Now these are they that came to David to Ziklag, while he kept still close because of Saul the son of Kish; and they were among the mighty men who helped him in the conflict;
This verse opens a list of men who joined David at Ziklag, while Saul still hunted him and no crown was on his head. Why does Scripture record their names, and why does the list start with soldiers from the tribe of the king hunting him?
The date matters. These men were not the veterans of David's later victories. Their hearts moved while Saul still held the throne and David had to keep out of sight.
In 1 Chronicles 12 we have another account, and it is deeply interesting. It is not about the companions who were so remarkable for their mighty deeds. It is about those who gathered round him. First of all, "These are the men who came to David at Ziklag." That is, they came just before the end of it all, when the kingdom was about to turn. It is a very beautiful thing to see. When God is about to work something special on the earth, He knows how to give the secret of it to His people. There was a providential working on God's part, but there was a spiritual working in the hearts of His people.
Kelly separates this movement from the crowd that arrived once Saul was dead:
There was a rush to David after Saul was dead; but I do not speak of that. This is a very different and a lower thing altogether. But we should note this movement of heart, which gathered the men of Israel to David in sympathy before it could be a matter of open allegiance.
Chronicles names the place but says nothing of how David came to be there.
Chronicles does not mention the mistakes he made at this time in his life. It says nothing of the lack of faith that made him flee to Achish. It says nothing of what came upon him from this at the battle with the Philistines, or of his stay at Ziklag (see 1 Sam. 29, 30). That is the principle of this book: divine grace covers a multitude of sins. In 2 Samuel and in the Psalms, by contrast, we see David turning from his wicked path and confessing his faults.
That makes the loyalty of these men more striking, not less:
How can we fail to trace out this faith? The presence of David himself was enough for it, at the very moment when, by man's judgment, everything seemed lost forever for the Lord's anointed. Driven away by Saul, rejected by the Philistines, he had only Ziklag — and even this place fell to the power of Amalek.
Verse 2 names them as Saul's own relatives. Of every tribe in Israel, this is the surprise.
The first men named were the very last that man would have expected — the men of Benjamin… As a whole tribe they were slow. But God showed His sovereignty and His gracious purpose by calling "Saul's kinsmen" out of that very tribe. They are the very first that He names. So we must never lose heart; we must never suppose that any circumstances can hinder the way of God. God will bring out people for the name of the Lord Jesus in the very last place you expect.
Rossier adds that Benjamin made a habit of it:
In all these cases, whether at Ziklag, in the stronghold, or at Hebron, Benjamin is first (vv. 2, 16, 29) and does not miss a single opportunity to acknowledge its king.
Each phrase in the verse marks what God still looks for.
They came to David, they were mighty men, they were armed, they could use both hands in conflict. Such are the men God desires today. They are drawn to Christ in true affection. They are strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. They wear the whole armour of God, and they carry the arms of righteousness on the right hand and on the left.
Rossier applies this to Christ, our David.
Our David has not yet received a visible kingdom. But some acknowledge Him while He is still the rejected king. They have a special place in God's records, and they are "more honourable than their brothers."
The joy comes later:
When the time of conflict and stress was over, how their hearts would rejoice at the honour of sharing those days of struggle with David! One day the glory of Christ will dawn in heavenly beauty. Then great joy will fill all who have shared today in the conflicts for His name and for the good of all His own.
- Early. They came while the kingdom was still Saul's. Loyalty of heart came before public allegiance.
- Unlikely. The first names are Saul's own relatives, proof that no circumstance can block God's call.
- Covered. Chronicles names Ziklag but not David's failure there; grace covers a multitude of sins.
- Equipped. Mighty, armed, skilled with both hands — the pattern for those strong in grace, wearing the whole armour of God.
- Honoured. Those who own the King while men still refuse Him hold a special place in God's record. They will rejoice on the day His glory dawns.
armed with bows, using both the right hand and the left with stones and with arrows on the bow; [they were] of Saul's brethren of Benjamin
David was not yet on the throne, and the first men who came to join him were archers from Saul's own tribe. Why does God name them first, and what does their skill with both hands say to anyone who wants to be useful to a rejected king?
Benjamin was Saul's tribe, and the tribe slowest to accept David later on. That makes the opening of the list striking.
The first men named here were the very last anyone would have expected — the men of Benjamin. It is not that there were so many. They were slow afterward. Even when David came to the throne, the men of Benjamin still hung on to the house of Saul. As a tribe they were slow. Yet God showed His sovereignty and His gracious purpose by calling men "of Saul's brothers" out of that very tribe... We must never be disheartened; we must never suppose that any circumstances can hinder the way of God. God will bring out to the name of the Lord Jesus in the very last spot that you expect.
To leave Saul was to leave their own relatives. The verse names both things: their family, and the weapons in their hands.
The first men pointed out as having come to him were from among the brothers of Saul — that is, from the tribe of Benjamin. This proves that God and the knowledge of His will had more value in their eyes than family ties and the advantages that flow from them. They were men of the greatest skill with the bow and the sling, the very weapons that killed Saul in the battle where he was overthrown.
Saul fell in a battle against archers he could not match. These men were the help he no longer had. David refused to use them against him.
What a help these men would have been to the Philistines, enemies of God's people! But, on the other hand, what a help they would have been to Saul, these men, who "were bowmen and could shoot arrows and sling stones with either the right or the left hand"! Saul had no archers to set against the Philistines, and that was the immediate cause of his ruin. Scripture tells us he was terrified when he saw that he could not match the Philistine archers. Yet David did not use this unexpected help against Saul. He let God Himself direct the circumstances and pronounce judgment in his favour. He would in no way fight against God's people. Christians often meet the same kind of test, and Satan succeeds in drawing them into conflict with one another. If they do not learn then that "in quietness and in trust shall be your strength," they will certainly come into new difficulties.
The timing of their arrival is the whole point. They committed themselves when there was nothing visible to gain.
What we find in this chapter is the faith of many, precious fruit of grace. This faith submits to the Lord's anointed, the king according to God's counsels. It owns him at a time when the natural eye could not recognise him in his lowly condition. It is the same today for believers. Our David has not yet received a visible kingdom. But those who acknowledge Him while He is still the rejected king have a special place in God's own record.
The detail about right and left hand is not decoration. It marks men ready whichever way the fight turned. One writer takes it straight into the believer's own equipment.
They came to David, they were mighty men, they were armed, they could use both hands in conflict. These are the men God wants today. They are drawn to Christ in true affection. They are strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. They wear the whole armour of God, and they carry the arms of righteousness on the right hand and on the left.
These men were not born stronger than everyone else. Their courage grew as they attached themselves to the right person.
Faith and a clear display of God's power stir up the energy and strength of those who join themselves to it. He with whom God is attracts those with whom God is working... Many of these had been with Saul, but when with him they were not mighty men. When God acts in power, He gives strength to the weak. By the energy of faith and of His Spirit He produces an army of heroes.
- Called — God named Benjamin first, the tribe least likely to come. No circumstance is too hard for His call.
- Cost — they valued God's will above family ties. They left Saul's household to stand with the rejected king.
- Equipped — bow, sling, right hand and left. The believer's version is the whole armour of God and righteousness on both sides.
- Strengthened — with Saul they were not mighty men. Joined to David they grew strong, for God gives strength to the weak.
- Honoured — our David is still uncrowned. Those who own Him now hold a special place in God's record.
the chief Ahiezer, and Joash, the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite; and Jeziel, and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth; and Berachah, and Jehu the Anathothite,
A short list of names opens the record of the men who joined David while Saul was still king, and every one of them came from Saul's own tribe. Why does God put these men at the head of the list, and what does their move to David show?
The men listed here are from the tribe that had most reason to stay loyal to the old king. One commentator points out how unlikely that makes them.
The first men on the list were the very last that anyone would have expected — the men of Benjamin. They were slow afterward. Even when David came to the throne, the men of Benjamin still hung on to the house of Saul. They were slow as a whole tribe. But God showed His sovereignty and His gracious purpose. He called Saul's own kinsmen out of that very tribe, and they are the very first men He names from Benjamin. So we must never lose heart. We must never suppose that any circumstances can hinder the way of God. God will bring out to the name of the Lord Jesus in the very last spot that you expect.
David had nothing to offer these men when they came. Benjamin still led the way, and that makes their move an act of faith.
Whether at Ziklag, in the stronghold, or at Hebron, Benjamin is first and never misses a chance to acknowledge its king. This little tribe, once nearly wiped out after their sin (Judges 20 — Judges 21), now holds a distinguished place in the testimony. God notes with approval (vv. 1-7) that they were Saul's own kinsmen. Theirs was the fervent faith of that first hour before the dawn of the kingdom. How can we fail to see this faith? The presence of David alone was enough for it. And this was the very moment when, by man's judgment, all seemed lost forever for the Lord's anointed. Saul had driven him out. The Philistines had rejected him. He had only Ziklag, and even that place fell to Amalek (1 Samuel 30)!
The same writer reads the pattern forward to believers who own a King the world still refuses.
