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. ²They ^[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. ³The 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, ⁴and Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty man among the thirty, and over the thirty, and Jeremiah, and Jahaziel, and Johanan, and Jozabad the Gederathite, ⁵Eluzai, and Jerimoth, and Bealiah, and Shemariah, and Shephatiah the Haruphite, ⁶Elkanah, and Isshiah, and Azarel, and Joezer, and Jashobeam, the Korahites, ⁷and Joelah, and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham of Gedor.

⁸And 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: ⁹Ezer the chief, Obadiah the second, Eliab the third, ¹⁰Mishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth, ¹¹Attai the sixth, Eliel the seventh, ¹²Johanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth, ¹³Jeremiah the tenth, Machbannai the eleventh. ¹⁴These 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. ¹⁵These 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.

¹⁶And there came of the children of Benjamin and Judah to the stronghold unto David. ¹⁷And 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. ¹⁸Then 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.

¹⁹Of 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. ²⁰As 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. ²¹And they helped David against the band of rovers: for they were all mighty men of valor, and were captains in the host. ²²For from day to day men came to David to help him, until there was a great host, like the host of God.

²³And 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. ²⁴The children of Judah that bare shield and spear were six thousand and eight hundred, armed for war. ²⁵Of the children of Simeon, mighty men of valor for the war, seven thousand and one hundred. ²⁶Of the children of Levi four thousand and six hundred. ²⁷And Jehoiada was the leader of the house of Aaron; and with him were three thousand and seven hundred, ²⁸and Zadok, a young man mighty of valor, and of his father’s house twenty and two captains. ²⁹And 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. ³⁰And of the children of Ephraim twenty thousand and eight hundred, mighty men of valor, famous men in their fathers’ houses. ³¹And of the half-tribe of Manasseh eighteen thousand, who were mentioned by name, to come and make David king. ³²And 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. ³³Of 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. ³⁴And of Naphtali a thousand captains, and with them with shield and spear thirty and seven thousand. ³⁵And of the Danites that could set the battle in array, twenty and eight thousand and six hundred. ³⁶And of Asher, such as were able to go out in the host, that could set the battle in array, forty thousand. ³⁷And 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.

³⁸All 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. ³⁹And they were there with David three days, eating and drinking; for their brethren had made preparation for them. ⁴⁰Moreover 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.

Divrey Hayamim Alef 12

Orthodox Jewish Bible

12 Now these are they that came to Dovid to Tziklag, while he was still a fugitive because of Sha’ul Ben Kish; and they were among the gibborim, helpers in milchamah.

²They were armed with keshet (bow), and could use both the right hand and the left in hurling stones and shooting khitzim (arrows) from a keshet; they were kinsmen of Sha’ul, of Binyamin.

³The head was Achiezer, then Yoash, the Bnei Shema’ah the Giveati; Yeziel, Pelet, the Bnei Azmavet; Berachah, and Yehu the Antoti.

⁴⁽⁵⁾And Yishmayah the Giveoni, a gibbor among the Shloshim (Thirty), and over the Shloshim; and Yirmeyah, Yachaziel, Yochanan, and Yozavad the Gederati,

⁵⁽⁶⁾Eluzai, Yerimot, Bealyah, Shemaryahu, and Shephatyahu the Charuphi,

⁶⁽⁷⁾Elkanah, Yishiyahu, Azare’el, Yoezer, and Yashov‘am, the Korchi,

⁷⁽⁸⁾And Yoelah, and Zevadyah, the Bnei Yerocham of Gedor.

⁸⁽⁹⁾And of the Gadi there separated themselves unto Dovid into the stronghold in the midbar gibborei hachayil (men of valor), and anshei tzavah (army men) for milchamah, that could handle shield and spear, whose faces were like the faces of aryeh, and were as swift as the gazelles upon the harim;

⁹⁽¹⁰⁾Ezer the head, Ovadyah the second, Eliav the third,

¹⁰⁽¹¹⁾Mishmannah the fourth, Yirmeyah the fifth,

¹¹⁽¹²⁾Attai the sixth, Eliel the seventh,

¹²⁽¹³⁾Yochanan the eighth, Elzavad the ninth,

¹³⁽¹⁴⁾Yirmeyah the tenth, Machbanai the eleventh.

