Bible verse by verse

[_LittleNipper]

1 Chronicles 10:1-14 The Philistines attacked and defeated the Israeli troops, who fled and were slaughtered on the slopes of Mount Gilboa. They caught up with Saul and his 3 sons, Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchi-shua, and killed them all. The Philistine archers shot and wounded Saul. He cried out to his bodyguard to kill him to prevent his torture. But the guard would not. Saul took his own sword and fell against its point; and it pierced his body. Then his bodyguard, seeing that Saul was dead, killed himself in the same way. Saul and his three sons died together; the entire family was wiped out in one day.

When the Israelites in the valley below heard that their troops had been routed and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their cities and fled. The Philistines came and lived in them. The Philistines went back the next day to strip the bodies of the men killed in action and to gather the booty from the battlefield, they found the bodies of Saul and his sons. So they stripped off Saul’s armor and cut off his head; then they displayed them throughout the nation and celebrated the wonderful news before their idols. They fastened his armor to the walls of the Temple of the Gods and spiked his head to the wall of Dagon’s temple.

When the people of Jabesh-gilead heard what the Philistines had done to Saul, their heroic warriors went out to the battlefield and brought back his body and the bodies of his three sons. Then they buried them beneath the oak tree at Jabesh and mourned and fasted for 7 days.

Saul died for his disobedience to the Lord and because he had consulted a medium --- not asking the Lord for guidance. So the Lord killed him and gave the kingdom to David, the son of Jesse.


Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

1 And the Philistines have fought with Israel, and the men of Israel flee from the face of the Philistines, and fall wounded in mount Gilboa,

2 and the Philistines pursue after Saul, and after his sons, and the Philistines smite Jonathan, and Abinadab, and Malchi-Shua, sons of Saul.

3 And the battle [is] heavy on Saul, and those shooting with the bow find him, and he is wounded by those shooting,

4 and Saul saith unto the bearer of his weapons, `Draw thy sword, and pierce me with it, lest these uncircumcised come -- and have abused me.' And the bearer of his weapons hath not been willing, for he feareth exceedingly, and Saul taketh the sword, and falleth upon it;

5 and the bearer of his weapons seeth that Saul [is] dead, and falleth, he also, on the sword, and dieth;

6 and Saul dieth, and his three sons, and all his house -- together they died.

7 And all the men of Israel who [are] in the valley see that they have fled, and that Saul and his sons have died, and they forsake their cities and flee, and the Philistines come and dwell in them.

8 And it cometh to pass, on the morrow, that the Philistines come to strip the wounded, and find Saul and his sons fallen in mount Gilboa,

9 and strip him, and bear away his head, and his weapons, and send into the land of the Philistines round about to proclaim tidings [to] their idols and the people,

10 and put his weapons in the house of their gods, and his skull they have fixed in the house of Dagon.

11 And all Jabesh-Gilead hear of all that the Philistines have done to Saul,

12 and all the men of valour rise and bear away the body of Saul, and the bodies of his sons, and bring them in to Jabesh, and bury their bones under the oak in Jabesh, and fast seven days.

13 And Saul dieth because of his trespass that he trespassed against Jehovah, against the word of Jehovah that he kept not, and also for asking at a familiar spirit -- to inquire, --

14 and he inquired not at Jehovah, and He putteth him to death, and turneth round the kingdom to David son of Jesse.

[_ludwigm]

OK, then You are not catholic, but other denomination --- I don't care which one of the hundreds or thousands. In US or wherever.

You didn't answer, by the way.

Why Jehovah ?
What did make You christian --- and not muslim and not buddhist and not a member of hinduism, krishnaism, shinto or whatever belief created by productive imagination of preachers, chiefs and wizards ?

Or, as I mentioned, You was born in a family of the same religion You want to push in our throat...

