Back to 1 Chronicles 12

1 Chronicles 12:19-21

Some of Manasseh also joined David, when he came with the Philistines against Saul to battle; but they didn’t help them; for the lords of the Philistines sent him away after consultation, saying, “He will desert to his master Saul to the jeopardy of our heads.”

As he went to Ziklag, some from Manasseh joined him: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai, captains of thousands who were of Manasseh. They helped David against the band of rovers; for they were all mighty men of valor, and were captains in the army.

World English Bible · Public Domain
Show the surrounding paragraph

1 Chronicles 12:19-21 sits inside this longer paragraph.

Now these are those who came to David to Ziklag, while he was a fugitive from Saul the son of Kish. They were among the mighty men, his helpers in war. They were armed with bows, and could use both the right hand and the left in slinging stones and in shooting arrows from the bow. They were of Saul’s relatives of the tribe of Benjamin. The chief was Ahiezer, then Joash, the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite; Jeziel and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth; Beracah; Jehu the Anathothite; Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty man among the thirty and a leader of the thirty; Jeremiah; Jahaziel; Johanan; Jozabad the Gederathite; Eluzai; Jerimoth; Bealiah; Shemariah; Shephatiah the Haruphite; Elkanah, Isshiah Azarel, Joezer, and Jashobeam, the Korahites; and Joelah and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham of Gedor. Some Gadites joined David in the stronghold in the wilderness, mighty men of valor, men trained for war, who could handle shield and spear; whose faces were like the faces of lions, and they were as swift as the gazelles on the mountains: Ezer the chief, Obadiah the second, 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 Machbannai the eleventh. These of the sons of Gad were captains of the army: he who was least was equal to one hundred, and the greatest to one thousand. These are those who went over the Jordan in the first month, when it had overflowed all its banks; and they put to flight all who lived in the valleys, both toward the east and toward the west. Some of the children of Benjamin and Judah came to the stronghold to David. David went out to meet them, and answered them, “If you have come peaceably to me to help me, my heart will be united with you; but if you have come to betray me to my adversaries, since there is no wrong in my hands, may the God of our fathers see this and rebuke it.” Then the Spirit came on Amasai, who was chief of the thirty, and he said, “We are yours, David, and on your side, you son of Jesse. Peace, peace be to you, and peace be to your helpers; for your God helps you.” Then David received them, and made them captains of the band. Some of Manasseh also joined David, when he came with the Philistines against Saul to battle; but they didn’t help them; for the lords of the Philistines sent him away after consultation, saying, “He will desert to his master Saul to the jeopardy of our heads.”

As he went to Ziklag, some from Manasseh joined him: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai, captains of thousands who were of Manasseh. They helped David against the band of rovers; for they were all mighty men of valor, and were captains in the army. For from day to day men came to David to help him, until there was a great army, like God’s army.

Read all of 1 Chronicles 12 →

Parallel Translations

  • WEB World English Bible

    Some of Manasseh also joined David, when he came with the Philistines against Saul to battle; but they didn’t help them; for the lords of the Philistines sent him away after consultation, saying, “He will desert to his master Saul to the jeopardy of our heads.”

    As he went to Ziklag, some from Manasseh joined him: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai, captains of thousands who were of Manasseh.

    They helped David against the band of rovers; for they were all mighty men of valor, and were captains in the army.

  • KJV King James Version

    And there fell some of Manasseh to David, when he came with the Philistines against Saul to battle: but they helped them not: for the lords of the Philistines upon advisement sent him away, saying, He will fall to his master Saul to the jeopardy of our heads.

    As he went to Ziklag, there fell to him of Manasseh, Adnah, and Jozabad, and Jediael, and Michael, and Jozabad, and Elihu, and Zilthai, captains of the thousands that were of Manasseh.

    And they helped David against the band of the rovers: for they were all mighty men of valour, and were captains in the host.

Show all 3 translations
  • JPS JPS Tanakh (1917)

    (12-20) Of Manasseh also there fell away some to David, when he came with the Philistines against Saul to battle, but they helped them not; for the lords of the Philistines upon advisement sent him away, saying: 'He will fall away to his master Saul to the jeopardy of our heads.'

    (12-21) As he went to Ziklag, there fell to him of Manasseh, Adnah, and Jozabad, and Jediael, and Michael, and Jozabad, and Elihu, and Zillethai, captains of thousands that were of Manasseh.

    (12-22) And they helped David against the troop, for they were all mighty men of valour, and were captains in the host.

View more translations →

Cross-references (10)

  • 1 Samuel 29:2-9 (v19) The lords of the Philistines passed on by hundreds and by thousands; and David and his men passed on in the rear with Achish. Then the…
  • Exodus 18:21 (v20) Moreover you shall provide out of all the people able men which fear God: men of truth, hating unjust gain; and place such over them, to be…
  • Deuteronomy 1:15 (v20) So I took the heads of your tribes, wise and respected men, and made them heads over you, captains of thousands, captains of hundreds,…
  • Deuteronomy 33:17 (v20) Majesty belongs to the firstborn of his herd. His horns are the horns of the wild ox. With them he will push all the peoples to the ends of…
  • 1 Samuel 29:11 (v20) So David rose up early, he and his men, to depart in the morning, to return into the land of the Philistines, and the Philistines went up…
Show all 10 cross-references
  • 1 Samuel 30:1-17 (v21) When David and his men had come to Ziklag on the third day, the Amalekites had made a raid on the South, and on Ziklag, and had struck…
  • 1 Chronicles 5:24 (v21) These were the heads of their fathers’ houses: even Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel, mighty men of valor,…
  • 1 Chronicles 11:10 (v21) Now these are the chief of the mighty men whom David had, who showed themselves strong with him in his kingdom, together with all Israel,…
  • 1 Chronicles 11:21-22 (v21) Of the three, he was more honorable than the two, and was made their captain; however he wasn’t included in the three. Benaiah the son of…
  • 1 Chronicles 12:20 (v21) As he went to Ziklag, some from Manasseh joined him: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai, captains of thousands…

Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)

Explain this passage (14 sources)

Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.

Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On vv19, 21 Or, on the jeopardy of our heads.

Or, on the jeopardy of our heads.

They came only to help David, and not to succor the Philistines, which were enemies to their country.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.

John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On v19 1Ch 12:19 And there fell [some] of Manasseh to…
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv19–21 They helped them not, i.e. the Manassites here named,…
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv19–21 For at that time, day by day, there came…
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv20–21 As - As he returned from the camp of…
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv19, 21 1Ch 12:19-20. They helped them not — That is,…
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On v21 The band of the rovers - See the marginal…
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv19–21 Fight. They joined him after he had left the…
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On vv19–21 there fell some of Manasseh--The period of their accession…
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv19, 21 19. There fell some of Manasseh to David, when…
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv19–21 19–22. Manassite Adherents
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv19–21 (19) There fell.—The regular term for desertion of one…
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv19–21 And there fell of Manasseh to David. Of this…
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv19, 21 deserted to
Share