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

“We are yours, David!
    We are with you, son of Jesse!
Success,(C) 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.”)(D) 20 When David went to Ziklag,(E) 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.[a]

Others Join David at Hebron

23 These are the numbers of the men armed for battle who came to David at Hebron(F) to turn(G) Saul’s kingdom over to him, as the Lord had said:(H)

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,(I) a brave young warrior, with 22 officers from his family;

29 from Benjamin,(J) Saul’s tribe—3,000, most(K) 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(L)—200 chiefs, with all their relatives under their command;

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 12:22 Or a great and mighty army

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