1 Chronicles 12:29 | New International Reader’s Version

New International Reader’s Version

Fighting men join David

1 Some fighting men came to David at Ziklag. They were among those who helped him in battle. David had been forced to hide from Saul, the son of Kish. 2 The men were armed with bows. They were able to shoot arrows or throw stones from a sling with either hand. They were relatives of Saul from the tribe of Benjamin. Here is a list of them. 3 Their chief Ahiezer and Joash, the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite Jeziel and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth Berakah Jehu from Anathoth 4 Ishmaiah, the Gibeonite, who was a mighty warrior among the 30 chiefs and a leader of the 30 chiefs Jeremiah Jahaziel Johanan Jozabad from Gederah 5 Eluzai Jerimoth Bealiah Shemariah Shephatiah, the Haruphite 6 the Korahites Elkanah, Ishiah, Azarel, Joezer and Jashobeam 7 Joelah and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham from Gedor 8 Some men of Gad went over to David’s side at his usual place of safety in the desert. They were brave fighting men. They were ready for battle. They were able to use shields and spears. Their faces were like the faces of lions. They could run as fast as antelopes in the mountains. 9 Ezer was their chief. Obadiah was next in command. Eliab was third. 10 Mishmannah was fourth. Jeremiah was fifth. 11 Attai was sixth. Eliel was seventh. 12 Johanan was eighth. Elzabad was ninth. 13 Jeremiah was tenth. And Makbannai was eleventh. 14 All these men of Gad were army commanders. The least important of them was equal to 100 men. The most important was equal to 1,000. 15 They went across the River Jordan when it was flowing over its banks. That happened in the first month of spring. They chased away everyone who lived in the valleys. They chased them away from the east and west sides of the river. 16 Some men from the territories of Benjamin and Judah also came to David at his usual place of safety. 17 David went out to meet them. He said to them, ‘Have you come to me in peace? Have you come to help me? If you have, I’m ready for you to join me. But suppose you have come to hand me over to my enemies when I haven’t even harmed anyone. Then may the God of our people see it and judge you.’ 18 The Spirit of God came on Amasai. He was leader of the 30 chiefs. He said, ‘David, we belong to you! Son of Jesse, we’re on your side! May you have great success. May those who help you also have success. Your God will help you.’ So David welcomed them. He made them leaders in his army. 19 Some people from the tribe of Manasseh went over to David’s side. They did this when he marched out with the Philistines to fight against Saul. But David and his men didn’t help the Philistines. That’s because after all the Philistine rulers had discussed the matter, they sent him away. They said, ‘Suppose he deserts to his master Saul. Then our heads will be cut off!’ 20 So David went to Ziklag. Here are the men of Manasseh who went over to his side. They were Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu and Zillethai. They were leaders of groups of 1,000 men in Manasseh. 21 They helped David fight against enemy armies. All the men of Manasseh were brave fighting men. They were commanders in David’s army. 22 Day after day men came to help David. Soon he had a large army. It was like the army of God.

Other fighting men join David at Hebron

23 Large numbers of men came to David at Hebron. They were prepared for battle. They came to hand Saul’s kingdom over to him, just as the LORD had said. Here are the numbers of the men who came. 24 The men from Judah carried shields and spears. They were prepared for battle. The total number of them was 6,800. 25 The fighting men from Simeon were ready for battle. The total number of them was 7,100. 26 The total number of men from Levi was 4,600. 27 They included Jehoiada. He was the leader of the family of Aaron. He came with 3,700 men. 28 The men from Levi also included Zadok. He was a brave young fighter. He came with 22 officers from his family. 29 The men from Benjamin were from Saul’s tribe. Most of them had remained faithful to Saul’s family until that time. The total number of them was 3,000. 30 The men from Ephraim were brave fighting men. They were famous in their own family groups. The total number of them was 20,800. 31 The men from half of the tribe of Manasseh had been chosen by name to come and make David king. The total number of them was 18,000. 32 The men from Issachar understood what was going on at that time. They knew what Israel should do. The total number of their chiefs was 200. They came with all their relatives who were under their command. 33 The men from Zebulun knew how to fight well. That’s because they had done it many times before. They were prepared for battle. They had every kind of weapon. They came to help David with their whole heart. The total number of them was 50,000. 34 The total number of officers from Naphtali was 1,000. They came with 37,000 men who carried shields and spears. 35 The men from Dan were ready for battle. The total number of them was 28,600. 36 The men from Asher knew how to fight well. That’s because they had done it many times before. They were prepared for battle. The total number of them was 40,000. 37 The men from the tribes of Reuben, Gad and half the tribe of Manasseh were armed with every kind of weapon. The men came from the east side of the River Jordan. The total number of them was 120,000. 38 All these fighting men offered to serve in the army. Before they came to Hebron, they had agreed completely to make David king over all the Israelites. All the rest of the people also agreed to make David king. 39 The men spent three days there with David. They ate and drank what their families had given them. 40 Their neighbours also brought food. They brought it on donkeys, camels, mules and oxen. They came from as far away as the territories of Issachar, Zebulun and Naphtali. There was plenty of flour, fig cakes, raisin cakes, wine, olive oil, cattle and sheep. The Israelites brought all these things because they were so happy.

