Common English Bible CEB
The Message Bible MSG
1 The following persons came to David at Ziklag while he was banished from the presence of Saul, Kish's son. They were some of the warriors who helped him in battle,
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These are the men who joined David in Ziklag; it was during the time he was banished by Saul the son of Kish; they were among the Mighty Men, good fighters.
2 armed with bows, and they could use either hand to shoot arrows or sling stones. They were Saul's relatives from Benjamin:
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They were armed with bows and could sling stones and shoot arrows either right- or left-handed. They hailed from Saul's tribe, Benjamin.
3 Ahiezer was the leader, then Joash, both Shemaah's sons from Gibeah; Jeziel and Pelet, Azmaveth's sons; Beracah; Jehu of Anathoth;
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The first was Ahiezer; then Joash son of Shemaah the Gibeathite; Jeziel and Pelet the sons of Azmaveth; Beracah; Jehu the Anathothite;
4 Ishmaiah from Gibeon, a warrior in the Thirty and a leader over the Thirty; Jeremiah; Jahaziel; Johanan; Jozabad from Gederah;
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Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a Mighty Man among the Thirty, a leader of the Thirty; Jeremiah; Jahaziel; Johanan; Jozabad the Gederathite;
5 Eluzai; Jerimoth; Bealiah; Shemariah; Shephatiah the Haruphite;
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Eluzai; Jerimoth; Bealiah; Shemariah; Shephatiah the Haruphite;
6 Elkanah, Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer, and Jashobeam the Korahites;
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Elkanah; Isshiah; Azarel; Joezer; Jashobeam; the Korahites;
7 Joelah; and Zebadiah, Jeroham's son from Gedor.
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and Joelah and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham from Gedor.
8 Some left Gad to join David at the desert fortress, brave warriors trained for battle, armed with shield and spear, who looked like lions and who were swift as gazelles on the mountains:
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There were some Gadites there who had defected to David at his wilderness fortress; they were seasoned and eager fighters who knew how to handle shield and spear. They were wild in appearance, like lions, but as agile as gazelles racing across the hills.
9 Ezer the leader, Obadiah second, Eliab third,
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Ezer was the first, then Obadiah, Eliab,
10 Mishmannah fourth, Jeremiah fifth,
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Mishmannah, Jeremiah,
11 Attai sixth, Eliel seventh,
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Attai, Eliel,
12 Johanan eighth, Elzabad ninth,
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Johanan, Elzabad,
13 Jeremiah tenth, Machbannai eleventh.
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Jeremiah, and Macbannai - eleven of them.
14 These Gadites were military officers, the least of them ready to fight a hundred and the greatest a thousand.
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These Gadites were the cream of the crop - any one of them was worth a hundred lesser men, and the best of them were worth a thousand.
15 These are the ones who crossed the Jordan in the first month, when it was overflowing all its banks, and chased away everyone living in the valleys to the east and the west.
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They were the ones who crossed the Jordan when it was at flood stage in the first month, and put everyone in the lowlands to flight, both east and west.
16 Some Benjaminites and Judahites also came to David at the fortress.
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There were also men from the tribes of Benjamin and Judah who joined David in his wilderness fortress.
17 David went out to meet them and said to them, "If you've come to me with good intentions in order to help me, then we will join forces. But if you've come to betray me to my enemies, though I've done no wrong, then may our ancestors' God see it and punish you."
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When David went out to meet them, this is what he said: "If you have come in peace and to help me, you are most welcome to join this company; but if you have come to betray me to my enemies, innocent as I am, the God of our ancestors will see through you and bring judgment on you."
18 Then a spirit took hold of Amasai, the leader of the Thirty: David, we are yours; and on your side, Jesse's son! May it go very well for you, and may it go well for whoever helps you! Yes, your God has helped you. Then David received them, and put them at the head of his troops.
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Just then Amasai chief of the Thirty, moved by God's Spirit, said, We're on your side, O David, We're committed, O son of Jesse; All is well, yes, all is well with you, And all's well with whoever helps you. Yes, for your God has helped and does help you. So David took them on and assigned them a place under the chiefs of the raiders.
