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1 Chronicles 12
Living Bible
1 Chronicles 12
Living Bible
12 These are the names of the famous warriors who joined David at Ziklag while he was hiding from King Saul.[a] 2 All of them were expert archers and slingers, and they could use their left hands as readily as their right! Like King Saul, they were all of the tribe of Benjamin.
3-7 Their chief was Ahiezer, son of Shemaah from Gibeah. The others were:
His brother Joash; Jeziel and Pelet, sons of Azmaveth; Beracah; Jehu from Anathoth; Ishmaiah from Gibeon (a brave warrior rated as high or higher than The Thirty); Jeremiah; Jahaziel; Johanan; Jozabad from Gederah; Eluzai; Jerimoth; Bealiah; Shemariah; Shephatiah from Haruph; Elkanah, Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer, Jashobeam—all Korahites; Joelah and Zebadiah (sons of Jeroham from Gedor).
8-13 Great and brave warriors from the tribe of Gad also went to David in the wilderness. They were experts with both shield and spear and were “lion-faced men, swift as deer upon the mountains.”
Ezer was the chief;
Obadiah was second in command;
Eliab was third in command;
Mishmannah was fourth in command;
Jeremiah was fifth in command;
Attai was sixth in command;
Eliel was seventh in command;
Johanan was eighth in command;
Elzabad was ninth in command;
Jeremiah was tenth in command;
Machbannai was eleventh in command.
14 These men were army officers; the weakest was worth a hundred normal troops, and the greatest was worth a thousand! 15 They crossed the Jordan River during its seasonal flooding and conquered the lowlands on both the east and west banks.
16 Others came to David from Benjamin and Judah. 17 David went out to meet them and said, “If you have come to help me, we are friends; but if you have come to betray me to my enemies when I am innocent, then may the God of our fathers see and judge you.”
18 Then the Holy Spirit came upon them, and Amasai, a leader of The Thirty, replied,
“We are yours, David;
We are on your side, son of Jesse.
Peace, peace be unto you,
And peace to all who aid you;
For your God is with you.”
So David let them join him, and he made them captains of his army.
19 Some men from Manasseh deserted the Israeli army and joined David just as he was going into battle with the Philistines against King Saul. But as it turned out, the Philistine generals refused to let David and his men go with them. After much discussion they sent them back, for they were afraid that David and his men would imperil them by deserting to King Saul.
20 Here is a list of the men from Manasseh who deserted to David as he was en route to Ziklag: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, Zillethai.
Each was a high-ranking officer of Manasseh’s troops. 21 They were brave and able warriors, and they assisted David when he fought against the Amalek raiders at Ziklag.[b]
22 More men joined David almost every day until he had a tremendous army—the army of God. 23 Here is the registry of recruits who joined David at Hebron. They were all anxious to see David become king instead of Saul, just as the Lord had said would happen.
24-37 From Judah, 6,800 troops armed with shields and spears.
From the tribe of Simeon, 7,100 outstanding warriors.
From the Levites, 4,600.
From the priests—descendants of Aaron—there were 3,700 troops under the command of Zadok, a young man of unusual courage, and Jehoiada. (He and twenty-two members of his family were officers of the fighting priests.)
From the tribe of Benjamin, the same tribe Saul was from, there were 3,000. (Most of that tribe retained its allegiance to Saul.)
From the tribe of Ephraim, 20,800 mighty warriors, each famous in his respective clan.
From the half-tribe of Manasseh, 18,000 were sent for the express purpose of helping David become king.
From the tribe of Issachar there were 200 leaders of the tribe with their relatives—all men who understood the temper of the times and knew the best course for Israel to take.
From the tribe of Zebulun there were 50,000 trained warriors; they were fully armed and totally loyal to David.
From Naphtali there were 1,000 officers and 37,000 troops equipped with shields and spears.
From the tribe of Dan there were 28,600 troops, all of them prepared for war.
From the tribe of Asher, there were 40,000 trained and ready troops.
From the other side of the Jordan River—where the tribes of Reuben and Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh lived—there were 120,000 troops equipped with every kind of weapon.
