The Mighty Men Join David at Ziklag

1Now these were the men who came to David (beloved) at Ziklag (winding), while he was still banished from the presence of Saul (desired) son of Kish (bent) (they were among the mighty men who helped him in battle; 2they were archers using both the right and left hands to sling stones and shoot arrows; and they were Saul’s (desired) kinsmen from Benjamin (son of the right hand)):

3Ahiezer (my brother is help) their chief and Joash (given by the Lord), who were the sons of Shemaah (the rumour) the Gibeathite (hilliness);

Jeziel (the assembly of God) and Pelet (deliverance), the sons of Azmaveth (strong unto death);

Beracah (blessing);

Jehu (YHWH is He) the Anathothite;

4Ishmaiah (YHWH will hear) the Gibeonite (little hill), a mighty man among the Thirty and a leader over the Thirty;

Jeremiah (whom YHWH has appointed), Jahaziel (beheld of God), Johanan (YHWH has graced), and Jozabad (YHWH has endowed) the Gederathite (a wall);

5Eluzai (God is my strength), Jerimoth (He is Most High), Bealiah (YHWH is master), Shemariah (kept by YHWH), and Shephatiah (YHWH has judged) the Haruphite (native of Haruph);

6Elkanah (God has possessed), Isshiah (YHWH will lend), Azarel (God has helped), Joezer (YHWH is help), and Jashobeam (the people will return), who were Korahites (one of Korah);

7and Joelah (may he avail) and Zebadiah (endowment of YHWH), the sons of Jeroham (showing pity) from Gedor (wall).

8Some Gadites (a troop / fortune) defected to David (beloved) 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:

9Ezer (treasure) the chief, Obadiah (servant of YHWH) the second in command, Eliab (God is father) the third, 10Mishmannah (fatness) the fourth, Jeremiah (whom YHWH has appointed) the fifth, 11Attai (opportune) the sixth, Eliel (El is God) the seventh, 12Johanan (YHWH has graced) the eighth, Elzabad (God has given) the ninth, 13Jeremiah (whom YHWH has appointed) the tenth, and Machbanai (bond of the Lord) the eleventh.

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

15These are the ones who crossed the Jordan (flowing down) 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.

16Other Benjamites (son of the right hand) and some men from Judah (praised) also came to David (beloved) in his stronghold. 17And David went out (beloved) 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 {Elohe} of our fathers see it and judge you.”

18Then the Spirit {Ruach} came upon Amasai (burdensome), the chief of the Thirty, and he said:

“We are yours, O David (beloved)!

We are with you, O son of Jesse (I possess)!

Peace, peace to you,

and peace to your helpers,

for your God {Eloheka} helps you.”

So David received them and made them leaders of his troops.

19Some from Manasseh (causing to forget) defected to David (beloved) when he went with the Philistines (immigrants) to fight against (desired) 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.”) 20When David went to Ziklag (winding), these men of Manasseh (causing to forget) defected to him:

Adnah (pleasure), Jozabad (YHWH has endowed), Jediael (God makes known), Michael (who is like God), Jozabad, Elihu (He is my God), and Zillethai (dark), chiefs of thousands in Manasseh.

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

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

David’s Army Grows at Hebron

23Now these are the numbers of men armed for battle who came to David (beloved) at Hebron (association) to turn Saul’s (desired) kingdom over to him, in accordance with the word of the LORD {YHWH}:

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

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

26From Levi (joined to): 4,600, 27including Jehoiada (YHWH knows), leader of the house of Aaron (light bringer), with 3,700 men, 28and Zadok (righteous), a mighty young man of valor, with 22 commanders from his own family.

29From Benjamin (son of the right hand), the kinsmen of Saul (desired): 3,000, most of whom had remained loyal to the house of Saul up to that time.

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

31From the half-tribe of Manasseh (the half-tribe of Manasseh west of the Jordan):a 18,000 designated by name to come and make David (beloved) king.

32From Issachar (there is recompense), men who understood the times and knew what Israel (he wrestles with God) should do: 200 chiefs with all their kinsmen at their command.

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

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

35From Dan (He has judged): 28,600 prepared for battle.

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

37And from east of the Jordan (flowing down), from Reuben, Gad (a troop / fortune), and the half-tribe of Manasseh there (causing to forget): 120,000 armed with every kind of weapon of war.

38All these men of war, arrayed for battle, came to Hebron (association) fully determined to make David (beloved) king over all Israel (he wrestles with God). And all the rest of the Israelites were of one mind to make David king.

39They spent three days there eating and drinking with David (beloved), for their relatives had provided for them. 40And their neighbors from as far away as Issachar (there is recompense), Zebulun (exalted), and Naphtali (wrestling) 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 (he wrestles with God).