1These are the men who came to David at Ziklag, while he was still hiding because of Saul the son of Kish. They were among the mighty men who helped him in the war.
2They were armed with bows. They could use both the right hand and the left to sling stones and to shoot arrows from a bow. They were Saul's own relatives from Benjamin.
3The chief was Ahiezer, then Joash, the sons of Shemaah from Gibeah; and Jeziel and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth; and Berachah, and Jehu from Anathoth,
4and Ismaiah from Gibeon, a mighty man among the thirty and a leader over the thirty; and Jeremiah, and Jahaziel, and Johanan, and Josabad from Gederah,
5Eluzai, and Jerimoth, and Bealiah, and Shemariah, and Shephatiah from Haruph,
6Elkanah, and Jesiah, and Azareel, and Joezer, and Jashobeam, who were Korhites,
7and Joelah and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham of Gedor.
8Some of the Gadites left their own people and came over to David at the stronghold in the wilderness. They were mighty men, trained soldiers, ready for battle, able to handle shield and spear. Their faces were like the faces of lions, and they were as swift as deer 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, Machbanai the eleventh.
14These were sons of Gad, captains of the army. The least of them was over a hundred men, and the greatest was over a thousand.
15These are the men who crossed the Jordan in the first month, when the river had flooded over all its banks. They drove away all the people of the valleys, both to the east and to the west.
17David went out to meet them and said to them, "If you have come to me in peace, to help me, my heart will be joined to you. But if you have come to betray me to my enemies, when I have done no wrong, then may the God of our fathers see it and judge you."
18Then the spirit came upon Amasai, who was chief of the captains, and he said, "We are yours, David. We are on your side, son of Jesse. Peace, peace be to you, and peace to those who help you, for your God helps you." Then David welcomed them and made them captains of his band.
19Some men of Manasseh joined David when he came with the Philistines to fight against Saul. But they did not help the Philistines, for the rulers of the Philistines talked it over and sent David away. They said, "He will go over to his master Saul, and it will cost us our heads."
20As he went to Ziklag, these men of Manasseh joined him: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu and Zilthai, captains over thousands in Manasseh.
21They helped David against the band of raiders, for they were all mighty men of courage, and they were captains in the army.
22Day after day at that time men came to David to help him, until his army was a great army, like the army of God.
23These are the numbers of the armed bands that were ready for war and came to David at Hebron, to turn the kingdom of Saul over to him, as the LORD had said.
24The sons of Judah who carried shield and spear were six thousand eight hundred, armed and ready for war.
25Of the sons of Simeon, mighty men of courage for the war, seven thousand one hundred.
26Of the sons of Levi, four thousand six hundred.
27Jehoiada was the leader of the sons of Aaron, and with him were three thousand seven hundred men.
28And Zadok, a young man of great courage, came with twenty-two captains from his father's family.
29Of the sons of Benjamin, Saul's own relatives, three thousand. Until then most of them had stayed loyal to the house of Saul.
30Of the sons of Ephraim, twenty thousand eight hundred, mighty men of courage, men of note in their families.
32Of the sons of Issachar, men who understood the times and knew what Israel ought to do, there were two hundred leaders, and all their brothers were under their command.
33Of Zebulun, men who went out to battle, trained for war with every kind of weapon, fifty thousand. They could keep their ranks, and they were not of a divided heart.
34Of Naphtali, a thousand captains, and with them thirty-seven thousand men with shield and spear.
35Of the Danites, trained for war, twenty-eight thousand six hundred.
36Of Asher, men who went out to battle, trained for war, forty thousand.
37And from the other side of the Jordan, of the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half tribe of Manasseh, with every kind of weapon for the battle, a hundred and twenty thousand.
38All these were men of war who could keep their ranks. They came to Hebron with a whole heart, to make David king over all Israel. And all the rest of Israel were of one heart to make David king.
39They stayed there with David three days, eating and drinking, for their brothers had made ready for them.