1 Chronicles 12
12
Warriors Who Joined David at Ziklag
1 These were the men who joined David in Ziklag, when he was banished#tn Heb “kept from.” from the presence of Saul son of Kish. (They were among the warriors who assisted him in battle. 2 They were armed with bows and could shoot arrows or sling stones right or left-handed. They were fellow tribesmen of Saul from Benjamin.#tn Heb “ones armed with bow[s], using the right hand and the left hand with stones and with arrows with the bow, from the brothers of Saul from Benjamin.”) These were:#tn The words “These were” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons, because of the length of the intervening material since the beginning of the verse.
3 Ahiezer, the leader, and Joash, the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite; Jeziel and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth;
Berachah,
Jehu the Anathothite,
4 Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, one of the thirty warriors and their leader,
(12:5)#sn In the Hebrew text (BHS) a verse division occurs at this point, and for the remainder of the chapter the verse numbers of the Hebrew Bible differ by one from the English Bible. Thus 1 Chr 12:4b ET = 12:5 HT, and 12:5-40 ET = 12:6-41 HT. Beginning with 13:1 the verse numbers in the ET and HT are again the same. Jeremiah,
Jahaziel,
Johanan,
Jozabad the Gederathite,
5 (12:6) Eluzai,
Jerimoth,
Bealiah,
Shemariah,
Shephatiah the Haruphite,
6 Elkanah, Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer, and Jashobeam, who were Korahites,
7 and Joelah and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham from Gedor.
8 Some of the Gadites joined David at the stronghold in the desert. They were warriors who were trained for battle; they carried shields and spears. They were as fierce as lions and could run as quickly as gazelles across the hills.#tn Heb “warriors, men of battle for war, prepared with shield and spear, and [like] the face of a lion were their faces, and like gazelles on the hills to hurry.” 9 Ezer was the leader, Obadiah the second in command, 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, and Machbannai the eleventh. 14 These Gadites were military leaders; the least led a hundred men, the greatest a thousand.#tn Heb “one for a hundred the small, and the great for a thousand.” Another option is to translate the preposition -לְ (lamed) as “against” and to understand this as a hyperbolic reference to their prowess: “the least could stand against a hundred, the greatest against a thousand.” 15 They crossed the Jordan River#tn The word “River” is not in the Hebrew text, but has been supplied for clarity. in the first month,#sn That is, March-April. when it was overflowing its banks, and routed those living in all the valleys to the east and west.#tn Heb “and they chased all the valleys to the east and to the west.”
16 Some from Benjamin and Judah also came to David’s stronghold. 17 David went out to meet them and said,#tn Heb “and David went out before them and answered and said to them.” “If you come to me in peace and want to help me, then I will make an alliance with you.#tn Heb “there will be to me concerning you a heart for unity.” But if you come to betray me to my enemies when I have not harmed you,#tn Heb “with no violence in my hands.” may the God of our ancestors#tn Heb “fathers.” take notice and judge!” 18 But a spirit#tn Perhaps “the Spirit,” but the text has simply רוּחַ (ruakh) with no article (suggesting an indefinite reference). empowered#tn Heb “clothed.” Amasai, the leader of the thirty warriors, and he said:#tn The words “and he said” are supplied in the translation for clarity and for stylistic reasons.
“We are yours, O David!
We support#tn Heb “are with.” you, O son of Jesse!
May you greatly prosper!#tn Heb “Peace, peace to you.” The Hebrew term שָׁלוֹם (shalom, “peace”) is repeated to emphasize degree.
May those who help you prosper!#tn Heb “and peace to the one who helps you.”
Indeed#tn Or “for.” your God helps you!”
So David accepted them and made them leaders of raiding bands.
19 Some men from Manasseh joined#tn Heb “fell upon,” here in a good sense. David when he went with the Philistines to fight against Saul. (But in the end they did not help the Philistines because, after taking counsel, the Philistine lords sent David away, saying: “It would be disastrous for us if he deserts to his master Saul.”)#tn Heb “and they did not help them for by counsel they sent him away, the lords of the Philistines, saying, ‘With our heads he will fall to his master Saul.’” 20 When David#tn Heb “he”; the referent (David) has been specified in the translation for clarity. went to Ziklag, the men of Manasseh who joined him were Adnach, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai, leaders of a thousand soldiers each in the tribe of Manasseh. 21 They helped David fight against raiding bands, for all of them were warriors and leaders in the army. 22 Each day men came to help David until his army became very large.#tn Heb “for at the time of day in a day they were coming to David to help him until [there was] a great camp like the camp of God.” The term אֱלֹהִים (’elohim, “God”) is probably used idiomatically here to indicate the superlative.
