TORAH
FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES
NEVI'IM
PROPHETS
KETUVIM
WRITINGS

I - Chapter 12

Translation and Transliteration of 

1The following joined David at Tziklag while he was still in hiding from Shaul son of Keesh; these were the warriors who gave support in battle;

אוְאֵלֶּה הַבָּאִים אֶל־דָּוִיד לְצִיקְלַג עוֹד עָצוּר מִפְּנֵי שָׁאוּל בֶּן־קִישׁ וְהֵמָּה בַּגִּבּוֹרִים עֹזְרֵי הַמִּלְחָמָה׃

2they were armed with the bow and could use both right hand and left hand to sling stones or shoot arrows with the bow; they were kinsmen of Shaul from Binyamin.

בנֹשְׁקֵי קֶשֶׁת מַיְמִינִים וּמַשְׂמִאלִים בָּאֲבָנִים וּבַחִצִּים בַּקָּשֶׁת מֵאֲחֵי שָׁאוּל מִבִּנְיָמִן׃

3At the head were Ahiezer and Yoash, sons of Shemaah of Giva; and Jeziel and Pelet, sons of Azmaveth; and Beracah and Yehu of Anatot;

גהָרֹאשׁ אֲחִיעֶזֶר וְיוֹאָשׁ בְּנֵי הַשְּׁמָעָה הַגִּבְעָתִי ויזואל [וִיזִיאֵל] וָפֶלֶט בְּנֵי עַזְמָוֶת וּבְרָכָה וְיֵהוּא הָעֲנְּתֹתִי׃

4Ishmaiah of Givon, a warrior among the thirty, leading the thirty;

דוְיִשְׁמַעְיָה הַגִּבְעוֹנִי גִּבּוֹר בַּשְּׁלֹשִׁים וְעַל־הַשְּׁלֹשִׁים׃

5Yirmiyahu, Yachaziel, Yochanan, and Yozavad of Gedera;

הוְיִרְמְיָה וְיַחֲזִיאֵל וְיוֹחָנָן וְיוֹזָבָד הַגְּדֵרָתִי׃

6Eluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah, and Shephatiah the Hariphite;

ואֶלְעוּזַי וִירִימוֹת וּבְעַלְיָה וּשְׁמַרְיָהוּ וּשְׁפַטְיָהוּ החריפי [הַחֲרוּפִי׃]

7Elkana, Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer, and Jashobeam the Korahites;

זאֶלְקָנָה וְיִשִּׁיָּהוּ וַעֲזַרְאֵל וְיוֹעֶזֶר וְיָשָׁבְעָם הַקָּרְחִים׃

8Yoelah and Zebadiah, sons of Jeroham of Gedor.

חוְיוֹעֵאלָה וּזְבַדְיָה בְּנֵי יְרֹחָם מִן־הַגְּדוֹר׃

9Of the Gadites, there withdrew to follow David to the wilderness stronghold valiant men, fighters fit for battle, armed with shield and spear; they had the appearance of lions, and were as swift as gazelles upon the mountains:

טוּמִן־הַגָּדִי נִבְדְּלוּ אֶל־דָּוִיד לַמְצַד מִדְבָּרָה גִּבֹּרֵי הַחַיִל אַנְשֵׁי צָבָא לַמִּלְחָמָה עֹרְכֵי צִנָּה וָרֹמַח וּפְנֵי אַרְיֵה פְּנֵיהֶם וְכִצְבָאיִם עַל־הֶהָרִים לְמַהֵר׃

10Ezer the chief, Ovadya the second, Eliav the third,

יעֵזֶר הָרֹאשׁ עֹבַדְיָה הַשֵּׁנִי אֱלִיאָב הַשְּׁלִשִׁי׃

11Mashmannah the fourth, Yirmiyahu the fifth,

יאמִשְׁמַנָּה הָרְבִיעִי יִרְמְיָה הַחֲמִשִׁי׃

12Attai the sixth, Eliel the seventh,

יבעַתַּי הַשִּׁשִּׁי אֱלִיאֵל הַשְּׁבִעִי׃

13Yochanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth,

יגיוֹחָנָן הַשְּׁמִינִי אֶלְזָבָד הַתְּשִׁיעִי׃

14Yirmiyahu the tenth, Machbannai the eleventh.

