1 Chronicles 12

1Now these are they that came to David to Ziklag, while he yet kept himself close because of Saul the son of Kish: and they were among the mighty men, helpers of the war.footnote a

2They were armed with bows, and could use both the right hand and the left in hurling stones and shooting arrows out of a bow, even of Saul’s brethren of Benjamin.

3The chief was Ahiezer, then Joash, the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite; and Jeziel, and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth; and Berachah, and Jehu the Antothite,footnote b

4And Ismaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty man among the thirty, and over the thirty; and Jeremiah, and Jahaziel, and Johanan, and Josabad the Gederathite,

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

6Elkanah, and Jesiah, and Azareel, and Joezer, and Jashobeam, the Korhites,

7And Joelah, and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham of Gedor.

8And of the Gadites there separated themselves unto David into the hold to the wilderness men of might, and men of war fit for the battle, that could handle shield and buckler, whose faces were like the faces of lions, and were as swift as the roes upon the mountains;footnote cfootnote d

9Ezer the first, Obadiah the second, Eliab the third,

10Mishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth,

11Attai the sixth, Eliel the seventh,

12Johanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth,

13Jeremiah the tenth, Machbanai the eleventh.

14These were of the sons of Gad, captains of the host: one of the least was over an hundred, and the greatest over a thousand.footnote e

15These are they that went over Jordan in the first month, when it had overflown all his banks; and they put to flight all them of the valleys, both toward the east, and toward the west.footnote f

16And there came of the children of Benjamin and Judah to the hold unto David.

17And David went out to meet them, and answered and said unto them, If ye be come peaceably unto me to help me, mine heart shall be knit unto you: but if ye be come to betray me to mine enemies, seeing there is no wrong in mine hands, the God of our fathers look thereon, and rebuke it.footnote gfootnote hfootnote i

18Then the spirit came upon Amasai, who was chief of the captains, and he said, Thine are we, David, and on thy side, thou son of Jesse: peace, peace be unto thee, and peace be to thine helpers; for thy God helpeth thee. Then David received them, and made them captains of the band.footnote j

19And there fell some of Manasseh to David, when he came with the Philistines against Saul to battle: but they helped them not: for the lords of the Philistines upon advisement sent him away, saying, He will fall to his master Saul to the jeopardy of our heads.footnote k

20As he went to Ziklag, there fell to him of Manasseh, Adnah, and Jozabad, and Jediael, and Michael, and Jozabad, and Elihu, and Zilthai, captains of the thousands that were of Manasseh.

21And they helped David against the band of the rovers: for they were all mighty men of valour, and were captains in the host.footnote l

22For at that time day by day there came to David to help him, until it was a great host, like the host of God.

23And these are the numbers of the bands that were ready armed to the war, and came to David to Hebron, to turn the kingdom of Saul to him, according to the word of the LORD.footnote m

24The children of Judah that bare shield and spear were six thousand and eight hundred, ready armed to the war.footnote n

25Of the children of Simeon, mighty men of valour for the war, seven thousand and one hundred.

26Of the children of Levi four thousand and six hundred.

27And Jehoiada was the leader of the Aaronites, and with him were three thousand and seven hundred;

28And Zadok, a young man mighty of valour, and of his father’s house twenty and two captains.

29And of the children of Benjamin, the kindred of Saul, three thousand: for hitherto the greatest part of them had kept the ward of the house of Saul.footnote ofootnote p

30And of the children of Ephraim twenty thousand and eight hundred, mighty men of valour, famous throughout the house of their fathers.footnote q

31And of the half tribe of Manasseh eighteen thousand, which were expressed by name, to come and make David king.

32And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their commandment.

33Of Zebulun, such as went forth to battle, expert in war, with all instruments of war, fifty thousand, which could keep rank: they were not of double heart.footnote rfootnote sfootnote t

34And of Naphtali a thousand captains, and with them with shield and spear thirty and seven thousand.

35And of the Danites expert in war twenty and eight thousand and six hundred.

36And of Asher, such as went forth to battle, expert in war, forty thousand.footnote u

37And on the other side of Jordan, of the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and of the half tribe of Manasseh, with all manner of instruments of war for the battle, an hundred and twenty thousand.