38 All these men came in battle array to Hebron with the single purpose of making David the king of Israel. In fact, all of Israel was ready for this change. 39 They feasted and drank with David for three days, for preparations had been made for their arrival. 40 People from nearby and from as far away as Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali brought food on donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen. Vast supplies of flour, fig cakes, raisins, wine, oil, cattle, and sheep were brought to the celebration, for joy had spread throughout the land.
Footnotes
- 1 Chronicles 12:1 King Saul, literally, “the son of Kish.”
- 1 Chronicles 12:21 Ziklag, implied.
1 Chronicles 12
New International Version
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; 2 they 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):
3 Ahiezer their chief and Joash the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite; Jeziel and Pelet the sons of Azmaveth; Berakah, Jehu the Anathothite, 4 and Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty warrior among the Thirty, who was a leader of the Thirty; Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, Jozabad the Gederathite,[a](D) 5 Eluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah and Shephatiah the Haruphite; 6 Elkanah, Ishiah, Azarel, Joezer and Jashobeam the Korahites; 7 and Joelah and Zebadiah the sons of Jeroham from Gedor.(E)
8 Some 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.
9 Ezer was the chief,
Obadiah the second in command, 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 Makbannai the eleventh.
14 These Gadites were army commanders; the least was a match for a hundred,(I) and the greatest for a thousand.(J) 15 It 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.
16 Other Benjamites(L) and some men from Judah also came to David in his stronghold. 17 David 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.”
18 Then 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.
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.”)(P) 20 When 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. 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.[b]
Others Join David at Hebron
23 These 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)
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,(U) a brave young warrior, with 22 officers from his family;
29 from Benjamin,(V) Saul’s tribe—3,000, most(W) 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(X)—200 chiefs, with all their relatives under their command;
33 from Zebulun, experienced soldiers prepared for battle with every type of weapon, to help David with undivided loyalty—50,000;
34 from Naphtali—1,000 officers, together with 37,000 men carrying shields and spears;
35 from Dan, ready for battle—28,600;
36 from Asher, experienced soldiers prepared for battle—40,000;
37 and from east of the Jordan, from Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh, armed with every type of weapon—120,000.
38 All 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. 39 The men spent three days there with David, eating and drinking,(Z) for their families had supplied provisions for them. 40 Also, 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
1 Crónicas 12
Nueva Biblia de las Américas
1 Crónicas 12
Nueva Biblia de las Américas
El ejército de David
12 Estos son los que vinieron a David en Siclag, mientras aún se ocultaba por causa de Saúl, hijo de Cis. Eran de los hombres valientes que lo ayudaron en la guerra(A). 2 Estaban armados con arcos, y usaban tanto la mano derecha como la izquierda para lanzar piedras y tirar flechas con el arco(B). Eran parientes[a] de Saúl(C) de Benjamín. 3 El jefe era Ahiezer, después Joás, hijos de Semaa el guibeatita; Jeziel y Pelet, hijos de Azmavet; Beraca y Jehú el anatotita; 4 Ismaías el gabaonita, hombre valiente entre los treinta, y jefe de los treinta. [b]Después Jeremías, Jahaziel, Johanán, Jozabad el gederatita, 5 [c]Eluzai, Jerimot, Bealías, Semarías, Sefatías el harufita, 6 Elcana, Isías, Azareel, Joezer, Jasobeam, los coreítas, 7 y Joela y Zebadías, hijos de Jeroham de Gedor.
8 También de los de Gad se pasaron a David en la fortaleza en el desierto, hombres fuertes y valientes, entrenados para la guerra, diestros con el escudo y la lanza, cuyos rostros eran como rostros de leones, y eran tan ligeros como las gacelas sobre los montes(D). 9 Ezer fue el primero, Obadías el segundo, Eliab el tercero, 10 Mismana el cuarto, Jeremías el quinto, 11 Atai el sexto, Eliel el séptimo, 12 Johanán el octavo, Elzabad el noveno, 13 Jeremías el décimo, Macbanai el undécimo. 14 De los hijos de Gad, estos fueron capitanes del ejército; el menor valía por 100 hombres y el mayor por 1,000(E). 15 Estos son los que cruzaron el Jordán en el primer mes, cuando todas sus riberas estaban inundadas, y pusieron en fuga a todos los de los valles, tanto al oriente como al occidente(F).