This faith submits to the Lord's anointed, the king of God's own choosing. It acknowledges him at a time when human eyes could not recognise him in his lowly state. It is the same today for believers. Our David has not yet received a visible kingdom. But those who acknowledge Him while He is still the rejected king have a special place in God's record. They are "more honourable than their brothers."
Ahiezer and his men were archers, and that was the skill Saul's army lacked. David never turned them on Saul.
Saul's lack of archers to set against the Philistines was the immediate cause of his ruin. The record tells us he was terrified when he saw that he could not match the Philistine archers. Yet David did not use this unexpected help against Saul. He let God Himself direct the circumstances and judge in his favour, and he would in no way fight against His people. How often Christians face the same kind of moment, with Satan getting them to fight one another. If they do not learn then that "in quietness and in trust shall be your strength," they are sure to run into new difficulties.
Some of these men had served under Saul without distinction. Their courage grew where God's power was at work.
The man with whom God is draws those in whom God is working. Their energy grows as He shows more of His presence and favour. Many of these had been with Saul, but when with him they were not mighty men; many also had never been with him. ... When God acts in power, He gives strength to the weak, and produces, by the energy of faith and of His Spirit, an army of heroes.
One writer ties this list of names to the coming kingdom and its rewards.
Does it not tell us that the kingdom will be the stage where God shows His recognition of those who know the Beloved whom earth rejected? They seek to walk in heavenly association with Him now, while wicked men hold power. Does it not point us to the time when "the Lord, the righteous judge," will award the crowns of "life" (Revelation 2:10; James 1:12), "glory" (1 Peter 5:4), and "righteousness" (2 Timothy 4:8)? Then He will say "Well done!" and each one "will receive his commendation from God." Those who suffer now will reign later.
- Called first. God heads the list with men from Saul's own tribe. No circumstance can block His call, and no place is too unlikely for grace.
- Convinced early. They came when David held only Ziklag, and even that had fallen to Amalek. His person alone was enough for their faith.
- Clear cost. Their skill was just what Saul's army needed. David still refused to use them against Saul, and waited for God to judge.
- Made strong. Some had been with Saul and were nobodies; near the anointed man, weak men became an army of heroes.
- Kept on record. Names given in the day of rejection are the names honoured in the kingdom. Those who own the rejected King now have a special place in God's record.
and Jishmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty man among the thirty, and over the thirty; and Jeremiah, and Jahaziel, and Johanan, and Jozabad the Gederathite.
A plain list of names hides a remarkable story. These men joined a king the nation had not yet crowned, and God kept their names — including Ishmaiah, a Gibeonite who led the thirty.
Ziklag was David's low point. He was not yet king, and the nation had not accepted him.
Here is a list of the warriors who came to David at Ziklag. Saul was still alive, and so David was still rejected by the nation... They seem to be a picture of those who follow the Lord Jesus now, while the world in general still rejects Him.
Nothing in David's circumstances promised that he would ever rule. What these men had was faith.
What we find in this chapter (vv. 1-22) is the faith of many, precious fruit of grace. This faith submits to the Lord's anointed, the king according to God's purposes. It acknowledges him at a time when human eyes could not see who he was in his lowly condition. It is the same today for believers. Our David has not yet received a visible kingdom. But those who acknowledge Him while He is still the rejected king have a special place in God's record. They are "more honorable than their brothers."
Verse 4 sits inside the Benjamin group that opens the chapter — and Benjamin was Saul's own tribe. Family ties gave them every excuse to wait and see.
In all these cases — at Ziklag, in the stronghold, or at Hebron — Benjamin is first (vv. 2, 16, 29). It never misses a single chance to acknowledge its king. This act of faith was all the more remarkable. Benjamin, and especially "the brothers of Saul," had every natural reason to hesitate and to hold back a decision until after all the others. But their faith could overcome obstacles, because faith goes together with "virtue" (2 Peter 1:5) and cannot be separated from it once it is called into action.
The same writer points out what David refused to do with this new help.
Saul's lack of archers to set against the Philistines was the immediate cause of his ruin... Still, David did not use this unexpected help against Saul. He let God Himself direct the circumstances and give judgment in his favour. He would in no way fight against His people.
Ishmaiah leads the thirty. His hometown has a history.
The people of Gibeon... were Hivites, and 'mighty' men. They had deceived Joshua into making a treaty with them, so they were made woodcutters and water carriers for the house of God. Saul, on an occasion that is not recorded, had killed some of the Gibeonites, and it seems to have been passed over and forgotten. But God could not allow the oath of His people to be broken, so He brought a famine on the land... Ishmaiah, one of David's thirty mighty men, was a Gibeonite.
Saul had killed some of these people. David put one of them over his thirty. Another writer explains what their low place showed.
It is true that God permitted them to bear a certain stamp of degradation as a result... the Gibeonites were reduced to the most menial services for the sanctuary of Jehovah. So it was clear that nothing preserved them but His name.
So the head of David's thirty came from a people with nothing to bring. That is the kind of man David gathered.
David is able to create, to form, the most wretched beings in his own image. The reflection of his moral beauty falls on those who have nothing to bring him but their misery... All these outlaws will surround the king's throne and will be called "David's mighty men."
The men in this list were not adventurers looking for advantage. Their aim was single.
While some nations fought from the urge to kill and plunder, David's army had a cause and it was both good and uncomplicated. The cause was to make David the undisputed king over Israel.
And the naming itself is the point. Loyalty given in the years of rejection is not forgotten.
After David's last words, God shows us that He keeps the memory of his mighty men. They were companions of His anointed until his reign was finally set up... The men named here were with him from the very beginning. So too the twelve disciples were distinguished because they had been with the Lord... In the same way, those who have followed Him while the world rejected and disowned Him will be singled out for honour.
- Rejected king. At Ziklag the nation had not accepted David. The men listed there picture those who follow the Lord Jesus while the world still rejects Him.
- Faith first. They accepted the king when nothing visible backed his claim. That faith wins a special place in God's record.
- Cost counted. Benjamin, Saul's own tribe, moved first at every stage — faith that overcame the pull of natural ties.
- Grace reaches low. Ishmaiah the Gibeonite came from a people bound to menial service, yet he leads the thirty. David shapes the lowest into his own likeness.
- Names kept. God preserves the name of everyone who stood with His anointed in the day of His rejection.
Eluzai, and Jerimoth, and Bealiah, and Shemariah, and Shephatiah the Haruphite;
Verse 5 is one line in a register: five more names among the men of Benjamin who came to David at Ziklag. Why does God write down names no one remembers? And why these men, from that tribe?
The setting explains the names. David was not yet king. Saul was hunting him.
Here is a list of the warriors who came to David at Ziklag while Saul was still alive, and so while the nation still rejected David. 1 Chr. 12:1-22. Amasai, chief of the captains, 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." What cheering words for a man in his position! They seem to picture those who follow the Lord Jesus now, while the world at large still rejects Him.
Another writer names the tribe these men came from and the hour at which they came.
This little tribe of Benjamin, once almost wiped out after their sin (Judges 20 — Judges 21), now holds an honoured place in the testimony. Theirs was the burning faith of that first hour, before the kingdom dawned. How can we miss this faith? The presence of David himself was enough for them. And this was the very moment when, to human eyes, everything seemed lost forever for the Lord's anointed. Saul had driven him out. The Philistines had turned him away. He had only Ziklag — and even that place fell to Amalek (1 Sam. 30)!
These names belong to Benjamin — Saul's own tribe. Scripture names them first, and that order is no accident.
The first men named were the very last that anyone would have expected — the men of Benjamin. There were not many of them. They were slow later on. Even when David came to the throne, the men of Benjamin still clung to the house of Saul. As a tribe they were slow. Yet God showed His sovereignty and His gracious purpose by calling "Saul's kinsmen" out of that very tribe. They are the very first He names as "Benjaminites." So we must never lose heart. We must never think that any circumstances can block the way of God. God will bring people out to the name of the Lord Jesus in the very last place you expect.
Joining David meant leaving the side where family and advantage lay.
The first men marked out as having come to him were Saul's own relatives — that is, men of the tribe of Benjamin. This proves that God, and the knowledge of His will, counted for more in their eyes than family ties and the advantages that come with them. They were also men of the greatest skill with the bow and the sling. Those were the very weapons that killed Saul in the battle where he fell.
Their skill with stone and arrow was just what Saul lacked. David had the means to strike, and did not.
What a help these men would have been to the Philistines, the enemies of God's people! And what a help they would have been to Saul — men who "were bowmen and could shoot arrows and sling stones with either the right or the left hand" (v.2). Saul had no archers to set against the Philistines, and that was the immediate cause of his ruin… Still, David did not use this unexpected help against Saul. He left God Himself to direct events and to judge in his favour. He would not fight against God's people in any way. Christians often face the same kind of moment, and Satan succeeds in drawing them into conflict with one another.
These names appear once and never again. Yet God had them written down.
Because David's men stood with him, they had to endure much toil and weariness. But love made it all light and easy to them. Their names and their deeds were written down and remembered when David was at rest in his kingdom. No one was forgotten… Who would ever have known what David's mighty men did, if the Holy Spirit had not recorded it?