19 Some of the Manassites also joined David when he came with the Philistines for the battle against Saul. But he didn't help them, because after considering the matter, the Philistine rulers sent him away. "He'll rejoin his master Saul," they said, "and it will cost us our heads."
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Some from the tribe of Manasseh also defected to David when he started out with the Philistines to go to war against Saul. In the end, they didn't actually fight because the Philistine leaders, after talking it over, sent them home, saying, "We can't trust them with our lives - they'll betray us to their master Saul."
20 When he went to Ziklag some joined him from Manasseh: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai, leaders of units of a thousand in Manasseh.
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The men from Manasseh who defected to David at Ziklag were Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai, all leaders among the families of Manasseh.
21 They helped David against the raiding bands because they were all warriors and officers in the army.
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They helped David in his raids against the desert bandits; they were all stalwart fighters and good leaders among his raiders.
22 Reinforcements came to David daily until there was an army as mighty as God's army.
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Hardly a day went by without men showing up to help - it wasn't long before his band seemed as large as God's own army!
23 These are the numbers of the commanders of those armed for battle who came to David in Hebron to make sure he took over Saul's kingdom, according to the LORD's word:
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Here are the statistics on the battle-seasoned warriors who came down from the north to David at Hebron to hand over Saul's kingdom, in accord with God's word:
24 from Judah, carrying shield and spear, 6,800 troops armed for battle;
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from Judah, carrying shield and spear, 6,800 battle-ready;
25 from Simeon, mighty warriors, 7,100;
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from Simeon, 7,100 stalwart fighters;
26 from Levi, 4,600;
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from Levi, 4,600,
27 also Jehoiada, leader of Aaron's line, and with him 3,700;
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which included Jehoiada leader of the family of Aaron, bringing 3,700 men
28 and Zadok, a young man, a mighty warrior, and 22 officers from his household;
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and the young and stalwart Zadok with twenty-two leaders from his family;
29 from Benjamin, Saul's relatives, 3,000, most of whom had been loyal to Saul's household;
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from Benjamin, Saul's family, 3,000, most of whom had stuck it out with Saul until now;
30 from Ephraim, 20,800, mighty warriors, famous in their households;
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from Ephraim, 20,800, fierce fighters and famous in their hometowns;
31 from half the tribe of Manasseh, 18,000, designated by name to come and make David king;
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from the half-tribe of Manasseh, 18,000 elected to come and make David king;
32 from Issachar, those who understood the times and what Israel should do, 200 chiefs, with all their relatives under their command;
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from Issachar, men who understood both the times and Israel's duties, 200 leaders with their families;
33 from Zebulun, 50,000 experienced troops, armed for battle with all the weapons of war, to help with undivided loyalty;
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from Zebulun, 50,000 well-equipped veteran warriors, unswervingly loyal;
34 from Naphtali, 1,000 officers, as well as 37,000 armed with shield and spear;
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from Naphtali, 1,000 chiefs leading 37,000 men heavily armed;
35 from Dan, 28,600 armed for battle;
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from Dan, 28,600 battle-ready men;
36 from Asher, 40,000 experienced troops armed for battle;
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from Asher, 40,000 veterans, battle-ready;
37 from the other side of the Jordan, the Reubenites, Gadites, and the other half of the tribe of Manasseh, 120,000 armed with all the weapons of war.
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and from East of Jordan, men from Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, heavily armed, 120,000.
38 All these men of war, armed for battle, came to Hebron determined to make David king over all Israel, and all the rest of Israel were fully agreed to make David king.
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All these soldiers came to David at Hebron, ready to fight if necessary; they were both united and determined to make David king over all Israel. And everyone else in Israel was of the same mind - "Make David king!"
39 They were there with David for three days, eating and drinking, while their relatives provided food for them.
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They were with David for three days of feasting celebration, with food and drink supplied by their families.
40 Even their neighbors from as far away as Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali were bringing food by donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen. There was an abundance of flour, fig cakes, clusters of raisins, wine, oil, oxen, and sheep, because Israel was joyful.
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Neighbors ranging from as far north as Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali arrived with donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen loaded down with food for the party: flour, fig cakes, raisin cakes, wine, oil, cattle, and sheep - joy in Israel! David Goes to Get the Chest of God
Copyright © 2011 Common English Bible
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.