וְאֵלֶּה הַבָּאִים אֶל־דָּוִיד לְצִיקְלַג עוֹד עָצוּר מִפְּנֵי שָׁאוּל בֶּן־קִישׁ וְהֵמָּה בַּגִּבּוֹרִים עֹזְרֵי הַמִּלְחָמָה׃   12:1

1Chr. 12:1   And these were coming to David to Ziklag while he was shut up because of Saul son of Kish, and they were among the mighty men, helpers of the war,

This chapter depicts a period out of time sequence, being before that of chapter 11.  The events of this chapter occurred before David became king.  They and most of the names found here are not recorded anywhere else in the bible.

נֹשְׁקֵי קֶשֶׁת מַיְמִינִים וּמַשְׂמִאלִים בָּאֲבָנִים וּבַחִצִּים בַּקָּשֶׁת מֵאֲחֵי שָׁאוּל מִבִּנְיָמִן׃   12:2

1Chr. 12:2   handlers of the bow, using right hands or left hands on stones or with arrows in the bow, from the brethren of Saul from Benjamin.

הָרֹאשׁ אֲחִיעֶזֶר וְיֹואָשׁ בְּנֵי הַשְּׁמָעָה הַגִּבְעָתִי (וִיזוּאֵל) [וִיזִיאֵל] וָפֶלֶט בְּנֵי עַזְמָוֶת וּבְרָכָה וְיֵהוּא   12:3

 הָעֲנְּתֹתִי׃

1Chr. 12:3   The chief was Ahiezer; then Joash, the sons of Shemaah, the Gibeathite, and Jeziel and Pelet, sons of Azmaveth, and Beracah, and Jehu, the Anathothite,

The name of Jeziel is misspelled in the parentheses.  The correction in the brackets replaces the second vav with the second yad.

וְיִשְׁמַעְיָה הַגִּבְעוֹנִי גִּבּוֹר בַּשְּׁלֹשִׁים וְעַל־הַשְּׁלֹשִׁיםוְיִרְמְיָה וְיַחֲזִיאֵל וְיוֹחָנָן וְיוֹזָבָד הַגְּדֵרָתִי׃   12:4

1Chr. 12:4   and Ishmaiah, the Gibeonite, a mighty man among the thirty and over the thirty, and Jeremiah, and Jahaziel, and Johanan, and Jozabad, the Gederathite,

אֶלְעוּזַי וִירִימֹות וּבְעַלְיָה וּשְׁמַרְיָהוּ וּשְׁפַטְיָהוּ (הַחֲרִיפִי) [הַחֲרוּפִי]׃   12:5

1Chr. 12:5   Eluzai, and Jerimoth, and Bealiah, and Shemariah, and Shephatiah, the Hariphite,

Another strange “error” correction here.  The word in the parentheses is translated accurately as the Hariphite.  The word in the brackets is translated as the Haruphite.  Many bibles show the second term, but some show the first.  I fail to understand this.  The name Hariph, the father of the Hariphites, is mentioned twice, one each in Nehemiah Chapters 7 and 10, but the name Haruph is absent from the bible.  Therefore, I believe there is no error in this verse.

אֶלְקָנָה וְיִשִּׁיָּהוּ וַעֲזַרְאֵל וְיוֹעֶזֶר וְיָשָׁבְעָם הַקָּרְחִים׃   12:6

1Chr. 12:6   Elkanah and Isshiah and Azarel and Joezer and Jashobeam, the Korahites,

וְיוֹעֵאלָה וּזְבַדְיָה בְּנֵי יְרֹחָם מִן־הַגְּדוֹר׃   12:7

1Chr. 12:7   and Joelah and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham, from the Gedor.

וּמִן־הַגָּדִי נִבְדְּלוּ אֶל־דָּוִיד לַמְצַד מִדְבָּרָה גִּבֹּרֵי הַחַיִל אַנְשֵׁי צָבָא לַמִּלְחָמָה עֹרְכֵי צִנָּה וָרֹמַח וּפְנֵי   12:8

  אַרְיֵה פְּנֵיהֶם וְכִצְבָאיִם עַל־הֶהָרִים לְמַהֵר׃

1Chr. 12:8   And some of the Gadite gathered themselves to David to the stronghold of the wilderness, the mightiest men of valor, men of a host for war, handlers of shield and spear (and their faces were the faces of a lion), and like roebucks hastening upon the mountains,