Joining David's side meant breaking with Saul's. It was a decision with a price.
To be separated to David meant being for him and his interests, and away from Saul and his interests. That was a very serious and deliberate decision to make. To be committed to David meant accepting his complete control over them.
- Early. They came when David had lost even Ziklag. That was faith in the hour before the kingdom dawned.
- Unlikely. They came from Benjamin, Saul's own tribe. God names them first. No circumstance can block His call.
- Costly. They valued God's will above family ties, and brought the very skill Saul's army lacked.
- Restrained. David never turned that skill against Saul, waiting for God to judge in his favour.
- Remembered. Their names are still here. When the kingdom came, no one who stood with the rejected king was forgotten.
Elkanah, and Jishijah, and Azareel, and Joezer, and Jashobeam, the Korahites;
These five men came to David at Ziklag while Saul was still hunting him. Scripture labels them "the Korahites" — the family of the man who led the great rebellion in the wilderness — so a bare list of names becomes a record of mercy.
These names belong to the earliest stage of David's rise, when nothing outward marked him as king. One writer notes that God stirred hearts before circumstances changed:
In 1 Chronicles 12 we have another account, and it is deeply interesting. It is not about the companions who stood out for their mighty deeds. It is about those who gathered round him. First of all, "These are the men who came to David at Ziklag," that is, just before the close of all, when the kingdom was about to turn. And it is a very beautiful thing to see. When God is about to do anything special on the earth, He knows how to give the secret of it to His people. There was a providential working on God's part, but there was a spiritual working in the hearts of His people.
One writer sees in these early comers a pattern for today:
Scripture lists the warriors who came to David at Ziklag while Saul was still alive, and therefore while the nation still rejected David. 1 Chr. 12:1-22… They were apparently a picture of those who follow the Lord Jesus now, while the world at large still rejects Him.
Korah challenged the authority God had given Moses and Aaron, and the ground opened under him. But his line did not end there:
Note that the sons of Korah did not perish… chapter 26:11 settles it beyond a doubt: "But the sons of Korah did not die." Sovereign grace saved the sons of Korah from the awful fate of the father. They were saved from the pit. In wrath God remembered mercy. Other passages in Chronicles show what grace gave them. They had the cities of refuge. They kept the gates of the tabernacle. They were over the rooms and treasuries of the house of the Lord. The vessels of the sanctuary, the wine and the oil were in their charge. They were brave men, strong men, the royal guards. And more than that, the Holy Spirit inspired them to write some of the beautiful Psalms. They were faithful and devoted in their service, because they knew they had been saved from the pit. We have the same deliverance and the same knowledge of it. Should we be less faithful and devoted?
after_note: DELETE
Grace, not merit, put this family among Israel's singers:
It is enough here to recall the awful crisis in Israel's history when Korah's sons were saved as though by fire. Compare Num. 16 with Num. 26:11. That day mercy triumphed over judgment… and who is more suited to sing than the rescued sons of the rebellious Levite?
Their two settled duties in Israel sat close together — praise, and guarding the way in:
Descendants of Korah, the grandson of Kohath. The two principal offices assigned to them were the service of song, and keeping the doors of the sanctuary. Ex. 6:24; Num. 26:58; 1 Chr. 9:19, 31; 1 Chr. 12:6; 1 Chr. 26:1; 2 Chr. 20:19.
Verse 6 belongs to the group listed in verses 1–7. One writer names what their faith rested on:
These men had the fervent faith of that first hour, before the kingdom dawned. How can we miss it? The presence of David alone was enough for their faith, at the very moment when, by human judgment, everything seemed lost forever for the Lord's anointed. Saul had driven him out and the Philistines had rejected him. He had only Ziklag — and even that place fell to the power of Amalek (1 Sam. 30)!
One writer draws a line from these men to believers today:
Then we read of others who shared David's rejection, "while he could not move about freely because of Saul the son of Kish." They came to David at Ziklag, and "they were among the mighty men who helped him in war" (1 Chr. 12:1). When the time of conflict and stress was over, how their hearts would rejoice at the honour of sharing those days of struggle with David! And the day of Christ's glory will dawn in heavenly beauty. Then great will be the joy of those who have shared today in the conflicts for His Name's sake and for the good of all His own.
- Spared. The Korahites descended from the wilderness rebel. Grace alone kept them from his fate: "But the sons of Korah did not die."
- Drawn. Spared men came to a hunted king at Ziklag. His presence alone was reason enough for them.
- Named. God writes down who moved toward His king early. The stirring inside them came before the kingdom turned.
- Serving. Grace gave the family saved from the pit the tabernacle gates to guard and Psalms to sing — mercy set to music.
- Rewarded. Those who share a rejected king's struggle share His joy when His glory appears.
and Joelah, and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham of Gedor.
Verse 7 ends a short list of men from Benjamin who slipped away to join David at Ziklag, while he was hiding there from Saul. A list like this raises two questions. Why does Scripture keep the names of unknown men? And why does it start with soldiers from the one tribe that had most to lose by coming?
Outside this list, nothing more is known of the pair. A reference work sums up all that Scripture records of the first of them:
Son of Jeroham of Gedor: he came over to David at Ziklag. 1 Chr. 12:7.
What gives the names weight is the moment. Ziklag was a border town handed to David by a Philistine ruler while his own nation had no place for him, and the men who arrived there arrived before anything had turned in his favour.
Achish, one of the Philistine kings, gave this city in the south of Judah to David... Scripture gives a list of the warriors who came over to David at Ziklag while Saul was still alive, and therefore while the nation rejected David... They were apparently a picture of those who follow the Lord Jesus now while He is still rejected by the world at large.
Joelah and Zebadiah belong to Saul's own tribe. That is the surprise of the list, and one writer treats the order of names as deliberate.
The first men named were the very last that anyone would have expected — the men of Benjamin. It is not that there were so many. They were slow afterward. Even when David came to the throne, the men of Benjamin still clung to the house of Saul. As a tribe they were slow. Yet God showed His sovereignty and His gracious purpose by calling "Saul's brothers" out of that very tribe. They are the very first He names as "of Benjamin." So we must never lose heart. We must never suppose that any circumstances can block the way of God.
For these men, coming to David cost more than it cost others. Everything in their background pulled the other way.
Every natural interest and instinct of the flesh would tempt the Benjamites to stay with the house of Saul. So would their tribal pride and loyalty. If they left Saul and followed David's leadership, their own relatives would turn on them in anger, and the king in power would treat them as enemies. Only faith could break every tie that bound them to the house of Benjamin — faith that saw David as God saw him, and Saul too. These Benjamites did love David more than father or mother, son or daughter, and the power of his attraction enabled them to take up their cross and follow him.
These men came in the first group of all, when David had nothing left to give and little to show.
Theirs was the eager faith of that first hour before the kingdom dawned. We cannot fail to see this faith, which needed nothing more than David's own presence. And it came at the very moment when, in man's judgment, everything seemed lost forever for the Lord's anointed. Driven off by Saul, rejected by the Philistines, he had only Ziklag — and even that place fell to the power of Amalek.
These men joined a fight that was not yet won. One writer takes the older wording "helpers of the war" and looks past the struggle to what came after it.
They came to David at Ziklag, and "they were among the mighty men, helpers of the war." When the time of conflict and stress was over, how their hearts would rejoice! What an honour it had been to share those days of struggle with David! And the day of Christ's glory will dawn in heavenly beauty. Then great indeed will be the joy of those who have shared today in the conflicts for His Name's sake and for the good of all His own.
A list of names is itself the point. One writer reads it as a promise about hard service that nobody notices.
Being with David called these men to endure much toil and weariness, but love made it all light and easy to them. Their names and deeds stood on record, faithfully remembered, when David was at rest in his kingdom. None were forgotten... Men may never see these acts, know them, or think of them; but Jesus knows them, and will declare them publicly from the throne of His glory.
- Timing. These men came at Ziklag, before Saul fell. David's cause looked finished, and faith had nothing to go on but David himself.
- Cost. They came from Saul's own tribe. Family, pride and self-interest all pulled the other way, and only faith could cut those ties.
- Grace. God called His first volunteers out of the least likely tribe. No circumstances can block His way.
- Share. They helped David in the war before he won the throne. That is the pattern for sharing Christ's conflicts now.
- Record. God let no name drop. What men never noticed, He wrote down, and Christ will announce it publicly from His throne.
And of the Gadites, there separated themselves to David in the stronghold in the wilderness mighty men of valour, men fit for the service of war, armed with shield and spear; whose faces were [like] the faces of lions, and who were swift as the gazelles upon the mountains
David is hiding in a wilderness stronghold, and men from Gad leave Saul's side to join him there. The verse lists what these fighters were like, but the harder question is what made them leave home for him.
Two words describe the men who gathered to David: separated, and committed.
The Gadites, courageous men of war, separated themselves to David. The children of Benjamin and Judah committed themselves to David: "We are yours, David, and on your side, son of Jesse." Separation to David meant standing with him and his interests, and turning away from Saul and his interests. That was a very serious and deliberate decision to make. Commitment to David meant they accepted his complete control over them. These two features are indispensable for an army. Soldiers who have no interests but those of their commander in chief, and who are loyal to his commands, make up an army that will be formidable in battle.
