8
Some men left Gad to join David at the fortified camp in the desert. They were warriors, trained soldiers, able to fight with shields and spears. They looked like lions and were as fast as gazelles on the hills.
9
Ezer was the first of these soldiers. The second was Obadiah. The third was Eliab.
10
The fourth was Mishmannah. The fifth was Jeremiah.
11
The sixth was Attai. The seventh was Eliel.
12
The eighth was Johanan. The ninth was Elzabad.
13
The tenth was Jeremiah. The eleventh was Machbannai.
14
These descendants of Gad were army officers. The least able one was in command of 100 men, and the best one was in command of 1,000.
15
In the first month of the year, these men crossed the Jordan River when it was flooding its banks. They chased away all the people in the valleys to the east and west.
16
Some of the men of Benjamin and Judah came to David at the fortified camp.
17
David went to meet them. He told them, "If you've come to help me as friends would, then you may join me. But if you've come to betray me to my enemies, even though I haven't committed a crime, may the God of our ancestors see this and judge you."
18
Then the Spirit gave Amasai, the leader of the thirty, the strength [to say], "We are yours, David. We are with you, son of Jesse. Success, success to you! Success to those who help you, because your God is helping you." So David welcomed them and made them officers over his troops.