¹⁴⁽¹⁵⁾These were of the Bnei Gad, commanders of the tzava (army). One of the least was equal to a hundred, and the greatest to an elef.

¹⁵⁽¹⁶⁾These are they that went over Yarden in the first month, when it was overflowing all its banks; they put to flight all them of the valleys, both toward the east, and toward the west.

¹⁶⁽¹⁷⁾And there came of the Bnei Binyamin and Yehudah to the stronghold unto Dovid.

¹⁷⁽¹⁸⁾And Dovid went out before them, and answered and said unto them, If ye be come in shalom unto me to help me, mine lev shall be united unto you, but if ye be come to betray me to mine enemies, seeing there is no chamas in mine hands, Elohei Avoteinu look thereon, and pass [His] judgment.

¹⁸⁽¹⁹⁾Then the Ruach [HaKodesh] came upon Amasai, who was head of the Thirty, and he said, Thine are we, Dovid, and on thy side, thou Ben Yishai. Shalom, shalom be unto thee, and shalom be to thine helpers; for Eloheicha helpeth thee. Then Dovid received them, and made them heads of the gedud (raiding band, troop).

¹⁹⁽²⁰⁾And there defected some of Menasheh to Dovid, when he went with the Pelishtim (Philistines) against Sha’ul for milchamah, but they helped them [Pelishtim] not; for the rulers of the Pelishtim after etzah (counsel) sent him [Dovid] away, saying, He [Dovid] will defect to his adon Sha’ul to the jeopardy of our heads.

²⁰⁽²¹⁾As he went to Tziklag, there defected to him those of Menasheh, Adnach, and Yozavad, and Yedia’el, and Micha’el, and Yozavad, and Elihu, and Tziltai, heads of the alafim that were of Menasheh.

²¹⁽²²⁾And they helped Dovid against the gedud, for they were all gibborei chayil, and were sarim in the tzava (army).

²²⁽²³⁾For at that time day by day there came men to Dovid to help him, until it was a machaneh gadol, like the Machaneh Elohim.

²³⁽²⁴⁾And these are the numbers of the leaders that were ready-armed for the army, and came to Dovid to Chevron, to turn over the Malchut Sha’ul to him, according to the word of Hashem.

²⁴⁽²⁵⁾The Bnei Yehudah that bore shield and romach (spear) were six alafim and eight hundred, ready-armed for tzva.

²⁵⁽²⁶⁾Of the Bnei Shim’on, gibborei chayil for tzava, shivat alafim and one hundred.

²⁶⁽²⁷⁾Of the Bnei Levi four alafim and six hundred.

²⁷⁽²⁸⁾And Yehoyada was the nagid of those of Aharon, and with him were three alafim and sheva hundred;

²⁸⁽²⁹⁾And Tzadok, a na’ar gibbor chayil, and of bais aviv twenty and two sarim.

²⁹⁽³⁰⁾And of the Bnei Binyamin, the kindred of Sha’ul, three alafim; for up until then the greatest part of them had kept shomrim mishmeret Bais Sha’ul (guarded loyalty to the House of Sha’ul).

³⁰⁽³¹⁾And of the Bnei Ephrayim twenty elef and eight hundred, gibborei chayil, famous throughout the bais of their avot.

³¹⁽³²⁾And of the half tribe of Menasheh eighteen elef, which were designated by shmot, to come and make Dovid Melech.

³²⁽³³⁾And of the Bnei Yissakhar, which were men that had binah (understanding) of the times, to know what Yisroel ought to do; the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brethren were under their commandment.

³³⁽³⁴⁾Of Zevulun, such as went forth to tzava (military service), expert in milchamah, with all instruments of milchamah, fifty elef, which could keep rank; they were not of double heart.

³⁴⁽³⁵⁾And of Naphtali elef sarim, and with them with shield and khanit (spear) thirty and shivah elef.

³⁵⁽³⁶⁾And of the Dani expert in milchamah twenty and eight elef and six hundred.

³⁶⁽³⁷⁾And of Asher, such as went forth to tzava (military service), expert in milchamah, forty elef.

³⁷⁽³⁸⁾And on the other side of Yarden, of the Reuveni, and the Gadi, and of the half shevet (tribe) of Menasheh, with all manner of instruments of tzava for the milchamah, a hundred and twenty elef.