Separation was not the end of their usefulness but the start of it:
Separated to David, they were ready for the service of David. It is the same in 2 Timothy 2. Those who are separated to the Lord, and call on Him together out of a pure heart, are ready for His service — "sanctified and useful to the Master."
The verse's details describe fighters suited to close combat.
They could engage in hand-to-hand combat with the enemy, being vigorous and fast, as is right in such a situation.
Another writer traces these qualities back to the step they had already taken:
The first notable feature in the sons of Gad was that they were a separated company; they had gone out, not come in… In their separation they found strength, courage, skill, boldness, eagerness. These are the qualities of a heart separated to Christ. Before any of these qualities show in action, they must cross the Jordan while it is overflowing its banks (v. 15). They had to pass through death before they could serve!
Gad's territory lay east of the Jordan — outside the land itself. That background makes their devotion more surprising, not less.
Remember that the Gadites had received their inheritance on the other side of the Jordan. So did the Reubenites and half the tribe of Manasseh. They had chosen what suited themselves and their flocks (Numbers 32), instead of the land flowing with milk and honey… They had sunk far below the height of their calling. That is exactly why it is so remarkable that God was still working in power among them… For David's sake they had abandoned home and everything, and were ready to endure hardship, as good soldiers of the host of God.
They reached David in the season when the flooded river was at its worst.
They lived on the far side of the Jordan. That river was as impossible an obstacle as in the days when the people arrived opposite Jericho. "These are the men who crossed the Jordan in the first month, when it overflows all its banks" (v. 15). This time they needed no miracle to pass over. They knew the Jordan had already given way before the people of God. Strong in the conviction of faith, they overcame this obstacle to join the one who drew them like a loving sovereign.
David needed lion-faced soldiers. But one writer sets them beside Mephibosheth, the crippled son of Jonathan, who could fight for no one.
David needed such men, for he was a man of war. But he was also a man with a great and tender heart, and he valued devotion to his person above everything else. Who can say that the crippled son of Jonathan did not give him more pleasure in the long run than the fearless veterans of his old guard?
- Separated — going out to David meant going out from Saul. The choice of a side comes first.
- Strengthened — courage, skill, boldness and speed grow out of a separated heart. They are not credentials that earn a place.
- Crossed — the flooded Jordan stood between Gad and David. They knew the river had already given way before God's people, and faith carried them over.
- Surprising — these men had once settled for less than their calling. That is what makes God's power among them so striking.
- Sought — David wanted warriors, but he prized devotion to himself most. The lame man who could not fight may have pleased him more than his bravest veterans.
Ezer the first, Obadiah the second, Eliab the third,
Verse 9 begins a roll call of eleven Gadite captains, each named and ranked. They crossed over to David while he was still an outcast with no throne. Two questions follow: why record each name in order, and what drew these men to a rejected king?
The verse does not lump the men together. It counts them off — first, second, third. One writer sees the same ordering among David's mighty men.
Out of the many thousands of Israel, few stood out for personal devotion and whole-hearted consecration. Even among those few there were marked differences. There were "the thirty," "the three," and "the first three." Each gets his own place in the book of responsible, practical life. That place matches what he was and what he had done. What is more, we are told exactly what each one did and how he did it. Nothing is forgotten. Everything stands faithfully recorded, and no one can ever take another's place. Each does his own work, fills his own niche, and gets his own reward.
The eleven names are worth studying. One commentator gives their sense, and points out one exception.
The reader may be interested in searching out the meaning of the eleven names given. With the exception of the last, all tell of grace and the work of the Spirit. The last means a "cloak." In every company on earth, even among the twelve disciples, there is imperfection, and perhaps a traitor.
These captains came from Gad, a tribe settled east of the Jordan river. Reaching David meant crossing a river in full flood.
The Gadites who joined David in the "stronghold" were "mighty men of valour, men fit for the service of war, armed with shield and spear; whose faces were like the faces of lions, and who were as swift as the gazelles upon the mountains." They could fight the enemy hand to hand. They were strong and fast, as such a situation needs. These men of Gad are quick to acknowledge the leader of God's people. The obstacles to joining him did not stop them. They lived on the far side of the Jordan, and it was as impossible a barrier as in the days when the people arrived opposite Jericho. "These are the men who crossed the Jordan in the first month, when it was overflowing all its banks." This time they needed no miracle to pass over. They knew that the Jordan had had to give way before the people of God. Strong in the conviction of faith, they overcame this obstacle to join the one who drew them like a loving sovereign.
Gad's choice of land was not a high one, and that is what makes this list striking.
Remember that the Gadites had received their inheritance on the other side of the Jordan. They had chosen what suited themselves and their flocks, instead of the land flowing with milk and honey. The eyes of the Lord their God rested on that land always, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year. They had sunk far below the height of their calling. For this very reason it is all the more remarkable that God was still working in power among them. The very terms used to describe this company reveal the mighty effects of grace. For David's sake they had left home and everything, and were ready to endure hardship as good soldiers of the host of God.
These Gadites separated themselves to David. One writer weighs what that meant for them, and what it means now.
To be separated to David meant separation to him and his interests. It also meant separation from Saul and his interests. A very serious and deliberate decision to make. Some soldiers have no interests but those of their commander in chief, and they are loyal to his commands. Such an army will be formidable in battle. Apply these principles to believers who follow the Lord Jesus. They bring encouragement and also a challenge. How many interests interfere with Christ's interests? Too many, perhaps. Separation to Christ is a great honour and privilege. It is also a great and solemn challenge.
- Named — first, second, third: nothing is forgotten. Each servant has his own place, and no one can take another's.
- Grace — Gad had settled for less than God offered. Their strength here shows the effect of grace.
- Crossing — the Jordan in flood stood between these men and David. Faith remembered that the river had given way before, so they crossed.
- Separated — joining David meant leaving Saul. The pull was the rejected king himself.
- Mixed — ten names speak of grace and the Spirit's work; the last means a "cloak." No company on earth is free of imperfection, not even the twelve.
Mishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth,
This verse is one line of a list. It gives two more names, fourth and fifth, among eleven men of Gad who crossed over to David in his stronghold, while he was still a rejected king. Why does Scripture keep names like Mishmannah, men we never hear of again? And why number them?
These names belong to the time before David held a throne. One writer reads the whole list that way, and then turns it on believers today.
What we find in this chapter (vv. 1-22) is the faith of many, precious fruit of grace. This faith submits to the Lord's anointed, the king chosen by God's own purpose. It acknowledges him at a time when human eyes could not recognise him in his lowly state. It is the same today for believers. Our David has not yet received a visible kingdom. But those who acknowledge Him while He is still the rejected king have a special place in God's records.
Verse 8 describes these men. The picture fits both the fighting and the journey they faced.
The Gadites who joined David in the stronghold were mighty men, fit for war. They carried shield and spear. Their faces were like the faces of lions, and they were as swift as gazelles on the mountains (v. 8). They could fight the enemy hand to hand, strong and fast, as such a situation requires… The Jordan, on the far side of which they lived, was as impossible an obstacle as in the days when the people first stood opposite Jericho… This time no miracle was needed to let them cross. They knew that the Jordan had already had to give way before the people of God. Strong in the conviction of faith, they overcame this obstacle to join the one who drew them like a loving sovereign.
Gad's land lay across the Jordan. They had chosen it because it suited their flocks, and that choice makes this list surprising.
They had chosen what suited themselves and their flocks (Numbers 32). They did not choose the land flowing with milk and honey, a land the eyes of the Lord their God rested on always… So they had sunk far below the height of their calling. For that very reason it is all the more remarkable that God was still working in power among them. The very words used to describe this company show the mighty effects of grace.
The same writer looks at the eleven names themselves, the list that holds Mishmannah and Jeremiah. He adds a sober note about the last one.
Readers may find it worth looking up the meaning of the eleven names given. All but the last one tell of grace and the work of the Spirit. The last one means a cloak. In every company on earth, even as among the twelve disciples, there is imperfection, and, perhaps, a traitor.
The verse gives each man a number. God keeps such lists of His servants elsewhere in Scripture too.
May we not say that this seventh chapter of Numbers is one of those sample pages from the book of eternity? On it the finger of God has engraved the names of His servants and the record of their work… Turn to the twenty-third chapter of Second Samuel, and to the sixteenth of Romans, and you will find two similar pages. The first gives the names and the deeds of David's mighty men. The second gives the names and the deeds of Paul's friends at Rome… Each one has his own special place on the roll, and each one his place in the Master's heart. All of it will come out in time. Among David's mighty men we have "the first three," "the three," and "the thirty." Not one of "the thirty" ever reached a place among "the three," and not one of "the three" ever reached "the first three."
Scripture says nothing else about Mishmannah. The worth of the record does not rest on what people saw at the time.