Support for David in Hebron
23 The following is a record of the armed warriors who came with their leaders and joined David in Hebron in order to make David king in Saul’s place, in accordance with the Lord’s decree:#tn Heb “these are the numbers of the heads of the forces armed for battle [who] came to David in Hebron to turn over the kingdom of Saul to him according to the mouth of the Lord.”
24 From Judah came 6,800 trained warriors carrying shields and spears.#tn Heb “the sons of Judah, carrying shield and spear, [were] 6,800 armed for battle.”
25 From Simeon there were 7,100 warriors.
26 From Levi there were 4,600. 27 Jehoiada, the leader of Aaron’s descendants, brought 3,700 men with him, 28 along with Zadok, a young warrior, and twenty-two leaders from his family.
29 From Benjamin, Saul’s tribe,#tn Heb “from the sons of Benjamin, the brothers of Saul.” there were 3,000, most of whom, up to that time, had been loyal to Saul.#tn Heb “and until then, the majority of them were keeping the charge of the house of Saul.”
30 From Ephraim there were 20,800 warriors, who had brought fame to their families.#tn Heb “men of names for the house of their fathers.”
31 From the half tribe of Manasseh there were 18,000 who had been designated by name to come and make David king.
32 From Issachar there were 200 leaders and all their relatives at their command – they understood the times and knew what Israel should do.#tn Heb “from the sons of Issachar, knowers of understanding for times to know what Israel should do, their heads [were] 200, and all their brothers according to their mouth.”
33 From Zebulun there were 50,000 warriors who were prepared for battle, equipped with all kinds of weapons, and ready to give their undivided loyalty.#tn Heb “from Zebulun, those going out for battle, prepared for war with all weapons of war, 50,000, and to help without a heart and a heart.”
34 From Naphtali there were 1,000 officers, along with 37,000 men carrying shields and spears.
35 From Dan there were 28,600 men prepared for battle.
36 From Asher there were 40,000 warriors prepared for battle.
37 From the other side of the Jordan, from Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh, there were 120,000 men armed with all kinds of weapons.
38 All these men were warriors who were ready to march.#tc Heb “all these [were] men of war, helpers of the battle line.” The present translation assumes an emendation of עֹדְרֵי (’odÿrey, “helpers of”) to עֹרְכֵי, (’orÿkhey, “prepared for”). They came to Hebron to make David king over all Israel by acclamation;#tn Heb “with a complete heart they came to Hebron to make David king over all Israel.” all the rest of the Israelites also were in agreement that David should become king.#tn Heb “and also all the rest of Israel [was of] one mind to make David king.” 39 They spent three days feasting#tn Heb “eating and drinking.” there with David, for their relatives had given them provisions. 40 Also their neighbors, from as far away as Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali, were bringing food on donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen. There were large supplies of flour, fig cakes, raisins, wine, olive oil, beef, and lamb,#tn Heb “cattle and sheep.” for Israel was celebrating.#tn Heb “for there was joy in Israel.”
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1 Chronicles 12
12
David and His Mighty Men at Ziklag
1Now these are the ones who came to David at Ziklag while he was still shut up because of Saul,#Literally “of the face of Saul” the son of Kish. And they were the mighty warriors helping with the war. 2They were armed with the bow, able to shoot right-handed or left-handed, slinging stones or shooting arrows with the bow; they were kinsmen of Saul from Benjamin. 3The leader was Ahiezer, then Jehoash, sons of Shemaah the Gibeonite; Jeiel and Pelet, sons of Azmaveth; Beracah; Jehu the Anathothite; 4Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty warrior among the thirty who was over the thirty;#1 Chronicles 12:5 begins here in the Hebrew Bible Jeremiah; Jahaziel; Johanan; Jozabad the Gederathite; 5#1 Chronicles 12:5–40 in the English Bible is 12:6–41 in the Hebrew Bible Eluzai; Jerimoth; Bealiah; Shemariah; Shephatiah the Hariphite; 6Elkanah, Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer, and Jashobeam the Korahites; 7Joelah and Zebadiah, sons of Jeroham from the Gedor.
