The Mighty Men of War Who Came to Help David Become King |
1 Chronicles 12:1-40 1 Chronicles in [Smaller Chunks] |
Now, these are [the men who] came to David to Ziklag, while [David] kept himself [hidden,] because of [king] Saul, [Kish's] son. They were among the mighty men of war [& assisted David with] the war. |
They were armed with bows & arrows [& they] could [hurl] stones with both [their] right & left hands & even [some] of Saul's [relatives] of Benjamin. |
The chief [leader] was Ahiezer; then Joash, the sons of Shemaah, [a.k.a. Shemaiah & Hasmaah] the Gibeathite; Jeziel & Pelet, [Azmaveth's] sons; Berachah, [a.k.a. Berakah] & Jehu, the Antothite, [a.k.a. Anathothite] & Ishmaiah, the Gibeonite, a mighty [warrior] among the 30, [who was the leader] over the 30. |
And Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan & Josabad, the Gederathite. Eluzai; Jerimoth; Bealiah; Shemariah & Shephatiah, the Haruphite. Elkanah; Jesiah, [a.k.a. Ishiah;] Azareel, [a.k.a. Azrael;] Joezer & Jashobeam, the Korhites, [a.k.a. Korathites.] |
And Joelah & Zebadiah, [Jeroham's] sons [from] Gedor. [These] are the [mighty] men of war, of the Gadites [who joined] David in the [strong safe place of refuge in] the wilderness. |
[They were] fit for the battle & [they] could handle [a] shield & [armor, with] faces like lions & were as swift as [gazelles] upon the mountains: Ezer, the 1st [in command;] Obadiah, 2nd; Eliab, 3rd; Mishmannah, 4th; Jeremiah, 5th; Attai, 6th; |
Eliel, 7th; Johanan, 8th; Elzabad, 9th; Jeremiah, 10th; Machbanai, [a.k.a. Makbannai] 11th. These were [descendants] of [Gad's] sons & [were] captains of the [army.] |
One of the least was over 100 [men] & the greatest [was] over 1,000. These are [those who] went over [the] Jordan [River] in the 1st month, when it had overflown all [its] banks & all of them in the valleys, both toward the east & the west [fled.] |
[Some of] the children [people] of Benjamin & Judah came to David to the [strong hold.] And David went out to meet them & said to them, If you come [peacefully] to me to help me, [then my] heart shall [join with] you. |
But if you come to betray me to [my] enemies, seeing [my hands are free from violence, may] the God of our [forefathers] look [upon it & judge you.] Then the Spirit came upon: Amasai, chief [leader] of [30] captains & he said, We are [yours,] David & [we are] on your side, you son of Jesse. |
Peace, peace be to you & peace to your helpers; for your God helps you. Then, David received them & made them captains of [his group.] Some of [the tribe of] Manasseh [joined with] David, when he [went] with the Philistines [to fight] against Saul. |
But [David & his men didn't] help [the Philistines, [because the Philistine rulers] sent [David away] after [consulting,] saying, Our [own] heads will [be at risk, if David returns to his previous] master, Saul. |
As [David returned] to Ziklag, [these were the men of Manasseh who defected] to him: Adnah; Jozabad; Jediael; Michael; Jozabad; Elihu; Zilthai, [a.k.a. Zillethai;] captains of 1,000's that were of Manasseh. |
And they helped David against the band of [raiders:] for they were all mighty men & were captains in the [army.] At that time, [men] came to David day by day to help him, until it was a [large army,] like the [army of God.] |
And these are the numbers of the [men, who] were armed [for] war & came to David [in] Hebron, to turn the kingdom of Saul [over to David,] according to the Word of the Lord [God.] |
The children [people] of Judah [who carried] shield & [spears] were 6,800 [equipped for] war. [From] the children [people] of Simeon [were:] 7,100 mighty men of valor for the war. |
[From] the children [people] of Levi [were:] 4,600 & Jehoiada was the leader of the Aaronites & with him [were:] 3,700. [Also,] Zadok, a mighty, young man of valor [with] 22 captains [leaders] of his father's [family.] |
And [from] the children [people] of Benjamin, the [relatives] of Saul [were:] 3,000. [Until then,] the [largest] part of them had [remained loyal to] the house of Saul. And the children [people] of Ephraim [were:] 20,800 mighty men of valor, famous throughout their [father's family.] |
[From] the 1/2 [of the] tribe of Manasseh [were listed] 18,000 by name, [who came] to make David king. [From] the children [people] of Issachar, [who] were [wise] men of understanding & [knew] what Israel [should] do; |
[There] were 200 heads [leaders] of them & all their [relatives] were at their [command.] [From] Zebulun, [there were:] 50,000, [who] went into battle, [experts] & prepared for war with all [weapons,] who could keep [in battle formation & were loyal to David.] |
[From] the [people] of Naphtali [were] 1,000 captains & 37,000 [of] them with [shields & spears.] And 28,600 Danites [were experts] in war. [From] Asher [were] 40,000, [who] went [into] battle & [were experts] in war. |
On the other side [of the] Jordan [River,] the Reubenites, Gadites & ½ [of the] tribe of Manasseh [were:] 120,000 [who went to battle & were experts with all types of weapons] of war. |
All these men of war could keep [in battle formation] & came with a [loyal] heart to Hebron, to make David king over all Israel. Also, the rest of Israel were of 1 heart to make David king. |
They were with David [for] 3 days eating & drinking; [what] their brethren prepared for them. [Also, those who] were [near] them, even to Issachar, Zebulun & Naphtali, |
brought bread, meat, [flour,] cakes of figs, bunches of raisins, wine & oil on [donkey's] camels, mules & oxen, [as well as an abundance of] oxen & sheep. For there was joy in Israel. |