Because they belonged to David, his men had to bear much toil and weariness. But love made it all light and easy to them. Their names and deeds were recorded and remembered when David was at rest in his kingdom. No one was forgotten… Men may never see, know, or think about these acts. But Jesus knows them, and He will declare them openly from the throne of His glory. Who would ever have known the acts of David's mighty men if the Holy Spirit had not recorded them?
- Rejected king. The list belongs to the time when David held no throne; men who owned him then have a special place in God's records.
- Crossing. Gad's obstacle was a Jordan in flood. Faith remembered that the river had already given way, and it carried them over to the one who drew them.
- Grace. A tribe that once settled for what suited its flocks still produced lion-faced men, and all their names but the last speak of grace at work.
- Named. Fourth, fifth, and so on: each has his own place on the roll and his own place in the Master's heart, and no one takes another's.
- Remembered. Deeds done for a rejected king look unseen now. But the Holy Spirit has recorded them, and Jesus will declare them from the throne of His glory.
Attai the sixth, Eliel the seventh,
These two names sit inside a roll call of eleven men of Gad who came over to David while he was still rejected. No deeds, no speeches — just a name and a place in the line. So why did God bother to count each man off one by one?
Scripture could have summed up these eleven men in one sentence. Writing on a similar chapter of names and gifts, one commentator says God refuses that shortcut on purpose.
Nothing could satisfy Him but the fullest and most detailed account. He wanted each man's name, the tribe he represented, and the offering he made to the sanctuary of God... Each name shines out on its own. He describes each offering in detail and gives it its full worth. The names and the offerings are not huddled together. This would not be like our God... He delights to record every little act of service, every little loving gift. He never forgets the smallest thing. And He does more than remember it: He takes special care that untold millions will read the record.
What God does with these names, He does with ours.
There is something deeply sobering in going over a record of names that people forgot long ago. God has remembered every one of them, with every detail of their pathway through this world. Some day our names likewise will be lost to mankind, but neither we nor our ways will be forgotten by God.
Outside this list, we know nothing else about either man. A reference work fits Attai's whole life into one line.
Attai: Gadite, a man of might, who joined David in his rejection.
The eleven names in this list carry meanings, and one writer points to the odd one at the end.
The reader may be interested in searching out the meaning of the eleven names given. With the exception of the last, all tell of grace and the work of the Spirit. The last one means "a cloak." In every company on earth there is imperfection, and perhaps a traitor. It was so even among the twelve disciples.
Gad had settled east of the Jordan, outside the promised land, because the grazing suited their flocks. So Attai and Eliel came from a tribe that had already settled for less.
They had chosen what suited themselves and their flocks, instead of the land flowing with milk and honey. The eyes of the Lord their God rested on that land always, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year. They had sunk far below the height of their calling. For this very reason it is all the more remarkable that God was still working in power among them... For David's sake they had abandoned home and everything, and were ready to endure hardship, as good soldiers of the host of God.
For these men, reaching David took more than a decision. A river stood in the way, and they crossed it at flood time.
They lived on the other side of the Jordan, and that river was as impossible an obstacle as in the days when the people had arrived opposite Jericho. These are the men who crossed the Jordan in the first month, when it overflows all its banks. This time they needed no miracle to get across. They knew that the Jordan had had to yield before the people of God. Strong in the conviction of faith, they overcame the obstacle to join the one who drew them like a loving sovereign.
The list gains its whole weight from who stood at the centre of it — a man the nation had not yet crowned.
The centre, light and beauty of that despised company was the rejected man of that day, poor in appearance and despised. He was a picture of the blessed Living One on high who is the Rejected Man of this day of boasted resources... The first notable feature in the sons of Gad was that they were a separated company; they had gone out, not come in... Their separation produced strength, courage, skill, boldness, eagerness. These are the qualities of a heart separated to Christ. Before any of these qualities can be used, Jordan must be crossed when it overflows its banks. They had to pass through death before they could serve!
- Counted. Attai and Eliel get only a name and a number. Yet God put both in Scripture, because He records every small act of service and makes sure millions read it.
- Costly. They came to David while he was rejected and despised, and left home and everything behind for him.
- Crossed. Gad lay beyond the Jordan. They crossed in flood season, sure that the river had yielded to God's people before.
- Compromised. Their tribe had settled below its calling for the sake of its flocks. That makes God's power among them all the more remarkable.
- Cloaked. Ten of the eleven names speak of grace and the Spirit's work. The last means "a cloak" — every company on earth holds imperfection.
Johanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth,
These are two of eleven Gadite captains who left home to join David while he was still a hunted man. Why does God count and rank men whose only recorded deed is that they came?
These captains came from a tribe that had already chosen badly about where to live. That makes their loyalty to David stand out.
Remember that the Gadites had received their inheritance on the other side of the Jordan, along with the Reubenites and half the tribe of Manasseh. They had chosen what suited themselves and their flocks (Numbers 32), instead of the land flowing with milk and honey... So they had sunk far below their calling. That is exactly why it is so striking to see that God was still working in power among them.
These men were strong, fast and skilled fighters. But something came before all of that: they went out to David instead of waiting for him.
The first thing to notice about the sons of Gad is that they were a separated company. They had gone out, not come in... These separated sons of Gad were men of might and of war. They could handle large shields and small ones. Their faces were like the faces of lions, and they were as swift as gazelles on the mountains. Their strength, courage, skill, boldness and readiness were all found in that separation. These are the qualities of a heart separated to Christ.
A flooded river lay between these men and David. No miracle parted it this time.
They lived on the far side of the Jordan, and that river blocked them just as it had blocked the people when they arrived opposite Jericho... This time no miracle was needed to let them cross. They knew the Jordan had once given way before the people of God. Sure of that in faith, they overcame the obstacle and reached the man who drew them like a loving king.
The eighth is not the seventh, and the ninth is not the eighth. That exact order runs through the Bible's lists of servants. One writer sees the same hand at work in every one of them.
...one of those sample pages from the book of eternity, where the finger of God has written the names of His servants and the record of their work... Each one has his own special place on the roll, and each one his place in the Master's heart. It will all come to light one day. Among David's mighty men we have "the first three," "the three" and "the thirty." Not one of "the thirty" ever reached a place among "the three."
The names themselves carry meaning. One writer points to where the list ends.
You may find it worth digging out the meaning of the eleven names given here. Except for the last, they all speak of grace and the work of the Spirit. The last one means a "cloak." Every company on earth has its flaw, and perhaps its traitor — even the group of twelve disciples did.
The moment matters as much as the men. They attached themselves to David before he had a throne.
The leading men in this list joined David while he was a fugitive and an outcast (1 Chron. 12:1-22). We are told where they came from (1 Sam. 22:2). It is one of many cases of God taking up the men others despised and lifting them high.
Fighting ability was not the whole story with David. One writer sets these soldiers beside a lame man who could do none of it.
David needed men like these, for he was a man of war. But he was also a man with a great and tender heart, and he valued devotion to himself above everything else. Who can say that the crippled son of Jonathan did not give him more joy in the long run than the fearless veterans of his old guard?
- Separated — the Gadites went out to David instead of waiting for him. Their strength, courage and skill were found in that separation.
- Crossed — a flooded Jordan stood between them and their king. Faith carried them over it with no miracle.
- Despised — they joined a fugitive. God takes up the men others despise and lifts them high.
- Named — Johanan is eighth and Elzabad is ninth. Each man has his own place on the roll, and no one else can hold it.
- Loved — David needed fighters, but what he valued most was devotion to himself.
Jeremiah the tenth, Machbannai the eleventh.
Commentary for this verse has not been generated yet.
These were of the sons of Gad, captains of the host one of the least was over a hundred, and the greatest over a thousand.
This verse ends the list of eleven men from Gad who crossed over to David while Saul was still hunting him. It ranks them by strength — so what makes one man count for a hundred others, in the service of a king the nation has not yet crowned?
These eleven were fighters built for the warfare David's exile demanded. One writer notes both their fitness and their quickness to acknowledge David:
They could fight the enemy hand to hand, being strong and swift, as that situation called for. These men of Gad, whom we have seen already so careful about the genealogy that joined them to God's people, are quick to acknowledge this people's leader.
Some older translations read the line as command rather than comparison: the least over a hundred, the greatest over a thousand. One writer takes that ranking into the Christian life, and ties the difference to how far a believer lets the Spirit work:
The Christian soldier in whose soul the truth produces a clear energy in life and ways becomes, to a greater or lesser degree, an "officer" in the Lord's army. He is a captain of a hundred or of a thousand according to how far the Spirit acts in him without hindrance. The power of Christ within him influences other Christians in the ways of the Lord.
One commentator writes about Jashobeam, the chief of David's captains, and traces both usefulness now and honour later to one thing:
The true secret of Jashobeam's success was his attachment to David, whose rejection and sufferings he shared... Our service for the Anointed of God now may have something distinctive about it, as the kingdom rewards will later. But faithful and fruitful service results only as the love of Christ constrains us to cleave to Him.
Gad's tribe had made a poor choice long before David's day. That history is what makes this list of officers striking:
They had chosen what suited themselves and their flocks (Numbers 32) instead of the land flowing with milk and honey. The eyes of the Lord their God rested on that land always, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year. So they had sunk far below the height of their calling. For that very reason it is all the more remarkable that God was still working in power among them... For David's sake they had given up home and everything, and were ready to endure hardship, as good soldiers of the army of God.
