The Growth of David’s Army

12 Now athese were the men who came to David at bZiklag while he was still a fugitive from Saul the son of Kish; and they were among the mighty men, helpers in the war, 2 armed with bows, using both the right hand and cthe left in hurling stones and shooting arrows with the bow. They were of Benjamin, Saul’s brethren.

3 The chief was Ahiezer, then Joash, the sons of 1Shemaah the Gibeathite; Jeziel and Pelet the sons of Azmaveth; Berachah, and Jehu the Anathothite; 4 Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty man among the thirty, and over the thirty; Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, and Jozabad the Gederathite; 5 Eluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah, and Shephatiah the Haruphite; 6 Elkanah, Jisshiah, Azarel, Joezer, and Jashobeam, the Korahites; 7 and Joelah and Zebadiah the sons of Jeroham of Gedor.

8 Some Gadites 2joined 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 das swift as gazelles on the mountains: 9 Ezer the first, Obadiah the second, Eliab the third, 10 Mishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth, 11 Attai the sixth, Eliel the seventh, 12 Johanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth, 13 Jeremiah the tenth, and Machbanai the eleventh. 14 These were from the sons of Gad, captains of the army; the least was over a hundred, and the greatest was over a ethousand. 15 These are the ones who crossed the Jordan in the first month, when it had overflowed all its fbanks; and they put to flight all those in the valleys, to the east and to the west.

16 Then some of the sons of Benjamin and Judah came to David at the stronghold. 17 And David went out 3to meet them, and answered and said to them, “If you have come peaceably to me to help me, my heart will be united with you; but if to betray me to my enemies, since there is no 4wrong in my hands, may the God of our fathers look and bring judgment.” 18 Then the Spirit 5came upon gAmasai, chief of the captains, and he said:

“We are yours, O David;

We are on your side, O son of Jesse!

Peace, peace to you,

And peace to your helpers!

For your God helps you.”

So David received them, and made them captains of the troop.

19 And some from Manasseh defected to David hwhen he was going with the Philistines to battle against Saul; but they did not help them, for the lords of the Philistines sent him away by agreement, saying, i“He may defect to his master Saul and endanger our heads.” 20 When he went to Ziklag, those of Manasseh who defected to him were Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai, captains of the thousands who were from Manasseh. 21 And they helped David against jthe bands of raiders, for they were all mighty men of valor, and they were captains in the army. 22 For at that time they came to David day by day to help him, until it was a great army, klike the army of God.

David’s Army at Hebron

23 Now these were the numbers of the 6divisions that were equipped for war, and lcame to David at mHebron to nturn over the kingdom of Saul to him, oaccording to the word of the Lord: 24 of the sons of Judah bearing shield and spear, six thousand eight hundred 7armed for war; 25 of the sons of Simeon, mighty men of valor fit for war, seven thousand one hundred; 26 of the sons of Levi four thousand six hundred; 27 Jehoiada, the leader of the Aaronites, and with him three thousand seven hundred; 28 pZadok, a young man, a valiant warrior, and from his father’s house twenty-two captains; 29 of the sons of Benjamin, relatives of Saul, three thousand (until then qthe greatest part of them had remained loyal to the house of Saul); 30 of the sons of Ephraim twenty thousand eight hundred, mighty men of valor, 8famous men throughout their father’s house; 31 of the half-tribe of Manasseh eighteen thousand, who were designated by name to come and make David king; 32 of the sons of Issachar rwho had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, their chiefs were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their command; 33 of Zebulun there were fifty thousand who went out to battle, expert in war with all weapons of war, sstouthearted men who could keep ranks; 34 of Naphtali one thousand captains, and with them thirty-seven thousand with shield and spear; 35 of the Danites who could keep battle formation, twenty-eight thousand six hundred; 36 of Asher, those who could go out to war, able to keep battle formation, forty thousand; 37 of the Reubenites and the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh, from the other side of the Jordan, one hundred and twenty thousand armed for battle with every kind of weapon of war.

