1 Chronicles 12

1 Now 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;

2 they were archers using both the right and left hands to sling stones and shoot arrows; and they were Saul’s kinsmen from Benjamin):

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

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

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

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

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

8 Some 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:

9 Ezer 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 Machbanai the eleventh.

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

15 These 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.

16 Other Benjamites and some men from Judah also came to David in his stronghold.

17 And 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.”

18 Then 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.

19 Some 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.”)

20 When David went to Ziklag, these men of Manasseh defected to him: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai, chiefs of thousands in Manasseh.

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

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

23 Now 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:

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

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

26 From Levi: 4,600,

27 including Jehoiada, leader of the house of Aaron, with 3,700 men,

28 and Zadok, a mighty young man of valor, with 22 commanders from his own family.

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

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

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

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

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

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

35 From Dan: 28,600 prepared for battle.

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

37 And 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.

38 All 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.

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

40 And 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.

1 ¶ 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.

1 And all Israel gathered themselves to David unto Hebron, and said, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh.

2 Even in the days of old, when Saul was king, thou leddest out and broughtest in Israel. Thus hath the LORD thy God spoken unto thee: Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be ruler over my people Israel.

3 And all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron. And David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the LORD. And they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of the LORD by Samuel.

4 And David went, and all Israel, unto Jerusalem, which is Jebus: for the Jebusites dwelt in the land.

5 And the men of Jebus said unto David, Thou shalt not come in. And David took the castle of Zion, that is, David's city.

6 And David said, He that smiteth the Jebusites first shall be chief and captain. And Joab the son of Zeruiah was the first that smote them, and was captain over them.

7 And David dwelt in the castle: therefore it is called the city of David.

8 And he built the city round about, from Millo even round about. And Joab let the remnant live in the city.

9 And David continued and increased; and the LORD of hosts was with him.

10 These are the chief of the mighty men of David, which kept themselves honestly with him in his kingdom among all Israel, to make him king according to the word of the LORD concerning Israel.

11 And this is the number of the mighty men of David: Jashabeam the son of Hachmoni, the chiefest of thirty; he lifted up his spear, and smote three hundred at one time.

12 After him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite: and he was of the three valiant men.

13 This was with David, when they spake a scorn, and the Philistines were gathered there to battle. And there was a piece of ground full of barley: and the people fled from before the Philistines.

14 And they stood in the midst of the piece, and delivered it, and smote the Philistines. And the LORD gave great salvation.

15 And the three of the thirty captains went down to the rock to David, unto the cave of Adullam. But the camp of the Philistines was in the bottom of Rephaim.

16 And David was in the castle, and the Philistine people were at Bethlehem at that time.

17 And David longed, and said, Who will give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem under the gate?

18 And the three of them went into the camp of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, which was under the gate, and bare it, and brought it unto David. And he would not drink it, but poured it out unto the LORD.

19 And he said, Let this thing be far from me, that I should do this thing, and drink the blood of these men in the course of their life: for they brought it with the course of their life. Therefore he would not drink it. So the three heroes did.

20 And Abishai the brother of Joab was chief among three: and he took up his spear, and slew three hundred. And he was famous among three,

21 And he the third, more glorious than the two, and was chief of them: but he came not nigh unto the three.

22 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of Ishail, of great works, of Kabzeel. He smote two lions of Moab; and went down, and smote a lion in the midst of the well in the snowy season.

23 He smote also an Egyptian man, which was five cubits high, and had a spear in his hand like a weaver's beam. But he went down to him with a stick, and took the spear out of his hand, and slew him with his own spear.

24 This did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and was famous among three mighty men;

25 And he was the most glorious of the thirty: but he came not nigh unto the three. But David made him a secret counsellor.

26 The contending heroes are these: Asahel the brother of Joab. Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem.

27 Samoth the Harorite. Helez the Pelonite.

28 Ira the son of Eke the Thekite. Abieser the Anthothite.

29 Sibechai the Hushathite. Ilai the Ahohite.

30 Maherai the Netophathite. Heled the son of Baenah the Netophathite.

31 Ithai the son of Ribai, of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin. Benaiah the Pirgathonite.

32 Hurai, of the streams of Gaash. Abiel, the Arbathite.

33 Asmaveth the Baherumite. Eliahba the Saalbonite.

34 The children of Hazem the Gisonite. Jonathan the son of Sag, the Hararite.

35 Ahiam the son of Zechar the Hararite. Eliphal the son of Urs.

36 Hepher the Macherathite. Ahijah the Pelonite.

37 Hezro the Carmelite. Naerai the son of Azbai.

38 Joel the brother of Nathan. Mibehar the son of Hagri.

39 Zelek the Ammonite. Naherai the Berothite, armorbearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah.

40 Ira the Jethrite. Gareb the Jethrite.

41 Uriah the Hittite. Sabad the son of Ahelai.

42 And Adina the son of Sisha the Reubenite, a captain of the Reubenites, and thirty were under him.

43 Hanan the son of Maechah. Jehoshaphat the Mathonite.

44 Uzziah the Astrathite. Sama and Jaiel, the sons of Hotham the Aroerite.

45 Jediael the son of Zimri. Joha his brother the Thizite.

46 Eliel the Mahevite. Jeribai and Josaviah the sons of Elnaam. Jethma the Moabite.

47 Eliel, Obed, Jaesiel of Mezobaya.