14. These men were leaders of the Gadite army. The weakest from that group was worth 100 men, and the strongest was worth 1000 men.
15. They were the soldiers who crossed the Jordan River in the first month of the year, when it was flooded over its banks. They chased away the people in the valley who were on both sides of the river.
16. Other men from the tribes of Benjamin and Judah also came to David at the fortress.
17. David went out to meet them and said, “If you have come in peace to help me, I welcome you. Join me. But if you have come to spy on me when I have done nothing wrong, may the God of our ancestors see what you did and punish you.”
18. Amasai was the leader of the Thirty Heroes. Then the Spirit came on Amasai, and he said, “We are yours, David! We are with you, son of Jesse. Peace, peace to you. Peace to those who help you, because your God helps you.” So David welcomed these men into his group and put them in charge of the troops.
19. Some of the men from the tribe of Manasseh also joined David. They joined him when he went with the Philistines to fight Saul. But David and his men did not really help the Philistines. The Philistine leaders talked about David helping them, but then they decided to send him away. They said, “If David goes back to his master Saul, our heads will be cut off!”