1 Chronicles 12

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1. 1These are the warriors who came to David at Ziklag while he was hiding from Saul son of Kish. They were among his mighty men who helped him in battle.
2. 2They were skilled with bows and could sling stones and shoot arrows with either hand. They were from the tribe of Benjamin — Saul's own relatives.
3. 3Their leader was Ahiezer, then Joash — both sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite. There were also Jeziel and Pelet, sons of Azmaveth; Berachah; and Jehu the Antothite.
4. 4Ismaiah the Gibeonite was a mighty warrior among the 30 and a leader over them. Also Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, and Josabad the Gederathite.
5. 5Eluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah, and Shephatiah the Haruphite.
6. 6Elkanah, Jesiah, Azareel, Joezer, and Jashobeam — all Korhites.
7. 7Joelah and Zebadiah, sons of Jeroham of Gedor.
8. 8Some men from the tribe of Gad separated themselves to join David at his stronghold in the wilderness. They were mighty men and warriors fit for battle, skilled with shield and buckler. Their faces were like the faces of lions, and they were as swift as gazelles on the mountains.
9. 9Ezer was the first, Obadiah the 2nd, Eliab the 3rd,
10. 10Mishmannah the 4th, Jeremiah the 5th,
11. 11Attai the 6th, Eliel the 7th,
12. 12Johanan the 8th, Elzabad the 9th,
13. 13Jeremiah the 10th, and Machbanai the 11th.
14. 14These men from the tribe of Gad were army commanders: the least of them commanded 100 soldiers, and the greatest commanded 1,000.
15. 15These were the men who crossed the Jordan River during the 1st month, when it was flooding over its banks. They drove out everyone living in the valleys to the east and west.
16. 16Some men from the tribes of Benjamin and Judah also came to David at his stronghold.
17. 17David went out to meet them and said, "If you've come in peace to help me, my heart will be united with yours. But if you've come to betray me to my enemies, even though I've done nothing wrong, may the God of our fathers see it and rebuke it."
18. 18Then the Spirit came upon Amasai, who was chief of the captains, and he declared, "We are yours, David! We stand with you, son of Jesse! Peace to you, and peace to everyone who helps you, for your God helps you." So David welcomed them and made them commanders of his forces.
19. 19Some men from the tribe of Manasseh joined David when he went with the Philistines to fight against Saul. But they did not help the Philistines, because the Philistine rulers, after discussing it, sent David away, saying, 'He will turn against us and go back to his master Saul, putting our lives in danger.'
20. 20As David traveled back to Ziklag, these men from Manasseh joined him: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zilthai — all commanders of thousands in Manasseh.
21. 21They helped David fight against raiding bands, because every one of them was a mighty warrior, and they became commanders in his army.
22. 22Day after day, more men came to join David, until his forces grew into a massive host — like the host of God.
23. 23Here are the numbers of armed soldiers who came to David at Hebron to transfer Saul's kingdom to him, just as the LORD had promised.
24. 24From the tribe of Judah: 6,800 soldiers armed with shields and spears, ready for war.
25. 25From the tribe of Simeon: 7,100 mighty warriors ready for battle.
26. 26From the tribe of Levi: 4,600.
27. 27Jehoiada was the leader of the descendants of Aaron, and he brought 3,700 men with him.
28. 28Zadok, a young man and mighty warrior, also came, along with 22 commanders from his father's family.
29. 29From the tribe of Benjamin, Saul's own tribe: 3,000. Up until that point, most of them had remained loyal to Saul's family.
30. 30From the tribe of Ephraim: 20,800 mighty warriors, famous throughout their ancestral houses.
31. 31From the half-tribe of Manasseh: 18,000 men specifically chosen by name to come and make David king.
32. 32From the tribe of Issachar came men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do. They had 200 leaders, and all their relatives followed their direction.
33. 33From the tribe of Zebulun: 50,000 experienced soldiers equipped with every kind of weapon, who could hold formation and were not of double heart.
34. 34From the tribe of Naphtali: 1,000 commanders, along with 37,000 men armed with shields and spears.
35. 35From the tribe of Dan, there were 28,600 experts in war.
36. 36From the tribe of Asher: 40,000 experienced soldiers ready for war.
37. 37From the east side of the Jordan — the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the other half-tribe of Manasseh — came 120,000 men equipped with every kind of weapon.
38. 38All these men of war, who could keep rank, came to Hebron with a perfect heart to make David king over all Israel. All the rest of Israel were also of one heart to make David king.
39. 39They stayed there with David for 3 days, eating and drinking, because their relatives had prepared everything for them.
40. 40People from the surrounding area — as far away as Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali — brought bread and meat on donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen, along with flour, fig cakes, clusters of raisins, wine, oil, cattle, and sheep in large quantities. For there was joy in Israel.