The simple answer is, the kind of society that is fostered by the general belief of a nation . Is an atheistic state a wonderful place to live? The USSR was not and neither was Communist China and North Korea. What about a progressive evolutionist state? Nazi Germany most certainly wasn't. Okay, how about a Hindu state? Well, if one belongs to a particular cast ---- maybe, but it was Christian missionaries who influenced India to move towards ending cast restrictions. Moslem ---- they seems to make the life of women very restrictive. The general influence is that life is very cheap! The Shinto belief is the reason Japan was able to attack the United States and hurt those they captured without remorse and practice suicide. They certainly didn't respect other nationals. Ok, and then there is ancient Rome under paganism. Isn't this why killing in the arena was totally acceptable to everyone? They certainly didn't value human life. I wouldn't want to live in ancient Rome unless I was wealthy. And then there is America. They have certainly made many errors of judgment. But is does seem that the Bible regularly comes into play when opinions are being swayed. Everything from slavery to execution, education, and race relations. America was not founded in a vacuum. It is not always the best example but it is an honest one. Christianly has been USED to do bad things. But has such gone unpunished for long? It goes without saying that Christianity has had the broadest influence on the way people live and learn to respect each other than any other form of belief. The reality is that under a generally accepted leading of Christian ethics, people have had the opportunity to live and work in relative safety. And being just average is no longer considered unimportant or without value. The poor man can sit right next to a rich man in church or many other places for that matter and not be ashamed. That has NEVER been the practice among most other beliefs or even among "Intellectuals" of the educated "elite: for that matter ----------------- unless they happen to be firmly rooted in the love of Christ. Can you really say that euthanasia, abortion, sexual promiscuity, normalization of impropriety, excluding others, belittling individuals, accepting fate and luck ----- are the traits of Christianity? Can you honestly say this?
Last edited by LittleNipper on 2014.09.01 16:23:42, edited 1 time in total.

Summary:
You are breast-fed with the religion of your parents and your country.
You don't know any other religions to believe in, don't know life outside of US, don't know anything but the text written by members of a primitive tribe milleniums ago.

You don't want - or can not - answer to the most simple question.
Why are you christian?

[_LittleNipper]

The simple answer is, the kind of society that is fostered by the general belief of a nation . Is an atheistic state a wonderful place to live? The USSR was not and neither was Communist China and North Korea. What about a progressive evolutionist state? Nazi Germany most certainly wasn't. Okay, how about a Hindu state? Well, if one belongs to a particular cast ---- maybe, but it was Christian missionaries who influenced India to move towards ending cast restrictions. Moslem ---- they seems to make the life of women very restrictive. The general influence is that life is very cheap! The Shinto belief is the reason Japan was able to attack the United States and hurt those they captured without remorse and practice suicide. They certainly didn't respect other nationals. Ok, and then there is ancient Rome under paganism. Isn't this why killing in the arena was totally acceptable to everyone? They certainly didn't value human life. I wouldn't want to live in ancient Rome unless I was wealthy. And then there is America. They have certainly made many errors of judgment. But is does seem that the Bible regularly comes into play when opinions are being swayed. Everything from slavery to execution, education, and race relations. America was not founded in a vacuum. It is not always the best example but it is an honest one. Christianly has been USED to do bad things. But has such gone unpunished for long? It goes without saying that Christianity has had the broadest influence on the way people live and learn to respect each other than any other form of belief. The reality is that under a generally accepted leading of Christian ethics, people have had the opportunity to live and work in relative safety. And being just average is no longer considered unimportant or without value. The poor man can sit right next to a rich man in church or many other places for that matter and not be ashamed. That has NEVER been the practice among most other beliefs or even among "Intellectuals" of the educated "elite: for that matter ----------------- unless they happen to be firmly rooted in the love of Christ. Can you really say that euthanasia, abortion, sexual promiscuity, normalization of impropriety, excluding others, belittling individuals, accepting fate and luck ----- are the traits of Christianity? Can you honestly say this?
Last edited by LittleNipper on 2014.09.01 16:23:42, edited 1 time in total.

Summary:
You are breast-fed with the religion of your parents and your country.
You don't know any other religions to believe in, don't know life outside of US, don't know anything but the text written by members of a primitive tribe milleniums ago.

You don't want - or can not - answer to the most simple question.
Why are you christian?

