The Message Bible MSG
English Standard Version ESV
1 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.
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Now these are the men who came to David at Ziklag, while he could not move about freely because of Saul the son of Kish. And they were among the mighty men who helped him in war.
2 They were armed with bows and could sling stones and shoot arrows either right- or left-handed. They hailed from Saul's tribe, Benjamin.
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They were bowmen and could shoot arrows and sling stones with either the right or the left hand; they were Benjaminites, Saul’s kinsmen.
3 The first was Ahiezer; then Joash son of Shemaah the Gibeathite; Jeziel and Pelet the sons of Azmaveth; Beracah; Jehu the Anathothite;
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The chief was Ahiezer, then Joash, both sons of Shemaah of Gibeah; also Jeziel and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth; Beracah, Jehu of Anathoth,
4 Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a Mighty Man among the Thirty, a leader of the Thirty; Jeremiah; Jahaziel; Johanan; Jozabad the Gederathite;
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Ishmaiah of Gibeon, a mighty man among the thirty and a leader over the thirty; Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, Jozabad of Gederah,
5 Eluzai; Jerimoth; Bealiah; Shemariah; Shephatiah the Haruphite;
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Eluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah, Shephatiah the Haruphite;
6 Elkanah; Isshiah; Azarel; Joezer; Jashobeam; the Korahites;
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Elkanah, Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer, and Jashobeam, the Korahites;
7 and Joelah and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham from Gedor.
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And Joelah and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham of Gedor.
8 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.
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From the Gadites there went over to David at the stronghold in the wilderness mighty and experienced warriors, expert with shield and spear, whose faces were like the faces of lions and who were swift as gazelles upon the mountains:
9 Ezer was the first, then Obadiah, Eliab,
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Ezer the chief, Obadiah second, Eliab third,
10 Mishmannah, Jeremiah,
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Mishmannah fourth, Jeremiah fifth,
11 Attai, Eliel,
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Attai sixth, Eliel seventh,
12 Johanan, Elzabad,
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Johanan eighth, Elzabad ninth,
13 Jeremiah, and Macbannai - eleven of them.
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Jeremiah tenth, Machbannai eleventh.
14 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.
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These Gadites were officers of the army; the least was a match for a hundred men and the greatest for a thousand.
15 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.
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These are the men who crossed the Jordan in the first month, when it was overflowing all its banks, and put to flight all those in the valleys, to the east and to the west.
16 There were also men from the tribes of Benjamin and Judah who joined David in his wilderness fortress.
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And some of the men of Benjamin and Judah came to the stronghold to David.
17 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."
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David went out to meet them and said to them, “If you have come to me in friendship to help me, my heart will be joined to you; but if to betray me to my adversaries, although there is no wrong in my hands, then may the God of our fathers see and rebuke you. ”
18 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.
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Then the Spirit clothed Amasai, chief of the thirty, and he said, “We are yours, O David, and with you, O son of Jesse! Peace, peace to you, and peace to your helpers! For your God helps you. ”Then David received them and made them officers of his troops.
19 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."
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Some of the men of Manasseh deserted to David when he came with the Philistines for the battle against Saul. (Yet he did not help them, for the rulers of the Philistines took counsel and sent him away, saying, “At peril to our heads he will desert to his master Saul. ”)
20 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.
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As he went to Ziklag, these men of Manasseh deserted to him: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai, chiefs of thousands in Manasseh.
21 They helped David in his raids against the desert bandits; they were all stalwart fighters and good leaders among his raiders.
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They helped David against the band of raiders, for they were all mighty men of valor and were commanders in the army.
22 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!
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For from day to day men came to David to help him, until there was a great army, like an army of God.
23 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:
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These are the numbers of the divisions of the armed troops who came to David in Hebron to turn the kingdom of Saul over to him, according to the word of the Lord.
24 from Judah, carrying shield and spear, 6,800 battle-ready;
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The men of Judah bearing shield and spear were 6,800 armed troops.
25 from Simeon, 7,100 stalwart fighters;
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Of the Simeonites, mighty men of valor for war, 7,100.
26 from Levi, 4,600,
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Of the Levites 4,600.
27 which included Jehoiada leader of the family of Aaron, bringing 3,700 men
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The prince Jehoiada, of the house of Aaron, and with him 3,700.
28 and the young and stalwart Zadok with twenty-two leaders from his family;
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Zadok, a young man mighty in valor, and twenty-two commanders from his own fathers’ house.
29 from Benjamin, Saul's family, 3,000, most of whom had stuck it out with Saul until now;
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Of the Benjaminites, the kinsmen of Saul, 3,000, of whom the majority had to that point kept their allegiance to the house of Saul.
30 from Ephraim, 20,800, fierce fighters and famous in their hometowns;
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Of the Ephraimites 20,800, mighty men of valor, famous men in their fathers’ houses.
31 from the half-tribe of Manasseh, 18,000 elected to come and make David king;
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Of the half-tribe of Manasseh 18,000, who were expressly named to come and make David king.
32 from Issachar, men who understood both the times and Israel's duties, 200 leaders with their families;
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Of Issachar, men who had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, 200 chiefs, and all their kinsmen under their command.
33 from Zebulun, 50,000 well-equipped veteran warriors, unswervingly loyal;
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Of Zebulun 50,000 seasoned troops, equipped for battle with all the weapons of war, to help David with singleness of purpose.
34 from Naphtali, 1,000 chiefs leading 37,000 men heavily armed;
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Of Naphtali 1,000 commanders with whom were 37,000 men armed with shield and spear.
35 from Dan, 28,600 battle-ready men;
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Of the Danites 28,600 men equipped for battle.
36 from Asher, 40,000 veterans, battle-ready;
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Of Asher 40,000 seasoned troops ready for battle.
37 and from East of Jordan, men from Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, heavily armed, 120,000.
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Of the Reubenites and Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh from beyond the Jordan, 120,000 men armed with all the weapons of war.
38 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!"
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All these, men of war, arrayed in battle order, came to Hebron with a whole heart to make David king over all Israel. Likewise, all the rest of Israel were of a single mind to make David king.
39 They were with David for three days of feasting celebration, with food and drink supplied by their families.
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And they were there with David for three days, eating and drinking, for their brothers had made preparation for them.
40 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
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And also their relatives, from as far as Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, came bringing food on donkeys and on camels and on mules and on oxen, abundant provisions of flour, cakes of figs, clusters of raisins, and wine and oil, oxen and sheep, for there was joy in Israel.
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.
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025