עֵזֶר הָרֹאשׁ עֹבַדְיָה הַשֵּׁנִי אֱלִיאָב הַשְּׁלִשִׁי׃   12:9

1Chr. 12:9   Ezer was the chief, Obadiah was the second, Eliab was the third,

מִשְׁמַנָּה הָרְבִיעִי יִרְמְיָה הַחֲמִשִׁי׃   12:10

1Chr. 12:10   Mashmannah was the fourth, Jeremiah was the fifth,

עַתַּי הַשִּׁשִּׁי אֱלִיאֵל הַשְּׁבִעִי׃   12:11

1Chr. 12:11   Attai was the sixth, Eliel was the seventh,

יוֹחָנָן הַשְּׁמִינִי אֶלְזָבָד הַתְּשִׁיעִי׃   12:12

1Chr. 12:12   Johanan was the eighth, Elzabad was the ninth,

יִרְמְיָהוּ הָעֲשִׂירִי מַכְבַּנַּי עַשְׁתֵּי עָשָׂר׃   12:13

1Chr. 12:13   Jeremiah was the tenth, Machbannai was eleventh.

אֵלֶּה מִבְּנֵי־גָד רָאשֵׁי הַצָּבָא אֶחָד לְמֵאָה הַקָּטָן וְהַגָּדוֹל לְאָלֶף׃   12:14

1Chr. 12:14   These, from the children of Gad, were the choicest of the host -- the least was equal to a hundred, and the greatest, to a thousand.

אֵלֶּה הֵם אֲשֶׁר עָבְרוּ אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּן בַּחֹדֶשׁ הָרִאשֹׁון וְהוּא מְמַלֵּא עַל־כָּל־(גִּדיֹתָיו) [גְּדֹותָיו] וַיַּבְרִיחוּ   12:15

אֶת־כָּל־הָעֲמָקִים לַמִּזְרָח וְלַמַּעֲרָב׃

1Chr. 12:15   These were they who crossed over the Jordan in the first month when it was filled over all its banks, and they put to flight everyone of the valleys to the east and to the west.

The word in the parenthesis, translated as its banks, appears to be incorrectly spelled.  The correction in the  brackets replaces the first yad with a vav.

וַיָּבֹאוּ מִן־בְּנֵי בִנְיָמִן וִיהוּדָה עַד־לַמְצָד לְדָוִיד׃   12:16

1Chr. 12:16   And some of the children of Benjamin and Judah came up to David's stronghold.

וַיֵּצֵא דָוִיד לִפְנֵיהֶם וַיַּעַן וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם אִם־לְשָׁלוֹם בָּאתֶם אֵלַי לְעָזְרֵנִי יִהְיֶה־לִּי עֲלֵיכֶם לֵבָב לְיָחַד   12:17

 וְאִם־לְרַמּוֹתַנִי לְצָרַי בְּלֹא חָמָס בְּכַפַּי יֵרֶא אֱלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ וְיוֹכַח׃

1Chr. 12:17   And David came out before them and responded and said to them, “If you are coming in peace to me to help me, my heart will be united to you, but if to betray me to my enemies, because there is no wrong on my hands, the God of our fathers will see and will judge.”

וְרוּחַ לָבְשָׁה אֶת־עֲמָשַׂי רֹאשׁ (הַשְּׁלֹושִׁים) [הַשָּׁלִישִׁים] לְךָ דָוִיד וְעִמְּךָ בֶן־יִשַׁי שָׁלֹום שָׁלֹום לְךָ   12:18

 וְשָׁלֹום לְעֹזְרֶךָ כִּי עֲזָרְךָ אֱלֹהֶיךָ וַיְקַבְּלֵם דָּוִיד וַיִּתְּנֵם בְּרָאשֵׁי הַגְּדוּד׃

1Chr. 12:18   And a spirit clothed Amasai, the chief of the officers,

                         “For you, David,

                                 and with you, son of Jesse!

                         Peace, peace be yours,

                                 and peace to your help,

                         for your God helps you.”

So David accepted them, and he set them among the chiefs of the troop.

The word in the parentheses is translated as the thirty, which is not appropriate to the context.  The word in the brackets is translated as the officers, which is correct.

וּמִמְּנַשֶּׁה נָפְלוּ עַל־דָּוִיד בְּבֹאוֹ עִם־פְּלִשְׁתִּים עַל־שָׁאוּל לַמִּלְחָמָה וְלֹא עֲזָרֻם כִּי בְעֵצָה שִׁלְּחֻהוּ   12:19

  סַרְנֵי פְלִשְׁתִּים לֵאמֹר בְּרָאשֵׁינוּ יִפּוֹל אֶל־אֲדֹנָיו שָׁאוּל׃

1Chr. 12:19   And some from Menasseh fell over to David on his coming with the Philistines against Saul to battle, but they did not help them, for on advice the lords of the Philistines sent him away saying, “He will fall away to his master, Saul, with our heads.”

