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Speaker 1: I'm John Stangi, and today we're in First Chronicles, chapter twelve,
Speaker 1: and we'll be reading from the New English translation. These
Speaker 1: were the men who joined David in Ziklag when he
Speaker 1: was banished from the presence of Saul, son of Kish.
Speaker 1: They were among the warriors who assisted him in battle.
Speaker 1: They were armed with bows and could shoot arrows or
Speaker 1: sling stones right or left handed. They were fellow tribesmen
Speaker 1: of Saul from Benjamin. These were Ahezer the Leader and
Speaker 1: joe Ash, the sons of Shima the Gibbeathite, Jeziel and Poulette,
Speaker 1: the sons of Asthma Beth Baraka Jayhu the Anathathite, Issueah
Speaker 1: the Gibeonite, one of the thirty warriors, and their leader Jeremiah,
Speaker 1: Jahaziel Johannon, Jozahbad the Gheteithite, Eluzai, Jeremoth, Billyah, Schemariah, Shephatiah,
Speaker 1: the here Fite, Elkanah, Ishiah, Azirel, Jozah and Jashabem who
Speaker 1: were Krathites, and Jola and Zebediah, the sons of Jeoham
Speaker 1: from Geedoor. Some of the Gadites joined David at the
Speaker 1: stronghold in the desert. They were warriors who were trained
Speaker 1: for battle. They carried shields and spears. They were as
Speaker 1: fears as lions, and could run as quickly as gazelle's
Speaker 1: across the hills. Ezer was the leader, Obadiah the second
Speaker 1: in command, Eliab the third, mish Manna the fourth, Jeremiah
Speaker 1: the fifth, Adi the sixth, Eliel the seventh, Johannan the eighth,
Speaker 1: Elzabad the ninth, Jeremiah the tenth, and Makbanai the eleventh.
Speaker 1: These Gadites were military leaders. The least led one hundred men,
Speaker 1: the greatest a thousand. They crossed the Jordan River in
Speaker 1: the first month when it was overflowing its banks, and
Speaker 1: routed those living in all the valleys to the east
Speaker 1: and west. Some from Benjamin and Judah also came to
Speaker 1: David's stronghold. David went out to meet them and said,
Speaker 1: if you come to me in peace and want to
Speaker 1: help me, then I will make an alliance with you.
Speaker 1: But if you come to betray me to my enemies.
Speaker 1: When I have not harmed you, may the God of
Speaker 1: our ancestors take notice and judge. But a spirit empowered Amesi,
Speaker 1: the leader of the thirty warriors, and he said, we
Speaker 1: are yours, Oh David, we support you, O son of Jesse.
Speaker 1: May you greatly prosper. May those who help you prosper.
Speaker 1: Indeed your God helps you. So David accepted them and
Speaker 1: made them leaders of raiding bands. Some men from Manassa
Speaker 1: joined David when he went with the Philistines to fight
Speaker 1: against Saul, but in the end they did not help
Speaker 1: the Philistines because after taking counsel, the Philistine lord sent
Speaker 1: David away, saying it would be disastrous for us if
Speaker 1: he deserts to his master Saul. When David went to Ziklag,
Speaker 1: the men of Manassa who joined him were Adnak, joseahbad Jettiel, Michael,
Speaker 1: joseahbad Elihu, and Zilithi, leaders of a thousand soldiers each
Speaker 1: in the tribe of Manassa. They helped David fight against
Speaker 1: raiding bands, for all of them were warriors and leaders
Speaker 1: in the army. Each day men came to help David
Speaker 1: until his army became very large. The following is a
Speaker 1: record of the armed warriors who came with their leaders
Speaker 1: and joined David in Hebron in order to make David
Speaker 1: king in Saul's place, in accordance with the lord's decree.
Speaker 1: From Judah came six thousand, eight hundred trained warriors carrying
Speaker 1: shields and spears. From Simeon, there were seven thousand, one
Speaker 1: hundred warriors. From Levi, there were four thousand, six hundred. Jehodiah,
Speaker 1: the leader of Aaron's descendants, brought three thousand, seven hundred
Speaker 1: men with him, along with Zadok, a young warrior, and
Speaker 1: twenty two leaders from his family. From Benjamin Saul's tribe
Speaker 1: there were three thousand, most of whom up to that
Speaker 1: time had been loyal to Saul. From Ephrium there were
Speaker 1: twenty thousand, eight hundred warriors who had brought fame to
Speaker 1: their families. From the half tribe of Manassa, there were
Speaker 1: eighteen thousand who had been designated by name to come
Speaker 1: and make David king. From Isakar there were two hundred
Speaker 1: leaders and all their relatives at their command. They understood
Speaker 1: the times and knew what Israel should do. From Zebulen
Speaker 1: there were fifty thousand warriors who were prepared for battle,
Speaker 1: equipped with all kinds of weapons and ready to give
Speaker 1: their undivided loyalty. From Naftali there were one thousand officers
Speaker 1: along with thirty seven thousand men carrying shields and spears.
Speaker 1: From Dan, there were twenty eight thousand, six hundred men
Speaker 1: prepared for battle. From Asher, there were forty thousand warriors
Speaker 1: prepared for battle. From the other side of the Jordan,
Speaker 1: from Reuben Gad and the half tribe of Manassa, there
Speaker 1: were one hundred twenty thousand men armed with all kinds
Speaker 1: of weapons. All these men were warriors who were ready
Speaker 1: to march. They came to Hebron to make David king
Speaker 1: over all Israel by acclamation. All the rest of the
Speaker 1: Israelites also were in agreement that David should become king.
Speaker 1: They spent three days feasting there with David, for their
Speaker 1: relatives had given them provisions. Also, their neighbors from as
Speaker 1: far away as Isakar, Zebulin and Naftali were bringing food
Speaker 1: on donkeys, camels, mules, and oxen. There were large supplies
Speaker 1: of flour, fig cakes, raisins, wine, olive, oil, beef, and
Speaker 1: lamb for Israel was celebrating let's pray. Lord, we thank
Speaker 1: you for your word, and we thank you for the
Speaker 1: privilege of being able to look at it today. And Lord,
Speaker 1: as we look at this portion of scripture, as the
Speaker 1: people of Israel were celebrating the fact that David had
Speaker 1: become their king, it causes us to also think about
Speaker 1: the fact that there will be a day when this
Speaker 1: world celebrates the ultimate king who rules and reigns on
Speaker 1: the throne of David, the Lord, Jesus Christ, your son,
Speaker 1: our Lord, our Savior, our God, our Messiah. Lord. We
Speaker 1: celebrate the kingship of Jesus Christ now in our day
Speaker 1: to day living. But we know, Lord that one day
Speaker 1: every tongue is going to confess that Jesus is Lord,
Speaker 1: and every knee is going to bow to him. And
Speaker 1: we thank you, Lord for the privilege of being able
Speaker 1: to do so now. And Lord, we pray that, by
Speaker 1: your grace that many more would come to know the
Speaker 1: saving grace of your son, Jesus Christ, and that our
Speaker 1: lives and words would be a testimony to the fact
Speaker 1: that Jesus is our Lord. We love you, Lord, We're
Speaker 1: grateful for the fact that you love us, and that
Speaker 1: in all the scriptures we can see an arrow pointing
Speaker 1: directly to your son Jesus Christ, and the types and
Speaker 1: the pictures and the events that give us a foretaste
Speaker 1: of his ultimate reign. We're grateful for all these things,
Speaker 1: and we're thankful, Lord for your presence with us today.
Speaker 1: We pray this all in Jesus's name. Amen.