David’s Mighty Men

1Now these are the ones who came to David at Ziklag, while he was still restricted because of Saul the son of Kish; and they were among the mighty men who helped him in war. 2They were equipped with bows, using both the right hand and the left to sling stones and to shoot arrows from the bow; they were Saul’s relatives from Benjamin.

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

4and Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty man among the thirty, and over the thirty. [†]Then Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, Jozabad the Gederathite,

5[†]Eluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah, Shephatiah the Haruphite,

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

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

8From the Gadites, mighty men of valor separated themselves to David in the stronghold in the wilderness, men of war who had gone out for military duty, who could [†]handle large shield and spear, and whose faces were like the faces of lions, and they were as swift as the gazelles on the mountains.

9Ezer was 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, Machbannai the eleventh.

14These of the sons of Gad were chiefs of the army; he who was least was equal to one hundred and the greatest to one thousand. 15These are the ones who crossed the Jordan in the first month when it was overflowing all its banks and they made all those in the valleys flee, both to the east and to the west.

16Then some of the sons of Benjamin and Judah came to the stronghold to David. 17David went out before them, and he answered and said to them, “If you come peacefully to me to help me, my heart shall be united with you; but if to betray me to my adversaries, since there is no violence in my hands, may the God of our fathers look on it and reprove.” 18And the Spirit clothed Amasai, who was the chief of the thirty, and he said,

“We are yours, O David,

And with you, O son of Jesse!

Peace, peace to you,

And peace to him who helps you;

Indeed, your God helps you!” Then David received them and made them chiefs of the band.

19Now from Manasseh also some defected to David when he was about to go to battle with the Philistines against Saul. But they did not help them, for the lords of the Philistines after counsel sent him away, saying, “At the cost of our heads he may defect to his master Saul.” 20As he went to Ziklag there defected to him from Manasseh: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu and Zillethai, chiefs of thousands who belonged to Manasseh. 21They helped David against the marauding band, for they were all mighty men of valor, and were commanders in the army. 22For day by day men came to David to help him, until there was a great camp like the camp of God.

David’s Military Companies in Hebron

23Now these are the numbers of the [†]companies equipped for military duty, who came to David at Hebron, to turn the kingdom of Saul to him, according to the [†]command of Yahweh.

24The sons of Judah who bore shield and spear were 6,800, equipped for military duty.

25Of the sons of Simeon, mighty men of valor for military duty, 7,100.

26Of the sons of Levi 4,600.

27Now Jehoiada was the leader of the house of Aaron, and with him were 3,700,

28also Zadok, a young man mighty of valor, and of his father’s house 22 commanders.

29Of the sons of Benjamin, Saul’s relatives, 3,000; for until now the greatest part of them had kept their allegiance to the house of Saul.

30Of the sons of Ephraim 20,800, mighty men of valor, men [†]who had a name in their fathers’ households.

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

32Of the sons of Issachar, men who knew how to discern the times, to know what Israel should do, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their relatives were at their command.

33Of Zebulun, there were 50,000 who went out in the army, who could arrange themselves for battle with all kinds of weapons of war and helped David [†]with an undivided heart.

34Of Naphtali there were 1,000 commanders, and with them 37,000 with large shield and spear.

35Of the Danites who could arrange themselves for battle, there were 28,600.

36Of Asher there were 40,000 who went out in the army to arrange themselves for battle.

37From the other side of the Jordan, of the Reubenites and the Gadites and of the half-tribe of Manasseh, there were 120,000 with all kinds of weapons for the army for battle.

38All these, being men of war who could draw up in battle [†]lines, came to Hebron with their whole heart to make David king over all Israel; and all the rest also of Israel were of one heart to make David king. 39They were there with David three days, eating and drinking, for their relatives had prepared for them. 40Moreover those who were near to them, even as far as Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, brought food on donkeys, camels, mules, and on oxen, great provisions of flour, fig cakes and bunches of raisins, wine, oil, oxen, and sheep. There was gladness indeed in Israel.