1 Now these are they that came to David to Ziklag, while he yet kept himself close because of Saul the son of Kish: and they were among the mighty men, helpers of the war.
2 They were armed with bows, and could use both the right hand and the left in hurling stones and shooting arrows out of a bow, even of Saul's brethren of Benjamin.
3 The chief was Ahiezer, then Joash, the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite; and Jeziel, and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth; and Berachah, and Jehu the Antothite.
4 And Ismaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty man among the thirty, and over the thirty; and Jeremiah, and Jahaziel, and Johanan, and Josabad the Gederathite,
5 Eluzai, and Jerimoth, and Bealiah, and Shemariah, and Shephatiah the Haruphite,
6 Elkanah, and Jesiah, and Azareel, and Joezer, and Jashobeam, the Korhites,
7 And Joelah, and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham of Gedor.
8 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;
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, Machbanai the eleventh.
14 These were of the sons of Gad, captains of the host: one of the least was over an hundred, and the greatest over a thousand.
15 These are they that went over Jordan in the first month, when it had overflown all his banks; and they put to flight all them of the valleys, both toward the east, and toward the west.
16 And there came of the children of Benjamin and Judah to the hold unto David.
17 And David went out to meet them, and answered and said unto them, If ye be come peaceably unto me to help me, mine heart shall be knit unto you: but if ye be come to betray me to mine enemies, seeing there is no wrong in mine hands, the God of our fathers look thereon, and rebuke it.
18 Then the spirit came upon Amasai, who was chief of the captains, and he said, Thine are we, David, and on thy side, thou son of Jesse: peace, peace be unto thee, and peace be to thine helpers; for thy God helpeth thee. Then David received them, and made them captains of the band.
19 And there fell some of Manasseh to David, when he came with the Philistines against Saul to battle: but they helped them not: for the lords of the Philistines upon advisement sent him away, saying, He will fall to his master Saul to the jeopardy of our heads.
20 As he went to Ziklag, there fell to him of Manasseh, Adnah, and Jozabad, and Jediael, and Michael, and Jozabad, and Elihu, and Zilthai, captains of the thousands that were of Manasseh.
21 And they helped David against the band of the rovers: for they were all mighty men of valor, and were captains in the host.
22 For at that time day by day there came to David to help him, until it was a great host, like the host of God.
23 And these are the numbers of the bands that were ready armed to the war, and came to David to Hebron, to turn the kingdom of Saul to him, according to the word of the LORD.
24 The children of Judah that bare shield and spear were six thousand and eight hundred, ready armed to the war.
25 Of the children of Simeon, mighty men of valor for the war, seven thousand and one hundred.
26 Of the children of Levi four thousand and six hundred.
27 And Jehoiada was the leader of the Aaronites, and with him were three thousand and seven hundred;
28 And Zadok, a young man mighty of valor, and of his father's house twenty and two captains.
29 And of the children of Benjamin, the kindred of Saul, three thousand: for hitherto the greatest part of them had kept the ward of the house of Saul.
30 And of the children of Ephraim twenty thousand and eight hundred, mighty men of valor, famous throughout the house of their fathers.
31 And of the half tribe of Manasseh eighteen thousand, which were expressed by name, to come and make David king.
32 And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their commandment.
33 Of Zebulun, such as went forth to battle, expert in war, with all instruments of war, fifty thousand, which could keep rank: they were not of double heart.
34 And of Naphtali a thousand captains, and with them with shield and spear thirty and seven thousand.
35 And of the Danites expert in war twenty and eight thousand and six hundred.
36 And of Asher, such as went forth to battle, expert in war, forty thousand.
37 And on the other side of Jordan, of the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and of the half tribe of Manasseh, with all manner of instruments of war for the battle, an hundred and twenty thousand.
38 All these men of war, that could keep rank, came with a perfect heart to Hebron, to make David king over all Israel: and all the rest also of Israel were of one heart to make David king.
