17. Some Benjaminites and Judahites also came to David at the stronghold.
18. David went out to meet them and addressed them in these words: “If you come peacefully, to help me, I am of a mind to have you join me. But if you have come to betray me to my enemies though my hands have done no wrong, may the God of our ancestors see and punish you.”
19. Then a spirit clothed Amasai, the chief of the Thirty, and he answered David:“We are yours, O David,we are with you, son of Jesse.Peace, peace to you,and peace to him who helps you;may your God be your helper!”So David received them and placed them among the leaders of his troops.
20. Men from Manasseh also deserted to David when he came with the Philistines to battle against Saul. However, he did not help the Philistines, for their lords took counsel and sent him home, saying, “At the cost of our heads he will desert to his master Saul.”
21. As he was returning to Ziklag, therefore, these deserted to him from Manasseh: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai, chiefs of thousands of Manasseh.
22. They helped David by taking charge of his troops, for they were all warriors and became commanders of his army.
23. And from day to day men kept coming to David’s help until there was a vast encampment, like God’s own encampment.
24. This is the muster of the detachments of armed troops that came to David at Hebron to bring Saul’s kingdom over to him, as the Lord had ordained.
25. Judahites bearing shields and spears: six thousand eight hundred armed troops.
26. Of the Simeonites, warriors fit for battle: seven thousand one hundred.
27. Of the Levites: four thousand six hundred,
28. along with Jehoiada, leader of the line of Aaron, with another three thousand seven hundred,
29. and Zadok, a young warrior, with twenty-two princes of his father’s house.
30. Of the Benjaminites, the kinsmen of Saul: three thousand—until this time, most of them had kept their allegiance to the house of Saul.
31. Of the Ephraimites: twenty thousand eight hundred warriors, men renowned in their ancestral houses.
32. Of the half-tribe of Manasseh: eighteen thousand, designated by name to come and make David king.
33. Of the Issacharites, their chiefs who were endowed with an understanding of the times and who knew what Israel had to do: two hundred chiefs, together with all their kinsmen under their command.