1 Chronicles 12
New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition
David’s Followers in the Wilderness
12 The following are those who came to David at Ziklag, while he could not move about freely because of Saul son of Kish; they were among the mighty warriors who helped him in war.(A) 2 They were archers and could shoot arrows and sling stones with either the right hand or the left; they were Benjaminites, Saul’s kindred.(B) 3 The chief was Ahiezer, then Joash, both sons of Shemaah of Gibeah; also Jeziel and Pelet sons of Azmaveth; Beracah, Jehu of Anathoth, 4 Ishmaiah of Gibeon, a warrior among the Thirty and a leader over the Thirty; Jeremiah,[a] Jahaziel, Johanan, Jozabad of Gederah, 5 Eluzai,[b] Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah, Shephatiah the Haruphite; 6 Elkanah, Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer, and Jashobeam, the Korahites; 7 and Joelah and Zebadiah, sons of Jeroham of Gedor.
8 From the Gadites there went over to David at the stronghold in the wilderness mighty and experienced warriors, expert with shield and spear, whose faces were like the faces of lions and who were swift as gazelles on the mountains:(C) 9 Ezer the chief, Obadiah second, Eliab third, 10 Mishmannah fourth, Jeremiah fifth, 11 Attai sixth, Eliel seventh, 12 Johanan eighth, Elzabad ninth, 13 Jeremiah tenth, Machbannai eleventh. 14 These Gadites were officers of the army, the least equal to a hundred and the greatest to a thousand. 15 These are the men who crossed the Jordan in the first month, when it was overflowing all its banks, and put to flight all those in the valleys to the east and to the west.(D)
16 Some Benjaminites and Judahites came to the stronghold to David. 17 David went out to meet them and said to them, “If you have come to me in friendship, to help me, then my heart will be knit to you, but if you have come to betray me to my adversaries, though my hands have done no wrong, then may the God of our ancestors see and give judgment.” 18 Then the spirit came upon Amasai, chief of the Thirty, and he said,[c]
“We are yours, O David,
and with you, O son of Jesse!
Peace, peace to you,
and peace to the one who helps you!
For your God is the one who helps you.”
Then David received them and made them officers of his troops.(E)
19 Some of the Manassites deserted to David when he came with the Philistines for the battle against Saul. (Yet he did not help them, for the rulers of the Philistines took counsel and sent him away, saying, “He will desert to his master Saul at the cost of our heads.”)(F) 20 As he went to Ziklag these Manassites deserted to him: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai, chiefs of the thousands in Manasseh. 21 They helped David against the band of raiders,[d] for they were all warriors and commanders in the army.(G) 22 Indeed, from day to day people kept coming to David to help him until there was a great army, like an army of God.
David’s Army at Hebron
23 These are the numbers of the divisions of the armed troops who came to David in Hebron to turn the kingdom of Saul over to him, according to the word of the Lord.(H) 24 The people of Judah bearing shield and spear numbered six thousand eight hundred armed troops. 25 Of the Simeonites, mighty warriors, seven thousand one hundred. 26 Of the Levites four thousand six hundred. 27 Jehoiada, leader of the house of[e] Aaron, and with him three thousand seven hundred. 28 Zadok, a young warrior, and twenty-two commanders from his own ancestral house.(I) 29 Of the Benjaminites, the kindred of Saul, three thousand, of whom the majority had continued to keep their allegiance to the house of Saul.(J) 30 Of the Ephraimites, twenty thousand eight hundred, mighty warriors, notables in their ancestral houses. 31 Of the half-tribe of Manasseh, eighteen thousand, who were expressly named to come and make David king. 32 Of Issachar, those who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, two hundred chiefs, and all their kindred under their command.(K) 33 Of Zebulun, fifty thousand seasoned troops equipped for battle with all the weapons of war to help David[f] with singleness of purpose.(L) 34 Of Naphtali, a thousand commanders, with whom there were thirty-seven thousand armed with shield and spear. 35 Of the Danites, twenty-eight thousand six hundred equipped for battle. 36 Of Asher, forty thousand seasoned troops ready for battle. 37 Of the Reubenites and Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh from beyond the Jordan, one hundred twenty thousand armed with all the weapons of war.
38 All these, warriors arrayed in battle order, came to Hebron with full intent to make David king over all Israel; likewise all the rest of Israel were of a single mind to make David king.(M) 39 They were there with David for three days, eating and drinking, for their kindred had provided for them. 40 And also their neighbors from as far away as Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali came bringing food on donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen—abundant provisions of meal, cakes of figs, clusters of raisins, wine, oil, oxen, and sheep, for there was joy in Israel.(N)
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
New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.
