NLT

NLT

Click to Change

Return to Top

Return to Top

Printer Icon

Print

Copy
Copy Options
Format by: Verse Paragraph
Strong's
Red Letter
Audio Bibles
The Blue Letter Bible

1 Chronicles 12 :: New Living Translation (NLT)

toggle collapse
Choose a new font size and typeface
Audio Bibles
Warriors Join David’s Army
(1Sa 22:1, 2 )
Unchecked Copy Box1Ch 12:1 - 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.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ch 12:2 - 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.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ch 12:3 - 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;
Unchecked Copy Box1Ch 12:4 - Ishmaiah from Gibeon, a famous warrior and leader among the Thirty;
[fn]Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, and Jozabad from Gederah;
Unchecked Copy Box1Ch 12:5 - Eluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah, and Shephatiah from Haruph;
Unchecked Copy Box1Ch 12:6 - Elkanah, Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer, and Jashobeam, who were Korahites;
Unchecked Copy Box1Ch 12:7 - Joelah and Zebadiah, sons of Jeroham from Gedor.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ch 12:8 - 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.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ch 12:9 - Ezer was their leader.
Obadiah was second.
Eliab was third.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ch 12:10 - Mishmannah was fourth.
Jeremiah was fifth.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ch 12:11 - Attai was sixth.
Eliel was seventh.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ch 12:12 - Johanan was eighth.
Elzabad was ninth.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ch 12:13 - Jeremiah was tenth.
Macbannai was eleventh.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ch 12:14 - 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!
Unchecked Copy Box1Ch 12:15 - 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.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ch 12:16 - Others from Benjamin and Judah came to David at the stronghold.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ch 12:17 - 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.”
Unchecked Copy Box1Ch 12:18 - 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.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ch 12:19 - 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.”
Unchecked Copy Box1Ch 12:20 - 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.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ch 12:21 - They helped David chase down bands of raiders, for they were all brave and able warriors who became commanders in his army.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ch 12:22 - Day after day more men joined David until he had a great army, like the army of God.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ch 12:23 - 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.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ch 12:24 - From the tribe of Judah, there were 6,800 warriors armed with shields and spears.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ch 12:25 - From the tribe of Simeon, there were 7,100 brave warriors.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ch 12:26 - From the tribe of Levi, there were 4,600 warriors.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ch 12:27 - This included Jehoiada, leader of the family of Aaron, who had 3,700 under his command.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ch 12:28 - This also included Zadok, a brave young warrior, with 22 members of his family who were all officers.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ch 12:29 - 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.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ch 12:30 - From the tribe of Ephraim, there were 20,800 brave warriors, each highly respected in his own clan.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ch 12:31 - From the half-tribe of Manasseh west of the Jordan, 18,000 men were designated by name to help David become king.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ch 12:32 - 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.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ch 12:33 - From the tribe of Zebulun, there were 50,000 skilled warriors. They were fully armed and prepared for battle and completely loyal to David.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ch 12:34 - From the tribe of Naphtali, there were 1,000 officers and 37,000 warriors armed with shields and spears.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ch 12:35 - From the tribe of Dan, there were 28,600 warriors, all prepared for battle.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ch 12:36 - From the tribe of Asher, there were 40,000 trained warriors, all prepared for battle.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ch 12:37 - 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.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ch 12:38 - 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.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ch 12:39 - They feasted and drank with David for three days, for preparations had been made by their relatives for their arrival.
Unchecked Copy Box1Ch 12:40 - 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.
NLT Footnotes
Verses 12:4b-40 are numbered 12:5-41 in Hebrew text.
NLT

Holy Bible, New Living Translation copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Full copyright information is provided here. Visit the New Living Translation website.

For more information on this translation, see the NLT Preface.

BLB Searches
Search the Bible
NLT
 [?]

Advanced Options

Other Searches

Multi-Verse Retrieval
x
NLT

Daily Devotionals
x

Blue Letter Bible offers several daily devotional readings in order to help you refocus on Christ and the Gospel of His peace and righteousness.

Daily Bible Reading Plans
x

Recognizing the value of consistent reflection upon the Word of God in order to refocus one's mind and heart upon Christ and His Gospel of peace, we provide several reading plans designed to cover the entire Bible in a year.

One-Year Plans

Two-Year Plan