Study Desk

The sons of Tola: Uzzi, Rephaiah, Jeriel, Jahmai, Ibsam, and Shemuel, heads of their fathers' houses; for Tola, mighty warriors of their generations, their number in the days of David were twenty-two thousand six hundred.

And in addition to them, according to their generations, according to the house of their fathers, were troops of the army for war: thirty-six thousand. For they had many wives and sons.

And Machir took a wife for Huppim and for Shuppim. And the name of his sister was Maacah. And the name of the second, Zelophehad. And Zelophehad had daughters.

All of these were the sons of Asher, heads of the house of the fathers, chosen mighty warriors, heads of the princes. And their number enrolled by genealogy, in the army for the war, was twenty-six thousand men.

And these are the sons of Ehud (these were heads of the families for the inhabitants of Geba, and they took them away to Manahath):

and their kinsmen, heads of the house of their fathers, one thousand seven hundred and sixty mighty men for the work of the service of the house of God.

For the four mighty gatekeepers, they who were Levites, were entrusted and were over the chambers and over the storerooms of the house of God.

And they lodged all around the house of God, for upon them was a responsibility. And they had charge of opening the house of God every morning.

And some of them were over the utensils of the service, for they count them when they are brought in and they count them when they are brought out.

And some of the sons of the priests mixed the fragrant ointment for the spices.

Now these were the singers; the heads of the families of the Levites were in the chambers free from other service, for day and night they were over them on the service.

For some time now, even when Saul was king, you were the one who led the army of Israel in battle. And Yahweh your God said to you, ‘You will shepherd my people Israel and will be leader over my people Israel.'"

Now these are the chiefs of the mighty men who were for David, who gave him strong support in his kingdom, together with all Israel to make him king according to the word of Yahweh concerning Israel.

And this is the numbering of the mighty warriors who were for David: Jashobeam son of Hachmoni was chief of the three. He himself raised his spear against three hundred whom he killed on one occasion.

He himself was with David at Pas-Dammim when the Philistines were gathered there for the battle. And there was a plot of the field filled with barley, and the people fled before the Philistines.

And he said, "Far be it from me that I would do this before my God. Shall I drink the lifeblood of these men? For at the risk of their lives they brought it." And he was not willing to drink it. These things the three mighty men did.

Now Abishai the brother of Joab was himself the head of the three. And he roused himself with his spear against three hundred whom he killed and made a name for himself among the three.

And from the Gadites, valiant mighty warriors, soldiers fit for war, expert with shield and spear, defected to David at the fortress toward the wilderness. And they had faces like lions and were swift as gazelles upon the mountains.

Then the Spirit came upon Amasai, chief of the thirty who said: "We are yours, O David! And we are with you, O son of Jesse! Peace! Peace to you, and peace to those who help you, for your God helps you." So David appointed them as heads of the troops.

And some Manassites deserted to David when he came with the Philistines to the battle against Saul, but he did not help them, for the rulers of the Philistines sent him away upon counsel, saying, "He will desert to his master Saul at the cost of our heads."