The Mighty Men Join David at Ziklag 1 CPDV Also, these went to David at Ziklag, while he was still fleeing from Saul, the son of Kish. And they were very strong and distinguished fighters, BSB BSB: Now these were the men who came to David at Ziklag, while he was still banished from the presence of Saul son of Kish (they were among the mighty men who helped him in battle;
2 CPDV bending the bow, and using either hand in casting stones with slings, and shooting arrows. From the brothers of Saul, out of Benjamin: BSB BSB: they were archers using both the right and left hands to sling stones and shoot arrows; and they were Saul’s kinsmen from Benjamin):
3 CPDV the leader was Ahiezer, with Joash, sons of Shemaah from Gibeah, and Jeziel and Pelet, sons of Azmaveth, and Beracah and Jehu, from Anathoth. BSB BSB: Ahiezer their chief and Joash, who were the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite; Jeziel and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth; Beracah; Jehu the Anathothite;
4 CPDV Also, there was Ishmaiah, from Gibeon, the strongest among the thirty and over the thirty; Jeremiah, and Jahaziel, and Johanan, and Jozabad, from Gederah; BSB BSB: Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty man among the Thirty and a leader over the Thirty; Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, and Jozabad the Gederathite;
5 CPDV and Eluzai, and Jerimoth, and Bealiah, and Shemariah, and Shephatiah, the Haruphites; BSB BSB: Eluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah, and Shephatiah the Haruphite;
6 CPDV Elkanah, and Isshiah, and Azarel, and Joezer, and Jashobeam, from Carehim; BSB BSB: Elkanah, Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer, and Jashobeam, who were Korahites;
7 CPDV and also Joelah and Zebadiah, sons of Jeroham, from Gedor. BSB BSB: and Joelah and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham from Gedor.
8 CPDV Then too, from Gad, there went over to David, when he was hiding in the desert, very robust men, who were excellent fighters, taking hold of shield and spear; their faces were like the faces of a lion, and they were swift like the roe deer upon the mountains. BSB BSB: Some Gadites defected to David at his stronghold in the wilderness. They were mighty men of valor, trained for battle, experts with the shield and spear, whose faces were like the faces of lions and who were as swift as gazelles on the mountains:
9 CPDV Ezer was the leader, Obadiah the second, Eliab the third, BSB BSB: Ezer the chief, Obadiah the second in command, Eliab the third,
10 CPDV Mishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth, BSB BSB: Mishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth,
11 CPDV Attai the sixth, Eliel the seventh, BSB BSB: Attai the sixth, Eliel the seventh,
12 CPDV Johanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth, BSB BSB: Johanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth,
13 CPDV Jeremiah the tenth, Machbannai the eleventh. BSB BSB: Jeremiah the tenth, and Machbanai the eleventh.
14 CPDV These were from the sons of Gad, leaders of the army. The least was in charge of one hundred soldiers, and the greatest was in charge of one thousand. BSB BSB: These Gadites were army commanders, the least of whom was a match for a hundred, and the greatest for a thousand.
15 CPDV These are the ones who crossed over the Jordan in the first month, when it is accustomed to overflow its banks. And they put to flight all those who were staying in the valleys, to the eastern region and to the west. BSB BSB: These are the ones who crossed the Jordan in the first month when it was overflowing all its banks, and they put to flight all those in the valleys, both to the east and to the west.
16 CPDV Then some from Benjamin and from Judah also arrived at the stronghold where David was staying. BSB BSB: Other Benjamites and some men from Judah also came to David in his stronghold.
17 CPDV And David went out to meet them, and he said: “If you have arrived peacefully, so as to be a help to me, may my heart be joined to you; but if to betray me to my adversaries, though I have no iniquity in my hands, may the God of our fathers see and judge.” BSB BSB: And David went out to meet them, saying, “If you have come to me in peace to help me, my heart will be united with you; but if you have come to betray me to my enemies when my hands are free of violence, may the God of our fathers see it and judge you.”
18 CPDV Truly, the Spirit clothed Amasai, the leader among the thirty, and he said: “O David, we are yours! O son of Jesse, we are for you! Peace, peace to you, and peace to your helpers. For your God helps you.” Therefore, David received them, and he appointed them as leaders of troops. BSB BSB: Then the Spirit came upon Amasai, the chief of the Thirty, and he said: “We are yours, O David! We are with you, O son of Jesse! Peace, peace to you, and peace to your helpers, for your God helps you.” So David received them and made them leaders of his troops.
19 CPDV Moreover, some from Manasseh crossed over to David, when he went forth with the Philistines against Saul, so that he might fight. But he did not fight with them. For the leaders of the Philistines, taking counsel, sent him back, saying, “To the peril of our own heads, he will return to his lord, Saul.” BSB BSB: Some from Manasseh defected to David when he went with the Philistines to fight against Saul. (They did not help the Philistines because the Philistine rulers consulted and sent David away, saying, “It will cost us our heads if he defects to his master Saul.”)
