Beginning

All Israel Rallies to David

12 Now these are the men who came to David at Ziklag when he was banished from the presence of Saul son of Kish. They were among the warriors who assisted him in battle. ² They were armed with bows, and could use both the right hand and the left to sling stones and shoot arrows from the bow. They were Saul’s kinsmen from Benjamin. ³ Their chief was Ahiezer, then Joash, sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite, Jeziel and Pelet, sons of Azmaveth, and Beracah, Jehu the Anathothite, ⁴ Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty man among the 30 and leading the 30, ⁵ Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, Jozabad the Gederathite, ⁶ Eluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah, Shephatiah the Hariphite, ⁷ Elkanah, Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer and Jashobeam, the Korahites, ⁸ Joelah and Zebadiah, sons of Jeroham from Gedor.

⁹ Some of the Gadites there withdrew to follow David to the stronghold in the wilderness. They were valiant men trained for battle, armed with shield and spear, whose faces were like the faces of lions and were as swift as the gazelles on the mountains. ¹⁰ Ezer the chief, Obadiah the second, Eliab the third, ¹¹ Mishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth, ¹² Attai the sixth, Eliel the seventh, ¹³ Johanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth, ¹⁴ Jeremiah the tenth, Machbannai the eleventh. ¹⁵ These were the Gadites, leaders of the army. The least was equal to 100 and the greatest to 1,000. ¹⁶ These were the ones who crossed the Jordan in the first month, when it was overflowing its banks, routing all those in the valleys to the east and to the west.

¹⁷ Some of the children of Benjamin and also from Judah came to David at the stronghold. ¹⁸ David went out to meet them and answered them saying, “If you come to me in peace to support me, then my heart will be united with you. But if it is to betray me to my adversaries, when my hands have done no wrong, then may the God of our fathers take notice and judge.”

¹⁹ Then a spirit came upon Amasai, leader of the 30,

“We are yours, David,

on your side, son of Jesse.

Shalom, shalom to you,

and shalom to him who helps you,

for your God supports you!”

So David welcomed them and made them leaders of the troops.

²⁰ Some from Manasseh went over to David when he went with the Philistines to battle against Saul. But they did not help them because the Philistine rulers after consultation sent him away, saying: “It would cost us our heads if he defected to his master Saul.”

²¹ When he went to Ziklag, these from Manasseh joined him—Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, Zillethai, the leaders of thousands that were from Manasseh. ²² They helped David against the raiding bands, for all of them were valiant warriors and they were officers in the army. ²³ Day by day men came to David to help him until there was a great army like the army of God.

²⁴ These are the numbers of the heads of those armed for war who came to David in Hebron to transfer Saul’s kingdom to him, according to the word of Adonai:

²⁵ The sons of Judah that bore shield and spear were 6,800, armed for war;

²⁶ from the sons of Simeon, 7,100 brave warriors ready for war;

²⁷ from the sons of Levi 4,600; ²⁸ Jehoiada the leader of the Aaronides and with him 3,700; ²⁹ Zadok, a young mighty man of valor, with 22 commanders from his clan;

³⁰ from the sons of Benjamin, Saul’s kinsmen, 3,000 for up to that time the majority of them had kept their allegiance to Saul’s house;

³¹ from the sons of Ephraim 20,800 valliant warriors, famous men in their clan; ³² from the half-tribe of Manasseh 18,000 who were designated by name to come and make David king;

³³ from the sons of Issachar—men who know how to interpret the signs of the times to determine what Israel should do—200 chiefs with all their kinsmen under their command;

³⁴ from Zebulun 50,000 warriors prepared for battle, arrayed with all types of weapons of war and ready to give their undivided loyalty;

³⁵ from Naphtali 1,000 officers, along with 37,000 with shield and spear;

³⁶ from the Danites, 28,600 equipped for battle;

³⁷ from Asher 40,000 experienced warriors arrayed for battle;

³⁸ and from beyond the Jordan, from the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh 120,000 armed with every type of weapons of war.

