1 Chronicles
Chapter 12

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1 Now these are they that came to Dauid to Ziklag while hee yet kept himselfe close, because of Saul the sonne of Kish: and they were among the mighty men, helpers of the warre.

2 They were armed with bowes, and could vse both the right hand and the left, in hurling stones, and shooting arrowes out of a bow, euen of Sauls brethren of Beniamin.

3 The chiefe was Ahiezer, then Ioash the sonnes of Shemaah the Gibeathite, and Ieziel, and Pelet, the sonnes of Azmaueth, and Berachah, and Iehu the Antothite,

4 And Ismaiah the Gibeonite, a mightie man among the thirtie, and ouer the thirtie, and Ieremiah, and Iahaziel, and Iohanan, and Iosabad the Gederathite,

5 Eleuzai, and Ierimoth, and Bealiath, and Shemariah, and Shephatiah the Haruphite,

6 Elkanah, and Iesiah, and Azariel, and Ioezer, and Iashobeam, the Korhites,

7 And Ioelah, and Zebadiah the sonnes of Ieroam of Gedor.

8 And of the Gadites there separated themselues vnto Dauid, into the hold to the wildernesse, men of might, and men of warre, fit for the battel, that could handle shield and buckler, whose faces were like the faces of Lyons, and were as swift as the Roes vpon the mountaines:

9 Ezer the first, Obadiah the second, Eliab the third,

10 Mashmannah the fourth, Ieremiah the fift,

11 Atthai the sixt, Eliel the seuenth,

12 Iohanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth,

13 Ieremiah the tenth, Machbanai the eleuenth.

14 These were of the sonnes of Gad, captaines of the hoste: one of the least was ouer an hundred, and the greatest, ouer a thousand.

15 These are they that went ouer Iorden in the first moneth, when it had ouerflowen all his bankes, and they put to flight all them of the valleis, both toward the East, and toward the West.

16 And there came of the children of Beniamin, and Iudah, to the hold vnto Dauid.

17 And Dauid went out to meete them, and answered and sayd vnto them: If yee bee come peaceably vnto me to helpe me, mine heart shall be knit vnto you: but if yee be come to betray me to mine enemies, seeing there is no wrong in mine hands: the God of our fathers looke thereon, and rebuke it.

18 Then the spirit came vpon Amasai, who was chiefe of the captaines, and he sayd, Thine are we, Dauid, and on thy side, thou sonne of Iesse: Peace, peace be vnto thee, and peace be to thine helpers; for thy God helpeth thee. Then Dauid receiued them, and made them captaines of the band.

19 And there fell some of Manasseh to Dauid, when he came with the Philistines against Saul to battell, but they helped them not. For the Lords of the Philistines, vpon aduisement, sent him away, saying, Hee will fall to his master Saul, to the ieopardie of our heads.

20 As he went to Ziklag, there fell to him of Manasseh, Adnah, and Iozabad, and Iediel, and Michael, and Iozabad, and Elihu, and Zilthai, captaines of the thousands that were of Manasseh.

21 And they helped Dauid against the band of the Rouers: for they were all mighty men of valour, and were captaines in the hoste.

22 For at that time day by day, there came to Dauid to helpe him, vntill it was a great hoste, like the hoste of God.

23 ¶ And these are the numbers of the bands, that were ready armed to the warre, and came to Dauid to Hebron, to turne the kingdome of Saul to him, according to the word of the Lord.

24 The children of Iudah that bare shield, and speare, were sixe thousand, and eight hundred, readie armed to the warre.

25 Of the children of Simeon, mighty men of valour for the warre, seuen thousand and one hundred.

26 Of the children of Leui, foure thousand and sixe hundred.

27 And Iehoiada was the leader of the Aaronits, and with him were three thousand, and seuen hundred.

28 And Zadok a young man mightie of valour, and of his fathers house twentie and two captaines.

29 And of the children of Beniamin the kinred 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, twentie thousand, and eight hundred, mightie men of valour, famous throughout the house of their fathers.

31 And of the halfe tribe of Manasseh, eighteene thousand, which were expressed by name, to come and make Dauid king.

32 And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had vnderstanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to doe: the heads of them were two hundred, and all their brethren were at their commandement.

33 Of Zebulun, such as went foorth to battell, expert in warre, with all instruments of warre, fifty thousand, which could keepe ranke: They were not of double heart.

34 And of Naphtali a thousand captaines, and with them, with shield and speare, thirtie and seuen thousand.

35 And of the Danites, expert in war, twentie and eight thousand, and sixe hundred.

36 And of Asher, such as went foorth to battell, expert in warre, fourtie thousand.

37 And on the other side of Iorden, of the Reubenites, & the Gadites, and of the halfe tribe of Manasseh, with all maner of instruments of warre for the battell, an hundred and twentie thousand.

38 All these men of warre, that could keepe ranke, came with a perfect heart to Hebron, to make Dauid king ouer all Israel: and all the rest also of Israel, were of one heart to make Dauid king.

39 And there they were with Dauid three dayes, eating and drinking: for their brethren had prepared for them.

40 Moreouer, they that were nigh them, euen vnto Issachar, and Zebulun, and Naphtali brought bread on asses, and on camels, and on mules, and on oxen, and meat, meale, cakes of figs, and bunches of raisins, and wine, and oyle, and oxen, and sheepe abundantly: for there was ioy in Israel.

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Commentary for 1 Chronicles 12

Those who came to David at Ziklag. (1-22) Those who came to Hebron. (23-40)1-22 Here is an account of those who appeared and acted as David's friends, while he was persecuted. No difficulties or dangers should keep the sinner from coming to the Savior, nor drive the believer from the path of duty. Those who break through, and overcome in these attempts, will find abundant recompence. From the words of Amasai we may learn how to testify our affection and allegiance to the Lord Jesus; his we must be throughly; on his side we must be forward to appear and act. If we are under the influence of the Spirit, we shall desire to have our lot among them, and to declare ourselves on their side; if in faith and love we embrace the cause of Christ, he will receive, employ, and advance us.

23-40 When the throne of Christ is set up in a soul, there is, or ought to be, great joy in that soul; and provision is made, not as here, for a few days, but for the whole life, and for eternity. Happy are those who wisely perceive it to be their duty and interest, to submit to the Saviour Jesus Christ, the Son of David; who renounce for his sake all that is not consistent; whose earnest endeavours to do good are directed by the wisdom that God giveth, through acquaintance with his word, experience, and observation. If any man lack this wisdom, let him ask it of God, who giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him.

Commentary by Matthew Henry, 1710.

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