Strength in battle is not the same as full possession of what God gives. One writer finds three classes of people in Christendom pictured in Israel. He puts these Gadite officers in the second class:
In the profession of Christianity there are three classes of people, and Israel gives the picture of them. Two and a half tribes settled east of the Jordan and refused to live in the place God appointed for them. These represent true saints of God, but saints who refuse to take a heavenly position while on earth... Second: those who are true believers, and often very valiant for the truth when they find it attacked (1 Chr. 12:14-15, 37), but who fail to reckon themselves heavenly men on earth, and who are, as a result, earthly-minded to some extent.
The praise and the warning stand together. These men were a real help to David, and they still lived on the wrong side of the river.
Their value to David rested on a decision made before any battle:
To be separated to David meant separation to him and his interests, and separation from Saul and his interests. A very serious and deliberate decision to make. To be committed to David meant acknowledging his complete control over them. These two features are indispensable for an army. Soldiers who have no interests but those of their commander in chief, and who are loyal to his commands, make up an army that will be formidable in battle.
- Separated. Each officer first cut ties with Saul's interests and took David's. That decision, not their record, made them an army.
- Strong. They were fit for close combat and fast movement, and quick to acknowledge the leader God gave His people.
- Graded. They were not equal. Influence in the Lord's army grows as far as a believer lets the Spirit act without hindrance.
- Rewarded. Distinction in service now and honour in the kingdom later both flow from cleaving to Christ, as His love constrains us.
- Warned. A man can be valiant for the truth and still earthly-minded. Yet grace works in power even among those who settled for less than God offered.
These are they that went over Jordan in the first month, when it overflows all its banks, and they put to flight all [them] of the valleys, toward the east and toward the west.
This verse closes the list of Gad's warriors, who left their homes east of the Jordan to join David while he was still hunted and rejected. They crossed the river at flood time, and they drove the enemy out of the valleys on both sides.
The first month is spring flood season. These men crossed at the worst moment, not a convenient one. One writer puts it in a single line:
It was even more difficult then than at any other time.
One writer argues that the older English wording overstates the river:
The words in Joshua 3:15, "Jordan overflows all its banks all the time of harvest," are a mistranslation. The Hebrew word mala, translated "overflows" in our older English version, has no such meaning. It means fills, and it should have been translated that way — "Jordan fills all its banks." That is, the river runs brim-full to its banks in that season of the year, which agrees with what travellers see of it today.
(The ESV reads "when it was overflowing all its banks," following the traditional sense.)
No miracle parted the water for these men. One writer points to what carried them across instead:
The Jordan, on the far side of which they lived, was as impossible to cross as in the days when the people arrived opposite Jericho. "These are the men who crossed the Jordan in the first month, when it was overflowing all its banks" (v. 15). They needed no miracle now to get across. They knew the Jordan had once had to give way before the people of God, and, strong in the conviction of faith, they beat this obstacle to join the one who drew them like a loving sovereign.
Gad had settled short of the land God promised. One writer weighs what that makes of their crossing:
They chose what suited themselves and their flocks (Numbers 32), instead of the land flowing with milk and honey — a land the eyes of the Lord their God rested on always, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year. So they had sunk far below the height of their calling. That is exactly why it is so remarkable that God was still working in power among them… Such were the men of this tribe, who were drawn to the man after God's own heart. They were strong in the Lord and in the power of His might, and so fit for conflict with the enemies of the Lord's anointed. For David's sake they had given up home and everything, ready to endure hardship as good soldiers of the host of God. The record says of these men that, like Joshua and Israel long before (Joshua 3:15), they crossed the Jordan when it was overflowing all its banks, and won the victory over all the power of the enemy.
These men separated themselves to David. One writer weighs what that choice cost:
To be separated to David meant separation to him and his interests, and separation from Saul and his interests. That was a very serious and deliberate decision to make… Soldiers who have no interests except those of their commander in chief, and who are loyal to his commands, make an army that will be formidable in battle. Apply these principles to believers who follow the Lord Jesus, and they bring encouragement and also a challenge… Such soldiers of Christ should have no entanglements (2 Tim. 2:4). How many interests interfere with Christ's interests?
One writer applies the same description — lion faces, the speed of a deer — to the conflict believers face now:
Joshua did not fight only for the upper hand. He fought to wipe out the enemy completely. That conflict in the land was a picture of what is ours today under the Captain of the Lord's host. May the Lord raise up men for this — "able men, who fear God, men of truth, who hate dishonest gain, men whose faces are like the face of a lion, and who are as swift as gazelles on the mountains" (Ex. 18:21, and 1 Chr. 12:8).
- The season — They crossed at flood time, when crossing was harder than at any other time of year.
- The memory — No miracle parted the water. They crossed because they knew the Jordan had already given way once before God's people.
- The start — Gad had settled short of the promised land. God still worked in power among them: they left home for David and won over all the power of the enemy.
- The choice — Crossing to David meant leaving Saul's interests behind. Christ asks the same undivided loyalty of His soldiers.
- The call — Lion faces and the speed of a deer are still wanted. One writer turns that description of these men into a prayer for today.
And there came of the children of Benjamin and Judah to the stronghold to David.
David is in hiding: Saul still sits on the throne, and God's chosen king holds only a stronghold. Men from Benjamin and Judah come out there to offer themselves to him.
David was anointed king, but Saul still held the throne. One writer traces what that left David with, and what it teaches now:
A king without a throne has no authority. A king without an army has no power. Samuel, the prophet of God, anointed David — the man after God's own heart — as king over Israel. He could not take the throne of Israel, because Saul, the rejected king, sat on it… David was the attractive young man, the conqueror of Goliath, the victor over the Philistines. He was the gathering centre of his army. They separated themselves to him (v. 8), they came to him (vv. 16, 22, 23), they were with him (v. 39), and they professed, "We are yours, O David" (v. 18). All this teaches a solemn yet encouraging lesson for our day. Jesus, God's anointed King, is not sitting on His royal throne and ruling the world. Rebellious and disobedient men refuse and seize His rights. Yet He is the gathering centre for many who love Him and are ready to uphold His rights in their lives, whatever stands against Him and them.
Joining a hunted man is not the same as joining a crowned one. The record lingers on those who came early:
The Spirit of God leads us back to the time before David came to the throne. He dwells with delight on those who had identified themselves with David in his rejection, "while he could not move about freely because of Saul the son of Kish." It needed deeper convictions, and a greater energy of faith, to acknowledge David as the Lord's anointed when Saul hunted him like a partridge in the mountains, than when all the tribes of Israel accepted him as king… Faith alone could lead to the acceptance of the rejected king, whereas fear or self-interest might produce submission to him once his kingdom is established in power.
The men who arrive from these two tribes are not described by their weapons here, but by a conviction they share with David himself:
In those who came from Benjamin and Judah we see that there was this link of faith (1 Chron. 12:16). They knew that David's God helped him. David committed himself to God with respect to those who joined him, for he was in a very difficult position towards the end of his career of trial and affliction.
David does not wait inside the stronghold. He goes out to meet them, and three things follow:
First, observe that "David went out to meet them." It was the response of his heart to their own desire. It is a faint foreshadowing of the welcome our blessed Lord always gives to those who, through grace, offer themselves as vessels for His will and service. The first step towards Him always draws Him towards us. So He turned and saw the two disciples of John following Him, and said, "What are you seeking?" Then David said, "If you have come to me in friendship, to help me, my heart will be joined to you." David's love would be their wages. It is the devoted servant, the one who has no will but that of his Lord, who enjoys most of his Lord's affections. Last of all, David left his cause in God's hands. Suppose treachery did lurk in the hearts of these offered helpers. He knew his own integrity, and he could leave his vindication with the God of his fathers.
Benjamin's men appear more than once in this chapter. This time they come with Judah, and more than courage is at work in them:
In verses 16 to 18, Benjamin appears for the second time. Now they come with Judah to David in "the stronghold." Here they act not only in simple faith, but in the power of the Spirit of God. "And the Spirit came upon Amasai, the chief of the captains, 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." Love and admiration for the person of David animate these men. His personal merit and the assurance that God is with him are enough for them. Because of this devotion they receive a privileged place from the king: "And David received them, and made them chiefs of bands."
Joining David meant leaving someone else behind:
The children of Benjamin and Judah committed themselves to David… To be separated to David meant separation to him and his interests. It also meant separation from Saul and his interests. A very serious and deliberate decision to make. To be committed to David meant acknowledging his complete control over them. These two features are indispensable for an army. An army will be formidable in battle when its soldiers have no interests but those of their commander in chief, and are loyal to his commands.
- Side — This verse is about choosing a side before the outcome is clear. Saul holds the throne; David holds only a stronghold.
- Cost — It took more faith to own David as king while Saul hunted him than after Israel crowned him. Fear or self-interest can bow to a king who already has power.
- Welcome — David goes out to meet them first. Their step toward him draws out his heart, and his love is the servant's wages.
