1 T hese are the men who came to David at Ziklag, while David was still hidden because of Saul the son of Kish. They were among the strong men who helped him in war.

Now these were the men who came to David at Ziklag while he was still a fugitive from Saul the son of Kish; and they were among the mighty men, helpers in the war,

2 T hey fought with the bow. They could also throw stones or shoot arrows with both the right and left hand. They were Saul’s brothers from Benjamin.

armed with bows, using both the right hand and the left in hurling stones and shooting arrows with the bow. They were of Benjamin, Saul’s brethren.

3 T he leader was Ahiezer, then Joash. Both of them were sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite. And there were Jeziel and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth, Beracah, Jehu the Anathothite,

The chief was Ahiezer, then Joash, the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite; Jeziel and Pelet the sons of Azmaveth; Berachah, and Jehu the Anathothite;

4 a nd Ishmaiah the Gibeonite. He was a strong man among the thirty, and a leader over them. There were Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, Jozabad the Gederathite,

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

5 E luzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah, and Shephatiah the Haruphite.

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

6 T here were Elkanah, Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer, Jashobeam, the Korahites.

Elkanah, Jisshiah, Azarel, Joezer, and Jashobeam, the Korahites;

7 A nd there were Joelah and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham of Gedor.

and Joelah and Zebadiah the sons of Jeroham of Gedor.

8 P owerful soldiers came from the Gadites to David in the strong-place in the desert. They had been taught how to fight in war, and could use the battle-covering and spear. Their faces were like the faces of lions. And they were as fast as the deer on the mountains.

Some Gadites joined David at the stronghold in the wilderness, mighty men of valor, men trained for battle, who could handle shield and spear, whose faces were like the faces of lions, and were as swift as gazelles on the mountains:

9 E zer was the first. Obadiah was the second. Eliab was the third.

Ezer the first, Obadiah the second, Eliab the third,

10 M ishmannah was the fourth. Jeremiah was the fifth.

Mishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth,

11 A ttai was the sixth. Eliel was the seventh.

Attai the sixth, Eliel the seventh,

12 J ohanan was the eighth. Elzabad was the ninth.

Johanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth,

13 J eremiah was the tenth. Machbannai was the eleventh.

Jeremiah the tenth, and Machbanai the eleventh.

14 T hese Gadites were captains of the army. He who was least led 100. And he who was greatest led 1, 000.

These were from the sons of Gad, captains of the army; the least was over a hundred, and the greatest was over a thousand.

15 T hese are the ones who crossed the Jordan in the first month when the water was flowing over its sides. They drove away all those in the valleys, to the east and to the west.

These are the ones who crossed the Jordan in the first month, when it had overflowed all its banks; and they put to flight all those in the valleys, to the east and to the west.

16 T hen some of the sons of Benjamin and Judah came to David at his strong-place.

Then some of the sons of Benjamin and Judah came to David at the stronghold.

17 D avid went out to meet them. He said to them, “If you come in peace to help me, my heart will be joined to you. But if you have come to hand me over to those who hate me, may the God of our fathers see it and speak strong words to you. For I have done nothing wrong.”

And David went out to meet them, and answered and said to them, “If you have come peaceably to me to help me, my heart will be united with you; but if to betray me to my enemies, since there is no wrong in my hands, may the God of our fathers look and bring judgment.”

18 T hen the Spirit came upon Amasai the captain of the thirty. Amasai said, “We are yours, O David! We are with you, O son of Jesse! Peace, peace to you, and peace to those who help you! For your God helps you!” Then David received them and made them captains of his soldiers.

Then the Spirit came upon Amasai, chief of the captains, and he said: “ We are yours, O David; We are on your side, 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 captains of the troop.

19 S ome men from Manasseh came over to David’s side when he was about to go to battle with the Philistines against Saul. But they did not help him. For after talking it over, the Philistine leaders sent him away, saying, “He might go over to Saul’s side with our heads.”

And some from Manasseh defected to David when he was going with the Philistines to battle against Saul; but they did not help them, for the lords of the Philistines sent him away by agreement, saying, “He may defect to his master Saul and endanger our heads.”

20 T he men who came over to David’s side from Manasseh as he went to Ziklag were Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu and Zillethai. They were captains of thousands who belonged to Manasseh.

