12:23 The following is a record of the armed warriors who came with their leaders and joined David in Hebron in order to make David king in Saul’s place, in accordance with the Lord’s decree: 1
12:24 From Judah came 6,800 trained warriors carrying shields and spears. 2
12:25 From Simeon there were 7,100 warriors.
12:26 From Levi there were 4,600. 12:27 Jehoiada, the leader of Aaron’s descendants, brought 3,700 men with him, 12:28 along with Zadok, a young warrior, and twenty-two leaders from his family.
12:29 From Benjamin, Saul’s tribe, 3 there were 3,000, most of whom, up to that time, had been loyal to Saul. 4
12:30 From Ephraim there were 20,800 warriors, who had brought fame to their families. 5
12:31 From the half tribe of Manasseh there were 18,000 who had been designated by name to come and make David king.
12:32 From Issachar there were 200 leaders and all their relatives at their command – they understood the times and knew what Israel should do. 6
12:33 From Zebulun there were 50,000 warriors who were prepared for battle, equipped with all kinds of weapons, and ready to give their undivided loyalty. 7
12:34 From Naphtali there were 1,000 officers, along with 37,000 men carrying shields and spears.
12:35 From Dan there were 28,600 men prepared for battle.
12:36 From Asher there were 40,000 warriors prepared for battle.
12:37 From the other side of the Jordan, from Reuben, Gad, and the half tribe of Manasseh, there were 120,000 men armed with all kinds of weapons.
12:38 All these men were warriors who were ready to march. 8 They came to Hebron to make David king over all Israel by acclamation; 9 all the rest of the Israelites also were in agreement that David should become king. 10 12:39 They spent three days feasting 11 there with David, for their relatives had given them provisions. 12:40 Also their neighbors, from as far away as Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali, were bringing food on donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen. There were large supplies of flour, fig cakes, raisins, wine, olive oil, beef, and lamb, 12 for Israel was celebrating. 13
5:1 The sons of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn –
(Now he was the firstborn, but when he defiled his father’s bed, 16 his rights as firstborn were given to the sons of Joseph, Israel’s son. So Reuben is not listed as firstborn in the genealogical records. 17 5:2 Though Judah was the strongest among his brothers and a leader descended from him, 18 the right of the firstborn belonged to Joseph.)
5:3 The sons of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn:
Hanoch, Pallu, Hezron, and Carmi.
5:4 The descendants of Joel:
His son Shemaiah, his son Gog, his son Shimei, 5:5 his son Micah, his son Reaiah, his son Baal, 5:6 and his son Beerah, whom King Tiglath-pileser 19 of Assyria carried into exile. Beerah 20 was the tribal leader of Reuben.
5:7 His brothers by their clans, as listed in their genealogical records:
The leader Jeiel, Zechariah, 5:8 and Bela son of Azaz, son of Shema, son of Joel.
They lived in Aroer as far as Nebo and Baal Meon. 5:9 In the east they settled as far as the entrance to the desert that stretches to the Euphrates River, for their cattle had increased in numbers in the land of Gilead. 5:10 During the time of Saul they attacked the Hagrites and defeated them. They took over their territory in the entire eastern region of Gilead. 21
5:11 The descendants of Gad lived near them in the land of Bashan, as far as Salecah.
5:12 They included Joel the leader, Shapham the second in command, Janai, and Shaphat in Bashan. 5:13 Their relatives, listed according to their families, 22 included Michael, Meshullam, Sheba, Jorai, Jacan, Zia, and Eber – seven in all.
5:14 These were the sons of Abihail son of Huri, son of Jaroah, son of Gilead, son of Michael, son of Jeshishai, son of Jahdo, son of Buz. 5:15 Ahi son of Abdiel, son of Guni, was the leader of the family. 23 5:16 They lived in Gilead, in Bashan and its surrounding settlements, and in the pasturelands of Sharon to their very borders. 24
1 tn Heb “these are the numbers of the heads of the forces armed for battle [who] came to David in Hebron to turn over the kingdom of Saul to him according to the mouth of the
2 tn Heb “the sons of Judah, carrying shield and spear, [were] 6,800 armed for battle.”
3 tn Heb “from the sons of Benjamin, the brothers of Saul.”
4 tn Heb “and until then, the majority of them were keeping the charge of the house of Saul.”
5 tn Heb “men of names for the house of their fathers.”
6 tn Heb “from the sons of Issachar, knowers of understanding for times to know what Israel should do, their heads [were] 200, and all their brothers according to their mouth.”
7 tn Heb “from Zebulun, those going out for battle, prepared for war with all weapons of war, 50,000, and to help without a heart and a heart.”
8 tc Heb “all these [were] men of war, helpers of the battle line.” The present translation assumes an emendation of עֹדְרֵי (’odÿrey, “helpers of”) to עֹרְכֵי, (’orÿkhey, “prepared for”).
9 tn Heb “with a complete heart they came to Hebron to make David king over all Israel.”
10 tn Heb “and also all the rest of Israel [was of] one mind to make David king.”
11 tn Heb “eating and drinking.”
12 tn Heb “cattle and sheep.”
13 tn Heb “for there was joy in Israel.”
14 tn Heb “ones armed with bow[s], using the right hand and the left hand with stones and with arrows with the bow, from the brothers of Saul from Benjamin.”
15 tn The words “These were” have been supplied in the translation for stylistic reasons, because of the length of the intervening material since the beginning of the verse.
16 sn The phrase when he defiled his father’s bed refers to Reuben having sexual relations with his father Jacob’s concubine Bilhah. This incident is recorded in Gen 35:22.
17 tn Heb “and not to be listed in the genealogical records as (having) the right of the firstborn.”
18 tn Heb “and [one] for a leader [was] from him.” This probably refers to the Davidic king.
19 tn Heb “Tilgath-pilneser,” a variant spelling of Tiglath-pileser (also in v. 26).
20 tn Heb “he”; the referent (Beerah) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
21 tn Heb “and in the days of Saul they made war with the Hagrites and they fell by their hand and they lived in their tents unto all the face of the east of Gilead.”
22 tn Heb “and their brothers by the house of their fathers.”
23 tn Heb “was the head of the house of their fathers.”
24 tn Heb “unto their extremities.”