New King James Version
1 Chronicles 12:8
8Some Gadites joined David at the stronghold in the wilderness, mighty men of valor, men trained for battle, who could handle shield and spear, whose faces were like the faces of lions, and were as swift as gazelles on the mountains:
1 Chronicles 12:8 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And of the Gadites there separated themselves unto David into the hold to the wilderness men of might, and men of war fit for the battle, that could handle shield and buckler, whose faces were like the faces of lions, and were as swift as the roes upon the mountains;
- New International Version (NIV)Some Gadites defected to David at his stronghold in the wilderness. They were brave warriors, ready for battle and able to handle the shield and spear. Their faces were the faces of lions, and they were as swift as gazelles in the mountains.
- English Standard Version (ESV)From the Gadites there went over to David at the stronghold in the wilderness mighty and experienced warriors, expert with shield and spear, whose faces were like the faces of lions and who were swift as gazelles upon the mountains:
- New Living Translation (NLT)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.
Context of 1 Chronicles 12:8
6Elkanah, Jisshiah, Azarel, Joezer, and Jashobeam, the Korahites; 7and Joelah and Zebadiah the sons of Jeroham of Gedor. Some Gadites joined David at the stronghold in the wilderness, mighty men of valor, men trained for battle, who could handle shield and spear, whose faces were like the faces of lions, and were as swift as gazelles on the mountains: 9Ezer the first, Obadiah the second, Eliab the third, 10Mishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth,
Read all of 1 Chronicles 121 Chronicles 12:8 word by word
וּמִן־הַגָּדִ֡י נִבְדְּל֣וּ אֶל־דָּוִיד֩ לַמְצַ֨ד מִדְבָּ֜רָה גִּבֹּרֵ֣י הַחַ֗יִל אַנְשֵׁ֤י צָבָא֙ לַמִּלְחָמָ֔ה עֹרְכֵ֥י צִנָּ֖ה וָרֹ֑מַח וּפְנֵ֤י אַרְיֵה֙ פְּנֵיהֶ֔ם וְכִצְבָאיִ֥ם עַל־הֶהָרִ֖ים לְמַהֵֽר׃ סRead the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
- And of the Gaditesגָּדִיgâdîy · GadH1425
- there separatedבָּדַלbâdal · to separateH914
- themselves unto Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
- into the holdמְצָדmetsad metsâd metsâdâh · strongholdH4679
- to the wildernessמִדְבָּרmidbâr · wildernessH4057
- menגִּבּוֹרgibbôr gibbôr · mighty manH1368
- of mightחַ֫יִלchayil · strengthH2428
- menאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
- of warצָבָאtsâbâ' tsebâ'âh · army: warH6635
- for the battleמִלְחָמָהmilchâmâh · battleH4421
- that could handleעָרַךְ‛ârak · to arrangeH6186
- shieldצִנָּהtsinnâh · shieldH6793
- and bucklerרֹ֫מַחrômach · spearH7420
- whose facesפָּנֶהpânîym · faceH6440
- of lionsאַרְיֵה'ărîy 'aryêh · lionH738
- as swiftמָהַרmâhar · to hastenH4116
- as the roesצְבִיtsebîy · gazelleH6643
- upon the mountainsהַרhar · mountain: mountH2022
Cross-references for 1 Chronicles 12:8
- 1 Chronicles 12:16Then some of the sons of Benjamin and Judah came to David at the stronghold.
- 1 Chronicles 11:16David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem.
- 1 Samuel 23:14And David stayed in strongholds in the wilderness, and remained in the mountains in the Wilderness of Ziph. Saul sought him every day, but God did not deliver him into his hand.
- 1 Samuel 24:22So David swore to Saul. And Saul went home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.
- 2 Chronicles 25:5Moreover Amaziah gathered Judah together and set over them captains of thousands and captains of hundreds, according to their fathers’ houses, throughout all Judah and Benjamin; and he numbered them from twenty years old and above, and found them to be three hundred thousand choice men, able to go to war, who could handle spear and shield.
- Jeremiah 46:9Come up, O horses, and rage, O chariots! And let the mighty men come forth: The Ethiopians and the Libyans who handle the shield, And the Lydians who handle and bend the bow.
- 1 Chronicles 11:22Benaiah was the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man from Kabzeel, who had done many deeds. He had killed two lion-like heroes of Moab. He also had gone down and killed a lion in the midst of a pit on a snowy day.
- 2 Samuel 1:23“Saul and Jonathan were beloved and pleasant in their lives, And in their death they were not divided; They were swifter than eagles, They were stronger than lions.
- 2 Samuel 17:10And even he who is valiant, whose heart is like the heart of a lion, will melt completely. For all Israel knows that your father is a mighty man, and those who are with him are valiant men.
- 2 Samuel 23:20Benaiah was the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man from Kabzeel, who had done many deeds. He had killed two lion-like heroes of Moab. He also had gone down and killed a lion in the midst of a pit on a snowy day.
- Proverbs 28:1The wicked flee when no one pursues, But the righteous are bold as a lion.
- 2 Samuel 2:18Now the three sons of Zeruiah were there: Joab and Abishai and Asahel. And Asahel was as fleet of foot as a wild gazelle.
- Proverbs 6:5Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hand of the hunter, And like a bird from the hand of the fowler.
Commentaries on 1 Chronicles 12:8
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 8And were as swift as the roes - That swiftness was considered to be a grand accomplishment in a warrior, appears from all ancient writings which treat of military affairs.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 8Into the hold to the wilderness - Rather, “into the hold toward the wilderness.” Some understand by this Ziklag, some En-gedi 1 Samuel 24:1-2; but it seems most probable that here and in 1 Chronicles 12:16 the stronghold of Adullam is intended 1 Chronicles 11:15-16.Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 1-22Support for making David king started before Saul's death. When Saul was king and David was on the run, warriors joined David, forming a large group from various tribes across Israel. Even Saul's relatives left him to support David as king (1 Chronicles 12:2). David wisely assessed these deserters (1 Chronicles 12:17) to ensure they were not spies for Saul. Before David was officially anointed at Hebron, the people's wishes aligned with God's will for…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 8-138-13. of the Gadites there separated themselves unto David--that is, from the service of Saul and from the rest of the Gadites who remained steadfast adherents of his cause. into the hold--or fortress, that is, of Ziklag, which was in the wilderness of Judah. whose faces were like the faces of lions, &c.--A fierce, lion-like countenance (2Sa 1:23), and great agility in pursuit (2Sa 2:18), were qualities of the highest estimation in ancient warfare.Read the comment
Topics related to 1 Chronicles 12:8
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 1 Chronicles 12
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries