1 N ow these are those who came to David to Ziklag, while he was a fugitive from Saul the son of Kish. They were among the mighty men, his helpers in war.

These 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.

2 T hey were armed with bows, and could use both the right hand and the left in slinging stones and in shooting arrows from the bow. They were of Saul’s relatives of the tribe of Benjamin.

They 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.

3 T he chief was Ahiezer, then Joash, the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite; Jeziel and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth; Beracah; Jehu the Anathothite;

The 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,

4 I shmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty man among the thirty and a leader of the thirty; Jeremiah; Jahaziel; Johanan; Jozabad the Gederathite;

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

5 E luzai; Jerimoth; Bealiah; Shemariah; Shephatiah the Haruphite;

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

6 E lkanah, Isshiah Azarel, Joezer, and Jashobeam, the Korahites;

There were Elkanah, Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer, Jashobeam, the Korahites.

7 a nd Joelah and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham of Gedor.

And there were Joelah and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham of Gedor.

8 S ome Gadites joined David in the stronghold in the wilderness, mighty men of valor, men trained for war, who could handle shield and spear; whose faces were like the faces of lions, and they were as swift as the gazelles on the mountains:

Powerful 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.

9 E zer the chief, Obadiah the second, Eliab the third,

Ezer was the first. Obadiah was the second. Eliab was the third.

10 M ishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth,

Mishmannah was the fourth. Jeremiah was the fifth.

11 A ttai the sixth, Eliel the seventh,

Attai was the sixth. Eliel was the seventh.

12 J ohanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth,

Johanan was the eighth. Elzabad was the ninth.

13 J eremiah the tenth, and Machbannai the eleventh.

Jeremiah was the tenth. Machbannai was the eleventh.

14 T hese of the sons of Gad were captains of the army: he who was least was equal to one hundred, and the greatest to one thousand.

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

15 T hese are those who went over the Jordan in the first month, when it had overflowed all its banks; and they put to flight all who lived in the valleys, both toward the east and toward the west.

These 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.

16 S ome of the children of Benjamin and Judah came to the stronghold to David.

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

17 D avid went out to meet them, and answered them, “If you have come peaceably to me to help me, my heart will be united with you; but if you have come to betray me to my adversaries, since there is no wrong in my hands, may the God of our fathers see this and rebuke it.”

David 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.”

18 T hen the Spirit came on Amasai, who was chief of the thirty, and he said, “We are yours, David, and on your side, you son of Jesse. Peace, peace be to you, and peace be to your helpers; for your God helps you.” Then David received them, and made them captains of the band.

Then 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.

19 S ome of Manasseh also joined David, when he came with the Philistines against Saul to battle; but they didn’t help them; for the lords of the Philistines sent him away after consultation, saying, “He will desert to his master Saul to the jeopardy of our heads.”

Some 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.”

20 A s he went to Ziklag, some from Manasseh joined him: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai, captains of thousands who were of Manasseh.

The 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.

21 T hey helped David against the band of rovers; for they were all mighty men of valor, and were captains in the army.

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

22 F or from day to day men came to David to help him, until there was a great army, like God’s army.

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

23 T hese are the numbers of the heads of those who were armed for war, who came to David to Hebron, to turn the kingdom of Saul to him, according to Yahweh’s word.

These 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.

24 T he children of Judah who bore shield and spear were six thousand eight hundred, armed for war.

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

25 O f the children of Simeon, mighty men of valor for the war, seven thousand one hundred.

There were 7, 100 powerful soldiers from the sons of Simeon.

26 O f the children of Levi four thousand six hundred.

There were 4, 600 sons of Levi.

27 J ehoiada was the leader of the household of Aaron; and with him were three thousand seven hundred,

Jehoiada was the leader of the house of Aaron. There were 3, 700 men with him.

28 a nd Zadok, a young man mighty of valor, and of his father’s house twenty-two captains.

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

29 O f the children of Benjamin, Saul’s relatives, three thousand: for until then, the greatest part of them had kept their allegiance to Saul’s house.

There were 3, 000 sons of Benjamin, Saul’s brothers. For until now most of them had stayed faithful to the house of Saul.

30 O f the children of Ephraim twenty thousand eight hundred, mighty men of valor, famous men in their fathers’ houses.

There were 20, 800 powerful soldiers from the sons of Ephraim. They were important men in their fathers’ houses.

31 O f the half-tribe of Manasseh eighteen thousand, who were mentioned by name, to come and make David king.

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

32 O f the children of Issachar, men who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, their heads were two hundred; and all their brothers were at their command.

There 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.

33 O f Zebulun, such as were able to go out in the army, who could set the battle in array, with all kinds of instruments of war, fifty thousand, and who could command and were not of double heart.

There 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.

34 O f Naphtali one thousand captains, and with them with shield and spear thirty-seven thousand.

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

35 O f the Danites who could set the battle in array, twenty-eight thousand six hundred.

There were 28, 600 Danites ready for battle.

36 O f Asher, such as were able to go out in the army, who could set the battle in array, forty thousand.

There were 40, 000 soldiers from Asher, ready for battle.

37 O n the other side of the Jordan, of the Reubenites, the Gadites, and of the half-tribe of Manasseh, with all kinds of instruments of war for the battle, one hundred twenty thousand.

And 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.

38 A ll these were men of war, who could order the battle array, and 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.

All 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.

39 T hey were there with David three days, eating and drinking; for their brothers had supplied provisions for them.

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

40 M oreover those who were near to them, as far as Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali, brought bread on donkeys, on camels, on mules, and on oxen: supplies of flour, cakes of figs, clusters of raisins, wine, oil, cattle, and sheep in abundance; for there was joy in Israel.

And 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.