Beginning

12 These are the ones who came to David at Ziklag, while he yet concealed himself because of Saul son of Kish; they were among the mighty men, his helpers in war.

² They were bowmen and could use the right hand or the left to sling stones or shoot arrows from the bow; they were of Saul’s kinsmen of Benjamin.

³ The chief was Ahiezer and then Joash the sons of Shemaah of Gibeah; Jeziel and Pelet the sons of Azmaveth; Beracah, and Jehu of Anathoth,

⁴ Ishmaiah of Gibeon, a mighty man among the Thirty and a [leader] over them; Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, Jozabad of Gederah,

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

⁶ Elkanah, Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer, and Jashobeam, the Korahites;

⁷ Joelah and Zebadiah the sons of Jeroham of Gedor.

⁸ Of the Gadites there went over to David to the stronghold in the wilderness men of might, men trained for war who could handle shield and spear, whose faces were like the faces of lions, and who were swift as 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, Machbannai the eleventh.

¹⁴ These Gadites were officers of the army. The lesser was equal to and over a hundred, and the greater equal to and over a thousand.

¹⁵ These are the men who went over the Jordan in the first month when it had overflowed all its banks, and put to flight all those in the valleys, east and west.

¹⁶ There came some of the men of Benjamin and Judah to the stronghold to David.

¹⁷ David went out to meet them and said to them, If you have come peaceably to me to help me, my heart shall be knit to you; but if you have come to betray me to my adversaries, although there is no violence or wrong in my hands, may the God of our fathers look upon and rebuke you.

¹⁸ Then the Spirit came upon Amasai, who was chief of the captains, and he said, Yours we are, 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 officers of his troops.

¹⁹ Some of the men of Manasseh deserted to David when he came with the Philistines for the battle against Saul. But [David’s] men did not actually fight with them, for the lords of the Philistines, upon advisement, sent him away, saying, He will desert to his master Saul at the risk of our heads.^(A)

²⁰ As David went to Ziklag, there deserted to him of Manasseh: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai, chiefs of thousands in Manasseh.

²¹ They helped David against the band of raiders, for they were all mighty men of courage, and [all seven] became commanders in [his] army.

²² For at that time day by day men kept coming to David to help him, until there was a great army, like the army of God.

²³ These are the numbers of the armed divisions who came to David at Hebron to turn the kingdom of Saul to him, according to the word of the Lord:

²⁴ Those of Judah, who bore shield and spear, were 6,800 armed for war;

²⁵ Those of Simeon, mighty and brave warriors, 7,100;

²⁶ Those of Levi, 4,600—

²⁷ Jehoiada was the leader of the Aaronite [priests], and with him were 3,700,

²⁸ And Zadok, a young man mighty in valor, and twenty-two captains from his own father’s house;

²⁹ Of the Benjamites, the kindred of [King] Saul, 3,000—hitherto the majority of them had kept their allegiance [to Saul] and the charge of the house of Saul;

³⁰ Of the Ephraimites, 20,800, mighty in valor, famous in their fathers’ houses;

³¹ Of the half-tribe of Manasseh, 18,000, who were mentioned by name to come and make David king;

³² And of Issachar, men who had understanding of the times to know what Israel ought to do, 200 chiefs; and all their kinsmen were under their command;

³³ Of Zebulun, 50,000 experienced troops, fitted out with all kinds of weapons and instruments of war that could order and set the battle in array, men not of double purpose but stable and trustworthy.

³⁴ Of Naphtali, 1,000 captains, and with them 37,000 [of the rank and file armed] with shield and spear;

³⁵ Of Dan, 28,600, men who could set the battle in array;

³⁶ Of Asher, men able to go forth to battle, fit for active service, 40,000;

³⁷ On the other [the east] side of the Jordan River, of Reuben and Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh, 120,000 men, armed with all the weapons and instruments of war.

³⁸ All these, being men of war arrayed in battle order, came with a perfect and sincere heart to Hebron to make David king over all Israel; and all the rest also of Israel were of one mind to make David king.

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

⁴⁰ Also those who were near them from as far as Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali brought food on donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen, abundant supplies of meal, cakes of figs, bunches of raisins, wine, oil, oxen, and sheep, for there was joy in Israel.

13 David consulted the captains of thousands and hundreds, even with every leader.

² And David said to all the assembly of Israel, If it seems good to you and if it is of the Lord our God, let us send abroad everywhere to our brethren who are left in all the land of Israel, and with them to the priests and Levites in their cities that have suburbs and pasturelands, that they may gather together with us.

³ And let us bring again the ark of our God to us, for we did not seek it during the days of Saul.

⁴ And all the assembly agreed to do so, for the thing seemed right in the eyes of all the people.

⁵ So David gathered all Israel together, from the Shihor, the brook of Egypt [that marked the southeast border of Palestine], to the entrance of Hemath, to bring the ark of God from Kiriath-jearim.

⁶ And David and all Israel went up to Baalah, that is, to Kiriath-jearim which belonged to Judah, to bring up from there the ark of God the Lord, which is called by the name of Him Who sits [enthroned] above the cherubim.

⁷ And they carried the ark of God on a new cart and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, and Uzza and Ahio [his brother] drove the cart.

⁸ And David and all Israel merrily celebrated before God with all their might, with songs and lyres and harps and tambourines and cymbals and trumpets.

⁹ And when they came to the threshing floor of Chidon, Uzza put out his hand to steady the ark, for the oxen [that were drawing the cart] stumbled and were restive.

¹⁰ And the anger of the Lord was kindled against Uzza, and He smote him because he touched the ark; and there he died before God.^(B)

¹¹ And David was offended because the Lord had broken forth upon Uzza; that place to this day is called Perez-uzza [the breaking forth upon Uzza].

¹² And David was afraid of God that day, and he said, How can I bring the ark of God home to me?

¹³ So David did not bring the ark home to the City of David, but carried it aside into the house of Obed-edom the Gittite [a Levitical porter born in Gath-rimmon].^(C)

¹⁴ And the ark of God remained with the family of Obed-edom in his house three months. And the Lord blessed the house of Obed-edom and all that he had.

14 And Hiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar timbers, with masons and carpenters, to build him a house.

² And David perceived that the Lord had established and confirmed him as king over Israel, for his kingdom was exalted highly for His people Israel’s sake.

³ And David took more wives to Jerusalem, and [he] became the father of more sons and daughters.

⁴ Now 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 And when the Philistines heard that David was anointed king over all Israel, [they] all went up to seek David. And [he] heard of it and went out before them.

⁹ Now the Philistines had come and made a raid in the Valley of Rephaim.

¹⁰ David asked God, Shall I go up against the Philistines? And will You deliver them into my hand? And the Lord said, Go up, and I will deliver them into your hand.

¹¹ So [Israel] came up to Baal-perazim, and David smote [the Philistines] there. Then David said, God has broken my enemies by my hand, like the bursting forth of waters. Therefore they called the name of that place Baal-perazim [Lord of breaking through].

¹² [The Philistines] left their gods there; David commanded and they were burned.

¹³ And the Philistines again made a raid in the valley.

¹⁴ And David inquired again of God, and God said to him, Do not go up after them; turn away from them and come [around] upon them over opposite the mulberry trees.

¹⁵ And when you hear a sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry or balsam trees, then go out to battle, for God has gone out before you to smite the Philistine host.

¹⁶ So David did as God commanded him, and they smote the army of the Philistines from Gibeon even to Gezer.

¹⁷ And the fame of David went out into all lands, and the Lord brought the fear of him upon all nations.