1 São estes os que vieram a Davi em Ziclague, quando ele estava fugindo de Saul, filho de Quis. E eles eram dos valentes que o ajudavam na guerra. 2 Tinham por arma o arco e usavam tanto a mão direita como a esquerda para arremessar pedras com fundas e para atirar flechas com o arco.

Os parentes de Saul, da tribo de Benjamim, eram os seguintes: 3 Aiezer, o chefe, e Joás, filhos de Semaá, o gibeatita; Jeziel e Pelete, filhos de Azmavete; Beraca e Jeú, o anatotita; 4 Ismaías, o gibeonita, valente entre os trinta e chefe deles; Jeremias, Jaaziel, Joanã e Jozabade, o gederatita; 5 Eluzai, Jerimote, Bealias, Semarias e Sefatias, o harufita; 6 Elcana, Issias, Azarel, Joezer e Jasobeão, os coraítas; 7 Joela, Zebadias, filhos de Jeroão, de Gedor.

8 Dos gaditas passaram-se para o lado de Davi, quando ele estava na fortaleza no deserto, homens valentes, homens de guerra preparados para a batalha, armados de escudo e lança. O rosto deles era como de leões, e eles eram ligeiros como gazelas sobre os montes. Eram: 9 Ézer, o chefe, Obadias, o segundo, Eliabe, o terceiro, 10 Mismana, o quarto, Jeremias, o quinto, 11 Atai, o sexto, Eliel, o sétimo, 12 Joanã, o oitavo, Elzabade, o nono, 13 Jeremias, o décimo, Macbanai, o décimo primeiro. 14 Estes, dos filhos de Gade, foram capitães do exército. O menor valia por cem homens, e o maior valia por mil. 15 São estes os que passaram o Jordão no primeiro mês, quando ele transbordava por todas as suas ribanceiras, e puseram em fuga todos os que habitavam nos vales, tanto no leste como no oeste.

16 Também alguns dos filhos de Benjamim e de Judá vieram a Davi, na fortaleza. 17 Davi foi ao encontro deles e lhes falou, dizendo:

— Se vocês estão vindo pacificamente e para me ajudar, eu os recebo de todo o coração. Mas, se é para me entregarem aos meus adversários, não havendo maldade em mim, que o Deus de nossos pais o veja e o repreenda.

18 Então o Espírito veio sobre Amasai, chefe do grupo dos trinta, e ele disse:

— Somos seus, ó Davi, e estamos com você, filho de Jessé! Que a paz, sim, que a paz esteja com você! E que a paz esteja com os que o ajudam! Porque o seu Deus é quem ajuda você.

Davi os recebeu e os colocou como capitães de tropas.

19 Também de Manassés alguns passaram para o lado de Davi, quando ele veio com os filisteus para lutar contra Saul. Na verdade, Davi não ajudou os filisteus, porque os governantes destes, depois de se aconselharem, o mandaram embora, pois diziam:

— À custa de nossas cabeças ele passará para o lado de Saul, seu senhor.

20 Portanto, quando Davi estava voltando para Ziclague, passaram para o lado dele, de Manassés, os seguintes: Adna, Jozabade, Jediael, Micael, Jozabade, Eliú e Ziletai, chefes de milhares em Manassés. 21 Estes ajudaram Davi contra a tropa inimiga, porque todos eles eram homens valentes e capitães no exército. 22 Porque, naquele tempo, dia após dia, mais homens vinham a Davi para o ajudar, até que se formou um grande exército, como exército de Deus.

23 Este é o número dos homens armados para a batalha, que vieram a Davi, em Hebrom, para lhe transferirem o reino de Saul, segundo a palavra do Senhor: 24 dos filhos de Judá, que traziam escudo e lança, seis mil e oitocentos, armados para a guerra; 25 dos filhos de Simeão, homens valentes para a batalha, sete mil e cem; 26 dos filhos de Levi, quatro mil e seiscentos; 27 Joiada era o chefe da casa de Arão, e com ele vieram três mil e setecentos; 28 Zadoque, sendo ainda jovem, homem valente, trouxe vinte e dois chefes de sua casa paterna; 29 dos filhos de Benjamim, irmãos de Saul, vieram três mil; porque até então havia ainda muitos deles que eram fiéis à casa de Saul; 30 dos filhos de Efraim, vinte mil e oitocentos homens valentes e de renome na casa de seus pais; 31 da meia tribo de Manassés, dezoito mil, que foram apontados nominalmente para vir e proclamar Davi como rei; 32 dos filhos de Issacar, que sabiam discernir o tempo, para saberem o que Israel devia fazer, duzentos chefes e todos os seus irmãos sob suas ordens; 33 de Zebulom, dos capazes para sair à guerra, providos com todas as armas de guerra, cinquenta mil, treinados para ordenar uma batalha de todo o coração; 34 de Naftali, mil capitães e, com eles, trinta e sete mil com escudo e lança; 35 dos danitas, preparados para a batalha, vinte e oito mil e seiscentos; 36 de Aser, dos capazes para sair à guerra e prontos para a batalha, quarenta mil; 37 do outro lado do Jordão, dos rubenitas e gaditas e da meia tribo de Manassés, providos de todo tipo de instrumentos de guerra, cento e vinte mil.

