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12 Now these are those who came to David to Ziklag while he was a fugitive from Saul the son of Kish. They were among the mighty men, his helpers in war. 2 They 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 relatives of the tribe of Benjamin. 3 The chief was Ahiezer, then Joash, the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite; Jeziel and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth; Beracah; Jehu the Anathothite; 4 Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty man among the thirty and a leader of the thirty; Jeremiah; Jahaziel; Johanan; Jozabad the Gederathite; 5 Eluzai; Jerimoth; Bealiah; Shemariah; Shephatiah the Haruphite; 6 Elkanah, Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer, and Jashobeam, the Korahites; 7 and Joelah and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham of Gedor.
8 Some Gadites joined David in the stronghold in the wilderness, mighty men of valor, men trained for war, who could handle shield and spear; whose faces were like the faces of lions, and they were as swift as the gazelles on 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, and Machbannai the eleventh. 14 These of the sons of Gad were captains of the army. He who was least was equal to one hundred, and the greatest to one thousand. 15 These are those who went over the Jordan in the first month, when it had overflowed all its banks; and they put to flight all who lived in the valleys, both toward the east and toward the west.
16 Some of the children of Benjamin and Judah came to the stronghold to David. 17 David went out to meet them, and answered them, “If you have come peaceably to me to help me, my heart will be united with you; but if you have come to betray me to my adversaries, since there is no wrong in my hands, may the God of our fathers see this and rebuke it.” 18 Then the Spirit came on Amasai, who was chief of the thirty, and he said, “We are yours, David, and on your side, you son of Jesse. Peace, peace be to you, and peace be to your helpers; for your God helps you.” Then David received them and made them captains of the band.
19 Some of Manasseh also joined David when he came with the Philistines against Saul to battle, but they didn’t help them, for the lords of the Philistines sent him away after consultation, saying, “He will desert to his master Saul to the jeopardy of our heads.”
20 As he went to Ziklag, some from Manasseh joined him: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai, captains of thousands who were of Manasseh. 21 They helped David against the band of raiders, for they were all mighty men of valor and were captains in the army. 22 For from day to day men came to David to help him, until there was a great army, like God’s army.
23 These are the numbers of the heads of those who were armed for war, who came to David to Hebron to turn the kingdom of Saul to him, according to Yahweh’s word. 24 The children of Judah who bore shield and spear were six thousand eight hundred, armed for war. 25 Of the children of Simeon, mighty men of valor for the war: seven thousand one hundred. 26 Of the children of Levi: four thousand six hundred. 27 Jehoiada was the leader of the household of Aaron; and with him were three thousand seven hundred, 28 and Zadok, a young man mighty of valor, and of his father’s house twenty-two captains. 29 Of the children of Benjamin, Saul’s relatives: three thousand, for until then, the greatest part of them had kept their allegiance to Saul’s house. 30 Of the children of Ephraim: twenty thousand eight hundred, mighty men of valor, famous men in their fathers’ houses. 31 Of the half-tribe of Manasseh: eighteen thousand, who were mentioned by name, to come and make David king. 32 Of the children of Issachar, men who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, their heads were two hundred; and all their brothers were at their command. 33 Of Zebulun, such as were able to go out in the army, who could set the battle in array with all kinds of instruments of war: fifty thousand who could command and were not of double heart. 34 Of Naphtali: one thousand captains, and with them with shield and spear thirty-seven thousand. 35 Of the Danites who could set the battle in array: twenty-eight thousand six hundred. 36 Of Asher, such as were able to go out in the army, who could set the battle in array: forty thousand. 37 On the other side of the Jordan, of the Reubenites, the Gadites, and of the half-tribe of Manasseh, with all kinds of instruments of war for the battle: one hundred twenty thousand.
38 All these were men of war who could order the battle array, and 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 They were there with David three days, eating and drinking; for their brothers had supplied provisions for them. 40 Moreover those who were near to them, as far as Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali, brought bread on donkeys, on camels, on mules, and on oxen: supplies of flour, cakes of figs, clusters of raisins, wine, oil, cattle, and sheep in abundance; for there was joy in Israel.
13 David consulted with the captains of thousands and of hundreds, even with every leader. 2 David said to all the assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you, and if it is of Yahweh our God, let’s send word everywhere to our brothers who are left in all the land of Israel, with whom the priests and Levites are in their cities that have pasture lands, that they may gather themselves to us. 3 Also, let’s bring the ark of our God back to us again, for we didn’t seek it in the days of Saul.”
4 All the assembly said that they would do so, for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people. 5 So David assembled all Israel together, from the Shihor River of Egypt even to the entrance of Hamath, to bring God’s ark from Kiriath Jearim.
6 David went up with all Israel to Baalah, that is, to Kiriath Jearim, which belonged to Judah, to bring up from there God Yahweh’s ark that sits above the cherubim, that is called by the Name. 7 They carried God’s ark on a new cart, and brought it out of Abinadab’s house; and Uzza and Ahio drove the cart. 8 David and all Israel played before God with all their might, even with songs, with harps, with stringed instruments, with tambourines, with cymbals, and with trumpets.
9 When they came to Chidon’s threshing floor, Uzza put out his hand to hold the ark, for the oxen stumbled. 10 Yahweh’s anger burned against Uzza, and he struck him because he put his hand on the ark; and he died there before God. 11 David was displeased, because Yahweh had broken out against Uzza. He called that place Perez Uzza, to this day. 12 David was afraid of God that day, saying, “How can I bring God’s ark home to me?” 13 So David didn’t move the ark with him into David’s city, but carried it aside into Obed-Edom the Gittite’s house. 14 God’s ark remained with the family of Obed-Edom in his house three months; and Yahweh blessed Obed-Edom’s house and all that he had.
14 Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David with cedar trees, masons, and carpenters, to build him a house. 2 David perceived that Yahweh had established him king over Israel, for his kingdom was highly exalted, for his people Israel’s sake.
3 David took more wives in Jerusalem, and David became the father of more sons and daughters. 4 These are the names of the children whom he had in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 5 Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet, 6 Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, 7 Elishama, Beeliada, and Eliphelet.
8 When the Philistines heard that David was anointed king over all Israel, all the Philistines went up to seek David; and David heard of it, and went out against them. 9 Now the Philistines had come and made a raid in the valley of Rephaim. 10 David inquired of God, saying, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hand?”
Yahweh said to him, “Go up; for I will deliver them into your hand.”
11 So they came up to Baal Perazim, and David defeated them there. David said, God has broken my enemies by my hand, like waters breaking out. Therefore they called the name of that place Baal Perazim.[a] 12 They left their gods there; and David gave a command, and they were burned with fire.
13 The Philistines made another raid in the valley. 14 David inquired again of God; and God said to him, “You shall not go up after them. Turn away from them, and come on them opposite the mulberry trees. 15 When you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, then go out to battle; for God has gone out before you to strike the army of the Philistines.”
16 David did as God commanded him; and they attacked the army of the Philistines from Gibeon even to Gezer. 17 The fame of David went out into all lands; and Yahweh brought the fear of him on all nations.
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