1These are the men who came to David at Ziklag while he was in hiding from Saul son of Kish. They were powerful warriors who helped him in battle.
2They were armed with bows and could use both their right and left hands to sling stones and shoot arrows. They were relatives of Saul from the tribe of Benjamin.
3The leader was Ahiezer, then Joash, sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite; Jeziel and Pelet, sons of Azmaveth; Beracah; and Jehu the Anathothite.
4Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty warrior among the thirty and a leader of 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, sons of Jeroham of Gedor.
8Some Gadites joined David at his stronghold in the wilderness. They were brave and strong warriors, trained for battle, skilled with shield and spear. They were fierce like lions and as fast as gazelles on the mountains.
9Ezer was the chief, Obadiah was second, Eliab was third,
10Mishmannah was fourth, Jeremiah fifth,
11Attai sixth, Eliel seventh,
12Johanan eighth, Elzabad ninth,
13Jeremiah was tenth, and Machbannai was eleventh.
14These men from the tribe of Gad were army commanders. The weakest among them could defeat a hundred men, and the strongest could defeat a thousand.
15These are the men who crossed the Jordan River in the first month when it had flooded its banks. They chased away everyone living in the valleys, both to the east and to the west.
16Some men from the tribes of Benjamin and Judah came to David at his stronghold.
17David went out to meet them and said, "If you have come peacefully to help me, then I welcome you wholeheartedly. But if you have come to betray me to my enemies, even though I have done nothing wrong, may the God of our ancestors see it and punish you."
18Then the Spirit came upon Amasai, who was the chief of the thirty, and he said, "We are completely yours, David, and we support you, son of Jesse. May you have peace, and may your helpers have peace, for your God helps you." So David welcomed them and made them commanders in his army.
19Some men from Manasseh also joined David when he went with the Philistines to fight against Saul. But they didn't help the Philistines, because after discussing it, the Philistine leaders sent David away. They said, "He will betray us and return to his master Saul, putting our lives in danger."
20As David went to Ziklag, these men from Manasseh joined him: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai. They were commanders of thousands from Manasseh.
21They helped David fight against the raiding parties, because all of them were brave and strong warriors, and they were commanders in the army.
22Day after day, men came to David to help him, until he had a large army, like the army of God.
23Here are the numbers of the leaders of those armed for war who came to David in Hebron to transfer Saul's kingdom to him, as Yahweh had promised.
24From the tribe of Judah, there were 6,800 men armed with shields and spears, ready for war.
25From the tribe of Simeon, there were 7,100 brave warriors ready for war.
26From the tribe of Levi, there were 4,600 men.
27Jehoiada was the leader of Aaron's descendants, and with him were 3,700 men.
28Also, Zadok, a brave young man from his family, brought twenty-two commanders.
29From the tribe of Benjamin, Saul's own relatives, there were 3,000 men. Up until that time, most of them had remained loyal to Saul's family.
30From the tribe of Ephraim, there were 20,800 brave and respected men from their clans.
31From the half-tribe of Manasseh, there were 18,000 men who were specifically chosen to come and make David king.
32From the tribe of Issachar, there were 200 leaders who understood the times and knew what Israel should do. All their relatives were under their command.
33From the tribe of Zebulun came 50,000 soldiers, ready for battle with all kinds of weapons. They were loyal and decisive leaders.
34From the tribe of Naphtali came 1,000 captains, and with them 37,000 men armed with shields and spears.
35From the tribe of Dan came 28,600 soldiers, ready for battle.
36From the tribe of Asher came 40,000 soldiers, ready for battle.
37From the other side of the Jordan River, from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, came 120,000 men with all kinds of weapons for battle.
38All these men were skilled warriors, capable of arranging themselves for battle. They came to Hebron with sincere hearts to make David king over all Israel. The rest of Israel also unanimously wanted David to be king.
39They stayed with David for three days, eating and drinking, because their relatives had provided provisions for them.
40In addition, those nearby, as far as Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali, brought food by donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen. They brought plenty of flour, fig cakes, raisin clusters, wine, olive oil, cattle, and sheep, because there was great joy in Israel.