1 Chronicles 12
Revised Standard Version
David’s Followers in the Wilderness
12 Now these are the men who came to David at Ziklag, while he could not move about freely because of Saul the son of Kish; and they were among the mighty men who helped him in war. 2 They were bowmen, and could shoot arrows and sling stones with either the right or the left hand; they were Benjaminites, Saul’s kinsmen. 3 The chief was Ahi-e′zer, then Jo′ash, both sons of Shema′ah of Gib′e-ah; also Je′zi-el and Pelet the sons of Az′maveth; Ber′acah, Jehu of An′athoth, 4 Ishma′iah of Gibeon, a mighty man among the thirty and a leader over the thirty; Jeremiah,[a] Jaha′ziel, Joha′nan, Jo′zabad of Gede′rah, 5 Elu′zai,[b] Jer′imoth, Beali′ah, Shemari′ah, Shephati′ah the Har′uphite; 6 Elka′nah, Isshi′ah, Az′arel, Jo-e′zer, and Jasho′be-am, the Ko′rahites; 7 And Joe′lah and Zebadi′ah, the sons of Jero′ham 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 upon the mountains: 9 Ezer the chief, Obadi′ah second, Eli′ab third, 10 Mishman′nah fourth, Jeremiah fifth, 11 Attai sixth, Eli′el seventh, 12 Joha′nan eighth, Elza′bad ninth, 13 Jeremiah tenth, Mach′bannai eleventh. 14 These Gadites were officers of the army, the lesser over a hundred and the greater over 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.
16 And some of the men of Benjamin and Judah 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, my heart will be knit to you; but if to betray me to my adversaries, although there is no wrong in my hands, then may the God of our fathers see and rebuke you.” 18 Then the Spirit came upon Ama′sai, chief of the thirty, and he said,
“We are yours, O David;
and with you, O son of Jesse!
Peace, peace to you,
and peace to your helpers!
For your God helps you.”
Then David received them, and made them officers of his troops.
19 Some of the men of Manas′seh 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, “At peril to our heads he will desert to his master Saul.”) 20 As he went to Ziklag these men of Manas′seh deserted to him: Adnah, Jo′zabad, Jedi′a-el, Michael, Jo′zabad, Eli′hu, and Zil′lethai, chiefs of thousands in Manas′seh. 21 They helped David against the band of raiders;[c] for they were all mighty men of valor, and were commanders in the army. 22 For from day to day men 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. 24 The men of Judah bearing shield and spear were six thousand eight hundred armed troops. 25 Of the Simeonites, mighty men of valor for war, seven thousand one hundred. 26 Of the Levites four thousand six hundred. 27 The prince Jehoi′ada, of the house of Aaron, and with him three thousand seven hundred. 28 Zadok, a young man mighty in valor, and twenty-two commanders from his own fathers’ house. 29 Of the Benjaminites, the kinsmen of Saul, three thousand, of whom the majority had hitherto kept their allegiance to the house of Saul. 30 Of the E′phraimites twenty thousand eight hundred, mighty men of valor, famous men in their fathers’ houses. 31 Of the half-tribe of Manas′seh eighteen thousand, who were expressly named to come and make David king. 32 Of Is′sachar men who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, two hundred chiefs, and all their kinsmen under their command. 33 Of Zeb′ulun fifty thousand seasoned troops, equipped for battle with all the weapons of war, to help David[d] with singleness of purpose. 34 Of Naph′tali a thousand commanders with whom were thirty-seven thousand men armed with shield and spear. 35 Of the Danites twenty-eight thousand six hundred men equipped for battle. 36 Of Asher forty thousand seasoned troops ready for battle. 37 Of the Reubenites and Gadites and the half-tribe of Manas′seh from beyond the Jordan, one hundred and twenty thousand men armed with all the weapons of war.
38 All these, men of war, 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. 39 And they were there with David for three days, eating and drinking, for their brethren had made preparation for them. 40 And also their neighbors, from as far as Is′sachar and Zeb′ulun and Naph′tali, came bringing food on asses and on camels and on mules and on oxen, abundant provisions of meal, cakes of figs, clusters of raisins, and wine and oil, oxen and sheep, for there was joy in Israel.
