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1 Chronicles 12
International Standard Version
1 Chronicles 12
International Standard Version
David’s Time in the Wilderness(A)
12 Here’s a list of those who came to David at Ziklag when he was unable to travel freely due to Saul son of Kish. They were among the elite soldiers who assisted him in battle. 2 Equipped as archers, they could use both their right and left hands to shoot arrows and hurl stones. As descendants of Benjamin, they were Saul’s relatives. 3 Their leaders were Shemaah’s sons Ahiezer and Joash from Gibeah, Azmaveth’s sons Jeziel and Pelet, Beracah, Jehu from Anathoth, 4 Ishmaiah from Gibeon (who was one of the elite among the Thirty and in charge over them),[a] Jeremiah,[b] Jahaziel, Johanan, Jozabad from Gederah, 5 [c]Eluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah, Shephatiah the Haruphite, 6 Elkanah, Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer, Jashobeam, the descendants of Korah, 7 and Jeroham’s sons Joelah and Zebadiah from Gedor.
8 Mighty and experienced warriors from the descendants of Gad joined David at his wilderness stronghold. They were expert handlers of both shield and spear, with hardened looks[d] and as agile[e] as a gazelle on a mountain slope. 9 Their leader was Ezer, Obadiah was second, Eliab third, 10 Mishmannah fourth, Jeremiah fifth, 11 Attai sixth, Eliel seventh, 12 Johanan eighth, Elzabad ninth, 13 Jeremiah tenth, and Machbannai eleventh. 14 These descendants of Gad were army leaders. The least of them[f] was equal to a hundred other soldiers[g] and the greatest to a thousand. 15 These men[h] crossed the Jordan in the first month of the year[i] during flood season and chased out everyone in the valleys, to the east and to the west.
16 Later, some descendants of Benjamin and Judah approached David at his stronghold, 17 and David went out to meet them. He told them, “If you’ve come in peace to be of help to me, then you’ll have my commitment.[j] But if you’ve come to betray me to my enemies, even though I’m innocent of wrongdoing, then may the God of our ancestors watch and judge.”
18 Then the Spirit came upon Amasai, leader of the Thirty, and he said,
“David, we belong to you;
we’re with you, son of Jesse!
Peace, peace to you,
and peace to the one who helps you!
For your deliverer is your God.”
So David received them and assigned them to be officers over troops. 19 Some of the descendants of Manasseh joined[k] David when he was going to fight against Saul, accompanied by the Philistines. Even so, David was of no help to them, because the Philistine rulers were counseled to send him away. They told themselves, “He’s going to go over to his master Saul at the cost of our heads.”
20 As he traveled toward Ziklag, these descendants of Manasseh joined[l] him: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai, leaders in charge thousands in Manasseh. 21 They helped David against raiders, since they were all warriors and commanders in the army. 22 Indeed people kept coming to David every day to help him, until his army became a great, vast army.[m]
David’s Army at Hebron
23 What follows is a listing of the divisions of battle-ready troops who joined David in Hebron to turn the kingdom of Saul over to him, in accordance with what the Lord had spoken. 24 The army of Judah, equipped with both shields and spears, numbered 6,800 warriors, 25 the elite warriors of Simeon numbered 7,100, 26 and the descendants of Levi numbered 4,600.
27 Jehoiada, a senior officer[n] in the house of Aaron, brought[o] with him 3,700. 28 Zadok, a young and valiant soldier, brought 22 commanders from his own ancestral house.
29 The tribe of[p] Benjamin, relatives of Saul numbered 3,000, of whom most had remained allied to what remained of[q] Saul’s dynasty.
30 The tribe of Ephraim supplied[r] 20,800 valiant soldiers who were well known in their ancestral households.
31 The half-tribe of Manasseh supplied 18,000, who had been appointed specifically to come and establish David as king.
32 The tribe of Issachar supplied 200 leaders, along with all of their relatives under their command. They kept up-to-date in their understanding of the times and knew what Israel should do.
33 The tribe of Zebulun supplied 50,000 experienced troops, trained in the use of every kind of war weapon, in order to help David[s] with undivided loyalty.
34 The tribe of Naphtali supplied 1,000 commanders, accompanied by 37,000 troops armed with shields and spears.
35 The tribe of Dan supplied 28,600 battle-ready troops.
36 The tribe of Asher supplied 40,000 experienced, battle-ready troops.
37 The tribes of Reuben and Gad, along with the half-tribe of Manasseh east of[t] the Jordan supplied 120,000 men armed with every kind of war weapon.