38 All these men of war, who could keep ranks, came to Hebron with a loyal heart, to make David king over all Israel; and all the rest of Israel were of tone mind to make David king. 39 And they were there with David three days, eating and drinking, for their brethren had prepared for them. 40 Moreover those who were near to them, from as far away as Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, were bringing food on donkeys and camels, on mules and oxen—provisions of flour and cakes of figs and cakes of raisins, wine and oil and oxen and sheep abundantly, for there was joy in Israel.

The Ark Brought from Kirjath Jearim

13 Then David consulted with the acaptains of thousands and hundreds, and with every leader. 2 And David said to all the assembly of Israel, “If it seems good to you, and if it is of the Lord our God, let us send out to our brethren everywhere who are bleft in all the land of Israel, and with them to the priests and Levites who are in their cities and their common-lands, that they may gather together to us; 3 and let us bring the ark of our God back to us, cfor we have not inquired at it since the days of Saul.” 4 Then all the assembly said that they would do so, for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people.

5 So dDavid gathered all Israel together, from eShihor in Egypt to as far as the entrance of Hamath, to bring the ark of God ffrom Kirjath Jearim. 6 And David and all Israel went up to gBaalah, 1to Kirjath Jearim, which belonged to Judah, to bring up from there the ark of God the Lord, hwho dwells between the cherubim, where His name is proclaimed. 7 So they 2carried the ark of God ion a new cart jfrom the house of Abinadab, and Uzza and Ahio drove the cart. 8 Then kDavid and all Israel played music before God with all their might, with 3singing, on harps, on stringed instruments, on tambourines, on cymbals, and with trumpets.

9 And when they came to 4Chidon’s threshing floor, Uzza put out his hand to hold the ark, for the oxen 5stumbled. 10 Then the anger of the Lord was aroused against Uzza, and He struck him lbecause he put his hand to the ark; and he mdied there before God. 11 And David became angry because of the Lord’s outbreak against Uzza; therefore that place is called 6Perez Uzza to this day. 12 David was afraid of God that day, saying, “How can I bring the ark of God to me?”

13 So David would not move the ark with him into the City of David, but took it aside into the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. 14 nThe ark of God remained with the family of Obed-Edom in his house three months. And the Lord blessed othe house of Obed-Edom and all that he had.

David Established at Jerusalem

14 Now aHiram king of Tyre sent messengers to David, and cedar trees, with masons and carpenters, to build him a house. 2 So David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel, for his kingdom was bhighly exalted for the sake of His people Israel.

3 Then David took more wives in Jerusalem, and David begot more sons and daughters. 4 And cthese are the names of his children whom he had in Jerusalem: 1Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, 5 Ibhar, 2Elishua, 3Elpelet, 6 Nogah, Nepheg, Japhia, 7 Elishama, 4Beeliada, and Eliphelet.

The Philistines Defeated

8 Now when the Philistines heard that dDavid had been anointed king over all Israel, all the Philistines went up to search for David. And David heard of it and went out against them. 9 Then the Philistines went and made a raid eon the Valley of 5Rephaim. 10 And David finquired of God, saying, “Shall I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?”

The Lord said to him, “Go up, for I will deliver them into your hand.”

11 So they went up to Baal Perazim, and David defeated them there. Then David said, “God has broken through my enemies by my hand like a breakthrough of water.” Therefore they called the name of that place 6Baal Perazim. 12 And when they left their gods there, David gave a commandment, and they were burned with fire.

13 gThen the Philistines once again made a raid on the valley. 14 Therefore David inquired again of God, and God said to him, “You shall not go up after them; circle around them, hand come upon them in front of the mulberry trees. 15 And it shall be, when you hear a sound of marching in the tops of the mulberry trees, then you shall go out to battle, for God has gone out before you to strike the camp of the Philistines.” 16 So David did as God commanded him, and they drove back the army of the Philistines from 7Gibeon as far as Gezer. 17 Then ithe fame of David went out into all lands, and the Lord jbrought the fear of him upon all nations.