³⁸⁽³⁹⁾All these anshei milchamah, that could keep rank, came with a levav shalem to Chevron, to make Dovid Melech over kol Yisroel; and all the rest also of Yisroel were of lev echad to make Dovid Melech.

³⁹⁽⁴⁰⁾And there they were with Dovid yamim shloshah, eating and drinking, for their brethren had prepared for them.

⁴⁰⁽⁴¹⁾Moreover they that were kerovim (near ones, neighbors) to them, even unto Yissakhar and Zevulun and Naphtali, brought lechem on chamorim, and on gemalim (camels), and on peradim, and on bakar, and food of kemach (flour), cakes of figs, and raisin cakes, and yayin, and shemen, and bakar, and tzon abundantly; for there was simchah in Yisroel.

1 Chronicles 12

Lexham English Bible

David and His Mighty Men at Ziklag

12 Now these are the ones who came to David at Ziklag while he was still shut up because of Saul,^[a] the son of Kish. And they were the mighty warriors helping with the war. ²They were armed with the bow, able to shoot right-handed or left-handed, slinging stones or shooting arrows with the bow; they were kinsmen of Saul from Benjamin. ³The leader was Ahiezer, then Jehoash, sons of Shemaah the Gibeonite; Jeiel and Pelet, sons of Azmaveth; Beracah; Jehu the Anathothite; ⁴Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty warrior among the thirty who was over the thirty;^[b] Jeremiah; Jahaziel; Johanan; Jozabad the Gederathite; ⁵^[c] Eluzai; Jerimoth; Bealiah; Shemariah; Shephatiah the Hariphite; ⁶Elkanah, Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer, and Jashobeam the Korahites; ⁷Joelah and Zebadiah, sons of Jeroham from the Gedor.

⁸And from the Gadites, valiant mighty warriors, soldiers fit for war,^[d] expert with shield and spear, defected to David at the fortress toward the wilderness. And they had faces like lions^[e] and were swift as gazelles upon the mountains. ⁹Ezer the chief, Obadiah second, Eliab third, ¹⁰Mishmannah fourth, Jeremiah fifth, ¹¹Attai sixth, Eliel seventh, ¹²Jehonan eighth, Elzabad ninth, ¹³Jeremiah tenth, Macbannai eleventh. ¹⁴These were the sons of Gad, leaders of the army. The smallest one was as a hundred, and the greatest as a thousand. ¹⁵These were they who crossed the Jordan in the first month, when it was filled over its banks. And they put to flight all who were in the valley to the east and to the west.

¹⁶And some of the sons of Benjamin and from Judah came to the fortress, to David. ¹⁷And David went out to meet them^[f] and answered and said to them, “If you come in peace to me, to help me, my heart will be joined with you,^[g] but if you come to betray me to my adversaries, although there is no wrong on my hands, may the God of our fathers see and pass judgment.” ¹⁸Then the Spirit came upon Amasai, chief of the thirty who said:

“We are yours, O David!
And we are with you, O son of Jesse!
Peace! Peace to you, and peace to those who help you,
for your God helps you.”

So David appointed them as heads of the troops.

¹⁹And some Manassites deserted to David when he came with the Philistines to the battle against Saul, but he did not help them, for the rulers of the Philistines sent him away upon counsel, saying, “He will desert to his master Saul at the cost of our heads.” ²⁰When he went to Ziklag some Manassites deserted to him: Adnah, Jehozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai, heads of the thousands that were for Manasseh. ²¹And they themselves helped David against the troops, for all of them were mighty men of strength and were commanders in the army. ²²Day in and day out^[h] they came to David to help him until there was a great army, like the army of God.

