David’s First Supporters
1The following were the men who came to David at Ziklag while he was still banned from the presence of Saul son of Kish.12:1 1Sm 27:1–7 They were among the warriors who helped him in battle.
3Their chief was Ahiezer son of Shemaah the Gibeathite.
Then there was his brother Joash;
Jeziel and Pelet sons of Azmaveth;
Beracah, Jehu the Anathothite;
4Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a warrior among the Thirty and a leader over the Thirty;
Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, Jozabad the Gederathite;
5Eluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah, Shephatiah the Haruphite;
6Elkanah, Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer, and Jashobeam, the Korahites;
7and Joelah and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham from Gedor.
9Ezer was the chief, Obadiah second, Eliab third,
10Mishmannah fourth, Jeremiah fifth,
11Attai sixth, Eliel seventh,
12Johanan eighth, Elzabad ninth,
13Jeremiah tenth, and Machbannai eleventh.
16Other Benjaminites and men from Judah also went to David at the stronghold.12:16 1Sm 22:1–2
17David went out to meet them and said to them, “If you have come in peace to help me, my heart will be united with you, but if you have come to betray me to my enemies even though my hands have done no wrong, may the God of our ancestors look on it and judge.”
We are yours, David,
we are with you, son of Jesse!
Peace, peace to you,
and peace to him who helps you,12:18 1Sm 25:5–6
for your God helps you.
So David received them and made them leaders of his troops.
19Some Manassites defected to David when he went with the Philistines to fight against Saul. However, they did not help the Philistines because the Philistine rulers sent David away after a discussion. They said, “It will be our heads if he defects to his master Saul.”12:19 1Sm 29:1–11
20When David went to Ziklag, some men from Manasseh defected to him: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai, chiefs of thousands in Manasseh.
21They helped David against the raiders,12:21 1Sm 30:1–20 for they were all valiant warriors and commanders in the army.
22At that time, men came day after day to help David until there was a great army, like an army of God.12:22 Or like the ultimate army12:22 Gn 32:1–2; Jos 5:13–15
David’s Soldiers in Hebron
24From the Judahites: 6,800 armed troops bearing shields and spears.
25From the Simeonites: 7,100 valiant warriors ready for war.
30From the Ephraimites: 20,800 valiant warriors who were famous men in their ancestral families.12:30 Lit the house of their fathers
31From half the tribe of Manasseh: 18,000 designated by name to come and make David king.
34From Naphtali: 1,000 commanders accompanied by 37,000 men with shield and spear.
35From the Danites: 28,600 trained for battle.
36From Asher: 40,000 who could serve in the army, trained for battle.
37From across the Jordan — from the Reubenites, Gadites, and half the tribe of Manasseh: 120,000 men equipped with all the military weapons of war.
38All these warriors, lined up in battle formation, came to Hebron wholeheartedly determined to make David king over all Israel. All the rest of Israel was also of one mind to make David king.12:38 2Sm 5:1–3
39They spent three days there eating and drinking with David, for their relatives had provided for them.
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