When he went to Ziklag, those of Manasseh who defected to him were Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai, captains of the thousands who were from Manasseh.

21 T hey helped David against the army of soldiers who came to fight him. For they were all powerful soldiers, and captains in the army.

And they helped David against the bands of raiders, for they were all mighty men of valor, and they were captains in the army.

22 E ach day men came to David to help him. They came until there was a great army, like the army of God.

For at that time they came to David day by day to help him, until it was a great army, like the army of God. David’s Army at Hebron

23 T hese are the numbers of the armies who came to David at Hebron. They came to turn the nation of Saul to him, as the Word of the Lord had said.

Now these were the numbers of the divisions that were equipped for war, and came to David at Hebron to turn over the kingdom of Saul to him, according to the word of the Lord:

24 T here were 6, 800 sons of Judah who carried a battle-covering and spear, ready for war.

of the sons of Judah bearing shield and spear, six thousand eight hundred armed for war;

25 T here were 7, 100 powerful soldiers from the sons of Simeon.

of the sons of Simeon, mighty men of valor fit for war, seven thousand one hundred;

26 T here were 4, 600 sons of Levi.

of the sons of Levi four thousand six hundred;

27 J ehoiada was the leader of the house of Aaron. There were 3, 700 men with him.

Jehoiada, the leader of the Aaronites, and with him three thousand seven hundred;

28 A nd there was Zadok, a young, powerful soldier, and twenty-two captains from his own father’s house.

Zadok, a young man, a valiant warrior, and from his father’s house twenty-two captains;

29 T here were 3, 000 sons of Benjamin, Saul’s brothers. For until now most of them had stayed faithful to the house of Saul.

of the sons of Benjamin, relatives of Saul, three thousand (until then the greatest part of them had remained loyal to the house of Saul);

30 T here were 20, 800 powerful soldiers from the sons of Ephraim. They were important men in their fathers’ houses.

of the sons of Ephraim twenty thousand eight hundred, mighty men of valor, famous men throughout their father’s house;

31 T here were 18, 000 men of the half-family group of Manasseh. They were chosen by name to come and make David king.

of the half-tribe of Manasseh eighteen thousand, who were designated by name to come and make David king;

32 T here were 200 captains of the sons of Issachar. They understood the times and had much understanding of what Israel should do. And all their brothers obeyed them.

of the sons of Issachar who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their command;

33 T here were 50, 000 men of Zebulun who were soldiers. They could fight in battle with everything used in war. And they helped David as if they had one heart.

of Zebulun there were fifty thousand who went out to battle, expert in war with all weapons of war, stouthearted men who could keep ranks;

34 T here were 1, 000 captains from Naphtali. With them were 37, 000 men with battle-coverings and spears.

of Naphtali one thousand captains, and with them thirty-seven thousand with shield and spear;

35 T here were 28, 600 Danites ready for battle.

of the Danites who could keep battle formation, twenty-eight thousand six hundred;

36 T here were 40, 000 soldiers from Asher, ready for battle.

of Asher, those who could go out to war, able to keep battle formation, forty thousand;

37 A nd there were 120, 000 sons of Reuben, Gad and the half-family group of Manasseh from the other side of the Jordan. They came with everything used in war.

of the Reubenites and the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh, from the other side of the Jordan, one hundred and twenty thousand armed for battle with every kind of weapon of war.

38 A ll these were men of war, ready for battle. They came to Hebron with one desire, to make David the king of all Israel. And all the rest of Israel were of one mind to make David king.

All these men of war, who could keep ranks, came to Hebron with a loyal heart, to make David king over all Israel; and all the rest of Israel were of one mind to make David king.

39 T hey were there with David for three days, eating and drinking. For their brothers had made food ready for them.

And they were there with David three days, eating and drinking, for their brethren had prepared for them.

40 A nd their neighbors brought food, from as far as Issachar, Zebulun and Naphtali. They brought food on donkeys, camels, horses and cattle. They brought many loaves of bread and figs, many dried grapes, wine, oil, cattle and sheep. For there was joy in Israel.

Moreover those who were near to them, from as far away as Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, were bringing food on donkeys and camels, on mules and oxen—provisions of flour and cakes of figs and cakes of raisins, wine and oil and oxen and sheep abundantly, for there was joy in Israel.