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Others Join David at Hebron

23 These are the numbers of the soldiers ·ready [armed] for battle who ·joined [came to] David at Hebron. They came to help turn the kingdom of Saul over to David, ·just as the Lord had said [L according to the word of the Lord].

24 There were sixty-eight hundred armed ·men from [L descendants/sons of] Judah, carrying shields and spears.

25 There were seventy-one hundred men from Simeon. They were ·warriors [L mighty men of valor] ready for war.

26 There were forty-six hundred ·men from [L descendants/sons of] Levi. 27 Jehoiada, a leader from Aaron’s family, was in that group. There were thirty-seven hundred with him. 28 Zadok was also in that group. He was a ·strong [brave] young warrior, and with him came twenty-two leaders from his ·family [L father’s house].

29 There were three thousand men from Benjamin, who were Saul’s ·relatives [kinsmen; L brothers]. Most of them had ·remained loyal [kept their allegiance] to Saul’s ·family [L house] until then.

30 There were twenty thousand eight hundred ·men from [L sons of] Ephraim. They were brave warriors and were famous men in their ·own family groups [clans].

31 There were eighteen thousand men from ·West [L the half-tribe of] Manasseh. Each one was ·especially chosen [L designated by name] to make David king.

32 There were two hundred leaders from Issachar. They knew what Israel should do, and they ·knew the right time to do it [or understood the times]. Their ·relatives [kinsmen; L brothers] were with them and under their command.

33 There were fifty thousand men from Zebulun. They were ·trained [skilled] soldiers and ·knew how to use [equipped with] every kind of weapon of war. They followed David ·completely [with undivided loyalty/heart].

34 There were one thousand ·officers [commanders; captains] from Naphtali. They had thirty-seven thousand soldiers with them who carried shields and spears.

35 There were twenty-eight thousand six hundred men from Dan, who were ready for ·war [battle].

36 There were forty thousand trained soldiers from Asher, who were ready for ·war [battle].

37 There were one hundred twenty thousand soldiers from the east side of the Jordan River from the people of Reuben, Gad, and ·East [L the half-tribe of] Manasseh. They had every kind of weapon.

38 All these fighting men were ready to go to war. They came to Hebron ·fully agreed [determined; L with a complete/perfect heart] to make David king of all Israel. All the other Israelites also ·agreed [L were of one mind] to make David king. 39 They spent three days there with David, eating and drinking, because their ·relatives [kinsmen; L brothers] had prepared food for them. 40 Also, their neighbors came from as far away as Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali, bringing food on donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen. They brought much flour, fig cakes, raisins, wine, oil, ·cows [oxen; cattle], and sheep, because ·the people of Israel were very happy [there was great joy in Israel].

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Supporters Gathered at Hebron

23 These are the numbers of the [armed] units equipped for war who came to David at Hebron to turn [over] the kingdom of Saul to him, in accordance with the word of the Lord. 24 Those of the tribe of Judah who carried shield and spear were 6,800, armed for war; 25 of the tribe of Simeon, brave warriors, 7,100; 26 of the tribe of Levi, 4,600. 27 Jehoiada was the leader of [the house of] Aaron, and with him were 3,700, 28 and Zadok, a courageous young man, and twenty-two captains from his father’s house. 29 Of the tribe of Benjamin, the relatives of [King] Saul, 3,000; for until now the majority of them had kept their allegiance to the house of Saul. 30 Of the tribe of Ephraim, 20,800, courageous men, famous in their fathers’ houses. 31 Of the half-tribe of Manasseh, 18,000, who were designated by name to come and make David king. 32 Of the tribe of Issachar, men who understood the times, with knowledge of what Israel should do, two hundred chiefs; and all their relatives were at their command; 33 of the tribe of Zebulun, there were 50,000 in military service who could draw up in battle formation with all kinds of weapons of war and helped David, men with [a]an undivided heart. 34 Of the tribe of Naphtali, there were 1,000 captains, and with them 37,000 [of the rank and file armed] with shield and spear. 35 Of the tribe of Dan, 28,600 men who could draw up in battle formation. 36 Of the tribe of Asher, 40,000 men in military service, able to draw up in battle formation. 37 From the other side [east] of the Jordan River, of [the tribes of] Reuben and Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh, 120,000 men, armed with all kinds of weapons of war for the battle.

38 All these, being men of war arrayed in battle formation, came to Hebron with a perfect (committed) heart to make David king over all Israel; and all the rest of Israel were also of one mind to make David king. 39 They were there with David for three days, eating and drinking, for their relatives had prepared for them. 40 Also those who were [living] near them [from] as far as [the tribes of] Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali, brought food on donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen, abundant supplies of flour, cakes of figs and raisins, wine, [olive] oil, oxen, and sheep, for there was joy in Israel.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 12:33 I.e. trustworthy men, men of honor without any sort of hidden agenda or double purpose.