1 Chronicles 12
New American Standard Bible
David’s Supporters in Ziklag
12 (A)Now these are the men 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 shoot arrows with the bow; (C)they were Saul’s kinsmen 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 in charge of 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 valiant mighty men went over to David at the stronghold in the wilderness, men trained for war who could handle a large shield and spear, 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, and Machbannai, the eleventh. 14 These men from the sons of Gad were [c]captains of the army; (E)the one who was least was equal to a hundred, and the greatest, to a thousand. 15 (F)These are the ones who crossed the Jordan in the first month, when it was overflowing all its 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 the stronghold to David. 17 David went out to meet them, and said to them, “If you come peacefully to help me, my heart shall 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 on it and decide.” 18 Then (G)the Spirit [e]covered (H)Amasai like clothing, the chief of the thirty; and he said,
“We are yours, David,
And are with you, 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 [f]captains of the troops.
19 (J)From Manasseh some also defected to David when he was about to go to battle with the Philistines against Saul. But they did not help them, because the governors of the Philistines sent him away after consultation, saying, “At the cost of our heads he might defect to his master Saul.” 20 As he was going to Ziklag, men from Manasseh defected to him: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai, [g]captains of thousands who belonged to Manasseh. 21 They helped David against (K)the band of raiders, for they were all valiant mighty men, and were captains in the army. 22 For day by day men came to David to help him, until there was a great army (L)like the army of God.
Supporters Gathered at Hebron
23 Now these are the numbers of the [h]divisions equipped for war, (M)who came to David at Hebron, (N)to turn the kingdom of Saul to him, (O)according to the [i]word of the Lord. 24 The sons of Judah who carried shield and spear numbered 6,800, equipped for war. 25 From the sons of Simeon, valiant mighty men of war, 7,100. 26 From 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 valiant mighty man, and from his father’s house, twenty-two captains. 29 From the sons of Benjamin, (Q)Saul’s kinsmen, three thousand; for until now (R)the majority of them had kept their allegiance to the house of Saul. 30 From the sons of Ephraim 20,800, valiant mighty men, famous men in their fathers’ households. 31 From the half-tribe of Manasseh eighteen thousand, who were designated by name to come and make David king. 32 From the sons of Issachar, (S)men who understood the times, with knowledge of what Israel should do, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their kinsmen were at their command. 33 From Zebulun, there were fifty thousand who went out in the army, who could draw up in battle formation with all kinds of weapons of war and helped David [j]with (T)an undivided heart. 34 From Naphtali there were a thousand captains, and with them thirty-seven thousand with shield and spear. 35 From the Danites who could draw up in battle formation, there were 28,600. 36 From Asher there were forty thousand who went out in the army to draw up in battle formation. 37 From the other side of the Jordan, from the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, there were 120,000 with all kinds of weapons of war for the battle.
38 All of these, being men of war who helped in battle formation, came to Hebron with (U)a perfect heart to make David king over all Israel; and all the rest of Israel also were of one mind to make David king. 39 They were there with David for three days, eating and drinking, for their kinsmen had prepared for them. 40 Moreover, those who were near to them, as far as Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali, (V)brought food on donkeys, camels, mules, and on oxen, great quantities of flour cakes, fig cakes and bunches of raisins, wine, oil, oxen, and sheep. There was joy indeed in Israel.
Footnotes
- 1 Chronicles 12:4 In Heb the beginning of v 5, making 41 vv in this ch
- 1 Chronicles 12:5 V 6 in Heb
- 1 Chronicles 12:14 Or chiefs
- 1 Chronicles 12:17 Lit violence
- 1 Chronicles 12:18 Lit clothed
- 1 Chronicles 12:18 Or commanders
- 1 Chronicles 12:20 Or chiefs
- 1 Chronicles 12:23 Lit heads
- 1 Chronicles 12:23 Lit mouth
- 1 Chronicles 12:33 Lit not heart and heart
1 Chronicles 12
Jubilee Bible 2000
12 ¶ Now these are those that came to David to Ziklag, while he was yet restrained 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 more than the thirty; and Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, Josabad, the Gederathite,
5 Eluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah, Shephatiah, the Haruphite;
6 Elkanah, Jesiah, Azareel, Joezer, Jashobeam, the Korhites,
7 and Joelah and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham of Gedor.
8 And of the Gadites there separated themselves unto David in the fortress in the wilderness, men of might of war fit for the battle, put in order with shield and buckler, whose faces were like the faces of lions and were as swift as the roes upon the mountains;
9 Ezer, the chief, 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 one hundred men, and the greatest over a thousand.
15 These went over the Jordan in the first month, when it had overflown all its banks, and they put to flight all those of the valleys to the east and to the west.
16 Likewise, some of the sons of Benjamin and Judah came to David, to the fortress.
17 And David went out to meet them and answered and said unto them, If you are come peaceably unto me to help me, my heart shall be knit unto you; but if you are come to betray me to my enemies, seeing there is no violence in my hands, let the God of our fathers look thereon and rebuke it.
18 Then the spirit clothed himself in Amasai, who was chief of the thirty, and he said, For thee, O David, and with thee, thou son of Jesse. Peace, peace be unto thee, and peace be to thy helpers; for thy God helps thee. Then David received them and put them among the captains of the band.
19 And some of Manasseh passed over to David, when he came with the Philistines against Saul to battle, although they did not help them, for the cardinals of the Philistines, upon counsel, sent him away, saying, He will pass over to his master Saul with our heads.
20 As he went to Ziklag, there passed over to him of Manasseh, Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zilthai, heads of the thousands that were of Manasseh.
21 And they helped David with a band; for they were all mighty men of valour and were captains in the host.
22 For at that time help came every day to David until it was a great camp, like the camp of God.
23 ¶ And this is the number of the heads of those that were ready armed for war and came to David in Hebron, to turn the kingdom of Saul to him, according to the word of the LORD.
24 Of the sons of Judah that bore shield and spear, six thousand eight hundred, ready armed for war.
25 Of the sons of Simeon, mighty men of valour for the war, seven thousand one hundred.
26 Of the sons of Levi four thousand six hundred.
27 Likewise Jehoiada, prince of those of the lineage of Aaron, and with him three thousand seven hundred;
28 and Zadok, a young man mighty of valour, and of his father’s house twenty-two captains.
29 Of the sons of Benjamin, the kindred of Saul, three thousand; for in that time many of them had the charge of the house of Saul.
30 And of the sons of Ephraim twenty thousand eight hundred, mighty men of valour, famous throughout the houses of their fathers.
31 And of the half tribe of Manasseh eighteen thousand, who were designated by name, to come and make David king.
32 And of the sons of Issachar, two hundred chief men, who had understanding of the times and were wise to know what Israel ought to do; and all their brethren followed their word.
33 Of Zebulun, such as went forth to battle, expert in war, with all weapons of war, fifty thousand, who could keep rank; they were not of double heart.
34 And of Naphtali a thousand captains and with them with shield and spear thirty-seven thousand.
35 And of those of Dan expert in war twenty-eight thousand six hundred.
36 And of Asher, such as went forth to battle, expert in war, forty thousand.
37 And of the other side of the Jordan, of those of Reuben and those of Gad and of the half tribe of Manasseh, with all manner of instruments of war for the battle, one 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 likewise, 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 And likewise, those that were near them, even unto Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, brought bread on asses and on camels and on mules and on oxen, and food, meal, cakes of figs, and bunches of raisins, and wine and oil, and oxen, and sheep abundantly; for there was joy in Israel.
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