1 Chronicles 12
BSA1 Now these [specific, notable] were the men who came [approached, drew near] to David [the youngest son of Jesse, a king of Israel] at Ziklag [a town in southern Judah], while he was still [yet, continuing to be] banished [restrained, held back] from the presence [face, before] of Saul [Shaul, meaning desired] son of Kish [an Israelite, father of king Saul] (they [these specific men] were among the mighty men [strong, valiant warriors] who helped [assisted, aided] him in battle [war, conflict]; word study 2 they were archers [armed with bows, skilled marksmen] using both the right [with the hand of strength] and left hands [with the hand of agility] to sling [hurl, cast] stones [small rocks, pebbles] and shoot [project, launch] arrows [sharp projectiles]; and they were Saul’s [Shaul, the desired one] kinsmen [brothers, relatives] from Benjamin [son of the right hand, the youngest tribe]): word study 3 Ahiezer [their leader, chief] their chief and Joash [given by the Lord], who were the sons [descendants, offspring] of Shemaah [a Benjamite, father of Ahiezer and Joash] the Gibeathite [from Gibeah, a city in the hill country]; Jeziel [the assembly of God, a Benjamite warrior] and Pelet [a descendant of Caleb, a mighty warrior], the sons [descendants, offspring] of Azmaveth [strong unto death, a place in Palestine]; Beracah [a valley of blessing, a place of thanksgiving]; Jehu [the Lord is He, a name of several Israelites] the Anathothite [from Anathoth, a city near Jerusalem]; word study 4 Ishmaiah [Jehovah will hear, a leader] the Gibeonite [from Gibeon, a city of hills], a mighty man [strong warrior, champion] among the Thirty [a group of elite fighters] and a leader [commander, chief] over the Thirty; Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, and Jozabad [from Gederah town] the Gederathite [of Gederah, a town in Israel]; word study 5 Eluzai [a leader, commander], Jerimoth [exalted by God], Bealiah [lord of God], Shemariah [whom God has kept], and Shephatiah [God has judged] the Haruphite [from Haruph town, a resident of Haruph]; word study 6 Elkanah [Jesiah], Isshiah [Jesiah], Azarel [Azareel, Azariel], Joezer, and Jashobeam [Jesbaam], who were Korahites [the Korhites, descendants of Korah]; word study 7 and Joelah [the Lord is able] and Zebadiah [gift of God], the sons [descendants, offspring] of Jeroham [the Lord is merciful] from [of, belonging to] Gedor [a city, a place of wall or enclosure]. word study 8 Some Gadites [from the tribe of Gad, men of the Gadite tribe] defected to David at his stronghold [fortress, place of refuge] in the desert [wilderness, desolate place]. They were mighty men [brave warriors] of valor [strength, courage], trained for battle [war, combat], experts [skilled, proficient] with the shield [buckler, defensive armor] and spear [javelin, thrusting weapon], whose faces were like the faces of lions [fierce, powerful] and who were as swift [quick, agile] as gazelles [roes, deer] on the mountains [hills, rugged terrain]: word study 9 Ezer [the chief leader, first in command] the chief [head, leader], Obadiah [second in rank, next in authority] the second in command [position of authority], Eliab [third in line, following] the third, word study 10 Mishmannah [a leader, fourth in rank] the fourth, Jeremiah [also known as Jeremias] the fifth, word study 11 Attai [sixth in rank] the sixth, Eliel [seventh in order, next in line] the seventh, word study 12 Johanan [a leader, eighth in rank] the eighth, Elzabad [my God has given, ninth in position] the ninth, word study 13 Jeremiah [Jerenias, the name meaning Jehovah has exalted] the tenth, and Machbanai [Machbannai, a variant spelling] the eleventh [next in the list, eleventh in position]. word study 14 These Gadites [sons of Gad, warriors from the tribe of Gad] were army commanders [captains of the host, leaders of the army], the least [smallest, weakest] of whom was a match for [could resist, equal to] a hundred [one hundred men], and the greatest [most powerful, strongest] for [over, in charge of] a thousand [one thousand men]. word study 15 These [specific, particular ones] are the ones who crossed [went over, passed through] the Jordan [the main river of Israel] in the first month [at the time of flooding] when it was overflowing [filled to the brim, swollen] all its banks [sides, edges], and they put to flight [drove away, chased] all those