38All these men of war, that could keep rank, 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.

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

40Moreover they that were nigh them, even unto Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, brought bread on asses, and on camels, and on mules, and on oxen, and meat, meal, cakes of figs, and bunches of raisins, and wine, and oil, and oxen, and sheep abundantly: for there was joy in Israel.footnote v

The Mighty Men Join David at Ziklag

1Now these were the men who came to David at Ziklag, while he was still banished from the presence of Saul son of Kish (they were among the mighty men who helped him in battle; 2they were archers using both the right and left hands to sling stones and shoot arrows; and they were Saul’s kinsmen from Benjamin):

3Ahiezer their chief and Joash, who were the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite;
Jeziel and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth;
Beracah;
Jehu the Anathothite;

4Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty man among the Thirty and a leader over the Thirty;
Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, and Jozabad the Gederathite;

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

6Elkanah, Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer, and Jashobeam, who were Korahites;

7and Joelah and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham from Gedor.

8Some Gadites defected to David at his stronghold in the wilderness. They were mighty men of valor, trained for battle, experts with the shield and spear, whose faces were like the faces of lions and who were as swift as gazelles on the mountains:

9Ezer the chief, Obadiah the second in command, Eliab the third, 10Mishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth, 11Attai the sixth, Eliel the seventh, 12Johanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth, 13Jeremiah the tenth, and Machbanai the eleventh.

14These Gadites were army commanders, the least of whom was a match for a hundred, and the greatest for a thousand.

15These are the ones who crossed the Jordan in the first month when it was overflowing all its banks, and they put to flight all those in the valleys, both to the east and to the west.

16Other Benjamites and some men from Judah also came to David in his stronghold. 17And David went out to meet them, saying, “If you have come to me in peace to help me, my heart will be united with you; but if you have come to betray me to my enemies when my hands are free of violence, may the God of our fathers see it and judge you.”

18Then the Spirit came upon Amasai, the chief of the Thirty, and he said:“We are yours, O David!We are with you, 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 leaders of his troops.

19Some from Manasseh defected to David when he went with the Philistines to fight against Saul. (They did not help the Philistines because the Philistine rulers consulted and sent David away, saying, “It will cost us our heads if he defects to his master Saul.”) 20When David went to Ziklag, these men of Manasseh defected to him:
Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai, chiefs of thousands in Manasseh.

21They helped David against the raiders, for they were all mighty men of valor and commanders in the army.

22For at that time men came to David day after day to help him, until he had a great army, like the army of God.

David’s Army Grows at Hebron

23Now these are the numbers of men armed for battle who came to David at Hebron to turn Saul’s kingdom over to him, in accordance with the word of the LORD:

24From Judah: 6,800 armed troops bearing shields and spears.

25From Simeon: 7,100 mighty men of valor, ready for battle.

26From Levi: 4,600, 27including Jehoiada, leader of the house of Aaron, with 3,700 men, 28and Zadok, a mighty young man of valor, with 22 commanders from his own family.

29From Benjamin, the kinsmen of Saul: 3,000, most of whom had remained loyal to the house of Saul up to that time.

30From Ephraim: 20,800 mighty men of valor, famous among their own clans.

31From the half-tribe of Manasseh:footnote a 18,000 designated by name to come and make David king.

32From Issachar, men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do: 200 chiefs with all their kinsmen at their command.

33From Zebulun: 50,000 fit for service, trained for battle with all kinds of weapons of war, who with one purpose were devoted to David.footnote b

34From Naphtali: 1,000 commanders, accompanied by 37,000 men with shield and spear.

35From Dan: 28,600 prepared for battle.

36From Asher: 40,000 fit for service, prepared for battle.

37And from east of the Jordan, from Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh there: 120,000 armed with every kind of weapon of war.

38All these men of war, arrayed for battle, came to Hebron fully determined to make David king over all Israel. And all the rest of the Israelites were of one mind to make David king.

39They spent three days there eating and drinking with David, for their relatives had provided for them. 40And their neighbors from as far away as Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali came bringing food on donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen—abundant supplies of flour, fig cakes and raisin cakes, wine and oil, oxen and sheep. Indeed, there was joy in Israel.