8And from the Gadites, valiant mighty warriors, soldiers fit for war,#Literally “men of battle for the war” expert with shield and spear, defected to David at the fortress toward the wilderness. And they had faces like lions#Literally “faces of a lion were their faces” and were swift as gazelles upon the mountains. 9Ezer the chief, Obadiah second, Eliab third, 10Mishmannah fourth, Jeremiah fifth, 11Attai sixth, Eliel seventh, 12Jehonan eighth, Elzabad ninth, 13Jeremiah tenth, Macbannai eleventh. 14These were the sons of Gad, leaders of the army. The smallest one was as a hundred, and the greatest as a thousand. 15These were they who crossed the Jordan in the first month, when it was filled over its banks. And they put to flight all who were in the valley to the east and to the west.
16And some of the sons of Benjamin and from Judah came to the fortress, to David. 17And David went out to meet them#Literally “before them” and answered and said to them, “If you come in peace to me, to help me, my heart will be joined with you,#Literally “the heart will be to me to you together” but if you come to betray me to my adversaries, although there is no wrong on my hands, may the God of our fathers see and pass judgment.” 18Then the Spirit came upon Amasai, chief of the thirty who said:
“We are yours, O David!
And we are with you, O son of Jesse!
Peace! Peace to you, and peace to those who help you,
for your God helps you.”
So David appointed them as heads of the troops.
19And some Manassites deserted to David when he came with the Philistines to the battle against Saul, but he did not help them, for the rulers of the Philistines sent him away upon counsel, saying, “He will desert to his master Saul at the cost of our heads.” 20When he went to Ziklag some Manassites deserted to him: Adnah, Jehozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai, heads of the thousands that were for Manasseh. 21And they themselves helped David against the troops, for all of them were mighty men of strength and were commanders in the army. 22Day in and day out#Literally “for to the time of day to the day” they came to David to help him until there was a great army, like the army of God.
23And these are the numbers of the chiefs of those prepared for the army who came to David at Hebron to turn the kingdom of Saul over to him according to the word of Yahweh. 24The sons of Judah bearing shield and spear: six thousand eight hundred armed troops. 25From the men of Simeon, mighty warriors of strength for war: seven thousand one hundred. 26From the Levites: four thousand six hundred. 27Jehoiada the chief officer of the house of Aaron, and with him, three thousand seven hundred. 28And Zadok, a young man, a mighty warrior of strength, and the house of his father: twenty-two commanders. 29From the men of Benjamin, kinsmen of Saul, three thousand, and even still#Literally “and even they” the majority of them remained loyal#Literally “keeping the responsibility” to the house of Saul. 30And from the men of Ephraim: twenty thousand eight hundred mighty warriors of strength, famous men in the house of their fathers. 31And from the half-tribe of Manasseh: eighteen thousand who were designated by name to come to make David king. 32And from the men of Issachar: men who were skilled in understanding the times#Literally “men who knew the understanding of the times” to know what Israel should do. Their chiefs were two hundred, and all their kinsmen were under their command. 33From Zebulun, those who went out armed, equipped for battle with all the weapons of war: fifty thousand to help David with singleness of purpose.#Literally “with not heart and heart” 34From Naphtali: one thousand commanders; and those with them with shield and spear: thirty-seven thousand. 35From the Danites, those equipped for battle: twenty-eight thousand six hundred. 36And from Asher, those who went out armed and prepared for battle: forty thousand. 37And from beyond the Jordan, from the Reubenites and the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh, with all their weapons of war for battle: one hundred and twenty thousand. 38All these were men of war arrayed in battle line with a whole heart.#Literally “with heart well” They came to Hebron to make David king over all Israel. Likewise, all the rest of Israel had one heart to make David king. 39And they were there with David three days, eating and drinking, for their kinsmen were prepared for them. 40And also their relatives, as far as Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, brought food on donkeys, on camels, on mules, and on oxen—provisions of flour, cakes of figs, raisin cakes, wine and oil, cattle and sheep in abundance, for there was great joy in Israel.
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