1 Chronicles 12

1These men came to David at Ziklag while he was still in hiding from Saul son of Kish, ranking among the valiant warriors who supported him in battle.

2They wielded bows and were skilled with either hand to hurl stones and shoot arrows from the bow; they were Saul's kinsmen from Benjamin.

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

4Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, and Jozabad the Gederathite

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

6Elkanah, Ishiah, Azarel, Joezer, and Jashobeam, the Korahites,

7Joelah and Zebadiah, sons of Jeroham from Gedor.

8From the Gadites some separated themselves to David at the stronghold in the wilderness—valiant warriors, battle-ready troops proficient with shield and spear, whose faces resembled those of lions, and who sped across the mountains like gazelles.

9Ezer the chief, Obadiah the second, Eliab the third.

10Mishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth.

11Attai sixth, Eliel seventh.

12Johanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth.

13Jeremiah, tenth; Machbanai, eleventh.

14These were captains of the army from the sons of Gad: the least one was a match for a hundred, and the greatest for a thousand.

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

16They came from the sons of Benjamin and Judah to David's stronghold.

17David went out to meet them, answered, and said to them, "If you have come to me peaceably to help me, my heart shall unite with yours; but if to betray me to my adversaries when no violence is in my hands, may the God of our fathers see it and rebuke it."

18Spirit clothed Amasai, captain of the thirty captains, and he said, "For you, David, and with you, son of Jesse: peace, peace to you, and peace to your helpers, for your God helps you." David received them and appointed them captains of the troop.

19Some from Manasseh defected to David when he came with the Philistines against Saul for battle, but they did not help them, for after consultation the lords of the Philistines sent him away, saying, "He will fall away to his master Saul to the risk of our heads."

20When he went to Ziklag, Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zilthai from Manasseh defected to him, captains of thousands who belonged to Manasseh.

21They aided David against the band, for they were all valiant heroes and commanders in the army.

22For day by day they came to David to help him, until there was a great host, like God's host.

23These are the numbers of the chiefs of those equipped for battle who came to David at Hebron to transfer Saul's kingdom to him, according to the word of Yahweh.

24The sons of Judah bearing shield and spear were six thousand and eight hundred, armed for war.

25From the sons of Simeon, mighty men of strength for the army, seven thousand one hundred.

26From the sons of Levi, four thousand six hundred.

27Jehoiada the leader of Aaron, and with him three thousand seven hundred.

28and Zadok, a young champion of valor, and twenty-two captains of his father's house.

29From the sons of Benjamin, Saul's brothers, three thousand, for until now most of them had kept the charge of Saul's house.

30From the sons of Ephraim, twenty thousand eight hundred champions of valor, renowned men in their fathers' houses.

31From half the tribe of Manasseh, eighteen thousand who were called by name to come and make David king.

32Of the sons of Issachar, those with insight into the times so as to know what Israel should do; their chiefs numbered two hundred, and all their brothers were at their command.

33Of Zebulun, fifty thousand who went out to the army, arranged for battle with all weapons of war, and kept rank without double hearts.

34A thousand captains from Naphtali, and with them thirty-seven thousand with shield and spear.

35Of the Danites who arrayed for battle, twenty-eight thousand six hundred.

36Of Asher, forty thousand who could go out with the army to draw up for battle.

37From across the Jordan among the Reubenites, Gadites, and half Manasseh's tribe, with every weapon for battle, one hundred twenty thousand.

38All these men of war, skilled at drawing up battle lines, came to Hebron with whole hearts to make David king over all Israel, and all the remnant of Israel shared one heart to make David king as well.

39They stayed there with David three days, eating and drinking, for their brothers had provided for them.

40Moreover, those near them, as far as Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali, brought bread on donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen—food, flour, fig cakes, raisin clusters, wine, oil, oxen, and sheep in abundance—for joy was in Israel.