- Trust — David knows his own integrity. If treachery hides in any of them, he leaves his vindication to the God of his fathers.
- Place — Devotion to David, in the power of the Spirit, wins more than acceptance. He made them chiefs of bands.
And David went out to meet them, and answered and said to them, If ye come peaceably to me to help me, my heart shall be knit unto you; but if to betray me to mine enemies, seeing there is no wrong in my hands, the God of our fathers see [it] and rebuke [it].
David is God's chosen king with no throne, hiding in a stronghold while Saul still rules. Armed men come to join him, and he goes out to meet them with one question: friendship, or betrayal?
First, look at the man asking the question. He is God's chosen king, and nothing outward shows it.
What we find in this chapter (vv. 1-22) is the faith of many, a precious fruit of grace. This faith submits to the Lord's anointed, the king according to God's counsels. It recognises him at a time when human eyes could not see him in his lowly condition. It is the same today for believers. Our David has not yet received a visible kingdom. But those who acknowledge Him while He is still the rejected king have a special place in the divine records. They are "more honourable than their brothers." In the same way, men of Gad, Judah, and Benjamin joined David in the stronghold in the wilderness. Later all the tribes hurried to him at Hebron.
The verse begins with a movement, not with the question. David does not wait in the cave for them to present themselves; he goes out.
First, notice that "David went out to meet them." It was the response of his heart to their own desire. It is a faint foreshadowing of something greater. Our blessed Lord always welcomes those who, through grace, offer themselves as vessels for His will and service. The first step towards Him always draws Him towards us. It was so when He turned and saw the two disciples of John following Him, and said, "What are you seeking?"
David names the good possibility and the bad one, and he does not treat them the same way. To the loyal he offers his affection. The disloyal he hands over to God, since he has done nothing to deserve their betrayal.
Then, next, David said, "If you have come to me in friendship to help me, my heart will be joined to you." David's love was to be their wages. And it is the devoted servant, the one who has no will but his Lord's, who enjoys most of his Lord's affections. Last of all, David left his cause in God's hands. Perhaps treachery was hiding in the hearts of these offered helpers. If so, David knew his own integrity, and could leave his vindication with the God of his fathers.
The offer David is weighing is not a favour done at a distance. These men had come out of Saul's kingdom, and the writers read that as the pattern of what it costs to belong to Christ.
To be separated to David meant separation to him and his interests, and separation from Saul and his interests. A very serious and deliberate decision to make. To be committed to David meant recognising his complete control over them. These two things are essential for an army. Soldiers with no interests except those of their commander in chief, loyal to his commands, make an army that is formidable in battle. Take these principles across to believers who follow the Lord Jesus, and they bring both encouragement and a challenge.
Joining a king already on his throne costs nothing. These men came while Saul still held the throne. That is what gave their choice its worth.
Like them, let us hurry to gather around Christ while it is still the day of His rejection. Let us hurry to acknowledge Him now. When He appears in His kingdom, everyone will have to submit to Him. His heart finds a special satisfaction in our willing submission in the day when the world disowns Him. He loves to declare that those who hold to Him will be His special treasure in the day of His reign!
- Rejected first. David is the anointed king, but nothing visible marks him out. Faith recognises him in that lowly condition.
- Welcomed first. He goes out to meet the men coming to him — the first step towards Him always draws Him towards us.
- Tested first. The question separates friendship from betrayal. David will not take help without knowing what it is.
- Knit, not paid. To the loyal, David promises his own heart. His love is their wages. The servant with no will but his Lord's enjoys most of his Lord's affections.
- Cleared by God. For the betrayer, David makes no threat. He knows his own integrity, and leaves his vindication with the God of his fathers.
And the Spirit came upon Amasai, the chief of the captains, [and he said,] Thine [are we], David, And with thee, thou son of Jesse Peace, peace be to thee! And peace be to thy helpers! For thy God helps thee. And David received them, and made them chiefs of bands.
David is hiding from Saul when men from Saul's own tribe come down to him at the stronghold. He asks them outright whether they come as friends or traitors, and the Spirit answers through Amasai.
Amasai was not the only one. One writer lists others the Spirit took hold of for a time, so that God could speak through them:
There were others, like Gideon (Judges 6:34), Amasai (1 Chron. 12:18), Zechariah (2 Chron. 24:20), with whom the Spirit clothed Himself for the time being, so that He might witness through them.
The first words hand over ownership. One writer warns that many believers never take this step:
"We are yours, O David," he said. Here is where all true service begins — in the acknowledgment that we belong to Christ. Many Christians have never clearly taken this stand. They have found relief for their consciences through the power of the precious blood of Christ. But they have never truly received Him as their Lord.
The second clause takes a side in a live conflict. It means refusing the king who sits on the throne now:
Amasai and his companions had turned their backs on the man in power. By joining themselves to the man God had chosen, they had now taken their place outside of his world and its attractions. Have we done the same? Have we turned our backs on the man in power in the world, and taken our true place on the side of God's accepted Man, the Lord Jesus Christ?
Such a declaration costs something, and it also hands over control:
Separating to David meant being for him and his interests, and away from Saul and his interests. That was a very serious and deliberate decision. Committing to David meant accepting his complete control over them. An army needs both of these things. Soldiers who have no interests but those of their commander, and who obey his commands, make an army that is formidable in battle.
Nothing visible supported that claim at the time. Amasai's greeting rests on something other than the situation:
This was the language of faith. Amasai based his answering greeting on one assurance: God was David's helper. On the surface, everything at that time was against David. Saul was on the throne, and he was using the whole power of his kingdom to destroy the man he knew God had chosen to reign over His people. But faith has God's thoughts, and so looks ahead to the sure and certain fulfilment of the word He has spoken.
Amasai wishes peace twice — to David, and then to the men already with him:
Amasai and his companions had come out; they had separated themselves to David. David had asked whether they came in peace to help him. To wish peace to David also meant peace to his helpers. So when we take our place with the Lord in His rejection, we must be willing to work with others who already follow and serve Him.
Before Amasai spoke, David had already moved toward them, and what he offered was himself:
First, notice that "David went out to meet them." It was the response of his heart to their own desire. It is a picture, faint as it is, of the welcome our blessed Lord always gives to those who, through grace, offer themselves as vessels for His will and service… Then David said that if they had come in peace to help him, his heart would be joined to them. David's love was to be their wages.
One writer names what drew these men — and what their devotion won them:
Love and admiration for the person of David move these men. His personal worth, and the assurance that God is with him, are enough for them. Because of this devotion they receive a privileged place from the king: "Then David received them and made them officers of his troops."
- Spirit — the words are not Amasai's own resolve. The Spirit clothed Himself with him for the moment, so God could speak through him.
- Yours — service starts with ownership. Many find relief for their conscience through the blood of Christ, yet never receive Him as Lord.
- With you — belonging shows itself in taking sides: for David's interests, and away from Saul's, whatever it costs.
- Peace — the greeting reaches past the king to his helpers. Loyalty to Christ means working with those already serving Him.
- Helps — faith reads the outcome, not the odds. The throne looked impossible, yet David welcomed these men and made them officers of his troops.
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 deliberation sent him away, saying, He will fall to his master Saul at the peril of our heads.
Commentary for this verse has not been generated yet.
As he went away 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.
Seven captains from Manasseh come over to David just as the Philistines send him away and he heads back to Ziklag. Backing him then looked like backing the loser — so why does Scripture record their names, their tribe and their timing?
Commentators compare Manasseh with the earlier groups in the chapter.
Manasseh (vv. 19-22) shows neither the faith of Benjamin nor the energy of Gad nor the power of the Spirit that Judah and Benjamin had. These men reach Ziklag at the last hour, before the battle. They are all strong and brave, and they share with David the real honour of being rejected by the Philistines.
That shared rejection is their credential. They arrived at David's lowest point, and only just in time.
David had been left to himself again, and what was in his heart had come out. But as the man of God's purpose, his followers were growing in number while Saul's end drew near. As he went to battle with the lords of the Philistines, some of the tribe of Manasseh joined his ranks, and on his way back to Ziklag more of them joined him. This was the last chance for anyone in Israel to own the king while the nation still rejected him. God delivered him from his false position, though on the surface it came about through the worldly wisdom of the Philistines.
Ziklag was no capital. Commentators note who gave David the place, and what his time there pictures.
Ziklag was a city in the south of Judah, given to David by Achish, one of the Philistine kings… The record lists the warriors who came to David at Ziklag while Saul was still alive, and therefore while the nation was rejecting David… They seem to be a picture of those who follow the Lord Jesus now, while He is still rejected by the world at large.
So the timing of these men is an appeal, not a detail of old history. What they chose freely, everyone will one day have to do.
Like them, let us hurry to gather around Christ while it is still the day of His rejection. Let us hurry to acknowledge Him before everyone must submit to Him when He appears in His kingdom. His heart finds a special satisfaction in our voluntary submission in the day when the world disowns Him. He loves to declare that those who cling to Him will be His special treasure in the day of His reign!
