12 These are the ones who came to David at Ziklag, while he yet concealed himself because of Saul son of Kish; they were among the mighty men, his helpers in war.

² They were bowmen and could use the right hand or the left to sling stones or shoot arrows from the bow; they were of Saul’s kinsmen of Benjamin.

³ The chief was Ahiezer and then Joash the sons of Shemaah of Gibeah; Jeziel and Pelet the sons of Azmaveth; Beracah, and Jehu of Anathoth,

⁴ Ishmaiah of Gibeon, a mighty man among the Thirty and a [leader] over them; Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, Jozabad of Gederah,

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

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

⁷ Joelah and Zebadiah the sons of Jeroham of Gedor.

⁸ Of the Gadites there went over to David to the stronghold in the wilderness men of might, men trained for war who could handle shield and spear, whose faces were like the faces of lions, and who were swift as gazelles on the mountains:

⁹ Ezer the chief, Obadiah the second, Eliab the third,

¹⁰ Mishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth,

¹¹ Attai the sixth, Eliel the seventh,

¹² Johanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth,

¹³ Jeremiah the tenth, Machbannai the eleventh.

¹⁴ These Gadites were officers of the army. The lesser was equal to and over a hundred, and the greater equal to and over a thousand.

¹⁵ These are the men who went over the Jordan in the first month when it had overflowed all its banks, and put to flight all those in the valleys, east and west.

¹⁶ There came some of the men of Benjamin and Judah to the stronghold to David.

¹⁷ David went out to meet them and said to them, If you have come peaceably to me to help me, my heart shall be knit to you; but if you have come to betray me to my adversaries, although there is no violence or wrong in my hands, may the God of our fathers look upon and rebuke you.

¹⁸ Then the Spirit came upon Amasai, who was chief of the captains, and he said, Yours we are, 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 officers of his troops.

¹⁹ Some of the men of Manasseh deserted to David when he came with the Philistines for the battle against Saul. But [David’s] men did not actually fight with them, for the lords of the Philistines, upon advisement, sent him away, saying, He will desert to his master Saul at the risk of our heads.^(A)

²⁰ As David went to Ziklag, there deserted to him of Manasseh: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai, chiefs of thousands in Manasseh.

²¹ They helped David against the band of raiders, for they were all mighty men of courage, and [all seven] became commanders in [his] army.

²² For at that time day by day men kept coming to David to help him, until there was a great army, like the army of God.

²³ These are the numbers of the armed divisions who came to David at Hebron to turn the kingdom of Saul to him, according to the word of the Lord:

²⁴ Those of Judah, who bore shield and spear, were 6,800 armed for war;

²⁵ Those of Simeon, mighty and brave warriors, 7,100;

²⁶ Those of Levi, 4,600—

²⁷ Jehoiada was the leader of the Aaronite [priests], and with him were 3,700,

²⁸ And Zadok, a young man mighty in valor, and twenty-two captains from his own father’s house;

²⁹ Of the Benjamites, the kindred of [King] Saul, 3,000—hitherto the majority of them had kept their allegiance [to Saul] and the charge of the house of Saul;

³⁰ Of the Ephraimites, 20,800, mighty in valor, famous in their fathers’ houses;

³¹ Of the half-tribe of Manasseh, 18,000, who were mentioned by name to come and make David king;

³² And of Issachar, men who had understanding of the times to know what Israel ought to do, 200 chiefs; and all their kinsmen were under their command;

³³ Of Zebulun, 50,000 experienced troops, fitted out with all kinds of weapons and instruments of war that could order and set the battle in array, men not of double purpose but stable and trustworthy.

³⁴ Of Naphtali, 1,000 captains, and with them 37,000 [of the rank and file armed] with shield and spear;

³⁵ Of Dan, 28,600, men who could set the battle in array;

³⁶ Of Asher, men able to go forth to battle, fit for active service, 40,000;

³⁷ On the other [the east] side of the Jordan River, of Reuben and Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh, 120,000 men, armed with all the weapons and instruments of war.

³⁸ All these, being men of war arrayed in battle order, came with a perfect and sincere heart to Hebron to make David king over all Israel; and all the rest also of Israel were of one mind to make David king.

³⁹ And they were there with David for three days, eating and drinking, for their brethren had prepared for them.

⁴⁰ Also those who were near them from as far as Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali brought food on donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen, abundant supplies of meal, cakes of figs, bunches of raisins, wine, oil, oxen, and sheep, for there was joy in Israel.