20 CPDV And so, when he returned to Ziklag, some fled over to him from Manasseh: Adnah, and Jozabad, and Jediael, and Michael, and Adnah, and Jozabad, and Elihu, and Zillethai, leaders of thousands in Manasseh. BSB BSB: When David went to Ziklag, these men of Manasseh defected to him: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai, chiefs of thousands in Manasseh.
21 CPDV These offered assistance to David against the robbers. For all were very strong men, and they became leaders in the army. BSB BSB: They helped David against the raiders, for they were all mighty men of valor and commanders in the army.
22 CPDV Then, too, some came to David throughout each day, in order to help him, until they became a great number, like the army of God. BSB BSB: For at that time men came to David day after day to help him, until he had a great army, like the army of God.
David’s Army Grows at Hebron 23 CPDV Now this is the number of the leaders of the army who went to David when he was at Hebron, so that they might transfer the kingdom of Saul to him, in accord with the word of the Lord: BSB BSB: Now these are the numbers of men armed for battle who came to David at Hebron to turn Saul’s kingdom over to him, in accordance with the word of the LORD:
24 CPDV the sons of Judah, carrying shield and spear, six thousand eight hundred, equipped for battle; BSB BSB: From Judah: 6,800 armed troops bearing shields and spears.
25 CPDV from the sons of Simeon, very strong men for the fight, seven thousand one hundred; BSB BSB: From Simeon: 7,100 mighty men of valor, ready for battle.
26 CPDV from the sons of Levi, four thousand six hundred; BSB BSB: From Levi: 4,600,
27 CPDV as well as Jehoiada, a leader from the stock of Aaron, and with him three thousand seven hundred; BSB BSB: including Jehoiada, leader of the house of Aaron, with 3,700 men,
28 CPDV and then Zadok, a youth of distinguished qualities, and the house of his father, twenty-two leaders; BSB BSB: and Zadok, a mighty young man of valor, with 22 commanders from his own family.
29 CPDV and from the sons of Benjamin, brothers of Saul, three thousand, for still a great part of them were following the house of Saul. BSB BSB: From Benjamin, the kinsmen of Saul: 3,000, most of whom had remained loyal to the house of Saul up to that time.
30 CPDV Then from the sons of Ephraim, there were twenty thousand eight hundred, very strong and robust men, renowned among their kindred. BSB BSB: From Ephraim: 20,800 mighty men of valor, famous among their own clans.
31 CPDV And out of the one half tribe of Manasseh, eighteen thousand, each by their names, went forth so that they might appoint David as king. BSB BSB: From the half-tribe of Manasseh: 18,000 designated by name to come and make David king.
32 CPDV Also, from the sons of Issachar, there were learned men, who knew each of the times, in order to anticipate what Israel ought to do, two hundred leaders. And all the remainder of the tribe were following their counsel. BSB BSB: From Issachar, men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do: 200 chiefs with all their kinsmen at their command.
33 CPDV Then, from Zebulun, there were those who went forth to battle, and who were standing in a battle line, prepared with the weapons of warfare; these fifty thousand arrived to assist, without duplicity of heart. BSB BSB: From Zebulun: 50,000 fit for service, trained for battle with all kinds of weapons of war, who with one purpose were devoted to David.
34 CPDV And from Naphtali, there were one thousand leaders; and with them were thirty-seven thousand, prepared with shield and spear. BSB BSB: From Naphtali: 1,000 commanders, accompanied by 37,000 men with shield and spear.
35 CPDV And then from Dan, there were twenty-eight thousand six hundred, ready for battle. BSB BSB: From Dan: 28,600 prepared for battle.
36 CPDV And from Asher, there were forty thousand, going forth to fight, and summoned to the battle line. BSB BSB: From Asher: 40,000 fit for service, prepared for battle.
37 CPDV Then, across the Jordan, there were, from the sons of Reuben, and from Gad, and from the one half tribe of Manasseh, one hundred twenty thousand, prepared with the weapons of warfare. BSB BSB: And from east of the Jordan, from Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh there: 120,000 armed with every kind of weapon of war.
38 CPDV All these men of war, equipped for the fight, went with a perfect heart to Hebron, so that they might appoint David as king over all of Israel. Then, too, all the remainder of Israel were of one heart, so that they might make David king. BSB BSB: All these men of war, arrayed for battle, came to Hebron fully determined to make David king over all Israel. And all the rest of the Israelites were of one mind to make David king.
39 CPDV And they were in that place with David for three days, eating and drinking. For their brothers had made preparations for them. BSB BSB: They spent three days there eating and drinking with David, for their relatives had provided for them.
40 CPDV Moreover, those who were near to them, even as far as Issachar, and Zebulun, and Naphtali, were bringing, on donkeys and camels and mules and oxen, bread for their provisions, with grain, dried figs, dried grapes, wine, oil, and oxen and sheep, with all abundance. For indeed, there was joy in Israel. BSB BSB: And their neighbors from as far away as Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali came bringing food on donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen—abundant supplies of flour, fig cakes and raisin cakes, wine and oil, oxen and sheep. Indeed, there was joy in Israel.
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