38 Todos estes homens de guerra, postos em ordem de batalha, vieram a Hebrom, resolvidos a proclamar Davi como rei sobre todo o Israel; também todo o resto de Israel era unânime no propósito de proclamar Davi como rei. 39 Estiveram ali com Davi três dias, comendo e bebendo; porque seus irmãos lhes tinham feito provisões. 40 E os vizinhos de mais perto, e também os mais distantes, como de Issacar, Zebulom e Naftali, trouxeram comida sobre jumentos, sobre camelos, sobre mulas e sobre bois, a saber, provisões de farinha, pasta de figo, cachos de passas, vinho, azeite, bois e ovelhas em abundância; porque havia muita alegria em Israel.

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.2 All of them were expert archers who 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 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 and Jehu from Anathoth;4 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 from Haruph;6 Elkanah, Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer, and Jashobeam, who were Korahites;7 Joelah and Zebadiah, sons of Jeroham from Gedor.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.9 Ezer was their leader. Obadiah was second. Eliab was third.10 Mishmannah was fourth. Jeremiah was fifth.11 Attai was sixth. Eliel was seventh.12 Johanan was eighth. Elzabad was ninth.13 Jeremiah was tenth. Macbannai was eleventh.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!15 They 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 Others from Benjamin and Judah came to David at the stronghold.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 and judge you.«18 Then the Spirit came upon Amasai, who later became a leader among 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 men from Manasseh defected from the Israelite army and joined David when he went with the Philistines to fight against Saul. But as it turned out, the Philistine leaders 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 lives if David switches loyalties to Saul and turns against us.«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 a thousand troops from the tribe of Manasseh.21 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 more men joined David until he had a great army, like the army of God.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 Jehovah had promised.24 From the tribe of Judah, there were six thousand eight hundred warriors armed with shields and spears.25 From the tribe of Simeon, there were seven thousand one hundred warriors.26 From the tribe of Levi, there were four thousand six hundred troops.27 This included Jehoiada, leader of the family of Aaron, who had three thousand seven hundred under his command.28 This also included Zadok, a young warrior, with twenty-two members of his family who were all officers.29 From the tribe of Benjamin, Saul’s relatives, there were three thousand warriors. Most of the men from Benjamin had remained loyal to Saul until this time.30 From the tribe of Ephraim, there were twenty thousand eight hundred warriors, each famous in his own clan.31 From the half-tribe of Manasseh west of the Jordan, eighteen thousand men were sent for the express purpose of helping David become king.32 From the tribe of Issachar, there were two hundred leaders of the tribe with their relatives. All these men understood the temper of the times and knew the best course for Israel to take.33 From the tribe of Zebulun, there were fifty thousand skilled warriors. They were fully armed and prepared for battle and completely loyal to David.34 From the tribe of Naphtali, there were one thousand officers and thirty-seven thousand warriors armed with shields and spears.35 From the tribe of Dan, there were twenty-eight thousand six hundred warriors, all prepared for battle.36 From the tribe of Asher, there were forty thousand trained warriors, all prepared for battle.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 one hundred twenty thousand troops armed with every kind of weapon.38 All these men came in battle array to Hebron with the single purpose of making David the king of Israel. In fact, all Israel agreed that David should be their king.39 They feasted and drank with David for three days. Their relatives had made preparations for their arrival.40 People from as far away as Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali brought food on donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen. Vast supplies of flour, fig cakes, raisins, wine; olive oil, cattle, and sheep were brought to the celebration. There was great joy throughout the land of Israel