I am a Christian because of the grace of God. Everyone in America isn't a Christian. The Holy Spirit came to the door of my heart one Friday night at a youth meeting, and I accepted Christ. No one is saved because the parent is saved. One can lead a horse to water... My father was raised Roman Catholic. I have an aunt and her family who are Mormon. The community where I grew up was mostly Roman Catholic. True Christianity isn't by association it is a one on one relationship with Christ. The truth is that many religions are very aware of the Bible but they simply hold to a faith that is taught to them, but they do not study for themselves.

[_LittleNipper]

1 Chronicles 11:1-47 The people of Israel gathered before David at the town of Hebron and said, “Look, we are your family. In the past, even when Saul was king, you were the one who led Israel ·in battle. The Lord your God said to you, ‘You will be the shepherd for my people Israel.’" All the elders of Israel came to King David at Hebron. He made a treaty with them before the Lord. Then they poured oil on David to make him king over Israel. This was according to the word of the Lord through Samuel.

David and all the Israelites went to the city of Jerusalem. ·At that time Jerusalem was called Jebus, and the people living there were named Jebusites. They said to David, “You can’t ·get inside our city.” But David captured the stronghold/fortress of Zion, and it became the City of David. David said, “The person who is the first to kill one of the Jebusites will become the commander over all my army.” Joab son of Zeruiah led the attack and became the commander of the army.

David made his home in the ·strong, walled city, which is why it was named the City of David. David rebuilt the city, beginning where the land was filled in with the terraces; and going to the ·wall that was around the city. Joab rebuilt the other parts of the city. David became ·stronger and stronger, and the Lord was with him.

Follows a list of the leaders over David’s ·warriors who ·helped make David’s kingdom strong. All the people of Israel also supported David’s kingdom:

Jashobeam was from the Hacmonite people. He was the head of Thirty officers, David’s most elite soldiers. He used his spear to fight 300 men at one time, and he killed them all. Next was Eleazar, one of the 3. Eleazar was Dodai’s son from the Ahohite people. Eleazar was with David at Pas Dammim when the Philistines came there to fight. There was a field of barley at that place. The Israelites ·ran from the Philistines, but they held their ground in the middle of that field and defended it and killed the Philistines. The Lord saved them with a great victory.

Once, 3 of the 30, David’s chief soldiers, came down to him at the cliff face by the cave near Adullam --- when the Philistine army had camped in the Valley of Rephaim.

At that time David was in a stronghold, and ·some of the Philistines were in Bethlehem. David had a craving for water. He said, “Oh, I wish someone would get me water from the well near the city gate of Bethlehem!” So the 3 broke through the Philistine lines and took water from the well near the city gate in Bethlehem. Then they brought it to David, but he refused to drink it. He poured it out as an offering to God, saying, “May God keep me from drinking this water! It would be like drinking the blood of the men who risked their lives to bring it to me!”

These were the ·brave things that the three warriors did.

Abishai brother of Joab was the chief of the 3. Abishai fought 300 hundred soldiers with his spear and killed them, and was more honored than the 30. He became their commander even though he was not one of them.

Benaiah son of Jehoiada was a brave fighter from Kabzeel who did mighty things. He killed 2 of the best warriors from Moab. He also went down into a pit and killed a lion one snowy day. Benaiah killed an Egyptian who was ·about seven and one-half feet tall and had a spearthe length of a weaver’s beam. Benaiah had a club, but he ·grabbed the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear. He received more honor than the Thirty, but he did not become a member of the Three. David appointed him a leader of his bodyguards.

These were the 30 mighty warriors:
Asahel brother of Joab;
Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem;

·Shammoth the Harorite;
Helez the Pelonite;

Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa;
Abiezer the Anathothite;

·Sibbecai the Hushathite;
·Ilai the Ahohite;

Maharai the Netophathite;
Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite;

Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin;
Benaiah the Pirathonite;

·Hurai from the ravines of Gaash;
·Abiel the Arbathite;

Azmaveth the Baharumite;
Eliahba the Shaalbonite;

the sons of Hashem the Gizonite;
Jonathan son of Shage the Hararite;

Ahiam son of Sacar the Hararite;
Eliphal son of Ur;

Hepher the Mekerathite;
Ahijah the Pelonite;

Hezro [or Hezrai;
Naarai son of Ezbai;

Joel brother of ·Nathan;
Mibhar son of Hagri;

