous men in the household of their fathers.

31 And of the half tribe of Manasseh eighteen thousand, which were appointed by name to come and make David King.

32 And of the children of Issachar which were men that had understanding of the [p]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 that went out to battle, expert in war, and in all instruments of war, fifty thousand [q]which could set the battle in array: they were not of a [r]double heart.

34 And of Naphtali thousand captains, and with them with shield and spear seven and thirty thousand.

35 And of Dan expert in battle, eight and twenty thousand and six hundred.

36 And of Asher that went out to the battle and were trained in the wars, forty thousand.

37 And of the other side of Jordan of the Reubenites, and of the Gadites, and of the half tribe of Manasseh with all instruments of war to fight with, an hundred and twenty thousand.

38 [s]All these men of war [t]that could lead an army, came with [u]upright heart to Hebron to make David king over all Israel: and all the rest of Israel was of one accord to make David King.

39 And there they were with David three days, eating and drinking: for their [v]brethren had prepared for them.

40 Moreover, they that were near them until Issachar, and Zebulun, and Naphtali brought bread upon asses, and on camels, and on mules, and on oxen, even meat, flour, figs, and raisins, and wine and oil, and beeves and sheep abundantly: for there was joy in Israel.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 12:1 To take his part against Saul, who persecuted him.
  2. 1 Chronicles 12:2 That is, of the tribe of Benjamin, whereof Saul was, and wherein were excellent throwers with slings, Judg. 20:16.
  3. 1 Chronicles 12:7 Or, Gedua.
  4. 1 Chronicles 12:8 Or, buckler.
  5. 1 Chronicles 12:8 Meaning, fierce and terrible.
  6. 1 Chronicles 12:10 Or, Mashmannah.
  7. 1 Chronicles 12:15 Which the Hebrews called Nisan, or Abib, containing half March, and half April, when Jordan was wont to overflow his banks, read Josh. 3:15.
  8. 1 Chronicles 12:18 The spirit of boldness and courage moved him to speak thus.
  9. 1 Chronicles 12:19 They came only to help David, and not to succor the Philistines, which were enemies to their country.
  10. 1 Chronicles 12:19 Or, on the jeopardy of our heads.
  11. 1 Chronicles 12:21 To wit, of the Amalekites which had burned the city Ziklag, 1 Sam. 30:1,9.
  12. 1 Chronicles 12:22 Meaning, mighty or strong: for the Hebrews say a thing is of God, when it is excellent.
  13. 1 Chronicles 12:24 Or, buckler.
  14. 1 Chronicles 12:27 Of the Levites which came by descent of Aaron.
  15. 1 Chronicles 12:29 That is, the greatest number took Saul’s part.
  16. 1 Chronicles 12:32 Men of good experience, which knew at all times what was to be done.
  17. 1 Chronicles 12:33 Or, set themseves in array.
  18. 1 Chronicles 12:33 Hebrew, heart and heart.
  19. 1 Chronicles 12:38 So that his whole host were three hundred twenty and two thousand, two hundred twenty and two.
  20. 1 Chronicles 12:38 Or, fight in their array.
  21. 1 Chronicles 12:38 Or, with a good courage.
  22. 1 Chronicles 12:39 The rest of the Israelites.
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1 Chronicles 12
Lexham English Bible

David and His Mighty Men at Ziklag

12 Now these are the ones who came to David at Ziklag while he was still shut up because of Saul,[a] the son of Kish. And they were the mighty warriors helping with the war. 2 They were armed with the bow, able to shoot right-handed or left-handed, slinging stones or shooting arrows with the bow; they were kinsmen of Saul from Benjamin. 3 The leader was Ahiezer, then Jehoash, sons of Shemaah the Gibeonite; Jeiel and Pelet, sons of Azmaveth; Beracah; Jehu the Anathothite; 4 Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty warrior among the thirty who was over the thirty;[b] Jeremiah; Jahaziel; Johanan; Jozabad the Gederathite; 5 [c] Eluzai; Jerimoth; Bealiah; Shemariah; Shephatiah the Hariphite; 6 Elkanah, Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer, and Jashobeam the Korahites; 7 Joelah and Zebadiah, sons of Jeroham from the Gedor.