בְּלֶכְתֹּו אֶל־צִיקְלַג נָפְלוּ עָלָיו מִמְּנַשֶּׁה עַדְנַח וְיֹוזָבָד וִידִיעֲאֵל וּמִיכָאֵל וְיֹוזָבָד וֶאֱלִיהוּא וְצִלְּתָי   12:20

 רָאשֵׁי הָאֲלָפִים אֲשֶׁר לִמְנַשֶּׁה׃

1Chr. 12:20   On his going to Ziklag fell to him from Menasseh Adnah and Jozabad and Jediael and Michael and Jozabad and Elihu and Zillethai, leaders of thousands who were Menasseh's.

וְהֵמָּה עָזְרוּ עִם־דָּוִיד עַל־הַגְּדוּד כִּי־גִבּוֹרֵי חַיִל כֻּלָּם וַיִּהְיוּ שָׂרִים בַּצָּבָא׃   12:21

1Chr. 12:21   And they helped with David over the troop, for mighty men of valor were all of them and they had been chieftains in the host.

כִּי לְעֶת־יוֹם בְּיוֹם יָבֹאוּ עַל־דָּוִיד לְעָזְרוֹ עַד־לְמַחֲנֶה גָדוֹל כְּמַחֲנֵה אֱלֹהִים׃   12:22

1Chr. 12:22   Then for a time, day by day, they would come over to David to help him, even to an encampment so great, it was like an encampment of God.

וְאֵלֶּה מִסְפְּרֵי רָאשֵׁי הֶחָלוּץ לַצָּבָא בָּאוּ עַל־דָּוִיד חֶבְרוֹנָה לְהָסֵב מַלְכוּת שָׁאוּל אֵלָיו כְּפִי יְהוָה׃   12:23

1Chr. 12:23   And these are the numbers of heads of those equipped for war; they came over to David to Hebron to turn the kingdom of Saul to him according to the “mouth” of the Lord.

בְּנֵי יְהוּדָה נֹשְׂאֵי צִנָּה וָרֹמַח שֵׁשֶׁת אֲלָפִים וּשְׁמוֹנֶה מֵאוֹת חֲלוּצֵי צָבָא׃   12:24

1Chr. 12:24   Of the sons of Judah, bearers of shield and spear, six thousand and eight hundred were armed men of the host.

מִן־בְּנֵי שִׁמְעוֹן גִּבּוֹרֵי חַיִל לַצָּבָא שִׁבְעַת אֲלָפִים וּמֵאָה׃   12:25

1Chr. 12:25   From the sons of Simeon were seven thousand and one hundred mighty men of valor for war.

מִן־בְּנֵי הַלֵּוִי אַרְבַּעַת אֲלָפִים וְשֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת׃   12:26

1Chr. 12:26   Four thousand and six hundred were from the sons of Levi.

How interesting!  Even the Levites would fight in biblical times.  How different it is today in Israel.  But the Levites were supposed to have been exempt from military service in those days as well.  Not just interesting -- strange.

וִיהוֹיָדָע הַנָּגִיד לְאַהֲרֹן וְעִמּוֹ שְׁלֹשֶׁת אֲלָפִים וּשְׁבַע מֵאוֹת׃   12:27

1Chr. 12:27   And Jehoiada was the leader for Aaron, and with him were three thousand and seven hundred,

And priests!

וְצָדוֹק נַעַר גִּבּוֹר חָיִל וּבֵית־אָבִיו שָׂרִים עֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁנָיִם׃   12:28

1Chr. 12:28   also Zadok, a young man mighty of valor, and twenty-two chieftains of the house of his father.

וּמִן־בְּנֵי בִנְיָמִן אֲחֵי שָׁאוּל שְׁלֹשֶׁת אֲלָפִים וְעַד־הֵנָּה מַרְבִּיתָם שֹׁמְרִים מִשְׁמֶרֶת בֵּית שָׁאוּל׃   12:29

1Chr. 12:29   And three thousand from the sons of Benjamin, brethren of Saul, as until then most of them had been keeping the obligation of the house of Saul.

וּמִן־בְּנֵי אֶפְרַיִם עֶשְׂרִים אֶלֶף וּשְׁמוֹנֶה מֵאוֹת גִּבּוֹרֵי חַיִל אַנְשֵׁי שֵׁמוֹת לְבֵית אֲבוֹתָם׃   12:30

1Chr. 12:30   And from the sons of Ephraim were twenty thousand and eight hundred mighty men of valor, men of fame in the house of their fathers.

