New International Version NIV
New Living Translation NLT
1 These were the men who came to David at Ziklag, while he was banished from the presence of Saul son of Kish (they were among the warriors who helped him in battle;
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The following men joined David at Ziklag while he was hiding from Saul son of Kish. They were among the warriors who fought beside David in battle.
2 they were armed with bows and were able to shoot arrows or to sling stones right-handed or left-handed; they were relatives of Saul from the tribe of Benjamin):
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All of them were expert archers, and they could shoot arrows or sling stones with their left hand as well as their right. They were all relatives of Saul from the tribe of Benjamin.
3 Ahiezer their chief and Joash the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite; Jeziel and Pelet the sons of Azmaveth; Berakah, Jehu the Anathothite,
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Their leader was Ahiezer son of Shemaah from Gibeah; his brother Joash was second-in-command. These were the other warriors: Jeziel and Pelet, sons of Azmaveth; Beracah; Jehu from Anathoth;
4 and Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty warrior among the Thirty, who was a leader of the Thirty; Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, Jozabad the Gederathite,
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Ishmaiah from Gibeon, a famous warrior and leader among the Thirty; Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, and Jozabad from Gederah;
5 Eluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah and Shephatiah the Haruphite;
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Eluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah, and Shephatiah from Haruph;
6 Elkanah, Ishiah, Azarel, Joezer and Jashobeam the Korahites;
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Elkanah, Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer, and Jashobeam, who were Korahites;
7 and Joelah and Zebadiah the sons of Jeroham from Gedor.
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Joelah and Zebadiah, sons of Jeroham from Gedor.
8 Some Gadites defected to David at his stronghold in the wilderness. They were brave warriors, ready for battle and able to handle the shield and spear. Their faces were the faces of lions, and they were as swift as gazelles in the mountains.
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Some brave and experienced warriors from the tribe of Gad also defected to David while he was at the stronghold in the wilderness. They were expert with both shield and spear, as fierce as lions and as swift as deer on the mountains.
9 Ezer was the chief, Obadiah the second in command, Eliab the third,
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Ezer was their leader. Obadiah was second. Eliab was third.
10 Mishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth,
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Mishmannah was fourth. Jeremiah was fifth.
11 Attai the sixth, Eliel the seventh,
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Attai was sixth. Eliel was seventh.
12 Johanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth,
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Johanan was eighth. Elzabad was ninth.
13 Jeremiah the tenth and Makbannai the eleventh.
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Jeremiah was tenth. Macbannai was eleventh.
14 These Gadites were army commanders; the least was a match for a hundred, and the greatest for a thousand.
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These warriors from Gad were army commanders. The weakest among them could take on a hundred regular troops, and the strongest could take on a thousand!
15 It was they who crossed the Jordan in the first month when it was overflowing all its banks, and they put to flight everyone living in the valleys, to the east and to the west.
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These were the men who crossed the Jordan River during its seasonal flooding at the beginning of the year and drove out all the people living in the lowlands on both the east and west banks.
16 Other Benjamites and some men from Judah also came to David in his stronghold.
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Others from Benjamin and Judah came to David at the stronghold.
17 David went out to meet them and said to them, “If you have come to me in peace to help me, I am ready for you to join me. But if you have come to betray me to my enemies when my hands are free from violence, may the God of our ancestors see it and judge you.”
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David went out to meet them and said, “If you have come in peace to help me, we are friends. But if you have come to betray me to my enemies when I am innocent, then may the God of our ancestors see it and punish you.”
18 Then the Spirit came on Amasai, chief of the Thirty, and he said: “We are yours, David! We are with you, son of Jesse! Success, success to you, and success to those who help you, for your God will help you.” So David received them and made them leaders of his raiding bands.
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Then the Spirit came upon Amasai, the leader of the Thirty, and he said, “We are yours, David! We are on your side, son of Jesse. Peace and prosperity be with you, and success to all who help you, for your God is the one who helps you.” So David let them join him, and he made them officers over his troops.
19 Some of the tribe of Manasseh defected to David when he went with the Philistines to fight against Saul. (He and his men did not help the Philistines because, after consultation, their rulers sent him away. They said, “It will cost us our heads if he deserts to his master Saul.”)
