17. And David went out to meet them and answered and said to them, “If you come in peace to me, to help me, my heart will be joined with you, but if you come to betray me to my adversaries, although there is no wrong on my hands, may the God of our fathers see and pass judgment.”
18. Then the Spirit came upon Amasai, chief of the thirty who said: “We are yours, O David! And we are with you, O son of Jesse! Peace! Peace to you, and peace to those who help you, for your God helps you.” So David appointed them as heads of the troops.
19. And some Manassites deserted to David when he came with the Philistines to the battle against Saul, but he did not help them, for the rulers of the Philistines sent him away upon counsel, saying, “He will desert to his master Saul at the cost of our heads.”
20. When he went to Ziklag some Manassites deserted to him: Adnah, Jehozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai, heads of the thousands that were for Manasseh.
21. And they themselves helped David against the troops, for all of them were mighty men of strength and were commanders in the army.
22. Day in and day out they came to David to help him until there was a great army, like the army of God.
23. And these are the numbers of the chiefs of those prepared for the army who came to David at Hebron to turn the kingdom of Saul over to him according to the word of Yahweh.
24. The sons of Judah bearing shield and spear: six thousand eight hundred armed troops.