Bible Strands
1 Chronicles 12:18
Then the Spirit came upon Amasai, the chief of the Thirty, and he said: “We are yours, O David! We are with you, O son of Jesse! Peace, peace to you, and peace to your helpers, for your God helps you.” So David received them and made them leaders of his troops.
Berean Standard Bible
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Study note
Setting — Amasai, identified as the chief of the Thirty, addresses David and his followers at the moment Simeonite and other warriors are pledging allegiance to him. David responds by receiving them and appointing them as commanders over his forces.
The words — The phrase וְר֣וּחַ לָבְשָׁה (ve/Ru.ach la.ve.Shah) literally renders “and a spirit clothed,” describing the Spirit’s empowering presence upon Amasai. The term רֹ֣אשׁ הַ/שָּלִישִׁים֒ (rosh ha/she.lo.shim) denotes “chief of the officers” or commander of the Thirty.
The thread — This motif of the Spirit clothing or coming upon a leader to enable decisive action parallels Judges 6:34 and Judges 3:10. The name Amasai also appears in 2 Samuel 17:25, where Absalom appoints him as commander of the army.
Why it lands — The text records a spontaneous declaration of loyalty grounded in the recognition that divine aid precedes human alliance. It demands a reader acknowledge that political or military shifts are framed here as responses to God’s active intervention rather than mere human strategy.
Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.
The Hebrew words
King James Version
Then the spirit came upon Amasai, who was chief of the captains, and he said, Thine are we, David, and on thy side, thou son of Jesse: peace, peace be unto thee, and peace be to thine helpers; for thy God helpeth thee. Then David received them, and made them captains of the band.
Cross-references
- Judges 6:34 So the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, who blew the ram’s horn and rallied the Abiezrites behind him.
- Judges 3:10 The Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he became Israel’s judge and went out to war. And the LORD delivered Cushan-rishathaim king of Aram into the hand of Othniel, who prevailed against him.
- 2 Samuel 17:25 Absalom had appointed Amasa over the army in place of Joab. Amasa was the son of a man named Ithra, the Ishmaelite who had married Abigail, the daughter of Nahash and sister of Zeruiah the mother of Joab.
- John 6:67 So Jesus asked the Twelve, “Do you want to leave too?”
- Ruth 1:16 But Ruth replied: “Do not urge me to leave you or to turn from following you. For wherever you go, I will go, and wherever you live, I will live; your people will be my people, and your God will be my God.
- 2 Samuel 20:4 Then the king said to Amasa, “Summon the men of Judah to come to me within three days, and be here yourself.”
- 1 Kings 9:22 But Solomon did not consign any of the Israelites to slavery, because they were his men of war, his servants, his officers, his captains, and the commanders of his chariots and cavalry.
- 2 Kings 9:32 He looked up at the window and called out, “Who is on my side? Who?” And two or three eunuchs looked down at him.
- 2 Kings 10:5 So the palace administrator, the overseer of the city, the elders, and the guardians sent a message to Jehu: “We are your servants, and we will do whatever you say. We will not make anyone king. Do whatever is good in your sight.”
- 1 Chronicles 2:17 Abigail was the mother of Amasa, whose father was Jether the Ishmaelite.