²³And these are the numbers of the chiefs of those prepared for the army who came to David at Hebron to turn the kingdom of Saul over to him according to the word of Yahweh. ²⁴The sons of Judah bearing shield and spear: six thousand eight hundred armed troops. ²⁵From the men of Simeon, mighty warriors of strength for war: seven thousand one hundred. ²⁶From the Levites: four thousand six hundred. ²⁷Jehoiada the chief officer of the house of Aaron, and with him, three thousand seven hundred. ²⁸And Zadok, a young man, a mighty warrior of strength, and the house of his father: twenty-two commanders. ²⁹From the men of Benjamin, kinsmen of Saul, three thousand, and even still^[i] the majority of them remained loyal^[j] to the house of Saul. ³⁰And from the men of Ephraim: twenty thousand eight hundred mighty warriors of strength, famous men in the house of their fathers. ³¹And from the half-tribe of Manasseh: eighteen thousand who were designated by name to come to make David king. ³²And from the men of Issachar: men who were skilled in understanding the times^[k] to know what Israel should do. Their chiefs were two hundred, and all their kinsmen were under their command. ³³From Zebulun, those who went out armed, equipped for battle with all the weapons of war: fifty thousand to help David with singleness of purpose.^[l] ³⁴From Naphtali: one thousand commanders; and those with them with shield and spear: thirty-seven thousand. ³⁵From the Danites, those equipped for battle: twenty-eight thousand six hundred. ³⁶And from Asher, those who went out armed and prepared for battle: forty thousand. ³⁷And from beyond the Jordan, from the Reubenites and the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh, with all their weapons of war for battle: one hundred and twenty thousand. ³⁸All these were men of war arrayed in battle line with a whole heart.^[m] They came to Hebron to make David king over all Israel. Likewise, all the rest of Israel had one heart to make David king. ³⁹And they were there with David three days, eating and drinking, for their kinsmen were prepared for them. ⁴⁰And also their relatives, as far as Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, brought food on donkeys, on camels, on mules, and on oxen—provisions of flour, cakes of figs, raisin cakes, wine and oil, cattle and sheep in abundance, for there was great joy in Israel.

Footnotes

1 Chronicles 12:1 Literally “of the face of Saul”
1 Chronicles 12:4 1 Chronicles 12:5 begins here in the Hebrew Bible
1 Chronicles 12:5 1 Chronicles 12:5–40 in the English Bible is 12:6–41 in the Hebrew Bible
1 Chronicles 12:8 Literally “men of battle for the war”
1 Chronicles 12:8 Literally “faces of a lion were their faces”
1 Chronicles 12:17 Literally “before them”
1 Chronicles 12:17 Literally “the heart will be to me to you together”
1 Chronicles 12:22 Literally “for to the time of day to the day”
1 Chronicles 12:29 Literally “and even they”
1 Chronicles 12:29 Literally “keeping the responsibility”
1 Chronicles 12:32 Literally “men who knew the understanding of the times”
1 Chronicles 12:33 Literally “with not heart and heart”
1 Chronicles 12:38 Literally “with heart well”

1 Chronicles 12

King James Version

12 Now these are they that came to David to Ziklag, while he yet kept himself close because of Saul the son of Kish: and they were among the mighty men, helpers of the war.

²They 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.

³The 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.

⁴And Ismaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty man among the thirty, and over the thirty; and Jeremiah, and Jahaziel, and Johanan, and Josabad the Gederathite,

⁵Eluzai, and Jerimoth, and Bealiah, and Shemariah, and Shephatiah the Haruphite,

⁶Elkanah, and Jesiah, and Azareel, and Joezer, and Jashobeam, the Korhites,

⁷And Joelah, and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham of Gedor.

⁸And of the Gadites there separated themselves unto David into the hold to the wilderness men of might, and men of war fit for the battle, that could handle shield and buckler, whose faces were like the faces of lions, and were as swift as the roes upon the mountains;

⁹Ezer the first, Obadiah the second, Eliab the third,

¹⁰Mishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth,

¹¹Attai the sixth, Eliel the seventh,

¹²Johanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth,

¹³Jeremiah the tenth, Machbanai the eleventh.

¹⁴These were of the sons of Gad, captains of the host: one of the least was over an hundred, and the greatest over a thousand.

¹⁵These are they that went over Jordan in the first month, when it had overflown all his banks; and they put to flight all them of the valleys, both toward the east, and toward the west.

¹⁶And there came of the children of Benjamin and Judah to the hold unto David.

¹⁷And David went out to meet them, and answered and said unto them, If ye be come peaceably unto me to help me, mine heart shall be knit unto you: but if ye be come to betray me to mine enemies, seeing there is no wrong in mine hands, the God of our fathers look thereon, and rebuke it.

