[
53]
When these things were brought to this conclusion, all the principal
men of the Hebrew people came to David to Hebron, with the heads of thousands,
and other rulers, and delivered themselves up to him, putting him in mind
of the good-will they had borne to him in Saul's lifetime, and the respect
they then had not ceased to pay him when he was captain of a thousand,
as also that he was chosen of God by Samuel the prophet, he and his sons;
1 and declaring
besides, how God had given him power to save the land of the Hebrews, and
to overcome the Philistines. Whereupon he received kindly this their alacrity
on his account; and exhorted them to continue in it, for that they should
have no reason to repent of being thus disposed to him. So when he had
feasted them, and treated them kindly, he sent them out to bring all the
people to him; upon which came to him about six thousand and eight hundred
armed men of the tribe of Judah, who bare shields and spears for their
weapons, for these had [till now] continued with Saul's son, when
the rest of the tribe of Judah had ordained David for their king. There
came also seven thousand and one hundred out of the tribe of Simeon. Out
of the tribe of Levi came four thousand and seven hundred, having Jehoiada
for their leader. After these came Zadok the high priest, with twenty-two
captains of his kindred. Out of the tribe of Benjamin the armed men were
four thousand; but the rest of the tribe continued, still expecting that
some one of the house of Saul should reign over them. Those of the tribe
of Ephraim were twenty thousand and eight hundred, and these mighty men
of valor, and eminent for their strength. Out of the half tribe of Manasseh
came eighteen thousand, of the most potent men. Out of the tribe of Issachar
came two hundred, who foreknew what was to come hereafter,
2
but of armed men twenty thousand. Of the tribe of Zebulon fifty thousand
chosen men. This was the only tribe that came universally in to David,
and all these had the same weapons with the tribe of Gad. Out of the tribe
of Naphtali the eminent men and rulers were one thousand, whose weapons
were shields and spears, and the tribe itself followed after, being (in
a manner) innumerable [thirty-seven thousand]. Out of the tribe of Dan
there were of chosen men twenty-seven thousand and six hundred. Out of
the tribe of Asher were forty thousand. Out of the two tribes that were
beyond Jordan, and the rest of the tribe of Manasseh, such as used shields,
and spears, and head-pieces, and swords, were a hundred and twenty thousand.
The rest of the tribes also made use of swords. This multitude came together
to Hebron to David, with a great quantity of corn, and wine, and all other
sorts of food, and established David in his kingdom with one consent. And
when the people had rejoiced for three days in Hebron, David and all the
people removed and came to Jerusalem.
3