39 And there they were with David three days, eating and drinking: for their brethren had prepared for them.
40 Moreover they that were nigh them, even unto Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, brought bread on asses, and on camels, and on mules, and on oxen, and meat, meal, cakes of figs, and bunches of raisins, and wine, and oil, and oxen, and sheep abundantly: for there was joy in Israel.
The book of 1 Chronicles is a historical narrative that focuses on the lineage of the Israelites and the reign of King David. In chapter 12, the author continues to recount the events leading up to David's rise to power and his establishment as king over all of Israel. This chapter highlights the loyalty and devotion of David's supporters and the unity of the Israelite tribes under his rule. It also serves as a reminder of God's faithfulness to His people and the importance of remaining steadfast in their devotion to Him.
The chapter begins with the introduction of the supporters who came to join David in Hebron. These men were from the tribe of Benjamin, which was the smallest tribe in Israel, and from the tribe of Judah, which was the largest and most powerful tribe. This gathering of supporters symbolizes the unification of the tribes under David's leadership.
The first group mentioned is the tribe of Gad, who were skilled warriors and valiant fighters. They were the first to join David, and they were able to defeat the enemies of Israel with their military prowess. This is significant because it shows that God was with David and his supporters, giving them victory over their enemies.
The next group to join David was the tribe of Manasseh, who were also skilled warriors. They were able to defeat the Amalekites, who were known for their fierce fighting skills. This further demonstrates God's favor upon David and his supporters.
The Levites were a priestly tribe who were responsible for the religious duties in Israel. In this section, it is mentioned that some of the Levites joined David's cause. This is significant because it shows that even the religious leaders saw David as the rightful king and were willing to support him.
The Levites who joined David were from the tribe of Benjamin, which was the tribe of King Saul. This shows that even though Saul had turned against David, there were still those who remained loyal to him and recognized his anointing as king.
The next group to join David was from the tribes of Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali. These tribes were known for their wisdom and understanding, and they recognized that God had chosen David to be their king. They also brought large amounts of food and supplies to support David and his army.
The tribe of Dan also sent warriors to join David, even though they were not mentioned in the previous chapters as being part of the tribes that anointed David as king. This shows that David's influence and popularity had spread throughout all of Israel, and even those who were not originally part of his supporters were now willing to join him.
The final section of this chapter emphasizes the unity of the tribes under David's leadership. It mentions that the tribe of Simeon, who had previously been scattered throughout the land, also came to join David. This was a fulfillment of Jacob's prophecy in Genesis 49:7, where he said that Simeon would be scattered among the other tribes.
The author also mentions that the tribe of Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh brought a large number of weapons and supplies to support David's army. This shows that the tribes were united in their support for David and were willing to sacrifice their resources for his cause.
The author also lists the names of the tribal leaders and the number of men they brought to support David. This serves as a reminder of the vast number of people who were united in their loyalty to David and their dedication to God.
The gathering of David's supporters in chapter 12 serves as a powerful reminder of God's faithfulness to His people. Despite the challenges and obstacles that David faced, he remained steadfast in his devotion to God, and God remained faithful to him by providing him with loyal supporters.
This chapter also highlights the importance of unity among God's people. The tribes of Israel were able to come together and support David as their king, despite their differences and past conflicts. This unity was a reflection of God's desire for His people to be united and work together towards a common goal.
Furthermore, this chapter serves as a reminder of the importance of remaining faithful to God. David's supporters were willing to risk their lives and resources to support him because they recognized that he was chosen by God to be their king. This shows the importance of remaining faithful to God's chosen leaders and following His will, even in difficult times.
In conclusion, chapter 12 of 1 Chronicles in the KJV Holy Bible is a powerful reminder of God's faithfulness, the importance of unity among His people, and the significance of remaining faithful to His chosen leaders. It serves as a testament to the unifying power of God and the strength that comes from remaining steadfast in our devotion to Him.
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