ידיִרְמְיָהוּ הָעֲשִׂירִי מַכְבַּנַּי עַשְׁתֵּי עָשָׂר׃

15Those were the Gadites, heads of the army. The least was equal to a hundred, the greatest to a thousand.

טואֵלֶּה מִבְּנֵי־גָד רָאשֵׁי הַצָּבָא אֶחָד לְמֵאָה הַקָּטָן וְהַגָּדוֹל לְאָלֶף׃

16These were the ones who crossed the Yarden in the first month, when it was at its crest, and they put to flight all the lowlanders to the east and west.

AY-leh HAYM a-SHER a-v'-RU et ha-yar-DAYN ba-KHO-desh ha-ri-SHON v'-HU m'-ma-LAY al kol g'-do-TAV va-yav-REE-khu et kol HA-a-ma-KEEM la-miz-RAKH v'-la-ma-a-RAV

טזאֵלֶּה הֵם אֲשֶׁר עָבְרוּ אֶת־הַיַּרְדֵּן בַּחֹדֶשׁ הָרִאשׁוֹן וְהוּא מְמַלֵּא עַל־כָּל־גדיתיו [גְּדוֹתָיו] וַיַּבְרִיחוּ אֶת־כָּל־הָעֲמָקִים לַמִּזְרָח וְלַמַּעֲרָב׃

 12:16   They put to flight all the lowlanders to the east and west

Rashi (1040-1105)

The simple meaning of this verse is that the warriors who crossed the Jordan river routed all enemies from the nearby valleys. However, Rashi offers an alternative interpretation of this phrase. He suggests that the soldiers used their shields to push the water away, so that they could cross on dry land. This is reminiscent of two similar crossings recorded in the Tanakh: Moshe split the Sea of Reeds, rendering the area dry for the children of Israel to pass through (Exodus 14:21), and the waters of the Jordan river were also stopped so that the Children of Israel could cross on dry land into the Land of Israel under the leadership of Yehoshua (Joshua 3:16). By stating that David’s warriors did something similar, Rashi is telling us that David was the next link in a chain of great leaders which stretched back to Moshe and Yehoshua.

17Some of the Benjaminites and Judahites came to the stronghold to David,

יזוַיָּבֹאוּ מִן־בְּנֵי בִנְיָמִן וִיהוּדָה עַד־לַמְצָד לְדָוִיד׃

18and David went out to meet them, saying to them, “If you come on a peaceful errand, to support me, then I will make common cause with you, but if to betray me to my foes, for no injustice on my part, then let the God of our fathers take notice and give judgment.”

יחוַיֵּצֵא דָוִיד לִפְנֵיהֶם וַיַּעַן וַיֹּאמֶר לָהֶם אִם־לְשָׁלוֹם בָּאתֶם אֵלַי לְעָזְרֵנִי יִהְיֶה־לִּי עֲלֵיכֶם לֵבָב לְיָחַד וְאִם־לְרַמּוֹתַנִי לְצָרַי בְּלֹא חָמָס בְּכַפַּי יֵרֶא אֱלֹהֵי אֲבוֹתֵינוּ וְיוֹכַח׃

19Then the spirit seized Amasai, chief of the captains “We are yours, David On your side, son of Yishai

At peace, at peace with you And at peace with him who supports you For your God supports you. So David accepted them, and placed them at the head of his band.

יטוְרוּחַ לָבְשָׁה אֶת־עֲמָשַׂי רֹאשׁ השלושים [הַשָּׁלִישִׁים] לְךָ דָוִיד וְעִמְּךָ

20Some Manassites went over to David's side when he came with the Philistines to make war against Shaul, but they were of no help to them, because the lords of the Philistines in council dismissed him, saying, “He will go over to the side of his lord, Shaul, and it will cost us our heads”;

כוּמִמְּנַשֶּׁה נָפְלוּ עַל־דָּוִיד בְּבֹאוֹ עִם־פְּלִשְׁתִּים עַל־שָׁאוּל לַמִּלְחָמָה וְלֹא עֲזָרֻם כִּי בְעֵצָה שִׁלְּחֻהוּ סַרְנֵי פְלִשְׁתִּים לֵאמֹר בְּרָאשֵׁינוּ יִפּוֹל אֶל־אֲדֹנָיו שָׁאוּל׃

21when he went to Tziklag, these Manassites went over to his side—Adnah, Yozavad, Jediael, Michael, Yozavad, Elihu, and Zillethai, chiefs of the clans of Menashe.

