12David was living in Ziklag, where he had gone to escape from King Saul. There he was joined by many experienced, reliable soldiers,H935H1732H6860H6113H6440H7586H1121H7027H1368H5826H44212members of the tribe of Benjamin, to which Saul belonged. They could shoot arrows and sling stones either right-handed or left-handed.H5401H7198H3231H8041H68H2671H7198H7586H251H11443They were under the command of Ahiezer and Joash, sons of Shemaah, from Gibeah.H7218H295H3101H1121H8094H1395H3149H6404H1121H5820H1294H3058H60694These were the soldiers: Jeziel and Pelet, sons of Azmaveth Beracah and Jehu from Anathoth, Ishmaiah from Gibeon, a famous soldier and one of the leaders of "The Thirty" Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johannan, and Jozabad, from Gederah,H3460H1393H1368H7970H7970H3414H3166H3110H3107H14525Eluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah, and Shephatiah, from Hariph,H498H3406H1183H8114H8203H27416Elkanah, Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer, and Jashobeam, of the clan of Korah,H511H3449H5832H3134H3434H71457Joelah and Zebadiah, sons of Jeroham, from Gedor.H3132H2069H1121H3395H14468These are the names of the famous, experienced soldiers from the tribe of Gad who joined David's troops when he was at the desert fort. They were experts with shields and spears, as fierce looking as lions and as quick as mountain deer.H1425H914H1732H4679H4057H1368H2428H582H6635H4421H6186H6793H7420H6440H6440H738H4116H6643H20229They were ranked in the following order: Ezer, Obadiah, Eliab,H5829H7218H5662H8145H446H799210Mishmannah, Jeremiah,H4925H7243H3414H254911Attai, Eliel,H6262H8345H447H763712Johanan, Elzabad,H3110H8066H443H867113Jeremiah, and Machbannai.H3414H6224H4344H6249H624014Some of these men from the tribe of Gad were senior officers in command of a thousand men, and others were junior officers in command of a hundred.H1121H1410H7218H6635H259H6996H3967H1419H50515In the first month of one year, the time when the Jordan River overflowed its banks, they crossed the river, scattering the people who lived in the valleys both east and west of the river.H5674H3383H7223H2320H4390H1415H1428H1272H6010H4217H462816Once a group of men from the tribes of Benjamin and Judah went out to the fort where David was.H935H1121H1144H3063H4679H173217David went to meet them and said, "If you are coming as friends to help me, you are welcome here. Join us! But if you intend to betray me to my enemies, even though I have not tried to hurt you, the God of our ancestors will know it and punish you."H1732H3318H6440H6030H559H935H7965H5826H3824H3162H7411H6862H3808H2555H3709H430H1H7200H319818God's spirit took control of one of them, Amasai, who later became the commander of "The Thirty," and he called out, "David son of Jesse, we are yours! Success to you and those who help you! God is on your side." David welcomed them and made them officers in his army.H7307H3847H6022H7218H7970H7991H1732H1121H3448H7965H7965H7965H5826H430H5826H1732H6901H5414H7218H141619Some soldiers from the tribe of Manasseh went over to David's side when he was marching out with the Philistines to fight King Saul. Actually he did not help the Philistines, for their kings were afraid that he would betray them to his former master Saul, so they sent him back to Ziklag.H5307H4519H1732H935H6430H7586H4421H5826H5633H6430H6098H7971H559H5307H113H7586H721820These are the soldiers from Manasseh who went over to David's side when he was returning: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai. In Manasseh they had all commanded units of a thousand men.H3212H6860H5307H4519H5734H3107H3043H4317H3107H453H6769H7218H505H451921They served David as officers over his troops, because they were all outstanding soldiers. Later they were officers in the Israelite army.H5826H1732H1416H1368H2428H8269H663522Almost every day new men joined David's forces, so that his army was soon enormous.H6256H3117H3117H935H1732H5826H1419H4264H4264H43023When David was at Hebron, many trained soldiers joined his army to help make him king in place of Saul, as the LORD had promised. Their numbers were as follows:H4557H7218H2502H6635H935H1732H2275H5437H4438H7586H6310H306824Judah: 6,800 well-equipped men, armed with shields and spears;H1121H3063H5375H6793H7420H8337H505H8083H3967H2502H663525Simeon: 7,100 well-trained men;H1121H8095H1368H2428H6635H7651H505H396726Levi: 4,600 men;H1121H3878H702H505H8337H396727Followers of Jehoiada, descendant of Aaron: 3,700 men;H3077H5057H175H7969H505H7651H396728Relatives of Zadok, an able young fighter: 22 leading men;H6659H5288H1368H2428H1H1004H6242H8147H826929Benjamin (Saul's own tribe): 3,000 men (most of the people of Benjamin had remained loyal to Saul);H1121H1144H251H7586H7969H505H4768H8104H4931H1004H758630Ephraim: 20,800 men famous in their own clans;H1121H669H6242H505H8083H3967H1368H582H2428H8034H1004H131West Manasseh: 18,000 men chosen to go and make David king;H2677H4294H4519H8083H6240H505H5344H8034H935H1732H442732Issachar: 200 leaders, together with the men under their command (these leaders knew what Israel should do and the best time to do it);H1121H3485H998H3045H6256H3045H3478H6213H7218H3967H251H631033Zebulun: 50,000 loyal and reliable men ready to fight, trained to use all kinds of weapons;H2074H3318H6635H6186H4421H3627H4421H2572H505H5737H3820H382034Naphtali: 1,000 leaders, together with 37,000 men armed with shields and spears;H5321H505H8269H6793H2595H7970H7651H50535Dan: 28,600 trained men;H1839H6186H4421H6242H8083H505H8337H396736Asher: 40,000 men ready for battle;H836H3318H6635H6186H4421H705H50537Tribes east of the Jordan - Reuben, Gad, and East Manasseh: 120,000 men trained to use all kinds of weapons.H5676H3383H7206H1425H2677H7626H4519H3627H6635H4421H3967H6242H50538All these soldiers, ready for battle, went to Hebron, determined to make David king over all Israel. All the rest of the people of Israel were united in the same purpose.H582H4421H5737H4634H935H8003H3820H2275H1732H4427H3478H7611H3478H259H3824H1732H442739They spent three days there with David, feasting on the food and drink which their relatives had prepared for them.H1732H7969H3117H398H8354H251H355940From as far away as the northern tribes of Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali, people came bringing donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen loaded with food - flour, figs, raisins, wine, and olive oil. They also brought cattle and sheep to kill and eat. All this was an expression of the joy that was felt throughout the whole country.H7138H3485H2074H5321H935H3899H2543H1581H6505H1241H3978H7058H1690H6778H3196H8081H1241H6629H7230H8057H3478
Dublin, OH
