I Chronicles 12, All of Israel Unites at Hebron

David is king. We have just gone through a list of his mighty warriors. David continues to build up a collection of powerful men.

1 Chronicles 12: 1-7, Kinsman of Saul join David's forces

These were the men who came to David at Ziklag, while he was banished from the presence of Saul son of Kish (they were among the warriors who helped him in battle; they were armed with bows and were able to shoot arrows or to sling stones right-handed or left-handed; they were kinsmen of Saul from the tribe of Benjamin):

   Ahiezer their chief 

   and Joash the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite; 

   Jeziel and Pelet the sons of Azmaveth; 

   Beracah, Jehu the Anathothite,

   and Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty man among the Thirty, who was a leader of the Thirty;    

   Jeremiah, 

   Jahaziel, 

   Johanan, 

   Jozabad the Gederathite,

   Eluzai, 

   Jerimoth, 

   Bealiah, 

   Shemariah

   and Shephatiah the Haruphite;

   Elkanah, 

   Isshiah, 

   Azarel, 

   Joezer 

   and Jashobeam the Korahites;

   and Joelah 

   and Zebadiah the sons of Jeroham from Gedor.
 

David attracts even men from Saul's army. The book of 1 Samuel records numerous attempts for Saul to capture David and in several instances, David is quick to acknowledge Saul's anointing and to refuse to kill Saul.  Here in 1 Chronicles, we skip over those episodes but the Chronicler makes it clear that David does indeed draw into his army men who served Saul.

1 Chronicles 12: 8-15, Gadites

Some Gadites defected to David at his stronghold in the desert. They were brave warriors, ready for battle and able to handle the shield and spear. Their faces were the faces of lions, and they were as swift as gazelles in the mountains.

   Ezer was the chief, 

   Obadiah the second in command, 

   Eliab the third,

   Mishmannah the fourth, 

   Jeremiah the fifth,

   Attai the sixth, 

   Eliel the seventh,

   Johanan the eighth, 

   Elzabad the ninth,
   Jeremiah the tenth 

   and Macbannai the eleventh.

These Gadites were army commanders; the least was a match for a hundred, and the greatest for a thousand. It was they who crossed the Jordan in the first month when it was overflowing all its banks, and they put to flight everyone living in the valleys, to the east and to the west.

Men of Gad (a transjordan tribe) cross the Jordan in flood and apparently fight for David. 

1 Chronicles 12: 16-18, More Benjamites

Other Benjamites and some men from Judah also came to David in his stronghold.

David went out to meet them and said to them, "If you have come to me in peace, to help me, I am ready to have you unite with me. But if you have come to betray me to my enemies when my hands are free from violence, may the God of our fathers see it and judge you."

Then the Spirit came upon Amasai, chief of the Thirty, and he said: 

"We are yours, O David! 

We are with you, O son of Jesse! 

Success, success to you, a

nd success to those who help you, 

for your God will help you." 

So David received them and made them leaders of his raiding bands.

Saul is of the tribe of Benjamin, so David's ability to draw from that tribe makes it easier to unify the tribes under his commmand.

1 Chronicles 12: 19-21, Some men of Manasseh also join

Some of the men of Manasseh defected to David when he went with the Philistines to fight against Saul. (He and his men did not help the Philistines because, after consultation, their rulers sent him away. They said, "It will cost us our heads if he deserts to his master Saul.")

When David went to Ziklag, these were the men of Manasseh who defected to him: 

   Adnah, 

   Jozabad, 

   Jediael, 

   Michael, 

    Jozabad, 

   Elihu 

    and Zillethai, leaders of units of a thousand in Manasseh. 

They helped David against raiding bands, for all of them were brave warriors, and they were commanders in his army.

Men of Manasseh also join David. It is possible that these men, like the Gadites, are from across the Jordan.

1 Chronicles 12: 22-37, Men of various tribes

Day after day men came to help David, until he had a great army, like the army of God. These are the numbers of the men armed for battle who came to David at Hebron to turn Saul's kingdom over to him, as the LORD had said:

   men of Judah, carrying shield and spear--6,800 armed for battle;

   men of Simeon, warriors ready for battle--7,100;
   men of Levi--4,600,
   including Jehoiada, leader of the family of Aaron, with 3,700 men,
   and Zadok, a brave young warrior, with 22 officers from his family;
   men of Benjamin, Saul's kinsmen--3,000, most of whom had remained loyal to Saul's house until then;
   men of Ephraim, brave warriors, famous in their own clans--20,800;
   men of half the tribe of Manasseh, designated by name to come and make David king--18,000;
   men of Issachar, who understood the times and knew what Israel should do--200 chiefs, with all their relatives under their command;
   men of Zebulun, experienced soldiers prepared for battle with every type of weapon, to help David with undivided loyalty--50,000;
   men of Naphtali--1,000 officers, together with 37,000 men carrying shields and spears;
   men of Dan, ready for battle--28,600;
   men of Asher, experienced soldiers prepared for battle--40,000;
   and from east of the Jordan, men of Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh, armed with every type of weapon--120,000.

Men from every tribe come to join David, including those who had remained loyal to Saul. The description of the men of Issachar, as men "who understood the times", suggests that these men could see that God was behind David's rise to power and that David was good for all Israel.

1 Chronicles 12: 38-40, Festival

All these were fighting men who volunteered to serve in the ranks. They came to Hebron fully determined to make David king over all Israel. All the rest of the Israelites were also of one mind to make David king.

The men spent three days there with David, eating and drinking, for their families had supplied provisions for them. Also, their neighbors from as far away as Issachar, Zebulun and Naphtali came bringing food on donkeys, camels, mules and oxen. There were plentiful supplies of flour, fig cakes, raisin cakes, wine, oil, cattle and sheep, for there was joy in Israel.

The volunteers bring food for a festival and unite behind David. The Chronicler records this as a time of joy -- this is the truth birth of a kingdom.