כאבְּלֶכְתּוֹ אֶל־צִיקְלַג נָפְלוּ עָלָיו מִמְּנַשֶּׁה עַדְנַח וְיוֹזָבָד וִידִיעֲאֵל וּמִיכָאֵל וְיוֹזָבָד וֶאֱלִיהוּא וְצִלְּתָי רָאשֵׁי הָאֲלָפִים אֲשֶׁר לִמְנַשֶּׁה׃

22It was they who gave support to David against the band, for all were valiant men; and they were officers of the force.

כבוְהֵמָּה עָזְרוּ עִם־דָּוִיד עַל־הַגְּדוּד כִּי־גִבּוֹרֵי חַיִל כֻּלָּם וַיִּהְיוּ שָׂרִים בַּצָּבָא׃

23Day in day out, people came to David to give him support, until there was an army as vast as the army of Hashem.

כגכִּי לְעֶת־יוֹם בְּיוֹם יָבֹאוּ עַל־דָּוִיד לְעָזְרוֹ עַד־לְמַחֲנֶה גָדוֹל כְּמַחֲנֵה אֱלֹהִים׃

24These are the numbers of the [men of the] armed bands who joined David at Chevron to transfer Shaul's kingdom to him, in accordance with the word of Hashem:

כדוְאֵלֶּה מִסְפְּרֵי רָאשֵׁי הֶחָלוּץ לַצָּבָא בָּאוּ עַל־דָּוִיד חֶבְרוֹנָה לְהָסֵב מַלְכוּת שָׁאוּל אֵלָיו כְּפִי יְהֹוָה׃

25Judahites, equipped with shield and spear—6,800 armed men;

כהבְּנֵי יְהוּדָה נֹשְׂאֵי צִנָּה וָרֹמַח שֵׁשֶׁת אֲלָפִים וּשְׁמוֹנֶה מֵאוֹת חֲלוּצֵי צָבָא׃

26Simeonites, valiant men, fighting troops—7,100;

כומִן־בְּנֵי שִׁמְעוֹן גִּבּוֹרֵי חַיִל לַצָּבָא שִׁבְעַת אֲלָפִים וּמֵאָה׃

27of the Leviim—4,600;

כזמִן־בְּנֵי הַלֵּוִי אַרְבַּעַת אֲלָפִים וְשֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת׃

28Yehoyada, chief officer of the Aaronides; with him, 3,700;

כחוִיהוֹיָדָע הַנָּגִיד לְאַהֲרֹן וְעִמּוֹ שְׁלֹשֶׁת אֲלָפִים וּשְׁבַע מֵאוֹת׃

29Tzadok, a young valiant man, with his clan—22 officers;

כטוְצָדוֹק נַעַר גִּבּוֹר חָיִל וּבֵית־אָבִיו שָׂרִים עֶשְׂרִים וּשְׁנָיִם׃

30of the Benjaminites, kinsmen of Shaul, 3,000 in their great numbers, hitherto protecting the interests of the house of Shaul;

לוּמִן־בְּנֵי בִנְיָמִן אֲחֵי שָׁאוּל שְׁלֹשֶׁת אֲלָפִים וְעַד־הֵנָּה מַרְבִּיתָם שֹׁמְרִים מִשְׁמֶרֶת בֵּית שָׁאוּל׃

31of the Ephraimites, 20,800 valiant men, famous in their clans;

לאוּמִן־בְּנֵי אֶפְרַיִם עֶשְׂרִים אֶלֶף וּשְׁמוֹנֶה מֵאוֹת גִּבּוֹרֵי חַיִל אַנְשֵׁי שֵׁמוֹת לְבֵית אֲבוֹתָם׃

32of the half-tribe of Menashe, 18,000, who were designated by name to come and make David king;