8 And from the Gadites, valiant mighty warriors, soldiers fit for war,[d] expert with shield and spear, defected to David at the fortress toward the wilderness. And they had faces like lions[e] and were swift as gazelles upon the mountains. 9 Ezer the chief, Obadiah second, Eliab third, 10 Mishmannah fourth, Jeremiah fifth, 11 Attai sixth, Eliel seventh, 12 Jehonan eighth, Elzabad ninth, 13 Jeremiah tenth, Macbannai eleventh. 14 These were the sons of Gad, leaders of the army. The smallest one was as a hundred, and the greatest as a thousand. 15 These were they who crossed the Jordan in the first month, when it was filled over its banks. And they put to flight all who were in the valley to the east and to the west.

16 And some of the sons of Benjamin and from Judah came to the fortress, to David. 17 And David went out to meet them[f] and answered and said to them, “If you come in peace to me, to help me, my heart will be joined with you,[g] but if you come to betray me to my adversaries, although there is no wrong on my hands, may the God of our fathers see and pass judgment.” 18 Then the Spirit came upon Amasai, chief of the thirty who said:

“We are yours, O David!
And we are with you, O son of Jesse!
Peace! Peace to you, and peace to those who help you,
for your God helps you.”

So David appointed them as heads of the troops.

19 And some Manassites deserted to David when he came with the Philistines to the battle against Saul, but he did not help them, for the rulers of the Philistines sent him away upon counsel, saying, “He will desert to his master Saul at the cost of our heads.” 20 When he went to Ziklag some Manassites deserted to him: Adnah, Jehozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai, heads of the thousands that were for Manasseh. 21 And they themselves helped David against the troops, for all of them were mighty men of strength and were commanders in the army. 22 Day in and day out[h] they came to David to help him until there was a great army, like the army of God.

23 And these are the numbers of the chiefs of those prepared for the army who came to David at Hebron to turn the kingdom of Saul over to him according to the word of Yahweh. 24 The sons of Judah bearing shield and spear: six thousand eight hundred armed troops. 25 From the men of Simeon, mighty warriors of strength for war: seven thousand one hundred. 26 From the Levites: four thousand six hundred. 27 Jehoiada the chief officer of the house of Aaron, and with him, three thousand seven hundred. 28 And Zadok, a young man, a mighty warrior of strength, and the house of his father: twenty-two commanders. 29 From the men of Benjamin, kinsmen of Saul, three thousand, and even still[i] the majority of them remained loyal[j] to the house of Saul. 30 And from the men of Ephraim: twenty thousand eight hundred mighty warriors of strength, famous men in the house of their fathers. 31 And from the half-tribe of Manasseh: eighteen thousand who were designated by name to come to make David king. 32 And from the men of Issachar: men who were skilled in understanding the times[k] to know what Israel should do. Their chiefs were two hundred, and all their kinsmen were under their command. 33 From Zebulun, those who went out armed, equipped for battle with all the weapons of war: fifty thousand to help David with singleness of purpose.[l] 34 From Naphtali: one thousand commanders; and those with them with shield and spear: thirty-seven thousand. 35 From the Danites, those equipped for battle: twenty-eight thousand six hundred. 36 And from Asher, those who went out armed and prepared for battle: forty thousand. 37 And from beyond the Jordan, from the Reubenites and the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh, with all their weapons of war for battle: one hundred and twenty thousand. 38 All these were men of war arrayed in battle line with a whole heart.[m] They came to Hebron to make David king over all Israel. Likewise, all the rest of Israel had one heart to make David king. 39 And they were there with David three days, eating and drinking, for their kinsmen were prepared for them. 40 And also their relatives, as far as Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, brought food on donkeys, on camels, on mules, and on oxen—provisions of flour, cakes of figs, raisin cakes, wine and oil, cattle and sheep in abundance, for there was great joy in Israel.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 12:1 Literally “of the face of Saul”
  2. 1 Chronicles 12:4 1 Chronicles 12:5 begins here in the Hebrew Bible
  3. 1 Chronicles 12:5 1 Chronicles 12:5–40 in the English Bible is 12:6–41 in the Hebrew Bible
  4. 1 Chronicles 12:8 Literally “men of battle for the war”
  5. 1 Chronicles 12:8 Literally “faces of a lion were their faces”
  6. 1 Chronicles 12:17 Literally “before them”
  7. 1 Chronicles 12:17 Literally “the heart will be to me to you together”
  8. 1 Chronicles 12:22 Literally “for to the time of day to the day”
  9. 1 Chronicles 12:29 Literally “and even they”
  10. 1 Chronicles 12:29 Literally “keeping the responsibility”
  11. 1 Chronicles 12:32 Literally “men who knew the understanding of the times”
  12. 1 Chronicles 12:33 Literally “with not heart and heart”
  13. 1 Chronicles 12:38 Literally “with heart well”
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1 Chronicles 12
New International Version