Zelek the Ammonite;
Naharai the Berothite, the ·officer who carried the armor for Joab son of Zeruiah;

Ira the Ithrite;
Gareb the Ithrite;

Uriah the Hittite;
Zabad son of Ahlai;

Adina son of Shiza the Reubenite, who was the ·leader [chief] of the Reubenites, and his thirty soldiers;

Hanan son of Maacah;
Joshaphat the Mithnite;

Uzzia the Ashterathite;
Shama and Jeiel sons of Hotham the Aroerite;

Jediael son of Shimri;
Joha, Jediael’s brother, the Tizite;

Eliel the Mahavite;
Jeribai and Joshaviah, Elnaam’s sons;
Ithmah the Moabite;

Eliel, Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaites.


Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

1 And gathered are all Israel unto David to Hebron, saying, `Lo, thy bone and thy flesh [are] we;

2 even in time past, even in Saul's being king, it is thou who art taking out and bringing in Israel, and Jehovah thy God saith to thee: Thou dost feed My people Israel, and thou art leader over My people Israel.'

3 And all the elders of Israel come in unto the king to Hebron, and David maketh with them a covenant in Hebron before Jehovah, and they anoint David for king over Israel, according to the word of Jehovah by the hand of Samuel.

4 And David goeth, and all Israel, to Jerusalem -- it [is] Jebus -- and there the Jebusite, the inhabitants of the land.

5 And the inhabitants of Jebus say to David, `Thou dost not come in hither;' and David captureth the fortress of Zion -- it [is] the city of David.

6 And David saith, `Whoever smiteth the Jebusite first doth become head and prince;' and go up first doth Joab son of Zeruiah and becometh head.

7 And David dwelleth in the fortress, therefore they have called it, `City of David;'

8 and he buildeth the city round about, from Millo, and unto the circumference, and Joab restoreth the rest of the city.

9 And David goeth, going on and becoming great, and Jehovah of Hosts [is] with him.

10 And these [are] heads of the mighty ones whom David hath, who are strengthening themselves with him in his kingdom, with all Israel, to cause him to reign, according to the word of Jehovah, over Israel.

11 And this [is] an account of the mighty ones whom David hath: Jashobeam son of a Hachmonite [is] head of the thirty; he is lifting up his spear against three hundred -- wounded, at one time.

12 And after him [is] Eleazar son of Dodo the Ahohite, he [is] among the three mighty;

13 he hath been with David in Pas-Dammim, and the Philistines have been gathered there to battle, and a portion of the field is full of barley, and the people have fled from the face of the Philistines,

14 and they station themselves in the midst of the portion, and deliver it, and smite the Philistines, and Jehovah saveth -- a great salvation.

15 And three of the thirty heads go down on the rock unto David, unto the cave of Adullam, and the host of the Philistines is encamping in the valley of Rephaim,

16 and David [is] then in the fortress, and the station of the Philistines [is] then in Beth-Lehem,

17 and David longeth, and saith, `Who doth give me to drink water from the well of Beth-Lehem, that [is] at the gate!'

18 And the three break through the camp of the Philistines, and draw water from the well of Beth-Lehem, that [is] at the gate, and bear and bring in unto David, and David hath not been willing to drink it, and poureth it out to Jehovah,

19 and saith, `Far be it from me, by my God, to do this; the blood of these men do I drink with their lives? for with their lives they have brought it;' and he was not willing to drink it; these [things] did the three mighty ones.

20 And Abishai brother of Joab, he hath been head of the three: and he is lifting up his spear against three hundred -- wounded, and hath a name among three.

21 Of the three by the two he is honoured, and becometh their head; and unto the [first] three he hath not come.

22 Benaiah son of Jehoiada, son of a man of valour, of great deeds, from Kabzeel: he hath smitten the two lion-like Moabites, and he hath gone down and smitten the lion in the midst of the pit, in the day of snow.

23 And he hath smitten the man, the Egyptian -- a man of measure, five by the cubit -- and in the hand of the Egyptian [is] a spear like a beam of weavers, and he goeth down unto him with a rod, and taketh violently away the spear out of the hand of the Egyptian, and slayeth him with his own spear.

