David

He had more honor than the thirty, but he did not achieve the status of the first three. David put him in command of his personal guard.

Following are the men who joined David at Ziklag while he was still being kept away from Sha'ul the son of Kish; they were among the warriors who helped him fight his battles.

From the Gadi a number of strong, brave, trained fighting men defected to David at the fortress in the desert. They could handle shield and spear, they were as fierce as lions, and they were as fast as deer on the hills:

From the descendants of Binyamin and Y'hudah a number came to David at the fortress.

When David went out to meet them, he said, "If you are coming to me in peace to help me, my heart will be bonded to yours. But if you are coming to betray me to my enemies, then, since I have done nothing wrong, may the God of our fathers see it and judge."

Then the Spirit covered 'Amasai the chief commander, and he said: "We are yours, David; on your side, son of Yishai! Peace, peace to you, and peace to your helpers; for your God helps you." David welcomed them and made them senior officers.

From M'nasheh some defected to David when he was about to go with the P'lishtim to fight against Sha'ul; but they ended up not helping them; because the rulers of the P'lishtim, after consultation, sent David away, saying, "He will defect to his master Sha'ul at the cost of our heads."

They helped David against the raiding band, for they were all strong, brave men who were commanders in the army.

Indeed, reinforcements to assist David reached him daily, until there was a great army, like the army of God.

Following are the numbers of those who came armed for war to David in Hevron, in order to transfer to him the kingdom of Sha'ul, according to what ADONAI had said.

Of the half-tribe of M'nasheh, 18,000 were designated by name to come and make David king.

All these soldiers who were experienced in war came to Hevron wholeheartedly to make David king over all Isra'el, and all the rest from Isra'el were single-hearted in wanting to make David king.

They remained there with David for three days, eating and drinking, for their kinsmen had prepared for them.

David consulted with the commanders of thousands and of hundreds - with every leader.

Then David said to the entire assembly of Isra'el, "If it seems good to you, and if it is the will of ADONAI our God, let's send messengers to the rest of our kinsmen in the land of Isra'el, and also to the cohanim and L'vi'im in their cities with surrounding open land, asking them to join us;

So David summoned all Isra'el to come together, from Shichor in Egypt all the way to the entrance of Hamat, to bring the ark of God from Kiryat-Ye'arim.

David went up with all Isra'el to Ba'alah, that is, Kiryat-Ye'arim, which belonged to Y'hudah, to bring up from there the ark of God, ADONAI, who is enthroned above the k'ruvim, bearing the Name.

David and all Isra'el celebrated in the presence of God with all their strength, with songs, lyres, lutes, tambourines, cymbals and trumpets.

It upset David that ADONAI had broken out against 'Uza; that place has been called Peretz-'Uza [breaking-out of 'Uza] ever since.

That day, God frightened David; he asked, "How can I bring the ark of God to me?"

So David didn't bring the ark into the City of David; rather, David carried it aside into the house of 'Oved-'Edom the Gitti.

Huram king of Tzor sent envoys to David with cedar logs, and with them stonemasons and carpenters, to build him a palace.

David then knew that ADONAI had set him up as king over Isra'el; because, for the sake of his people Isra'el, his royal power had been greatly increased.

David took more concubines and wives in Yerushalayim, and David became father of more sons and daughters.

When the P'lishtim heard that David had been anointed king over all Isra'el, all the P'lishtim went up in search of David. On hearing of it, David went to attack them.