1These were the men who came to David at Ziklag, while he was yet hiding from Saul, son of Kish; and were among the mighty men, who helped him in battle. 2They were armed with bows, and could use both their right and their left hand in hurling stones and shooting arrows from a bow; they were Saul's relatives from the tribe of Benjamin. 3The chief of these was Ahiezer; then Joash; sons of Shemaah, the Gibeathite; and Jeziel, and Pelet, sons of Azmaveth; and Beracah, and Jehu, the Anathothite; 4And Ismaiah, the Gibeonite, a mighty man among the thirty, and leader of the thirty; and Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, Josabad, the Gederathite; 5Eluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah, and Shephatiah, the Haruphite; 6Elkanah, Isshiah, Azareel, Joezer, and Jashobeam, Korahites; 7Joelah, and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham of Gedor.

8And of the Gadites there were brave men who joined David in the stronghold in the wilderness, men of might, and fit for the battle, who could handle shield and buckler, whose faces were like the faces of lions, and were as swift as the roes upon the mountains: 9Ezer, the first; Obadiah, second; Eliab, third; 10Mishmannah, fourth; Jeremiah, fifth; 11Attai, sixth; Eliel, seventh; 12Johanan, eighth; Elzabad, ninth; 13Jeremiah, tenth; Machbannai, eleventh. 14These were of the sons of Gad, officers of the army; the least of them led over a hundred; and the greatest, over a thousand. 15They are the ones who crossed the Jordan in the first month, when it had overflowed all its banks; and drove the people out of the valleys, to the east, and the west.

16Other descendants of Benjamin and Judah came to the stronghold to David. 17And David went out to meet them, and said, “If you have come peaceably to help me, my heart shall be knit to you; but if you have come to betray me to my enemies, since there is no wrong in my hands, may the God of our fathers see it, and judge you.” 18Then the Spirit came upon Amasai, their chief officer, and he said, “We are yours, and on your side, David, son of Jesse. Peace and success be unto you, and to those who help you; for your God will help you.” Then David welcomed them, and made them officers of his troops.

19And some of Manasseh also joined David, when he went with the Philistines to battle Saul; but as it turned out, David and his men did not help them; because the lords of the Philistines insisted that they send him away, saying, “He will aid his master, Saul, and cost us our heads.” 20As so David returned to Ziklag, where he was joined by: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai, officers of the thousands who came from Manasseh. 21And they helped David chase down the band of raiders; for they were all mighty men of valor, and were officers in the army. 22At that time, day by day, many came to help David, until it was a great army, like the army of God.

23And these are the numbers of the armed men, ready for the war, that came to David at Hebron, to turn the kingdom of Saul over to David, according to the word of the LORD: 24The descendants of Judah who bore shield and spear were - six thousand eight hundred, ready for battle; 25Of the descendants of Simeon, mighty men ready for battle - seven thousand, one hundred; 26Of the descendants of Levi - four thousand, six hundred, 27Including Jehoiada, leader of the Aaron clan - with three thousand, seven hundred; 28And Zadok, a brave young man with twenty-two officers of his father's house, men of valor; 29Of the descendants of Benjamin, the tribe of Saul, three thousand; most of whom had remained loyal to the house of Saul up to this time; 30Of the descendants of Ephraim, twenty thousand, eight hundred, mighty men of valor, famous throughout their clan; 31Of the half tribe of Manasseh, eighteen thousand, designated by name, to come and make David king; 32Of the tribe of Issachar, men with understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brethren were under their command. 33Of Zebulun, those expert in the weapons and tactics of war - fifty thousand who served with singleness of purpose. 34Of Naphtali, a thousand officers, and with them men with shield and spear - thirty-seven thousand; 35Of the Danites, experts in warfare - twenty-eight thousand, six hundred; 36Of Asher, men prepared for battle, expert in war - forty thousand; 37And on the other side of the Jordan, of the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, with all manner of weapons of war for the battle - a hundred twenty thousand.

38All these men of war, who volunteered to serve in the ranks, came to Hebron, determined to make David king over all Israel; and the rest of Israel were also of one heart to make David king. 39And they spent three days with David, eating and drinking; for their families had prepared and provided for them. 40Moreover, they who were near, and even as far as Issachar, Zebulun and Naphtali, brought bread on donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen, plus meat, meal, fig cakes, bunches of raisins, wine, oil, oxen, and sheep abundantly; for there was joy in Israel.