in the valleys [low-lying areas, plains], both to the east [toward the sunrise] and to the west [toward the sunset]. word study 16 Other Benjamites [from the tribe of Benjamin] and some men [certain individuals] from Judah [the tribe of Judah] also came [arrived, joined] to David [the king, leader] in his stronghold [fortress, place of refuge]. word study 17 And David [the youngest son of Jesse, a king of Israel] went out to meet them, saying, “If you have come [peaceably, with a willingness to help] to me in peace [harmony, freedom from strife] to help [assist, support] me, my heart [the center of my being, my emotions] will be united [knit together, joined] with you; but if you have come [with the intention of betraying] to betray [deceive, deliver over] me to my enemies [those who oppose me] when my hands [my actions, my behavior] are free of violence [innocent, without wrongdoing], may the God [Elohim, the supreme Creator] of our fathers [ancestors, those who have gone before us] see it [be aware of, observe] and judge [rebuke, condemn] you.” word study 18 Then the Spirit [the divine Presence, Holy Spirit] came upon Amasai, the chief [leader, commander] of the Thirty, and he said: “We are yours, O David [beloved king, son of Jesse]! We are with you, O son of Jesse [descendant of Jesse, God’s anointed]! Peace [shalom, completeness, wellness], peace to you, and peace [prosperity, harmony] to your helpers, for your God [Elohim, the supreme Helper] helps you [assists, supports, empowers].” So David received them and made them leaders [captains, commanders] of his troops. word study 19 Some from Manasseh [of the tribe of Manasseh] defected [fell away, joined] to David [the future king of Israel] when he went [marched, journeyed] with the Philistines [the enemies of Israel] to fight [engage in battle, wage war] against Saul [the current king of Israel]. (They did not help [assist, aid] the Philistines [the pagan nation] because the Philistine rulers [lords, leaders] consulted [discussed, advised] and sent David away [dismissed, rejected him], saying, “It will cost us our heads [result in our death, lead to our downfall] if he defects [turns away, betrays] to his master [former king, lord] Saul [the king he previously served].”) word study 20 When David [the king of Israel, a leader after God’s heart] went to Ziklag, these men of Manasseh [a tribe of Israel, descendants of Jacob’s son] defected [fell to, joined] to him: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai, chiefs [captains, leaders] of thousands [large military units] in Manasseh [the tribe, a group of people]. word study 21 They helped David against the raiders [band of rovers, armed bands], for they were all [mighty men of valor, strong and experienced warriors, brave soldiers] mighty men of valor and commanders [captains] in the army [host]. word study 22 For at that time men [day by day, daily] came to David [the youngest son of Jesse, a king of Israel] day after day to help [assist, aid, or support] him, until he had a great army [host, a large group of people], like [similar to, comparable with] the army [host, a large group of people] of God [the supreme Creator, Elohim]. word study 23 Now these are the numbers [lists, records] of men armed [ready, prepared] for battle [war, combat] who came [approached, joined] to David [the king, leader] at Hebron [a city, a place of alliance] to turn [transfer, give] Saul’s kingdom [rule, dominion] over to him, in accordance with [as commanded by, according to] the word [promise, command] of the LORD [Yehovah, the covenant God]: word study 24 From Judah [ready armed to the war, well appointed]: 6,800 armed troops [bearing shield and spear, armed for war] bearing [carrying, holding] shields [target] and spears [spearmen, ready for battle]. word study 25 From Simeon [the tribe descended from Jacob’s son]: 7,100 [seven thousand and one hundred] mighty men [strong warriors, valiant ones] of valor [great courage, strength for battle], ready [equipped, prepared] for battle [war, armed conflict]. word study 26 From [of the children of, belonging to] Levi [the tribe of Levi, descendants of Levi]: 4,600 [four thousand and six hundred, a large company], word study 27 including Jehoiada [leader of the Aaronites, chief of the family of Aaron], leader of the house [lineage, family] of Aaron [the first high priest, descendant of Levi], with 3,700 [three thousand and seven hundred] men [descendants, warriors], word study 28 and Zadok [a strong young warrior], a mighty [powerful, valiant] young man of valor [courage, strength], with 22 [two dozen] commanders [leaders, captains] from his own family [father’s house]. word study 29 From Benjamin [the tribe of the right hand, sons of the south], the kinsmen [relatives, brethren] of Saul: 3,000 [three thousand, a multitude], most of whom had remained [kept their allegiance, been loyal] loyal to the house [family, dynasty, place] of Saul [the first king of Israel, the son of Kish] up to that time [hitherto, until then, previously]. word study 30 From Ephraim [the tribe of Israel’s son Joseph]: 20,800 [twenty thousand and eight hundred] mighty men [strong warriors, men of great valour] of valor [courage, strength], famous [well-known, renowned] among their own clans [families, households, the house of their fathers]. word study 31 From the half-tribe [a portion of the tribe] of Manasseh: 18,000 [eighteen thousand, a large number] designated [appointed, chosen] by name [their individual identity, character] to come and make David [the king, leader] king [ruler, sovereign]. word study 32 From Issachar, men [who understood the signs of the times, having expert knowledge] who understood the times [to know what Israel ought to do, and what was best for them] and knew what Israel should do [to know the right course of action, and the proper time to take it]: 200 chiefs [leaders, heads of their families] with all their kinsmen [relatives, brethren] at their command [under their authority, at their commandment]. word study 33 From Zebulun [expert in war, battle-ready]: 50,000 fit for service [able to go out in the host], trained for battle [with all manner of instruments of war] with all kinds of weapons of war [instruments of battle], who with one purpose [not of double heart, true-hearted] were devoted to David [totally dedicated, with no double heart]. word study 34 From Naphtali [a tribe of Israel, descended from Jacob’s son]: 1,000 [one thousand, a large company of] commanders [leaders, captains], accompanied by [thirty-seven thousand, a numerous army of] 37,000 men [warriors, soldiers] with [equipped with, carrying] shield [a defensive weapon, a protector] and [along with, in addition to] spear [a long, pointed weapon, used for thrusting]. word study 35 From Dan [the tribe of Dan, expert in war]: 28,600 [twenty-eight thousand six hundred, a large army] prepared [arranging the battle, setting in array] for battle [war, combat, armed conflict]. word study 36 From Asher [a tribe of Israel, descendants of Jacob’s son] [experienced warriors, expert in war]: 40,000 fit for service [able to go out in the host, to arrange battle], prepared [trained and equipped] for battle [war, conflict]. word study 37 And from east [beyond, on the other side] of the Jordan, from Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe [division, portion] of Manasseh there: 120,000 [a hundred and twenty thousand, one hundred twenty thousand] armed [equipped, furnished] with every kind [manner, sort] of weapon [instrument, tool] of war [battle, conflict]. word study 38 All these men of war [expert in ordering the fight], arrayed for battle [with a perfect heart], came to Hebron [with the full purpose] fully determined to make David king [ruler, leader] over all Israel [the entire nation, every tribe]. And all the rest of the Israelites [the remaining people, the whole community] were of one mind [united, of one heart] to make David king. word study 39 They spent three days [eating and drinking together, feasting at his table] there eating and drinking with David, for their relatives [brethren, family members] had provided [prepared, made ready, supplied] for them. word study 40 And their neighbors [from nearby areas, those living close by] from as far away as Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali came bringing food [provisions, supplies] on donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen—abundant [plentiful, in great quantity] supplies of flour [fine meal, grain], fig cakes [sweet pastries, baked goods] and raisin cakes [dried fruit, sweet treats], wine [fermented drink, beverage] and oil [olive oil, anointing oil], oxen and sheep [livestock, animals]. Indeed, there was joy [happiness, celebration] in Israel [the people of God, the nation]. word study