1 Chronicles 12:1-9

David's First Supporters

1 The following were the men who came to David at Ziklag while he was still banned from the presence of Saul son of Kish.^[a] They were among the warriors who helped him in battle.

2 They were archers who, using either their right or left hand, could [throw] stones [with a sling] or [shoot] arrows with a bow. They were Saul's relatives from Benjamin:

3 Their chief was Ahiezer son of Shemaah the Gibeathite. Then there was his brother Joash; Jeziel and Pelet sons of Azmaveth; Beracah, Jehu the Anathothite;

4 Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a warrior among the Thirty and [a leader] over the Thirty; ^[b]Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, Jozabad the Gederathite;

5 Eluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah, Shephatiah the Haruphite;

6 Elkanah, Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer, and Jashobeam, the Korahites;

7 and Joelah and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham from Gedor.

8 Some Gadites defected to David at his stronghold in the desert. They were fighting men, trained for battle, expert with shield and spear. Their faces were like the faces of lions, and they were as swift as gazelles on the mountains.

9 Ezer was the chief, Obadiah second, Eliab third,

1 Chronicles 12:1-9 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 12

This chapter gives an account of those that came to David at different times, and joined and assisted him both before the death of Saul, and when persecuted by him, and after he was made king of Judah in Hebron, and before he was king of all Israel, in order to it; of the Benjaminites that came to him when at Ziklag, 1Ch 12:1-7 of the Gadites that came to him when in the hold, 1Ch 12:8-15 of some of Judah and Benjamin, who came to him in the same place, 1Ch 12:16-18, and of the Manassites at the time he came with the Philistines against Saul, 1Ch 12:19-22 and the number of the several tribes are given, that came to him at Hebron to make him king over all Israel, 1Ch 12:23-40.

Footnotes

• [a] 1 Sm 27:1-7
• [b] 1 Ch 12:5 in Hb starts here, v. 5 is 1 Ch 12:6 in Hb, and so on throughout chap 12