Footnotes
- 1 Chronicles 12:4 Heb verse 5
- 1 Chronicles 12:5 Heb verse 6
- 1 Chronicles 12:21 Or as officers of his troops
- 1 Chronicles 12:33 Gk: Heb lacks David
1 Chronicles 12
American Standard Version
12 Now these are they that came to David to Ziklag, [a]while he yet kept himself close because of Saul the son of Kish; and they were among the mighty men, his helpers in war. 2 They [b]were armed with bows, and could use both the right hand and the left in slinging stones and in shooting arrows from the bow: they were 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 Beracah, and Jehu the Anathothite, 4 and Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty man among the thirty, and over 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 Isshiah, and Azarel, and Joezer, and Jashobeam, the Korahites, 7 and Joelah, and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham of Gedor.
8 And of the Gadites there separated themselves unto David to the stronghold in the wilderness, mighty men of valor, men trained for war, that could handle shield and spear; whose faces were like the faces of lions, and they 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, Machbannai the eleventh. 14 These of the sons of Gad were captains of the host: he that was least was [c]equal to a hundred, and the greatest [d]to a thousand. 15 These are they that went over the Jordan in the first month, when it had overflowed all its banks; and they put to flight all them of the valleys, both toward the east and toward the west.
16 And there came of the children of Benjamin and Judah to the stronghold 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, my heart shall be knit unto you; but if ye be come to betray me to mine adversaries, seeing there is no [e]wrong in my hands, the God of our fathers look thereon, and rebuke it. 18 Then the Spirit [f]came upon Amasai, who was chief of the [g]thirty, and he said, Thine are we, David, and on thy side, thou son of Jesse: peace, peace be unto thee, and peace be to thy helpers; for thy God helpeth thee. Then David received them, and made them captains of the band.
19 Of Manasseh also there fell away some to David, when he came with the Philistines against Saul to battle: but they helped them not; for the lords of the Philistines upon advisement sent him away, saying, He will fall away to his master Saul to the jeopardy of 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, captains of thousands that were of Manasseh. 21 And they helped David against the band of rovers: for they were all mighty men of valor, and were captains in the host. 22 For from day to day men came to David to help him, until there was a great host, like the host of God.
23 And these are the numbers of the heads of them that were armed for war, who came to David to Hebron, to turn the kingdom of Saul to him, according to the word of Jehovah. 24 The children of Judah that bare shield and spear were six thousand and eight hundred, armed for war. 25 Of the children of Simeon, mighty men of valor for the war, seven thousand and one hundred. 26 Of the children of Levi four thousand and six hundred. 27 And Jehoiada was the leader of the house of Aaron; and with him were three thousand and seven hundred, 28 and Zadok, a young man mighty of valor, and of his father’s house twenty and two captains. 29 And of the children of Benjamin, the brethren of Saul, three thousand: for hitherto the greatest part of them had [h]kept their allegiance to the house of Saul. 30 And of the children of Ephraim twenty thousand and eight hundred, mighty men of valor, famous men in their fathers’ houses. 31 And of the half-tribe of Manasseh eighteen thousand, who were mentioned by name, to come and make David king. 32 And of the children of Issachar, men that had understanding of the 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, such as were able to go out in the host, that could set the battle in array, with all manner of instruments of war, fifty thousand, and that could order the battle array, and were not of double heart. 34 And of Naphtali a thousand captains, and with them with shield and spear thirty and seven thousand. 35 And of the Danites that could set the battle in array, twenty and eight thousand and six hundred. 36 And of Asher, such as were able to go out in the host, that could set the battle in array, forty thousand. 37 And on the other side of the Jordan, of the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and of the half-tribe of Manasseh, with all manner of instruments of war for the battle, a hundred and twenty thousand.
38 All these, being men of war, that could order the battle array, came with a perfect heart to Hebron, to make David king over all Israel: and all the rest also of Israel were of one heart to make David king. 39 And they were there with David three days, eating and drinking; for their brethren had made preparation for them. 40 Moreover they that were nigh unto them, even as far as Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, brought bread on asses, and on camels, and on mules, and on oxen, victuals of meal, cakes of figs, and clusters of raisins, and wine, and oil, and oxen, and sheep in abundance: for there was joy in Israel.
Footnotes
- 1 Chronicles 12:1 Hebrew being yet shut up
- 1 Chronicles 12:2 Or, drew the bow
- 1 Chronicles 12:14 Or, over
- 1 Chronicles 12:14 Or, over
- 1 Chronicles 12:17 Or, violence
- 1 Chronicles 12:18 Hebrew clothed.
- 1 Chronicles 12:18 Another reading is, captains.
- 1 Chronicles 12:29 Hebrew kept the charge of the house.
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