38 All these warriors arrived in battle order at Hebron, fully intending to establish David as king over all Israel. Furthermore, all of the rest of Israel were united in their intent to make David king. 39 They spent three days eating and drinking with David, since their relatives had supplied provisions for them.
40 Their neighbors came from as far away as the territories of Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali, bringing provisions loaded on donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen. They brought[u] abundant provisions of meal, fig bars, raisins, wine, oil, oxen, and sheep, because there was joy in Israel.
Footnotes
- 1 Chronicles 12:4 Lit. over the Thirty
- 1 Chronicles 12:4 The remainder of this v. is 12:5 in MT
- 1 Chronicles 12:5 This v. is 12:6 in MT, and so throughout the chapter
- 1 Chronicles 12:8 Lit. with faces like those of lions
- 1 Chronicles 12:8 Or swift
- 1 Chronicles 12:14 Lit. One of their number
- 1 Chronicles 12:14 The Heb. lacks other soldiers
- 1 Chronicles 12:15 Lit. These are they who
- 1 Chronicles 12:15 The Heb. lacks of the year
- 1 Chronicles 12:17 Lit. then my heart will be knit to you
- 1 Chronicles 12:19 Lit. fell
- 1 Chronicles 12:20 Lit. fell
- 1 Chronicles 12:22 Lit. great, like an army of God
- 1 Chronicles 12:27 Lit. Nagid; i.e. a senior officer entrusted with dual roles of operational oversight and administrative authority
- 1 Chronicles 12:27 The Heb. lacks brought; and so throughout the chapter
- 1 Chronicles 12:29 The Heb. lacks The tribe of; and so throughout the chapter
- 1 Chronicles 12:29 The Heb. lacks what remained of
- 1 Chronicles 12:30 The Heb. lacks supplied; and so throughout the chapter
- 1 Chronicles 12:33 So LXX. The Heb. lacks David
- 1 Chronicles 12:37 Lit. Manasseh beyond
- 1 Chronicles 12:40 The Heb. lacks They brought
1 Chronicles 12
New International Version
1 Chronicles 12
New International Version
Warriors Join David
12 These were the men who came to David at Ziklag,(A) while he was banished from the presence of Saul son of Kish (they were among the warriors who helped him in battle; 2 they were armed with bows and were able to shoot arrows or to sling stones right-handed or left-handed;(B) they were relatives of Saul(C) from the tribe of Benjamin):
3 Ahiezer their chief and Joash the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite; Jeziel and Pelet the sons of Azmaveth; Berakah, Jehu the Anathothite, 4 and Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty warrior among the Thirty, who was a leader of the Thirty; Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, Jozabad the Gederathite,[a](D) 5 Eluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah and Shephatiah the Haruphite; 6 Elkanah, Ishiah, Azarel, Joezer and Jashobeam the Korahites; 7 and Joelah and Zebadiah the sons of Jeroham from Gedor.(E)
8 Some Gadites(F) defected to David at his stronghold in the wilderness. They were brave warriors, ready for battle and able to handle the shield and spear. Their faces were the faces of lions,(G) and they were as swift as gazelles(H) in the mountains.
9 Ezer was the chief,
Obadiah the second in command, 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 and Makbannai the eleventh.
14 These Gadites were army commanders; the least was a match for a hundred,(I) and the greatest for a thousand.(J) 15 It was they who crossed the Jordan in the first month when it was overflowing all its banks,(K) and they put to flight everyone living in the valleys, to the east and to the west.
16 Other Benjamites(L) and some men from Judah also came to David in his stronghold. 17 David went out to meet them and said to them, “If you have come to me in peace to help me, I am ready for you to join me. But if you have come to betray me to my enemies when my hands are free from violence, may the God of our ancestors see it and judge you.”
18 Then the Spirit(M) came on Amasai,(N) chief of the Thirty, and he said:
“We are yours, David!
We are with you, son of Jesse!
Success,(O) success to you,
and success to those who help you,
for your God will help you.”
So David received them and made them leaders of his raiding bands.