16 Entonces vinieron algunos de los hijos de Benjamín y Judá a David a la fortaleza. 17 Y David salió a su encuentro, y les dijo: «Si vienen a mí en paz para ayudarme, mi corazón se unirá con ustedes; pero si vienen para entregarme a mis enemigos, ya que no hay maldad en mis manos, que el Dios de nuestros padres lo vea y decida». 18 Entonces el Espíritu vino sobre(G) Amasai(H), jefe de los treinta, el cual dijo:
«Tuyos somos, oh David,
Y contigo estamos, hijo de Isaí.
Paz, paz a ti(I),
Y paz al que te ayuda;
Ciertamente tu Dios te ayuda».
Entonces David los recibió y los hizo capitanes del grupo.
19 Algunos de Manasés se pasaron también a David, cuando este iba con los filisteos a la batalla contra Saúl(J). Pero estos no les ayudaron, porque los príncipes de los filisteos, después de tomar consejo, despidieron a David, diciendo: «A costa de nuestras cabezas se pasará a su señor Saúl». 20 Y cuando David iba a Siclag, se pasaron a él de Manasés: Adnas, Jozabad, Jediaiel, Micael, Jozabad, Eliú y Ziletai, capitanes de miles que eran de Manasés. 21 Ellos ayudaron a David contra la banda de merodeadores(K), pues todos eran hombres fuertes y valientes, y capitanes en el ejército. 22 Porque día tras día se pasaban hombres a David para ayudarlo, hasta que hubo un gran ejército[d], como un ejército de Dios(L).
23 Y estos son los números de los escuadrones[e] equipados para la guerra, que vinieron a David en Hebrón(M) para transferirle el reino de Saúl(N), conforme a la palabra del Señor(O): 24 Los hijos de Judá que llevaban escudo y lanza eran 6,800 equipados para la guerra. 25 De los hijos de Simeón, hombres fuertes y valientes para la guerra, 7,100. 26 De los hijos de Leví, 4,600. 27 Y Joiada, príncipe de la casa de Aarón, y con él 3,700; 28 también Sadoc(P), joven fuerte y valiente, y de la casa de su padre veintidós capitanes. 29 De los hijos de Benjamín, parientes de Saúl(Q), 3,000; porque hasta entonces la mayor parte de ellos habían permanecido fieles a la casa de Saúl(R). 30 De los hijos de Efraín, 20,800 hombres fuertes y valientes, famosos en sus casas paternas. 31 De la media tribu de Manasés, 18,000 que por nombre fueron designados para venir y hacer rey a David. 32 De los hijos de Isacar, expertos en discernir los tiempos(S), con conocimiento de lo que Israel debía hacer, sus jefes eran 200; y todos sus parientes estaban bajo sus órdenes. 33 De Zabulón había 50,000 que salieron con el ejército, que podían ponerse en orden de batalla con toda clase de armas de guerra y que ayudaron a David sin doblez de corazón(T). 34 De Neftalí había 1,000 capitanes, y con ellos 37,000 con escudo y lanza. 35 De los de Dan que podían ponerse en orden de batalla, había 28,600. 36 De Aser había 40,000 que salieron con el ejército para ponerse en orden de batalla. 37 Del otro lado del Jordán de los rubenitas y gaditas y de la media tribu de Manasés, había 120,000 con toda clase de armas de guerra para la batalla.
38 Todos estos, hombres de guerra, que podían ponerse en orden de batalla, vinieron con corazón perfecto a Hebrón, para hacer rey a David sobre todo Israel; también todos los demás de Israel eran de un mismo parecer para hacer rey a David(U). 39 Y estuvieron allí con David tres días, comiendo y bebiendo, porque sus parientes habían hecho provisión para ellos. 40 También, los que estaban cerca de ellos, y hasta los de Isacar, Zabulón y Neftalí, trajeron víveres en asnos, camellos, mulos y bueyes; grandes cantidades de tortas de harina, tortas de higos y racimos de uvas pasas, vino, aceite, bueyes y ovejas(V). Verdaderamente había alegría en Israel.
1 Chronicles 12
New King James Version
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
Living Bible (TLB)
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Nueva Biblia de las Américas (NBLA) 
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New King James Version (NKJV) 
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