¹⁸Then the spirit came upon Amasai, who was chief of the captains, and he said, Thine are we, David, and on thy side, thou son of Jesse: peace, peace be unto thee, and peace be to thine helpers; for thy God helpeth thee. Then David received them, and made them captains of the band.

¹⁹And there fell some of Manasseh 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 to his master Saul to the jeopardy of our heads.

²⁰As he went to Ziklag, there fell to him of Manasseh, Adnah, and Jozabad, and Jediael, and Michael, and Jozabad, and Elihu, and Zilthai, captains of the thousands that were of Manasseh.

²¹And they helped David against the band of the rovers: for they were all mighty men of valour, and were captains in the host.

²²For at that time day by day there came to David to help him, until it was a great host, like the host of God.

²³And these are the numbers of the bands that were ready armed to the war, and came to David to Hebron, to turn the kingdom of Saul to him, according to the word of the Lord.

²⁴The children of Judah that bare shield and spear were six thousand and eight hundred, ready armed to the war.

²⁵Of the children of Simeon, mighty men of valour for the war, seven thousand and one hundred.

²⁶Of the children of Levi four thousand and six hundred.

²⁷And Jehoiada was the leader of the Aaronites, and with him were three thousand and seven hundred;

²⁸And Zadok, a young man mighty of valour, and of his father's house twenty and two captains.

²⁹And of the children of Benjamin, the kindred of Saul, three thousand: for hitherto the greatest part of them had kept the ward of the house of Saul.

³⁰And of the children of Ephraim twenty thousand and eight hundred, mighty men of valour, famous throughout the house of their fathers.

³¹And of the half tribe of Manasseh eighteen thousand, which were expressed by name, to come and make David king.

³²And of the children of Issachar, which were 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.

³³Of Zebulun, such as went forth to battle, expert in war, with all instruments of war, fifty thousand, which could keep rank: they were not of double heart.

³⁴And of Naphtali a thousand captains, and with them with shield and spear thirty and seven thousand.

³⁵And of the Danites expert in war twenty and eight thousand and six hundred.

³⁶And of Asher, such as went forth to battle, expert in war, forty thousand.

³⁷And on the other side of Jordan, of the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and of the half tribe of Manasseh, with all manner of instruments of war for the battle, an hundred and twenty thousand.

³⁸All these men of war, that could keep rank, 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.

³⁹And there they were with David three days, eating and drinking: for their brethren had prepared for them.

⁴⁰Moreover they that were nigh them, even unto Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, brought bread on asses, and on camels, and on mules, and on oxen, and meat, meal, cakes of figs, and bunches of raisins, and wine, and oil, and oxen, and sheep abundantly: for there was joy in Israel.

1 Chronicles 12

New International Version

Warriors Join David

12 These were the men who came to David at Ziklag,^(A) while he was banished from the presence of Saul son of Kish (they were among the warriors who helped him in battle; ²they were armed with bows and were able to shoot arrows or to sling stones right-handed or left-handed;^(B) they were relatives of Saul^(C) from the tribe of Benjamin):

³Ahiezer their chief and Joash the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite; Jeziel and Pelet the sons of Azmaveth; Berakah, Jehu the Anathothite, ⁴and Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty warrior among the Thirty, who was a leader of the Thirty; Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, Jozabad the Gederathite,^[a]^(D) ⁵Eluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah and Shephatiah the Haruphite; ⁶Elkanah, Ishiah, Azarel, Joezer and Jashobeam the Korahites; ⁷and Joelah and Zebadiah the sons of Jeroham from Gedor.^(E)

⁸Some Gadites^(F) defected to David at his stronghold in the wilderness. They were brave warriors, ready for battle and able to handle the shield and spear. Their faces were the faces of lions,^(G) and they were as swift as gazelles^(H) in the mountains.

⁹Ezer was the chief,

Obadiah the second in command, Eliab the third,

¹⁰Mishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth,

¹¹Attai the sixth, Eliel the seventh,

¹²Johanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth,

¹³Jeremiah the tenth and Makbannai the eleventh.

¹⁴These Gadites were army commanders; the least was a match for a hundred,^(I) and the greatest for a thousand.^(J) ¹⁵It was they who crossed the Jordan in the first month when it was overflowing all its banks,^(K) and they put to flight everyone living in the valleys, to the east and to the west.

