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
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
1 Chronicles 12
EasyEnglish Bible
The men who joined David's army at Ziklag
12 David went to Ziklag town because King Saul, the son of Kish, had chased him away. Many brave men went to David there. They were some of the brave soldiers who helped David to fight in war. 2 They could shoot with bows and arrows. They could use slings to throw stones with either their right hand or their left hand. They were relatives of Saul, from Benjamin's tribe. Their names were:
3 Ahiezer, their leader, and his brother Joash. They were sons of Shemaah, who was from Gibeah town.
Jeziel and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth.
Beracah.
Jehu, from Anathoth town.
4 Ishmaiah, from Gibeon town. He was the leader of the 30 great soldiers.
Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan and Jozabad, who was from Gederah.
5 Eluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah and Shephatiah, who was from Hariph.
6 Elkanah, Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer and Jashobeam. They belonged to Korah's clan.
7 Joelah and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham from Gedor town.
The men of Gad's tribe who joined David's army
8 Many soldiers from Gad's tribe joined David's army at his strong place in the desert. These men were brave soldiers who knew how to fight well. They could use shields and spears. They could fight like lions. They could run as fast as deer on the mountains.
9 Ezer was their leader. After him there were: Obadiah (2), Eliab (3), 10 Mishmannah (4), Jeremiah (5), 11 Attai (6), Eliel (7), 12 Johanan (8), Elzabad (9), 13 Jeremiah (10), and Makbannai (11).[a]
14 These descendants of Gad were leaders in the army. The least important officer among them led 100 soldiers. The greatest officer led 1,000 soldiers. 15 Those men went across to the west side of the Jordan River during the first month of the year.[b] At that time the water in the river was very deep and wide. They chased away the people who lived in the valleys on both sides of the river.
16 Some other men from the tribes of Benjamin and Judah also came to David in his strong place. 17 David went out to meet them. He said to them, ‘I hope that you have come here as my friends. If you have come to help me, I will make an agreement with you. But I hope that you have not come here to help my enemies and to tell them where I am hiding. I have not done anything wrong. So I pray that the God of our ancestors will see what you do. He will punish you as you deserve!’
18 Then God's Spirit came to Amasai with power. He was the leader of the 30 great soldiers. He said,
‘We will serve you, David, Jesse's son.
We have come to help you!
May God bless you!
May God bless those who help you!
Yes, your God will help you.’
So David accepted them as his friends. He made them officers in his army.
The men of Manasseh's tribe who joined David's army
19 Some men from Manasseh's tribe also joined David's army. That was at the time when David joined with the Philistines to fight against Saul. But David and his men were not able to help the Philistines like that. That was because the leaders of the Philistines decided to send David and his men away. They said, ‘David may turn against us and go to help his master Saul, instead. If he does that, we will all be dead!’
20 So David returned to Ziklag. These men from Manasseh's tribe joined David's army at that time:
Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu and Zillethai. Each of them had been the leader of 1,000 soldiers in Saul's army.
21 All those men were brave soldiers and they became officers in David's army. They helped David to fight against the enemy's soldiers when they attacked.
22 Every day more men came to help David. So his army became very large and powerful, like God's own army.
The men who joined David's army at Hebron
23 This is a list of the soldiers who joined David's army at Hebron. They came with their officers and they were ready to fight. They wanted to help David become king of Israel instead of Saul. The Lord had promised that this would happen.
24 From Judah's tribe, there were 6,800 men who carried shields and spears. They knew how to fight well.
25 From Simeon's tribe, there were 7,100 strong men who knew how to fight well.
26 From Levi's tribe, there were 4,600 men. 27 Jehoiada was the leader of the men who were Aaron's descendants. He brought 3,700 men with him. 28 Zadok was also in that group. He was a brave young soldier. There were also 22 officers who belonged to his clan.
29 From Benjamin's tribe that Saul belonged to, there were 3,000 men. Most of those men had served Saul faithfully until that time.
30 From Ephraim's tribe, there were 20,800 men who were brave soldiers. The people in their clans respected them very much.
31 From the half tribe of Manasseh on the west side of the Jordan River, there were 18,000 men. Their clans had chosen those men to go and help David become their king.
32 From Issachar's tribe, there were 200 officers and their relatives who obeyed their commands. Those officers understood that this was an important time for Israel. They knew what Israel should do.
33 From Zebulun's tribe, there were 50,000 brave men who were ready to fight. They knew how to use many different kinds of weapons. They were completely faithful to David.
34 From Naphtali's tribe, there were 1,000 officers and 37,000 men who carried shields and spears.
35 From Dan's tribe, there were 28,600 men who were ready for war.
36 From Asher's tribe there were 40,000 soldiers who were ready for war.
37 From the east side of the Jordan River, there were 120,000 soldiers who knew how to use many different kinds of weapons. Those men belonged to the tribes of Reuben, Gad and the other half tribe of Manasseh.
38 All those men were soldiers who were ready to fight in war. They came to David in Hebron because they wanted to make him king to rule all Israel. All the other Israelites also agreed that David should become king. 39 The men stayed there with David for three days. Their relatives had prepared a lot of food for them. So they enjoyed a big feast together. 40 People also came from places as far away as Issachar, Zebulun and Naphtali. They brought food on donkeys, camels, mules and oxen. So there was plenty of flour to make bread, and lots of figs, raisins, wine, olive oil, cows and sheep. All the Israelites had a very happy party!
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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