The Message Bible MSG
King James Version KJV
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 they that came to David to Ziklag, while he yet kept himself close because of Saul the son of Kish: and they were among the mighty men, helpers of the 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 armed with bows, and could use both the right hand and the left in hurling stones and shooting arrows out of a bow, even of Saul's brethren of Benjamin.
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, the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite; and Jeziel, and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth; and Berachah, and Jehu the Antothite,
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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And Ismaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty man among the thirty, and over the thirty; and Jeremiah, and Jahaziel, and Johanan, and Josabad the Gederathite,
5 Eluzai; Jerimoth; Bealiah; Shemariah; Shephatiah the Haruphite;
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Eluzai, and Jerimoth, and Bealiah, and Shemariah, and Shephatiah the Haruphite,
6 Elkanah; Isshiah; Azarel; Joezer; Jashobeam; the Korahites;
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Elkanah, and Jesiah, and Azareel, and Joezer, and Jashobeam, the Korhites,
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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And of the Gadites there separated themselves unto David into the hold to the wilderness men of might, and men of war fit for the battle, that could handle shield and buckler, whose faces were like the faces of lions, and were as swift as the roes upon the mountains;
9 Ezer was the first, then Obadiah, Eliab,
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Ezer the first, Obadiah the second, Eliab the third,
10 Mishmannah, Jeremiah,
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Mishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth,
11 Attai, Eliel,
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Attai the sixth, Eliel the seventh,
12 Johanan, Elzabad,
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Johanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth,
13 Jeremiah, and Macbannai - eleven of them.
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Jeremiah the tenth, Machbanai the 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 were of the sons of Gad, captains of the host: one of the least was over an hundred, and the greatest over 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 they that went over Jordan in the first month, when it had overflown all his banks; and they put to flight all them of the valleys, both toward the east, and toward 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 there came of the children of Benjamin and Judah to the hold unto 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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And David went out to meet them, and answered and said unto them, If ye be come peaceably unto me to help me, mine heart shall be knit unto you: but if ye be come to betray me to mine enemies, seeing there is no wrong in mine hands, the God of our fathers look thereon, and rebuke it.
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 came upon Amasai, who was chief of the captains, and he said, Thine are we, David, and on thy side, thou son of Jesse: peace, peace be unto thee, and peace be to thine helpers; for thy God helpeth thee. Then David received them, and made them captains of the band.
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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And there fell some of Manasseh to David, when he came with the Philistines against Saul to battle: but they helped them not: for the lords of the Philistines upon advisement sent him away, saying, He will fall to his master Saul to the jeopardy of our heads.
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, there fell to him of Manasseh, Adnah, and Jozabad, and Jediael, and Michael, and Jozabad, and Elihu, and Zilthai, captains of the thousands that were of 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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And they helped David against the band of the rovers: for they were all mighty men of valour, and were captains in the host.
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 at that time day by day there came to David to help him, until it was a great host, like the host 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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And these are the numbers of the bands that were ready armed to the war, and came to David to Hebron, to turn the kingdom of Saul 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 children of Judah that bare shield and spear were six thousand and eight hundred, ready armed to the war.
25 from Simeon, 7,100 stalwart fighters;
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Of the children of Simeon, mighty men of valour for the war, seven thousand and one hundred.
26 from Levi, 4,600,
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Of the children of Levi four thousand and six hundred.
27 which included Jehoiada leader of the family of Aaron, bringing 3,700 men
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And Jehoiada was the leader of the Aaronites, and with him were three thousand and seven hundred;
28 and the young and stalwart Zadok with twenty-two leaders from his family;
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And Zadok, a young man mighty of valour, and of his father's house twenty and two captains.
29 from Benjamin, Saul's family, 3,000, most of whom had stuck it out with Saul until now;
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And of the children of Benjamin, the kindred of Saul, three thousand: for hitherto the greatest part of them had kept the ward of the house of Saul.
30 from Ephraim, 20,800, fierce fighters and famous in their hometowns;
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And of the children of Ephraim twenty thousand and eight hundred, mighty men of valour, famous throughout the house of their fathers.
31 from the half-tribe of Manasseh, 18,000 elected to come and make David king;
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And of the half tribe of Manasseh eighteen thousand, which were expressed by name, 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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And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their commandment.
33 from Zebulun, 50,000 well-equipped veteran warriors, unswervingly loyal;
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Of Zebulun, such as went forth to battle, expert in war, with all instruments of war, fifty thousand, which could keep rank: they were not of double heart.
34 from Naphtali, 1,000 chiefs leading 37,000 men heavily armed;
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And of Naphtali a thousand captains, and with them with shield and spear thirty and seven thousand.
35 from Dan, 28,600 battle-ready men;
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And of the Danites expert in war twenty and eight thousand and six hundred.
36 from Asher, 40,000 veterans, battle-ready;
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And of Asher, such as went forth to battle, expert in war, forty thousand.
37 and from East of Jordan, men from Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh, heavily armed, 120,000.
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And on the other side of Jordan, of the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and of the half tribe of Manasseh, with all manner of instruments of war for the battle, an hundred and twenty thousand.
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, that could keep rank, came with a perfect heart to Hebron, to make David king over all Israel: and all the rest also of Israel were of one heart 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 there they were with David three days, eating and drinking: for their brethren had prepared 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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Moreover they that were nigh them, even unto Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, brought bread on asses, and on camels, and on mules, and on oxen, and meat, meal, cakes of figs, and bunches of raisins, and wine, and oil, and oxen, and sheep abundantly: 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 King James Version is in the public domain.