24 These [things] hath Benaiah son of Jehoiada done, and hath a name among the three mighty ones.

25 Of the thirty, lo, he [is] honoured, and unto the [first] three he hath not come, and David setteth him over his guard.

26 And the mighty ones of the forces [are] Asahel brother of Joab, Elhanan son of Dodo of Beth-Lehem,

27 Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite,

28 Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abi-Ezer the Annethothite,

29 Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite,

30 Maharai the Netophathite, Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite,

31 Ithai son of Ribai of Gibeah, of the sons of Benjamin, Benaiah the Pirathonite,

32 Hurai of the brooks of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite,

33 Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite,

34 the sons of Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan son of Shage the Hararite,

35 Ahiam son of Sacar the Hararite, Eliphal son of Ur,

36 Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite,

37 Hezor the Carmelite, Naarai son of Ezbai,

38 Joel brother of Nathan, Mibhar son of Haggeri,

39 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Berothite, bearer of the weapons of Joab son of Zeruiah,

40 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,

41 Uriah the Hittite, Zabad son of Ahlai,

42 Adina son of Shiza the Reubenite, head of the Reubenites, and by him thirty,

43 Hanan son of Maachah, and Joshaphat the Mithnite,

44 Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jehiel sons of Hothan the Aroerite,

45 Jediael son of Shimri, and Joha his brother the Tizite,

46 Eliel the Mahavite, and Jeribai, and Joshaviah, sons of Elnaam, and Ithmah the Moabite,

47 Eliel, and Obed, and Jaasiel the Mesobaite.

[_ludwigm]

Summary:
You are breast-fed with the religion of your parents and your country.
You don't know any other religions to believe in, don't know life outside of US, don't know anything but the text written by members of a primitive tribe milleniums ago.

You don't want - or can not - answer to the most simple question.
Why are you christian?

I am a Christian because of the grace of God.

But You don't know - or don't want to know, or simply can not tell me - why did You have chosen this specific god.

Everyone in America isn't a Christian.

Only 73%, which seems to be a majority.

The Holy Spirit came to the door of my heart one Friday night at a youth meeting, and I accepted Christ.

Apparently that youth meeting was lead by a christian TV preacher, one of the hundreds Benny Hinns. US is oversupplied this types.

One can lead a horse to water...

But anybody can lead a donkey to believe.

My father was raised Roman Catholic. I have an aunt and her family who are Mormon. The community where I grew up was mostly Roman Catholic.

The background I've mentioned...
In a muslim environment You would blow up Yourself and an American embassy.

True Christianity isn't by association it is a one on one relationship with Christ. The truth is that many religions are very aware of the Bible but they simply hold to a faith that is taught to them, but they do not study for themselves.

Sauce.

Did You begin to study the Bible before or after Your conversion? (I know the answer...)

[_ludwigm]

The show is going on... names names names ...

1 Chronicles 11
...
These were the 30 mighty warriors:
+1

Ludwig
Gender: Masculine
Usage: German
Pronounced: LOOT-vik, LUD-wig
From the Germanic name Hludwig which meant "famous warrior", composed of the elements hlud "fame" and wig "warrior". This was the name of three Merovingian kings of the Franks, though their names are usually spelled in the Latinized form Clovis. Other famous bearers include the German composer Ludwig van Beethoven and the Austrian philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein, who contributed to logic and the philosophy of language.

Asahel brother of Joab;
Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem;

·Shammoth the Harorite;
Helez the Pelonite;

Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa;
Abiezer the Anathothite;

·Sibbecai the Hushathite;
·Ilai the Ahohite;

Maharai the Netophathite;
Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite;

Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin;
Benaiah the Pirathonite;

·Hurai from the ravines of Gaash;
·Abiel the Arbathite;

Azmaveth the Baharumite;
Eliahba the Shaalbonite;

the sons of Hashem the Gizonite;
Jonathan son of Shage the Hararite;

Ahiam son of Sacar the Hararite;
Eliphal son of Ur;

Hepher the Mekerathite;
Ahijah the Pelonite;

Hezro [or Hezrai;
Naarai son of Ezbai;

Joel brother of ·Nathan;
Mibhar son of Hagri;

Zelek the Ammonite;
Naharai the Berothite, the ·officer who carried the armor for Joab son of Zeruiah;