English Standard Version

The Mighty Men Join David

1 Now these are the men who came to David at Ziklag, while he could not move about freely because of Saul the son of Kish. And they were among the mighty men who helped him in war. (1Sa 27:2) 2 They were bowmen and could shoot arrows and sling stones with either the right or the left hand; they were Benjaminites, Saul’s kinsmen. (Jud 3:15; Jud 20:16; 1Ch 12:29; 2Ch 17:17; Ps 78:9)

Jud 3:15Jud 20:161Ch 12:292Ch 17:17Ps 78:9

3 The chief was Ahiezer, then Joash, both sons of Shemaah of Gibeah; also Jeziel and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth; Beracah, Jehu of Anathoth, (Jos 18:28; 1Ch 11:28; 1Ch 27:12) 4 Ishmaiah of Gibeon, a mighty man among the thirty and a leader over the thirty; Jeremiah,^[1] Jahaziel, Johanan, Jozabad of Gederah, (Jos 9:3) 5 Eluzai,^[2] Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah, Shephatiah the Haruphite; 6 Elkanah, Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer, and Jashobeam, the Korahites; (1Ch 9:19) 7 And Joelah and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham of Gedor. 8 From the Gadites there went over to David at the stronghold in the wilderness mighty and experienced warriors, expert with shield and spear, whose faces were like the faces of lions and who were swift as gazelles upon the mountains: (2Sa 2:18) 9 Ezer the chief, Obadiah second, Eliab third, 10 Mishmannah fourth, Jeremiah fifth, 11 Attai sixth, Eliel seventh, 12 Johanan eighth, Elzabad ninth, 13 Jeremiah tenth, Machbannai eleventh. 14 These Gadites were officers of the army; the least was a match for a hundred men and the greatest for a thousand. (Le 26:8) 15 These are the men who crossed the Jordan in the first month, when it was overflowing all its banks, and put to flight all those in the valleys, to the east and to the west. (Jos 3:15) 16 And some of the men of Benjamin and Judah came to the stronghold to David. 17 David went out to meet them and said to them, “If you have come to me in friendship to help me, my heart will be joined to you; but if to betray me to my adversaries, although there is no wrong in my hands, then may the God of our fathers see and rebuke you.” 18 Then the Spirit clothed Amasai, chief of the thirty, and he said, “We are yours, O David, and with you, O son of Jesse! Peace, peace to you, and peace to your helpers! For your God helps you.” Then David received them and made them officers of his troops. (Jud 3:10; 1Sa 25:6; 2Sa 17:25) 19 Some of the men of Manasseh deserted to David when he came with the Philistines for the battle against Saul. (Yet he did not help them, for the rulers of the Philistines took counsel and sent him away, saying, “At peril to our heads he will desert to his master Saul.”) (1Sa 29:2; 1Sa 29:4) 20 As he went to Ziklag, these men of Manasseh deserted to him: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai, chiefs of thousands in Manasseh. 21 They helped David against the band of raiders, for they were all mighty men of valor and were commanders in the army. (1Sa 30:1) 22 For from day to day men came to David to help him, until there was a great army, like an army of God. 23 These are the numbers of the divisions of the armed troops who came to David in Hebron to turn the kingdom of Saul over to him, according to the word of the Lord. (1Sa 16:1; 1Sa 16:3; 2Sa 2:3; 2Sa 5:1; 1Ch 10:14; 1Ch 11:1; 1Ch 11:3; 1Ch 11:10)

1Sa 16:11Sa 16:32Sa 2:32Sa 5:11Ch 10:141Ch 11:11Ch 11:31Ch 11:10

24 The men of Judah bearing shield and spear were 6,800 armed troops. 25 Of the Simeonites, mighty men of valor for war, 7,100. 26 Of the Levites 4,600. 27 The prince Jehoiada, of the house of Aaron, and with him 3,700. 28 Zadok, a young man mighty in valor, and twenty-two commanders from his own fathers’ house. (2Sa 8:17; 1Ch 6:8) 29 Of the Benjaminites, the kinsmen of Saul, 3,000, of whom the majority had to that point kept their allegiance to the house of Saul. (2Sa 2:8; 1Ch 12:2) 30 Of the Ephraimites 20,800, mighty men of valor, famous men in their fathers’ houses. 31 Of the half-tribe of Manasseh 18,000, who were expressly named to come and make David king. (Nu 1:17) 32 Of Issachar, men who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, 200 chiefs, and all their kinsmen under their command. (Es 1:13) 33 Of Zebulun 50,000 seasoned troops, equipped for battle with all the weapons of war, to help David^[3] with singleness of purpose. (1Ch 12:36; 1Ch 12:38; Ps 12:2) 34 Of Naphtali 1,000 commanders with whom were 37,000 men armed with shield and spear. 35 Of the Danites 28,600 men equipped for battle. 36 Of Asher 40,000 seasoned troops ready for battle. (2Sa 2:9; 1Ch 12:33) 37 Of the Reubenites and Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh from beyond the Jordan, 120,000 men armed with all the weapons of war. 38 All these, men of war, arrayed in battle order, came to Hebron with a whole heart to make David king over all Israel. Likewise, all the rest of Israel were of a single mind to make David king. (1Ki 8:61; 1Ch 12:33) 39 And they were there with David for three days, eating and drinking, for their brothers had made preparation for them. 40 And also their relatives, from as far as Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, came bringing food on donkeys and on camels and on mules and on oxen, abundant provisions of flour, cakes of figs, clusters of raisins, and wine and oil, oxen and sheep, for there was joy in Israel. (1Sa 25:18; 1Sa 30:12)