1 Chronicles
Chapter 12
1 These people came to David at Ziklag when he was still hiding from Saul, Kish’s son. They were strong warriors who helped in battle.
2 They carried bows and could throw stones and shoot arrows with both their right and left hands, like Saul’s relatives from Benjamin.
3 The leader was Ahiezer, followed by Joash, both sons of Shemaah from Gibeon; Jeziel and Pelet were Azmaveth’s sons; also, Berachah and Jehu from Anathoth.
4 Ismaiah from Gibeon was a strong warrior among the thirty leaders, as were Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, and Josabad from Gederah.
5 Eluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah, and Shephatiah from Haruph.
6 Elkanah, Jesiah, Azareel, Joezer, and Jashobeam were Korahites.
7 Joelah and Zebadiah, Jeroham of Gedor’s sons.
8 Some strong warriors from the tribe of Gad joined David in the wilderness fortress. They were skilled in battle, could handle shields and swords, had faces like lions, and were as fast as deer on the mountains.
9 Ezer was the first, Obadiah was the second, Eliab was the third.
10 Mishmannah was number four, Jeremiah was number five.
11 Attai was the sixth, Eliel was the seventh.
12 Johanan was the eighth, Elzabad was the ninth.
13 Jeremiah was the tenth, Machbanai was the eleventh.
14 These were children of Gad, leaders of the army: even the smallest leader commanded a hundred, and the greatest commanded a thousand.
15 These are the people who crossed the Jordan River in the first month, when it had flooded over all its edges; and they made all the valley dwellers run away, both to the east and to the west.
16 Some of the people of Benjamin and Judah went to the stronghold to meet David.
17 David met them and said, “If you have come peacefully to help me, my heart will join with yours. But if you’re here to betray me to my enemies, when I’ve done no wrong, may God, the God of our ancestors, see it and judge.”
18 The spirit filled Amasai, the leader of the captains. He said, “We are with you, David, and support you, son of Jesse. May you have peace, and may your helpers have peace because God supports you.” Then David welcomed them and made them leaders of his troops.
19 Some from the tribe of Manasseh joined David when he went with the Philistines to fight Saul; but they did not aid them. The Philistine leaders, after discussing it, sent him away, saying, “He might turn against us and go back to Saul, putting us in danger.”
20 On his way to Ziklag, some men from Manasseh joined him: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zilthai, who were leaders of groups of a thousand from Manasseh.
21 They helped David fight the raiders because they were all brave warriors and leaders in the army.
22 Every day, more people came to support David, and gradually there was a huge group, as large as God’s group.
23 These are the counts of the groups prepared for battle who came to David in Hebron to shift Saul’s kingdom to him, following God’s command.
24 The soldiers from Judah with shields and spears were 6,800, prepared to fight in the war.
25 From the Simeon family, seven thousand one hundred strong warriors for battle.
26 From the Levi tribe, there were four thousand six hundred people.
27 Jehoiada was the leader of Aaron’s descendants, and he had three thousand seven hundred people with him.
28 Zadok, a young brave man, had twenty-two captains in his father’s family.
29 From the tribe of Benjamin, Saul’s relatives, there were three thousand; until now, most of them had remained loyal to Saul’s family.
30 From the descendants of Ephraim, 20,800 brave and well-known warriors were counted.
31 From half the tribe of Manasseh, eighteen thousand were named to come and make David king.
32 From the tribe of Issachar, there were 200 leaders who understood the times and knew what Israel should do; their relatives supported them.
33 From Zebulun, 50,000 skilled warriors ready for battle with all their weapons went out. They were united in purpose and not divided in loyalty.
34 From Naphtali, there were a thousand leaders, along with thirty-seven thousand men with shields and spears.
35 From the Danites, there were 28,600 skilled soldiers.
36 From Asher, forty thousand skilled warriors went out to fight.
37 Across the Jordan River, the Reubenites, Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh were ready for war with all kinds of weapons, totaling 120,000 soldiers.
38 All these warriors, able to maintain order, came to Hebron with a true heart to make David the king over all Israel, and every other person in Israel also agreed with one heart to make David king.
39 They stayed with David for three days, eating and drinking because their relatives had made preparations for them.
40 People nearby, including those from Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali, brought bread on donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen, along with meat, flour, fig cakes, raisin clusters, wine, oil, more oxen, and lots of sheep, because there was great joy in Israel.