³⁹ All these fighting men, prepared for the battle line, came to Hebron with a whole heart to make David king over all Israel. All the rest of Israel were also of one heart to make David king. ⁴⁰ So they were there with David three days, eating and drinking, for their kinsmen had given them provision. ⁴¹ Moreover those who were near to them, from as far as Issachar, Zebulun and Naphtali, brought food on donkeys, camels, mules and oxen. There was flour, pressed figs, raisins, wine, oil, cattle, and sheep in abundance—for indeed, there was joy in Israel.

Ark Retrieved from Kiriath-jearim

13 Then David consulted with the officers of the thousands and of the hundreds, with every leader. ² David said to the entire assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you, and is from Adonai Eloheinu, let us spread the word to our kinsmen who remain in all the regions of Israel, along with the kohanim and Levites in their towns and pasturelands to come and join us. ³ Let us bring the Ark of our God back to us—for we did not inquire of it in the days of Saul.” ⁴ The entire assembly agreed to do so, for the proposal seemed right in the eyes of all the people.

⁵ So David assembled all Israel from the Shihor of Egypt to the entrance of Hamat, to bring the Ark of God from Kiriath-jearim. ⁶ David and all Israel went up to Baalah, to Kiriath-jearim, that was in Judah to bring up from there the Ark of God, Adonai who sits enthroned above the cheruvim, which is called by His Name.

⁷ They transported the Ark of God upon a new cart from the house of Abinadab. Uzza and Ahio guided the cart ⁸ while David and all Israel celebrated before God with all their might, with songs, lyres, harps, timbrels, cymbals and trumpets. ⁹ But when they came to the threshing-floor of Hidon, Uzza reached out his hand to hold the Ark, because the oxen stumbled. ¹⁰ The anger of Adonai burned against Uzza, and He struck him down, because he reached out his hand and touched the Ark. He died there before God.

¹¹ David was angry because Adonai had burst out against Uzza. So he called that place Perez-uzza as it is to this day.

¹² David feared God that day, saying, “How can I ever bring the Ark of God to me?”

¹³ So David did not take the Ark with him to the City of David, but left it in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite. ¹⁴ So the Ark of God remained with the family of Obed-edom in his house three months; Adonai blessed the house of Obed-edom and everything that he had.

14 Now King Hiram of Tyre sent messengers to David, as well as cedar logs, stonemasons and carpenters, to build a palace for him. ² Then David knew that Adonai had established him king over Israel, for his kingdom was highly exalted for the sake of His people

Israel.

³ David took more wives in Jerusalem, and David fathered more sons and daughters. ⁴ These are the names of the children born to him in Jerusalem: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, ⁵ Ibhar, Elishua, Elpelet, ⁶ Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, ⁷ Elishama, Beeliada and Eliphelet.

David Breaks Through at Baal-perazim

⁸ When the Philistines heard that David was anointed king over all Israel, all the Philistines went up in search of David, but David heard of it and went out before them. ⁹ Now the Philistines had come and raided the Valley of Rephaim. ¹⁰ So David inquired of God, asking, “Should I go up against the Philistines? Will You give them over into my hand?”

Then Adonai said to him, “Go up! I will give them over into your hand.”

¹¹ So they came up to Baal-perazim, where David defeated them. David said, “God burst out against my enemies by my hand, like waters burst out!” Therefore they called the name of that place Baal-perazim^[a]. ¹² They abandoned their gods there, so David ordered and they were burned with fire.

¹³ But the Philistines again raided the valley. ¹⁴ So David again inquired of God, and God said to him, “Do not go up after them, but circle around behind them and come against them in front of the baca trees^[b]. ¹⁵ As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the baca trees, then go out to battle. For God has gone out before you to strike down the army of the Philistines.”

¹⁶ David did just as God commanded him, and they struck down the Philistine army from Gibeon to Gezer.

¹⁷ So the fame of David spread throughout every land, and Adonai brought the fear of him upon all nations.