1 Ora, estes são os que vieram ter com Davi a Ziclague, enquanto estava escondido por causa de Saul, filho de Quis; e eram dos homens poderosos que lhe ajudavam na guerra.2 Tinham por arma o arco, e usavam tanto da mão direita como da mão esquerda em arremessarem pedras com fundas e em dispararem setas dos arcos; eram dos irmãos de Saul de Benjamim.3 O chefe era Aiezer, em seguida Joás, filhos de Semaa, gibeatita; Jeziel e Pelete, filhos da Azmavete; Beraca e Jeú, anatotita;4 Ismaías, gibeonita, homem poderoso entre os trinta e comandante deles, e Jeremias, Jaaziel, Joanã e Jozabade, gederatita;5 Eluzai, Jerimote, Bealias, Semarias, Sefatias, harufita;6 Elcana, Issias, Azareel, Joezer e Jasobeão, coraítas;7 Joela e Zebadias, filhos de Jeroão de Gedor.8 Dos gaditas desertaram para Davi ao lugar forte no deserto, homens ilustres em valor, preparados para a guerra, que sabiam manejar escudo e lança. Os seus rostos eram como de leões, e eles tão velozes como as corças sobre os montes.9 O chefe era Ezer, o segundo Obadias, o terceiro Eliabe,10 o quarto Mismana, o quinto Jeremias,11 o sexto Atai, o sétimo Eliel,12 o oitavo Joanã, o nono Elzabade,13 o décimo Jeremias, o undécimo Macbanai.14 Estes, dos filhos de Gade, foram capitães do exército: o que era menor valia por cem homens, e o maior por mil.15 Estes são os que passaram o Jordão no primeiro mês, quando ele trasbordava por todas as suas ribeiras; e puseram em fugida a todos os que habitavam nos vales, ao oriente e ao ocidente.16 Também vieram dos filhos de Benjamim e de Judá ter com Davi ao lugar forte.17 Davi saiu-lhes ao encontro e disse-lhes: Se vierdes ter comigo pacificamente para me socorrer, unir-se-á o meu coração convosco; se, porém, vierdes para me entregar aos meus adversários, não havendo mal nas minhas mãos, olhe para isso o Deus de nossos pais e seja juiz.18 Então veio o espírito sobre Amasai, que era chefe dos trinta, e ele disse: Somos teus, ó Davi, e do teu lado, ó filho de Jessé; paz, paz seja contigo, e paz seja com os que te ajudam, porque o teu Deus te ajuda. Davi recebeu-os, e fê-los capitães de tropas.19 Também de Manassés desertaram alguns para Davi, quando veio com os filisteus contra Saul para pelejar (porém não os ajudou, porque os régulos dos filisteus, tendo feito conselho, o despediram, dizendo: Ele com perigo das nossas vidas passará para o seu amo Saul).20 Voltando ele para Ziclague, de Manassés desertaram para ele: Adna, Jozabade, Jediael, Micael, Jozabade, Eliú e Ziletai, capitães de mil com Manassés.21 Deram auxílio a Davi contra a tropa de salteadores, porque todos eles eram ilustres em valor, e foram capitães no exército.22 De dia em dia concorriam a Davi para o auxiliarem, até que se fez um grande exército como o exército de Deus.23 Estes são os números dos cabeças dos que estavam armados para a guerra, que vieram ter com Davi, em Hebrom, para lhe transferirem o reino de Saul, segundo a palavra de Jeová.24 Os filhos de Judá, que traziam escudos e lanças, seis mil e oitocentos, armados para a guerra.25 Dos filhos de Simeão, homens valentíssimos para a guerra, sete mil e cem.26 Dos filhos de Levi, quatro mil e seiscentos.27 Joiada foi o chefe da casa de Arão, e com ele três mil e setecentos;28 e Zadoque mancebo ilustre em valor, e da casa de seu pai vinte e dois capitães.29 Dos filhos de Benjamim, irmãos de Saul, três mil; porque até então a maior parte deles se tinham conservado fiéis à casa de Saul.30 Dos filhos de Efraim, vinte mil e oitocentos, ilustres em valor, e de nome nas casas de seus pais.31 Da meia tribo de Manassés, dezoito mil, que foram designados por nome para virem fazer rei a Davi.32 Dos filhos de Issacar, homens que tinham a inteligência dos tempos, para saberem o que Israel devia fazer; os cabeças deles eram duzentos; e todos os seus irmãos seguiram o seu mandamento.33 De Zebulom cinqüenta mil que podiam sair no exército, pôr-se em campo, providos de toda a sorte de instrumentos de guerra, e ordenar a batalha. Não eram de coração dobre.34 De Naftali mil capitães, e com eles trinta e sete mil que levavam escudo e lança.35 Dos danitas vinte e oito mil e seiscentos, que podiam pôr-se em campo.36 De Aser quarenta mil, que podiam sair no exército e pôr-se em campo.37 Da banda dalém do Jordão dos rubenitas, dos gaditas e da meia tribo de Manassés, providos de toda a sorte de instrumentos de guerra, cento e vinte mil.38 Todos estes, sendo guerreiros, que sabiam ordenar a batalha, vieram com coração perfeito a Hebrom, para constituir a Davi rei sobre todo o Israel; e todo o resto também de Israel estava de um só coração em constituir rei a Davi.39 Permaneceram ali com Davi três dias, comendo e bebendo, porque seus irmãos lhes tinham feito provisões.40 Além disso os que estavam perto, até Issacar, Zebulom e Naftali, traziam em jumentos, em camelos, em machos e em bois, pão, comidas de farinha, pastas de figos, cachos de passas, vinho, azeite, bois e ovelhas em abundância; porque havia regozijo 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