Ira the Ithrite;
Gareb the Ithrite;

Uriah the Hittite;
Zabad son of Ahlai;

Adina son of Shiza the Reubenite, who was the ·leader [chief] of the Reubenites, and his thirty soldiers;

Hanan son of Maacah;
Joshaphat the Mithnite;

Uzzia the Ashterathite;
Shama and Jeiel sons of Hotham the Aroerite;

Jediael son of Shimri;
Joha, Jediael’s brother, the Tizite;

Eliel the Mahavite;
Jeribai and Joshaviah, Elnaam’s sons;
Ithmah the Moabite;

Eliel, Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaites.

At least that Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem have some affiliation with Mormonism. (Elder Jeffrey R. Holland...)

[_LittleNipper]

I am a Christian because of the grace of God.

But You don't know - or don't want to know, or simply can not tell me - why did You have chosen this specific god.

Everyone in America isn't a Christian.

Only 73%, which seems to be a majority.

The Holy Spirit came to the door of my heart one Friday night at a youth meeting, and I accepted Christ.

Apparently that youth meeting was lead by a christian TV preacher, one of the hundreds Benny Hinns. US is oversupplied this types.

One can lead a horse to water...

But anybody can lead a donkey to believe.

My father was raised Roman Catholic. I have an aunt and her family who are Mormon. The community where I grew up was mostly Roman Catholic.

The background I've mentioned...
In a muslim environment You would blow up Yourself and an American embassy.

True Christianity isn't by association it is a one on one relationship with Christ. The truth is that many religions are very aware of the Bible but they simply hold to a faith that is taught to them, but they do not study for themselves.

Sauce.

Did You begin to study the Bible before or after Your conversion? (I know the answer...)

And why would I blow myself up if I was a Moslem? Not all Moslems blow themselves up... What happened to the saying, "Stubborn as a mule." There are Moslems who convert to Christianity even though threatened with death on their home turf ---- sort of like pagan Romans converting to Christianity while Nero burned such in his gardens as human torches... I really started to read the Bible when I got older and went to college. I went through a time of questioning my faith.

[Guest]

1 Chronicles 12:1-40 Here are the names of the renown warriors (ambidextrous expert archers and slingers) who joined David at Ziklag while he was hiding from King Saul. As King Saul, they were all of the tribe of Benjamin.

Their chief was Ahiezer, son of Shemaah from Gibeah. The others were:
His brother Joash; Jeziel and Pelet, sons of Azmaveth; Beracah; Jehu from Anathoth; Ishmaiah from Gibeon (a brave warrior rated as high or higher than The Thirty); Jeremiah; Jahaziel; Johanan; Jozabad from Gederah; Eluzai; Jerimoth; Bealiah; Shemariah; Shephatiah from Haruph; Elkanah, Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer, Jashobeam—all Korahites; Joelah and Zebadiah (sons of Jeroham from Gedor).

Great and brave warriors from the tribe of Gad also went to David in the wilderness. They were experts with both shield and spear and were “lion-faced men, swift as deer upon the mountains.”

Ezer was the chief;

Obadiah was second in command;

Eliab was third in command;

Mishmannah was fourth in command;

Jeremiah was fifth in command;

Attai was sixth in command;

Eliel was seventh in command;

Johanan was eighth in command;

Elzabad was ninth in command;

Jeremiah was tenth in command;

Machbannai was eleventh in command.

These men were army officers; the weakest was worth a 100 normal troopers, and the greatest was worth a 1000! They crossed the Jordan River during its seasonal flooding and conquered the lowlands on both the east and west banks.

Others came to David from Benjamin and Judah. David went out to meet them and said, “If you have come to help me, we are friends; but if you have come to betray me to my enemies when I am innocent, then may the God of our fathers see and judge you.”

Then the Holy Spirit came upon them, and Amasai, a leader of The 30, replied,


“We are yours, David;
We are on your side, son of Jesse.
Peace, peace be unto you,
And peace to all who aid you;
For your God is with you.”

So David let them join him, and he made them captains of his army.

