David’s Army Grows at Hebron

Now these [are] the numbers of men armed for battle who came to David at Hebron to turn Saul’s kingdom over to him, in accordance with the word of the LORD:

24 

From Judah6,800 armed troops bearing shields and spears.

25 

From Simeon7,100 mighty men of valor, ready for battle.

26 

From Levi4,600 27 including Jehoiada, leader of the house of Aaron, with3,700 men, 28 and Zadok, a mighty young man of valor, with 22 commanders from his own family

29 

From Benjamin the kinsmen of Saul: 3,000 {}, most of whom had remained loyal to the house of Saul up to that time.

30 

From Ephraim20,800 mighty men of valor, famous among their own clans

31 

From the half-tribe of Manasseh:[fn] 18,000 {} designated by name to come and make David king.

32 

From Issachar [men] who understood the times and knew what Israel should do:200 chiefs with all their kinsmen at their command.

33 

From Zebulun: 50,000 {} fit for service trained for battle with all kinds of weapons of war who with one purpose were devoted [to David].[fn]

34 

From Naphtali: 1,000 {} commanders, accompanied by 37,000 men with shield and spear.

35 

From Dan: 28,600 {} prepared for battle.

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From Asher: 40,000 {} fit for service prepared for battle.

37 

And from east of the Jordan, from Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh [there]: 120,000 {} [armed] with every [kind] of weapon of war.

38 

All these men of war, arrayed for battle, came to Hebron fully determined to make David king over all Israel. And all the rest of the Israelites [were] of one mind to make David king.

39 

They spent three days there eating and drinking with David, for their relatives had provided for them. 40 And their neighbors from as far away as Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali came bringing food on donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen— abundant supplies of flour, fig cakes and raisin cakes, wine and oil, oxen and sheep. Indeed, there was joy in Israel. 13