19 Some of the tribe of Manasseh defected to David when he went with the Philistines to fight against Saul. (He and his men did not help the Philistines because, after consultation, their rulers sent him away. They said, “It will cost us our heads if he deserts to his master Saul.”)(P) 20 When David went to Ziklag,(Q) these were the men of Manasseh who defected to him: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu and Zillethai, leaders of units of a thousand in Manasseh. 21 They helped David against raiding bands, for all of them were brave warriors, and they were commanders in his army. 22 Day after day men came to help David, until he had a great army, like the army of God.[b]
Others Join David at Hebron
23 These are the numbers of the men armed for battle who came to David at Hebron(R) to turn(S) Saul’s kingdom over to him, as the Lord had said:(T)
24 from Judah, carrying shield and spear—6,800 armed for battle;
25 from Simeon, warriors ready for battle—7,100;
26 from Levi—4,600, 27 including Jehoiada, leader of the family of Aaron, with 3,700 men, 28 and Zadok,(U) a brave young warrior, with 22 officers from his family;
29 from Benjamin,(V) Saul’s tribe—3,000, most(W) of whom had remained loyal to Saul’s house until then;
30 from Ephraim, brave warriors, famous in their own clans—20,800;
31 from half the tribe of Manasseh, designated by name to come and make David king—18,000;
32 from Issachar, men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do(X)—200 chiefs, with all their relatives under their command;
33 from Zebulun, experienced soldiers prepared for battle with every type of weapon, to help David with undivided loyalty—50,000;
34 from Naphtali—1,000 officers, together with 37,000 men carrying shields and spears;
35 from Dan, ready for battle—28,600;
36 from Asher, experienced soldiers prepared for battle—40,000;
37 and from east of the Jordan, from Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh, armed with every type of weapon—120,000.
38 All these were fighting men who volunteered to serve in the ranks. They came to Hebron fully determined to make David king over all Israel.(Y) All the rest of the Israelites were also of one mind to make David king. 39 The men spent three days there with David, eating and drinking,(Z) for their families had supplied provisions for them. 40 Also, their neighbors from as far away as Issachar, Zebulun and Naphtali came bringing food on donkeys, camels, mules and oxen. There were plentiful supplies(AA) of flour, fig cakes, raisin(AB) cakes, wine, olive oil, cattle and sheep, for there was joy(AC) in Israel.
Footnotes
- 1 Chronicles 12:4 In Hebrew texts the second half of this verse (Jeremiah … Gederathite) is numbered 12:5, and 12:5-40 is numbered 12:6-41.
- 1 Chronicles 12:22 Or a great and mighty army
1 Chronicles 12
King James Version
1 Chronicles 12
King James Version
12 Now 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.
2 They 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.
3 The 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.
4 And Ismaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty man among the thirty, and over the thirty; and Jeremiah, and Jahaziel, and Johanan, and Josabad the Gederathite,
5 Eluzai, and Jerimoth, and Bealiah, and Shemariah, and Shephatiah the Haruphite,
6 Elkanah, and Jesiah, and Azareel, and Joezer, and Jashobeam, the Korhites,
7 And Joelah, and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham of Gedor.
8 And 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;
9 Ezer the first, 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, Machbanai the eleventh.
14 These were of the sons of Gad, captains of the host: one of the least was over an hundred, and the greatest over a thousand.
15 These 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.
16 And there came of the children of Benjamin and Judah to the hold unto David.
17 And 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.
18 Then 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.
19 And 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.
20 As 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.
21 And they helped David against the band of the rovers: for they were all mighty men of valour, and were captains in the host.
22 For at that time day by day there came to David to help him, until it was a great host, like the host of God.
23 And 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.
24 The children of Judah that bare shield and spear were six thousand and eight hundred, ready armed to the war.
25 Of the children of Simeon, mighty men of valour for the war, seven thousand and one hundred.
26 Of the children of Levi four thousand and six hundred.
27 And Jehoiada was the leader of the Aaronites, and with him were three thousand and seven hundred;
28 And Zadok, a young man mighty of valour, and of his father's house twenty and two captains.
29 And 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.
30 And of the children of Ephraim twenty thousand and eight hundred, mighty men of valour, famous throughout the house of their fathers.
31 And of the half tribe of Manasseh eighteen thousand, which were expressed by name, to come and make David king.
32 And 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.
33 Of 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.
34 And of Naphtali a thousand captains, and with them with shield and spear thirty and seven thousand.
35 And of the Danites expert in war twenty and eight thousand and six hundred.
36 And of Asher, such as went forth to battle, expert in war, forty thousand.
37 And 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.
38 All 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.
39 And there they were with David three days, eating and drinking: for their brethren had prepared for them.
40 Moreover 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.
International Standard Version (ISV) 
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New International Version (NIV) 
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