The verse gives these seven a rank: chiefs of thousands. Where did such strength come from? One writer traces it to the man they joined, and shows why joining him grew easier over time.
The man God is with attracts those God is working with. Their energy grows in step with how clearly His presence and favour appear. Many of these had been with Saul, but while they were with him they were not mighty men. Many others had never been with him… At the start such things called for immediate communion with God, so as to shut out the influence of everything around the man who enjoyed this communion. Later the influence around him was favourable, and in this sense faith spreads itself.
The verse says they deserted to David. One writer draws out what changing sides meant.
Separation to David meant two things: joining him and his interests, and breaking with Saul and his interests. It was a very serious and deliberate decision to make. Commitment to David meant admitting his complete control over them. These two features are essential for an army. Such soldiers have no interests but those of their commander in chief, and they are loyal to his commands. That army will be formidable in battle.
These seven were not the only ones to change sides.
While Saul continued in power, many were separated in faith to David. Day by day more were added, until there was a great army, like an army of God. They gave up present power and rest with Saul because they believed in David's anointing. They took the side of a man hunted like a partridge on the mountains, and they still knew him to be the chosen of God.
- Rejected — Manasseh's captains join David just as the Philistines turn him away. They share his rejection, not his success.
- Named — the record keeps all seven names and their rank. Writers call it the last chance to own the king while the nation still refused him.
- Ziklag — a Philistine town given to David, not a palace, becomes the gathering place. Writers see in it a picture of following Jesus while the world still refuses Him.
- Strengthened — men who were not mighty under Saul become mighty with David. The man they joined drew out their strength.
- Counted — they traded Saul's interests for David's, and more followed until David had a great army. Coming early costs something, and the day of His reign repays it.
And they helped David in his expeditions; for they were all mighty men of valour, and were captains in the host.
David was not yet king: he was living as an outlaw at Ziklag, among the Philistines, when men from Manasseh crossed over to join him. This verse tells what they did next, and it raises two questions — who were the raiders they fought, and what does it mean to help a king the nation has not yet crowned?
In this chapter group after group comes to join David. Manasseh arrives last, and looks least impressive of all.
Manasseh (vv. 19-22) shows neither the faith of Benjamin, nor the energy of Gad, nor the power of the Spirit seen in Judah and Benjamin. These men reach Ziklag at the last hour, just before the battle. They are all strong and brave. They share with David the honour — no small one — of being rejected by the Philistines.
Their moment was closing fast:
David had been left to himself again, and what was in his heart had come out. But he was the man of God's purpose, and his followers kept growing while Saul's end drew near. As he went out to battle with the lords of the Philistines, some of the tribe of Manasseh joined his ranks, and more of them joined him on his way back to Ziklag. It was the last chance for anyone in Israel to own the king while the nation still rejected him (1 Chron. 12:19-21).
These new recruits did not fight a campaign for the crown. They fought to win back what was stolen while David was away.
While fleeing from Saul, David had gone to the Philistines for refuge. Achish, king of Gath, gave him Ziklag, and from there David raided the Amalekites (1 Sam. 27:5–9). Soon after, while David was away from Ziklag, the Amalekites raided the town and burned it. They took David's wives captive, and the wives and children of his men. David asked the LORD what to do. Then he and his men chased the Amalekites and slaughtered them, and brought back everything taken from Ziklag, along with the spoil of those he had killed.
Commentators read this list of men as a picture of something happening now.
We are given a list of the warriors who came to David at Ziklag while Saul was still alive — and so while the nation rejected David. Amasai, chief of the captains, 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." Cheering words to one in such a place! They seem to be a picture of those who follow the Lord Jesus now, while the world at large still rejects Him.
That reading turns the chapter into an appeal:
Like them, let us hurry to gather around Christ while it is still the day of His rejection. Let us hurry to acknowledge Him now, before the day when everyone must submit to Him and He appears in His kingdom. His heart finds a special satisfaction in our willing submission in the day when the world disowns Him. He loves to declare that those who hold fast to Him will be His special treasure in the day of His reign!
The verse ends by naming these men as valiant and as officers. Commentators see God's hand in that promotion.
The LORD of hosts is drawing up the strength and power of Israel. And the Holy Spirit gives a list of tried and mighty men. They stand before us in the glory of their own courage. The leading men among them joined David while he was a fugitive and an outcast (1 Chron. 12:1-22). Scripture tells us where they came from (1 Sam. 22:2) — one instance among many of God taking up the men others despise and lifting them high.
Joining David meant a decision with two sides.
To be separated to David meant being for him and his interests, and being done with Saul and his interests. That was a very serious and deliberate decision to make. To be committed to David meant accepting his complete control over them. An army cannot do without these two marks. Such soldiers have no interests except their commander's. They are loyal to his commands. Together they make an army that will be hard to beat in battle.
- Help. These men came to help a king the nation had not yet crowned. The help he needed was a raid to win back his own ruined city.
- Helpers late. Manasseh brought no great faith or spiritual power — only strong arms, and only at the last hour. They still helped David.
- Helpers now. Commentators see them as a picture of people who follow Jesus while the world still refuses Him.
- Helpers separated. Joining David meant dropping Saul's interests and accepting one commander's full control. Those are the two marks of a real army.
- Helpers exalted. Fugitives and outcasts became mighty men and commanders. God takes up the despised and lifts them high.
For day by day there came [men] to David to help him, until it was a great camp, like the camp of God.
Chapter 12 lists the fighters who joined David while Saul still held the throne. Verse 22 is where the trickle becomes a flood, and it raises two questions: what drew these men to a king nobody had crowned, and where did their strength come from? (The quotes below use "host" where the ESV says "army.")
David did not start with an army. One writer traces the line from the day he faced Goliath alone to the day a great host stood with him.
David, on his first appearance, was alone; his own brothers did not even stand by his side. Trusting in God, he killed the giant, and as his troubles increased, men rallied round him, until at last there came to him a great host, like the host of God. At times his deliverance seemed hopeless, but God always opened a way of escape. In the end every opposer and hindrance was gone, and he stood out before Israel and the surrounding nations as the man of God's purpose, the king of His choice.
Another writer sets the numbers side by side.
How grand the result. David had led 400 fugitives here and there. Now, under this God-given impulse, he commands 334,100 "men of valour" with a "perfect heart!" He is no longer a fugitive. He is king and centre; he is God's king, and ruler over a great host, like the host of God.
The army had a centre, and that centre was a person. One writer draws the lesson for Christians today.
David, the young conqueror of Goliath, was the gathering centre of his army. They separated themselves to him (v. 8), they came to him (vv. 16, 22, 23), they were with him (v. 39), and they said, "We are yours, O David" (v. 18). All this teaches a very solemn, yet encouraging, lesson for our day. Jesus, God's anointed King, is not occupying His royal throne and ruling over the world. Rebellious and disobedient men, energised by Satan the enemy of Christ, refuse His rights and take them. This world rejected the Lord Jesus, and rejects Him still. However, He is the gathering centre for many who love Him and are ready to uphold His rights in their lives, whatever is against Him and them.
Many of the men who came had no record of courage before. One writer explains what changed them.
He with whom God is attracts those with whom God is working; and their energy grows as He shows His presence and favour more clearly. Many of these had been with Saul, but while they were with him they were not mighty men. Many also had never been with him… When God acts in power, He gives strength to the weak. By the energy of faith and of His Spirit, He produces an army of heroes.
These men owned David as king while he was still hiding in the wilderness. One writer says God keeps a record of such faith.
What we find in this chapter (vv. 1-22) is the faith of many, the precious fruit of grace. This faith submits to the Lord's anointed, the king according to God's counsels. It acknowledges him at a time when human eyes could not recognise him in his lowly condition. It is the same today for believers. Our David has not yet received a visible kingdom. But those who acknowledge Him while He is still the rejected king have a special place in God's records, and are "more honourable than their brothers." In the same way, men of Benjamin and Manasseh joined David, and men of Gad, Judah and Benjamin joined him in the stronghold in the wilderness, before all the tribes finally hurried to him at Hebron.
These men had separated themselves to David. One writer shows what that separation fitted them for.
Separated to David, they were ready for the service of David. It is the same in 2 Timothy 2. Those who are separated to the Lord, and call on Him together out of a pure heart, are ready for His service — "sanctified and useful to the Master."
The same writer applies this to Christians today.
Think of all the poor, wretched, unworthy religious hostilities of the day, all the defence of parties as such, all the needless bad feeling between theologians, all the pride of mere position. All of it would pass for ever out of the hearts of God's beloved, blood-bought people. It would go, if only Christ alone were exalted instead, as the one Head and Centre of His body the church!
- Rejection first. David is God's king while Saul sits on the throne; every man who joins him joins someone the nation has not yet owned.
- Attraction, not recruitment. The one God is with draws those God is working in, and He makes weak men into an army of heroes.
- Day by day. Four hundred fugitives grew to 334,100 men of valour. They came a day at a time, not in one dramatic hour.
- Early costs most. Those who own the king before the crown appears hold a special place in God's record.
- One centre, one host. Separation to David made them fit for his service. Exalt Christ alone as Head, and party rivalries fade.