David’s Supporters in Ziklag
12 Now these are the ones who came to David at Ziklag, while he was still restricted because of Saul the son of Kish; and they were among the mighty men who helped him in war. 2 They were equipped with bows, using both the right hand and the left to sling stones and to shoot arrows from the bow; they were Saul’s kinsmen from Benjamin. 3 The chief was Ahiezer, then Joash, the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite; and Jeziel and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth, and Beracah and Jehu the Anathothite, 4 and Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty man among the thirty, and over the thirty. [a]Then Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, Jozabad the Gederathite, 5 [b]Eluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah, Shephatiah the Haruphite, 6 Elkanah, Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer, Jashobeam, the Korahites, 7 and Joelah and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham of Gedor.
8 From the Gadites there [c]came over to David in the stronghold in the wilderness, mighty men of valor, men trained for war, who could handle shield and spear, and whose faces were like the faces of lions, and they were as swift as the gazelles on the mountains. 9 Ezer was the first, 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 of the sons of Gad were [d]captains of the army; he who was least was equal to a hundred and the greatest to a thousand. 15 These are the ones who crossed the Jordan in the first month when it was overflowing all its banks and they put to flight all those in the valleys, both to the east and to the west.
16 Then some of the sons of Benjamin and Judah came to the stronghold to David. 17 David went out to meet them, and said to them, “If you come peacefully to me to help me, my heart shall be united with you; but if to betray me to my adversaries, since there is no [e]wrong in my hands, may the God of our fathers look on it and decide.” 18 Then the Spirit [f]came upon Amasai, who was the chief of the thirty, and he said,
“We are yours, O David,
And with you, O son of Jesse!
Peace, peace to you,
And peace to him who helps you;
Indeed, your God helps you!”Then David received them and made them [g]captains of the band.
19 From Manasseh also some defected to David when he was about to go to battle with the Philistines against Saul. But they did not help them, for the lords of the Philistines after consultation sent him away, saying, “At the cost of our heads he may defect to his master Saul.” 20 As he went to Ziklag there defected to him from Manasseh: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu and Zillethai, [h]captains of thousands who belonged to Manasseh. 21 They helped David against the band of raiders, for they were all mighty men of valor, and were captains in the army. 22 For day by day men came to David to help him, until there was a great army like the army of God.
We were not meant to “do life” by ourselves, and this passage is clear evidence of that. While David might have lived as an outcast, hunted by Saul, and might have abandoned all ties… he did not. Men from all over came to David, some of which were his nephews, and some family of the very man who hunted to kill him.
Now David didn’t just welcome all comers, and neither should we. Or at the very least, we should know who we trust, and those who we might keep company but be careful of their influence. We need to know those who build us up, and if we don’t have anyone, then maybe we need to work on building up others and find those who raise us up also!
Beyond all that, we were made to walk with God. Adam & Eve weren’t created to wander aimlessly about the earth. They were created to have a friendship with God, to share in His dreams and plans, to cooperate with Him towards making “all things work together for good”.
So don’t do life by yourself. Lean on those around you, gain strength from good company, and especially from God himself. He’s only a whisper away. Indeed, if you love and serve him, he is right inside you!