The Mighty Men Join David at Ziklag

1And these were those coming in to David at Ziklag while he was still a fugitive from Saul son of Kish (and they were among the mighty men, helpers in battle, 2armed with bows, using the right hand and the left with stones and with arrows with the bow, brothers of Saul from Benjamin).

3The chief was Ahiezer, and Joash, the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite;

and Jeziel, and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth;

and Berachah;

and Jehu the Anathothite;

4and Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty man among the thirty and over the thirty;

and Jeremiah, and Jahaziel, and Johanan, and Jozabad the Gederathite;

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

6Elkanah, and Jisshiah, and Azarel, and Joezer, and Jashobeam the Korahites;

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

8And some of the Gadite separated themselves unto David at the stronghold in the wilderness, mighty men of valor, men trained for battle, setting in array shield and spear, and their faces the face of the lion, and as swift as gazelles on the mountains:

9Ezer the first, Obadiah the second, Eliab the third, 10Mishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth, 11Attai the sixth, Eliel the seventh, 12Johanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth, 13Jeremiah the tenth, and Machbanai the eleventh.

14These from the sons of Gad were captains of the host, the least one over a hundred, and the greatest over a thousand.

15These are the ones who passed over the Jordan in the first month, and it had overflowed on all its banks. And all in the valleys they put to flight, to the east and to the west.

16And there came some from the sons of Benjamin and Judah to the stronghold to David. 17And David went out to meet them, and he answered and said to them, “If you⁺ have come to me in peace to help me, the heart of me will be united with you⁺; but if to betray me to my enemies—without violence in my hands—the God of our fathers shall see and judge you.”

18And the Spirit came upon Amasai chief of the Thirty:

“To you, O David,

and with you, O son of Jesse,

peace, peace to you,

and peace to your helpers.

For your God helps you.”

And David received them and made them leaders of the troop.

19And some from Manasseh fell to David when he was going with the Philistines against Saul to the battle. (They did not help them, for by counsel the lords of the Philistines sent him away, saying, “With our heads he may fall to his master Saul.”) 20When he went to Ziklag, they fell to him from Manasseh:

Adnah, and Jozabad, and Jediael, and Michael, and Jozabad, and Elihu, and Zillethai, the heads of the thousands who were from Manasseh.

21And they helped with David against the bands, for all were mighty men of valor, and they were captains in the army.

22For at that time day by day they came to David to help him, until it was a great camp, like the camp of God.

David’s Army Grows at Hebron

23And these were the numbers of the heads of the armed of the host who came to David at Hebron to turn over the kingdom of Saul to him, according to the word of YHWH.

24Of the sons of Judah bearing shield and spear, six thousand and eight hundred armed of the host.

25Of the sons of Simeon, mighty men of valor of the host, seven thousand and a hundred.

26Of the sons of Levi four thousand and six hundred, 27and Jehoiada the leader from Aaron, and with him three thousand and seven hundred; 28and Zadok, a young man mighty of valor, and of the house of his father twenty-two captains.

29And of the sons of Benjamin, brothers of Saul, three thousand—and until then the greatest part of them were keeping the charge of the house of Saul.

30And of the sons of Ephraim twenty thousand and eight hundred mighty men of valor, men of renown according to the house of their fathers.

31And of the half-tribe of Manasseh,† eighteen thousand who were marked by name, to come and make David king.

32And of the sons of Issachar, knowing discernment of the times, knowing what Israel ought to do, their heads—two hundred—and all their brothers at their command.

33Of Zebulun, going forth to the host, arranging battle with all weapons of war, fifty thousand, and to help David† without a double heart.†

34And of Naphtali, a thousand captains, and with them, with shield and spear, thirty-seven thousand.

35And of the Danite, arranging for battle, twenty-eight thousand and six hundred.

36And of Asher, going forth to the host to arrange for battle, forty thousand.

37And from the other side of the Jordan, of the Reubenite, and the Gadite, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, with every of weapon of war for battle, a hundred and twenty thousand.

38All these men of war, keeping rank with a perfect heart, came to Hebron to make David king over all Israel, and all the rest of Israel were of one mind to make David king.

39And they were there with David three days eating and drinking, for their brothers had prepared for them. 40And those very near to them as far as Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali were bringing food on the donkeys, and on the camels, and on the mules, and on the oxen, and provisions of flour, and cakes of figs, and cakes of raisins, and wine, and oil, and oxen, and oxen, and sheep. Indeed, there was joy in Israel.