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Some men from Manasseh defected from the Israelite army and joined David when he set out with the Philistines to fight against Saul. But as it turned out, the Philistine rulers refused to let David and his men go with them. After much discussion, they sent them back, for they said, “It will cost us our heads if David switches loyalties to Saul and turns against us.”
20 When David went to Ziklag, these were the men of Manasseh who defected to him: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu and Zillethai, leaders of units of a thousand in Manasseh.
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Here is a list of the men from Manasseh who defected to David as he was returning to Ziklag: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai. Each commanded 1,000 troops from the tribe of Manasseh.
21 They helped David against raiding bands, for all of them were brave warriors, and they were commanders in his army.
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They helped David chase down bands of raiders, for they were all brave and able warriors who became commanders in his army.
22 Day after day men came to help David, until he had a great army, like the army of God.
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Day after day more men joined David until he had a great army, like the army of God.
23 These are the numbers of the men armed for battle who came to David at Hebron to turn Saul’s kingdom over to him, as the LORD had said:
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These are the numbers of armed warriors who joined David at Hebron. They were all eager to see David become king instead of Saul, just as the LORD had promised.
24 from Judah, carrying shield and spear—6,800 armed for battle;
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From the tribe of Judah, there were 6,800 warriors armed with shields and spears.
25 from Simeon, warriors ready for battle—7,100;
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From the tribe of Simeon, there were 7,100 brave warriors.
26 from Levi—4,600,
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From the tribe of Levi, there were 4,600 warriors.
27 including Jehoiada, leader of the family of Aaron, with 3,700 men,
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This included Jehoiada, leader of the family of Aaron, who had 3,700 under his command.
28 and Zadok, a brave young warrior, with 22 officers from his family;
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This also included Zadok, a brave young warrior, with 22 members of his family who were all officers.
29 from Benjamin, Saul’s tribe—3,000, most of whom had remained loyal to Saul’s house until then;
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From the tribe of Benjamin, Saul’s relatives, there were 3,000 warriors. Most of the men from Benjamin had remained loyal to Saul until this time.
30 from Ephraim, brave warriors, famous in their own clans—20,800;
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From the tribe of Ephraim, there were 20,800 brave warriors, each highly respected in his own clan.
31 from half the tribe of Manasseh, designated by name to come and make David king—18,000;
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From the half-tribe of Manasseh west of the Jordan, 18,000 men were designated by name to help David become king.
32 from Issachar, men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do—200 chiefs, with all their relatives under their command;
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From the tribe of Issachar, there were 200 leaders of the tribe with their relatives. All these men understood the signs of the times and knew the best course for Israel to take.
33 from Zebulun, experienced soldiers prepared for battle with every type of weapon, to help David with undivided loyalty—50,000;
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From the tribe of Zebulun, there were 50,000 skilled warriors. They were fully armed and prepared for battle and completely loyal to David.
34 from Naphtali—1,000 officers, together with 37,000 men carrying shields and spears;
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From the tribe of Naphtali, there were 1,000 officers and 37,000 warriors armed with shields and spears.
35 from Dan, ready for battle—28,600;
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From the tribe of Dan, there were 28,600 warriors, all prepared for battle.
36 from Asher, experienced soldiers prepared for battle—40,000;
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From the tribe of Asher, there were 40,000 trained warriors, all prepared for battle.
37 and from east of the Jordan, from Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh, armed with every type of weapon—120,000.
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From the east side of the Jordan River—where the tribes of Reuben and Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh lived—there were 120,000 troops armed with every kind of weapon.
38 All these were fighting men who volunteered to serve in the ranks. They came to Hebron fully determined to make David king over all Israel. All the rest of the Israelites were also of one mind to make David king.
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All these men came in battle array to Hebron with the single purpose of making David the king over all Israel. In fact, everyone in Israel agreed that David should be their king.
39 The men spent three days there with David, eating and drinking, for their families had supplied provisions for them.
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They feasted and drank with David for three days, for preparations had been made by their relatives for their arrival.
40 Also, their neighbors from as far away as Issachar, Zebulun and Naphtali came bringing food on donkeys, camels, mules and oxen. There were plentiful supplies of flour, fig cakes, raisin cakes, wine, olive oil, cattle and sheep, for there was joy in Israel.
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And people from as far away as Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali brought food on donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen. Vast supplies of flour, fig cakes, clusters of raisins, wine, olive oil, cattle, sheep, and goats were brought to the celebration. There was great joy throughout the land of Israel.
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