Some men from Manasseh deserted the Israeli army and joined David just as he was going into battle for the Philistines against King Saul. But as it turned out, the Philistine generals refused to let David and his men go with them. After much discussion they sent them back, for they were afraid that David and his men might deserting to King Saul.

Here is a list of the men from Manasseh who deserted to David as he was en route to Ziklag: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, Zillethai.
Each was a high-ranking officer of Manasseh’s troops. They were brave and able warriors, and they assisted David when he fought against the Amalek raiders at Ziklag.

More men joined David almost every day until he had a tremendous army—the army of God. Here is the registry of recruits who joined David at Hebron. They were all anxious to see David become king instead of Saul, just as the Lord had said would happen.

From Judah, 6,800 troops armed with shields and spears.

From the tribe of Simeon, 7,100 outstanding warriors.

From the Levites, 4,600.

From the priests—descendants of Aaron—there were 3,700 troops under the command of Zadok, a young man of unusual courage, and Jehoiada. (He and 22 members of his family were officers of the fighting priests.)

From the tribe of Benjamin, the same tribe Saul was from, there were 3,000. (Most of that tribe retained its allegiance to Saul.)

From the tribe of Ephraim, 20,800 mighty warriors, each famous in his respective clan.

From the half-tribe of Manasseh, 18,000 were sent for the express purpose of helping David become king.

From the tribe of Issachar there were 200 leaders of the tribe with their relatives—all men who understood the temper of the times and knew the best course for Israel to take.

From the tribe of Zebulun there were 50,000 trained warriors; they were fully armed and totally loyal to David.

From Naphtali there were 1,000 officers and 37,000 troops equipped with shields and spears.

From the tribe of Dan there were 28,600 troops, all of them prepared for battle

From the tribe of Asher, there were 40,000 trained and ready troops.

From the other side of the Jordan River—where the tribes of Reuben and Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh lived—there were 120,000 troops equipped with every kind of weapon.

These men came in battle array to Hebron with the single purpose of making David king of Israel. They feasted and drank with David for 3 days, for preparations had been made for their arrival. People from nearby and from as far away as Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali brought food on donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen. Vast supplies of flour, fig cakes, raisins, wine, oil, cattle, and sheep were brought to the celebration, for joy had spread throughout the land.


Young's Literal Translation (YLT)

1 And these [are] those coming in unto David to Ziklag, while shut up because of Saul son of Kish, and they [are] among the mighty ones, helping the battle,

2 armed with bow, right and left handed, with stones, and with arrows, with bows, of the brethren of Saul, of Benjamin.

3 The head [is] Ahiezer, and Joash, sons of Shemaab the Gibeathite, and Jeziel, and Pelet, sons of Azmaveth, and Berachah, and Jehu the Antothite,

4 and Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty one among the thirty, and over the thirty, and Jeremiah, and Jahaziel, and Johanan, and Josabad the Gederathite.

5 Eluzai, and Jerimoth, and Bealiah, and Shemariah, and Shephatiah the Haruphite;

6 Elkanah, and Jesiah, and Azareel, and Joezer, and Jashobeam the Korhites,

7 and Joelah, and Zebadiah, sons of Jeroham of Gedor.

8 And of the Gadite there have been separated unto David, to the fortress, to the wilderness, mighty of valour, men of the host for battle, setting in array target and buckler, and their faces the face of the lion, and as roes on the mountains for speed:

9 Ezer the head, Obadiah the second, Eliab the third,

10 Mishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth,

11 Attai the sixth, Eliel the seventh,

12 Johanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth,

13 Jeremiah the tenth, Machbannai the eleventh.

14 These [are] of the sons of Gad, heads of the host, one of a hundred [is] the least, and the greatest, of a thousand;

15 these [are] they who have passed over the Jordan in the first month, -- and it is full over all its banks -- and cause all [they of] the valley to flee to the east and to the west.

16 And there come of the sons of Benjamin and Judah unto the stronghold to David,

17 and David goeth out before them, and answereth and saith to them, `If for peace ye have come in unto me, to help me, I have a heart to unite with you; and if to betray me to mine adversaries -- without violence in my hands -- the God of our fathers doth see and reprove.'