וּמֵחֲצִי מַטֵּה מְנַשֶּׁה שְׁמוֹנָה עָשָׂר אָלֶף אֲשֶׁר נִקְּבוּ בְּשֵׁמוֹת לָבוֹא לְהַמְלִיךְ אֶת־דָּוִיד׃   12:31

1Chr. 12:31   And of the half tribe of Menasseh were eighteen thousand who had been specified by name to come to make David king.                                                      [Return to Amos 6:1]

וּמִבְּנֵי יִשָּׂשכָר יוֹדְעֵי בִינָה לַעִתִּים לָדַעַת מַה־יַּעֲשֶׂה יִשְׂרָאֵל רָאשֵׁיהֶם מָאתַיִם וְכָל־אֲחֵיהֶם   12:32

 עַל־פִּיהֶם׃

1Chr. 12:32   And from the sons of Issachar were knowers of enough discernment about the times to know what Israel should do; their chieftains were two hundred, and all their brethren were at their command.

מִזְּבֻלוּן יוֹצְאֵי צָבָא עֹרְכֵי מִלְחָמָה בְּכָל־כְּלֵי מִלְחָמָה חֲמִשִּׁים אָלֶף וְלַעֲדֹר בְּלֹא־לֵב וָלֵב׃   12:33

1Chr. 12:33   Fifty thousand were from Zebulun, proceeding to the host, drawn up in battle order with all the weapons of war, and were helping whole heartedly.

וּמִנַּפְתָּלִי שָׂרִים אָלֶף וְעִמָּהֶם בְּצִנָּה וַחֲנִית שְׁלֹשִׁים וְשִׁבְעָה אָלֶף׃   12:34

1Chr. 12:34   And a thousand chieftains were from Naphtali, and with them thirty-seven thousand with shield and spear.

וּמִן־הַדָּנִי עֹרְכֵי מִלְחָמָה עֶשְׂרִים־וּשְׁמוֹנָה אֶלֶף וְשֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת׃   12:35

1Chr. 12:35   And twenty-eight thousand and six hundred were from the Danite drawn up in battle order.

וּמֵאָשֵׁר יוֹצְאֵי צָבָא לַעֲרֹךְ מִלְחָמָה אַרְבָּעִים אָלֶף׃   12:36

1Chr. 12:36   And forty thousand were from Asher proceeding to the host to be drawn in battle order.

וּמֵעֵבֶר לַיַּרְדֵּן מִן־הָראוּבֵנִי וְהַגָּדִי וַחֲצִי שֵׁבֶט מְנַשֶּׁה בְּכֹל כְּלֵי צְבָא מִלְחָמָה מֵאָה וְעֶשְׂרִים אָלֶף׃   12:37

1Chr. 12:37   And a hundred and twenty thousand were from the other side of the Jordan from the Reubenite and the Gadite and the half tribe of Menasseh with all the weapons of a warring host.

כָּל־אֵלֶּה אַנְשֵׁי מִלְחָמָה עֹדְרֵי מַעֲרָכָה בְּלֵבָב שָׁלֵם בָּאוּ חֶבְרוֹנָה לְהַמְלִיךְ אֶת־דָּוִיד   12:38

 עַל־כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגַם כָּל־שֵׁרִית יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵב אֶחָד לְהַמְלִיךְ אֶת־דָּוִיד׃

1Chr. 12:38   All these men of war were helpers of the battle line with complete heart; they came to Hebron to make David king over all of Israel.  And also all the rest of Israel was of one mind to make David king.

וַיִּהְיוּ־שָׁם עִם־דָּוִיד יָמִים שְׁלוֹשָׁה אֹכְלִים וְשׁוֹתִים כִּי־הֵכִינוּ לָהֶם אֲחֵיהֶם׃   12:39

1Chr. 12:39   And they were there with David eating and drinking three days, for their brethren had provided for them.

וְגַם הַקְּרוֹבִים־אֲלֵיהֶם עַד־יִשָׂשכָר וּזְבֻלוּן וְנַפְתָּלִי מְבִיאִים לֶחֶם בַּחֲמוֹרִים וּבַגְּמַלִּים וּבַפְּרָדִים   12:40

  וּבַבָּקָר מַאֲכָל קֶמַח דְּבֵלִים וְצִמּוּקִים וְיַיִן־וְשֶׁמֶן וּבָקָר וְצֹאן לָרֹב כִּי שִׂמְחָה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל׃

1Chr. 12:40   And also those near to them were bringing bread on asses and on camels and on mules and on oxen, food, meal, fig cakes, and clusters of grapes, and wine, and oil, and cattle, and sheep in abundance, as far as Issachar and Zebulun and Naphtali, for joy was in Israel.

The time period described in this chapter starts with a point in time during Saul’s reign, and ends with David about to be anointed king.

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