לבוּמֵחֲצִי מַטֵּה מְנַשֶּׁה שְׁמוֹנָה עָשָׂר אָלֶף אֲשֶׁר נִקְּבוּ בְּשֵׁמוֹת לָבוֹא לְהַמְלִיךְ אֶת־דָּוִיד׃

33of the Issacharites, men who knew how to interpret the signs of the times, to determine how Yisrael should act; their chiefs were 200, and all their kinsmen followed them;

לגוּמִבְּנֵי יִשָּׂשכָר יוֹדְעֵי בִינָה לַעִתִּים לָדַעַת מַה־יַּעֲשֶׂה יִשְׂרָאֵל רָאשֵׁיהֶם מָאתַיִם וְכָל־אֲחֵיהֶם עַל־פִּיהֶם׃

34of Zevulun, those ready for service, able to man a battle line with all kinds of weapons, 50,000, giving support wholeheartedly;

לדמִזְּבֻלוּן יוֹצְאֵי צָבָא עֹרְכֵי מִלְחָמָה בְּכָל־כְּלֵי מִלְחָמָה חֲמִשִּׁים אָלֶף וְלַעֲדֹר בְּלֹא־לֵב וָלֵב׃

35of Naftali, 1,000 chieftains with their shields and lances—37,000;

להוּמִנַּפְתָּלִי שָׂרִים אָלֶף וְעִמָּהֶם בְּצִנָּה וַחֲנִית שְׁלֹשִׁים וְשִׁבְעָה אָלֶף׃

36of the Danites, able to man the battle line—28,600;

לווּמִן־הַדָּנִי עֹרְכֵי מִלְחָמָה עֶשְׂרִים־וּשְׁמוֹנָה אֶלֶף וְשֵׁשׁ מֵאוֹת׃

37of Asher, those ready for service to man the battle line—40,000;

לזוּמֵאָשֵׁר יוֹצְאֵי צָבָא לַעֲרֹךְ מִלְחָמָה אַרְבָּעִים אָלֶף׃

38from beyond the Yarden, of the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Menashe, together with all kinds of military weapons—120,000.

לחוּמֵעֵבֶר לַיַּרְדֵּן מִן־הָראוּבֵנִי וְהַגָּדִי וַחֲצִי שֵׁבֶט מְנַשֶּׁה בְּכֹל כְּלֵי צְבָא מִלְחָמָה מֵאָה וְעֶשְׂרִים אָלֶף׃

39All these, fighting men, manning the battle line with whole heart, came to Chevron to make David king over all Yisrael. Likewise, all the rest of Yisrael was of one mind to make David king.

לטכָּל־אֵלֶּה אַנְשֵׁי מִלְחָמָה עֹדְרֵי מַעֲרָכָה בְּלֵבָב שָׁלֵם בָּאוּ חֶבְרוֹנָה לְהַמְלִיךְ אֶת־דָּוִיד עַל־כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵל וְגַם כָּל־שֵׁרִית יִשְׂרָאֵל לֵב אֶחָד לְהַמְלִיךְ אֶת־דָּוִיד׃

40They were there with David three days, eating and drinking, for their kinsmen had provided for them.

מוַיִּהְיוּ־שָׁם עִם־דָּוִיד יָמִים שְׁלוֹשָׁה אֹכְלִים וְשׁוֹתִים כִּי־הֵכִינוּ לָהֶם אֲחֵיהֶם׃

41And also, their relatives as far away as Yissachar, Zevulun, and Naftali brought food by ass, camel, mule, and ox—provisions of flour, cakes of figs, raisin cakes, wine, oil, cattle, and sheep in abundance, for there was joy in Yisrael.

מאוְגַם הַקְּרוֹבִים־אֲלֵיהֶם עַד־יִשָׂשכָר וּזְבֻלוּן וְנַפְתָּלִי מְבִיאִים לֶחֶם בַּחֲמוֹרִים וּבַגְּמַלִּים וּבַפְּרָדִים וּבַבָּקָר מַאֲכָל קֶמַח דְּבֵלִים וְצִמּוּקִים וְיַיִן־וְשֶׁמֶן וּבָקָר וְצֹאן לָרֹב כִּי שִׂמְחָה בְּיִשְׂרָאֵל׃