Warriors Join David

12 These were the men who came to David at Ziklag,(A) while he was banished from the presence of Saul son of Kish (they were among the warriors who helped him in battle; 2 they were armed with bows and were able to shoot arrows or to sling stones right-handed or left-handed;(B) they were relatives of Saul(C) from the tribe of Benjamin):

3 Ahiezer their chief and Joash the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite; Jeziel and Pelet the sons of Azmaveth; Berakah, Jehu the Anathothite, 4 and Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty warrior among the Thirty, who was a leader of the Thirty; Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, Jozabad the Gederathite,[a](D) 5 Eluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah and Shephatiah the Haruphite; 6 Elkanah, Ishiah, Azarel, Joezer and Jashobeam the Korahites; 7 and Joelah and Zebadiah the sons of Jeroham from Gedor.(E)

8 Some Gadites(F) 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,(G) and they were as swift as gazelles(H) in the mountains.

9 Ezer was the chief,

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 Makbannai the eleventh.

14 These Gadites were army commanders; the least was a match for a hundred,(I) and the greatest for a thousand.(J) 15 It was they who crossed the Jordan in the first month when it was overflowing all its banks,(K) and they put to flight everyone living in the valleys, to the east and to the west.

16 Other Benjamites(L) and some men from Judah also came to David in his stronghold. 17 David 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.”

18 Then the Spirit(M) came on Amasai,(N) chief of the Thirty, and he said:

“We are yours, David!
    We are with you, son of Jesse!
Success,(O) 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.

19 Some 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.”)(P) 20 When David went to Ziklag,(Q) 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. 21 They helped David against raiding bands, for all of them were brave warriors, and they were commanders in his army. 22 Day after day men came to help David, until he had a great army, like the army of God.[b]

Others Join David at Hebron

23 These are the numbers of the men armed for battle who came to David at Hebron(R) to turn(S) Saul’s kingdom over to him, as the Lord had said:(T)

24 from Judah, carrying shield and spear—6,800 armed for battle;

25 from Simeon, warriors ready for battle—7,100;

26 from Levi—4,600, 27 including Jehoiada, leader of the family of Aaron, with 3,700 men, 28 and Zadok,(U) a brave young warrior, with 22 officers from his family;

29 from Benjamin,(V) Saul’s tribe—3,000, most(W) of whom had remained loyal to Saul’s house until then;

30 from Ephraim, brave warriors, famous in their own clans—20,800;

31 from half the tribe of Manasseh, designated by name to come and make David king—18,000;

32 from Issachar, men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do(X)—200 chiefs, with all their relatives under their command;

33 from Zebulun, experienced soldiers prepared for battle with every type of weapon, to help David with undivided loyalty—50,000;

34 from Naphtali—1,000 officers, together with 37,000 men carrying shields and spears;

35 from Dan, ready for battle—28,600;

36 from Asher, experienced soldiers prepared for battle—40,000;

37 and from east of the Jordan, from Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh, armed with every type of weapon—120,000.

38 All these were fighting men who volunteered to serve in the ranks. They came to Hebron fully determined to make David king over all Israel.(Y) All the rest of the Israelites were also of one mind to make David king. 39 The men spent three days there with David, eating and drinking,(Z) for their families had supplied provisions for them. 40 Also, their neighbors from as far away as Issachar, Zebulun and Naphtali came bringing food on donkeys, camels, mules and oxen. There were plentiful supplies(AA) of flour, fig cakes, raisin(AB) cakes, wine, olive oil, cattle and sheep, for there was joy(AC) in Israel.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 12:4 In Hebrew texts the second half of this verse (Jeremiah … Gederathite) is numbered 12:5, and 12:5-40 is numbered 12:6-41.
  2. 1 Chronicles 12:22 Or a great and mighty army
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