1 Chronicles 12

Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter in Hebrew are of the Masoretic Text tradition, which includes the Aleppo Codex (10th century), and Codex Leningradensis (1008).[5]

There is also a translation into Koine Greek known as the Septuagint, made in the last few centuries BCE. Extant ancient manuscripts of the Septuagint version include Codex Vaticanus (B; ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$^B; 4th century), Codex Sinaiticus (S; BHK: ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$^S; 4th century), Codex Alexandrinus (A; ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$^A; 5th century) and Codex Marchalianus (Q; ${\displaystyle {\mathfrak {G}}}$^Q; 6th century).[6]

¹Now these are they that came to David to Ziklag, while he yet kept himself close because of Saul the son of Kish: and they were among the mighty men, helpers of the war. ²They were armed with bows, and could use both the right hand and the left in hurling stones and shooting arrows out of a bow, even of Saul's brethren of Benjamin.[9]

This passage suggests that some people of Benjamin defected to David while Saul was still reigning (cf. 2 Samuel 2:12–32).[10]

• "Ziklag": located within the territory of Judah allotted to the tribe of Simeon (Joshua 19:5; 1 Chronicles 4:30).[11] During Saul's reign, the Philistines apparently seized it, so their king, Achish of Gath, could give it to David, who set his headquarters in that place for sixteen months until the death of Saul (1 Samuel 27:6–7; 1 Samuel 30).[10][11]

3 The chief was Ahiezer, then Joash, the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite; and Jeziel and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth, and Beracah and Jehu the Anathothite,

4 and Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty man among the thirty, and over the thirty. Then Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, Jozabad the Gederathite,[12]

Then the Spirit clothed Amasai, chief of the thirty, and he said,

“We are yours, O David,

and with you, O son of Jesse!

Peace, peace to you,

and peace to your helpers!

For your God helps you.”

Then David received them and made them officers of his troops.[13]

Amasai's prophetic words, with "peace" (Hebrew: שָׁל֜וֹם, shā-lōm[14]) mentioned three times, speak of David's closeness with his supporters at the beginning of his rise to power. This relationship would be dissolved when the kingdom was divided in the time of Rehoboam's reign (2 Chronicles 10:16).[8]

• "The thirty": is translated from the original Hebrew word השלושים, which in Masoretic tradition is written (ketiv) with punctuation as הַשָּׁלִישִׁים֒, ha-shə-lō-shîm (meaning "thirty"), but read (qere) as הַשָּׁלִישִׁים֒, ha-shā-lî-shîm (meaning "captains" or "officers").[14] Nadav Naʾaman shows that the reading as "shālîsh" ("officer") is the correct understanding and clarifies problems in interpreting 2 Samuel 23:8–39, 1 Chronicles 11:10–41 and related passages,[15] following the interpretation of B. A. Mastin that "shālîshîm" are 'high-ranking officers who were called "of the third rank" simply because they came after the king and his senior officers'.[16]

And some from Manasseh defected to David when he was going with the Philistines to battle against Saul; but they did not help them, for the lords of the Philistines sent him away by agreement, saying, "He may defect to his master Saul and endanger our heads."[17]

The battle between Saul and the Philistines was mentioned in chapter 10 and the case of David not involved in that battle was summarized from 1 Samuel 29:1–30.[18]

And these are the numbers of the bands that were ready armed to the war, and came to David to Hebron, to turn the kingdom of Saul to him, according to the word of the Lord.[20]

Saul's kingdom was passed on peacefully to David in Hebron (cf. 1 Chronicles 10:14–11:3).[4]