1 Chronicles 12:1-22

1David went to Ziklag town because King Saul, the son of Kish, had chased him away. Many brave men went to David there. They were some of the brave soldiers who helped David to fight in war.

2They could shoot with bows and arrows. They could use slings to throw stones with either their right hand or their left hand. They were relatives of Saul, from Benjamin's tribe. Their names were:

3Ahiezer, their leader, and his brother Joash. They were sons of Shemaah, who was from Gibeah town. Jeziel and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth. Beracah. Jehu, from Anathoth town.

4Ishmaiah, from Gibeon town. He was the leader of the 30 great soldiers. Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan and Jozabad, who was from Gederah.

5Eluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah and Shephatiah, who was from Hariph.

6Elkanah, Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer and Jashobeam. They belonged to Korah's clan.

7Joelah and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham from Gedor town.

8Many soldiers from Gad's tribe joined David's army at his strong place in the desert. These men were brave soldiers who knew how to fight well. They could use shields and spears. They could fight like lions. They could run as fast as deer on the mountains.

9Ezer was their leader. After him there were: Obadiah (2), Eliab (3),

10Mishmannah (4), Jeremiah (5),

11Attai (6), Eliel (7),

12Johanan (8), Elzabad (9),

13Jeremiah (10), and Makbannai (11).

14These descendants of Gad were leaders in the army. The least important officer among them led 100 soldiers. The greatest officer led 1,000 soldiers.

15Those men went across to the west side of the Jordan River during the first month of the year. At that time the water in the river was very deep and wide. They chased away the people who lived in the valleys on both sides of the river.

16Some other men from the tribes of Benjamin and Judah also came to David in his strong place.

17David went out to meet them. He said to them, ‘I hope that you have come here as my friends. If you have come to help me, I will make an agreement with you. But I hope that you have not come here to help my enemies and to tell them where I am hiding. I have not done anything wrong. So I pray that the God of our ancestors will see what you do. He will punish you as you deserve!’

18Then God's Spirit came to Amasai with power. He was the leader of the 30 great soldiers. He said, ‘We will serve you, David, Jesse's son. We have come to help you! May God bless you! May God bless those who help you! Yes, your God will help you.’ So David accepted them as his friends. He made them officers in his army.

19Some men from Manasseh's tribe also joined David's army. That was at the time when David joined with the Philistines to fight against Saul. But David and his men were not able to help the Philistines like that. That was because the leaders of the Philistines decided to send David and his men away. They said, ‘David may turn against us and go to help his master Saul, instead. If he does that, we will all be dead!’

20So David returned to Ziklag. These men from Manasseh's tribe joined David's army at that time: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu and Zillethai. Each of them had been the leader of 1,000 soldiers in Saul's army.

21All those men were brave soldiers and they became officers in David's army. They helped David to fight against the enemy's soldiers when they attacked.

22Every day more men came to help David. So his army became very large and powerful, like God's own army.