¹⁶Other Benjamites^(L) and some men from Judah also came to David in his stronghold. ¹⁷David went out to meet them and said to them, “If you have come to me in peace to help me, I am ready for you to join me. But if you have come to betray me to my enemies when my hands are free from violence, may the God of our ancestors see it and judge you.”

¹⁸Then the Spirit^(M) came on Amasai,^(N) chief of the Thirty, and he said:

“We are yours, David!
    We are with you, son of Jesse!
Success,^(O) 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.

¹⁹Some 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.”)^(P) ²⁰When David went to Ziklag,^(Q) 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. ²¹They helped David against raiding bands, for all of them were brave warriors, and they were commanders in his army. ²²Day after day men came to help David, until he had a great army, like the army of God.^[b]

Others Join David at Hebron

²³These are the numbers of the men armed for battle who came to David at Hebron^(R) to turn^(S) Saul’s kingdom over to him, as the Lord had said:^(T)

²⁴from Judah, carrying shield and spear—6,800 armed for battle;

²⁵from Simeon, warriors ready for battle—7,100;

²⁶from Levi—4,600, ²⁷including Jehoiada, leader of the family of Aaron, with 3,700 men, ²⁸and Zadok,^(U) a brave young warrior, with 22 officers from his family;

²⁹from Benjamin,^(V) Saul’s tribe—3,000, most^(W) of whom had remained loyal to Saul’s house until then;

³⁰from Ephraim, brave warriors, famous in their own clans—20,800;

³¹from half the tribe of Manasseh, designated by name to come and make David king—18,000;

³²from Issachar, men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do^(X)—200 chiefs, with all their relatives under their command;

³³from Zebulun, experienced soldiers prepared for battle with every type of weapon, to help David with undivided loyalty—50,000;

³⁴from Naphtali—1,000 officers, together with 37,000 men carrying shields and spears;

³⁵from Dan, ready for battle—28,600;

³⁶from Asher, experienced soldiers prepared for battle—40,000;

³⁷and from east of the Jordan, from Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh, armed with every type of weapon—120,000.

³⁸All these were fighting men who volunteered to serve in the ranks. They came to Hebron fully determined to make David king over all Israel.^(Y) All the rest of the Israelites were also of one mind to make David king. ³⁹The men spent three days there with David, eating and drinking,^(Z) for their families had supplied provisions for them. ⁴⁰Also, their neighbors from as far away as Issachar, Zebulun and Naphtali came bringing food on donkeys, camels, mules and oxen. There were plentiful supplies^(AA) of flour, fig cakes, raisin^(AB) cakes, wine, olive oil, cattle and sheep, for there was joy^(AC) in Israel.

Footnotes

1 Chronicles 12:4 In Hebrew texts the second half of this verse (Jeremiah … Gederathite) is numbered 12:5, and 12:5-40 is numbered 12:6-41.
1 Chronicles 12:22 Or a great and mighty army

American Standard Version (ASV)

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Orthodox Jewish Bible (OJB)

Lexham English Bible (LEB)

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King James Version (KJV)

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New International Version (NIV)

1 Chronicles 12

American Standard Version

Footnotes

Divrey Hayamim Alef 12

Orthodox Jewish Bible

1 Chronicles 12

Lexham English Bible

David and His Mighty Men at Ziklag

Footnotes

1 Chronicles 12

King James Version

1 Chronicles 12

New International Version

Warriors Join David

Others Join David at Hebron

Footnotes

Cross references

More on the NIV

1 Chronicles 12 American Standard Version

Footnotes

Divrey Hayamim Alef 12 Orthodox Jewish Bible

1 Chronicles 12 Lexham English Bible

David and His Mighty Men at Ziklag

Footnotes

1 Chronicles 12 King James Version

1 Chronicles 12 New International Version

Warriors Join David

Others Join David at Hebron

Footnotes

Cross references

More on the NIV

1 Chronicles 12

American Standard Version

Divrey Hayamim Alef 12

Orthodox Jewish Bible

1 Chronicles 12

Lexham English Bible

1 Chronicles 12

King James Version

1 Chronicles 12

New International Version