18 And the Spirit hath clothed Amasai, head of the captains: `To thee, O David, and with thee, O son of Jesse -- peace! peace to thee, and peace to thy helper, for thy God hath helped thee;' and David receiveth them, and putteth them among the heads of the troop.

19 And of Manasseh there have fallen unto David in his coming with the Philistines against Israel to battle -- and they helped them not, for by counsel the princes of the Philistines sent him away, saying, `With our heads he doth fall unto his master Saul.' --

20 In his going unto Ziglag there have fallen unto him of Manasseh, Adnah, and Jozabad, and Jediael, and Michael, and Jozabad, and Elihu, and Zillthai, heads of the thousands that [are] of Manasseh;

21 and they have helped with David over the troop, for mighty of valour [are] all of them, and they are captains in the host,

22 for at that time, day by day, they come in unto David to help him, till it is a great camp, like a camp of God.

23 And these [are] the numbers of the head, of the armed men of the host; they have come in unto David to Hebron to turn round the kingdom of Saul unto him, according to the mouth of Jehovah.

24 The sons of Judah, bearing target and spear, [are] six thousand and eight hundred, armed ones of the host.

25 Of the sons of Simeon, mighty ones of valour for the host, [are] seven thousand and a hundred.

26 Of the sons of Levi [are] four thousand and six hundred;

27 and Jehoiada [is] the leader of the Aaronite, and with him [are] three thousand and seven hundred,

28 and Zadok, a young man, mighty of valour, and of the house of his father [are] twenty and two heads.

29 And of the sons of Benjamin, brethren of Saul, [are] three thousand, and hitherto their greater part are keeping the charge of the house of Saul.

30 And of the sons of Ephraim [are] twenty thousand and eight hundred, mighty of valour, men of name, according to the house of their fathers.

31 And of the half of the tribe of Manasseh [are] eighteen thousand, who have been defined by name, to come in to cause David to reign.

32 And of the sons of Issachar, having understanding for the times, to know what Israel should do; their heads [are] two hundred, and all their brethren [are] at their command.

33 Of Zebulun, going forth to the host, arranging battle with all instruments of battle, [are] fifty thousand, and keeping rank without a double heart.

34 And of Naphtali, a thousand heads, and with them, with target and spear, [are] thirty and seven thousand.

35 And of the Danite, arranging battle, [are] twenty and eight thousand and six hundred.

36 And of Asher, going forth to the host, to arrange battle, [are] forty thousand.

37 And from beyond the Jordan, of the Reubenite, and of the Gadite, and of the half of the tribe of Manasseh, with all instruments of the host for battle, [are] a hundred and twenty thousand.

38 All these [are] men of war, keeping rank -- with a perfect heart they have come to Hebron, to cause David to reign over all Israel, and also all the rest of Israel [are] of one heart, to cause David to reign,

39 and they are there, with David, three days, eating and drinking, for their brethren have prepared for them.

40 And also those near unto them, unto Issachar, and Zebulun, and Naphtali, are bringing in bread on asses, and on camels, and on mules, and on oxen -- food of fine flour, fig-cakes and grape-cakes, and wine, and oil, and oxen, and sheep, in abundance, for joy [is] in Israel.

[_Amore]

Hi, LittleNipper (I love that name!)...
Good idea to go through scripture bit by bit - less overwhelming. ;)
I'm starting to look into Jefferson's condensed Bible.

A few of my favorites:
"God is love."
"The kingdom of God is within you."
Love god and love others as yourself..."on these two commandments hang all of the law and the prophets."

[_LittleNipper]

Hi, LittleNipper (I love that name!)...
Good idea to go through scripture bit by bit - less overwhelming. ;)
I'm starting to look into Jefferson's condensed Bible.

A few of my favorites:
"God is love."
"The kingdom of God is within you."
Love god and love others as yourself..."on these two commandments hang all of the law and the prophets."

When I was a Little boy I had a series of Children's records recorded by Cliff Edwards with his pal--- a dog named Little Nipper. They were RCA Victor 45's. And since my father worked for RCA, I imagined that Little Nipper was the very same dog of "His Master's Voice" fame. The issue I understand with Jefferson's Bible is that He arbitrarily cut out anything that was miraculous in nature. I like the verse "Jesus wept." God cares.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wj2oHWtRGXY