1. Some time earlier, David had gone to live in the town of Ziklag to escape from King Saul. While David was there, several brave warriors joined him to help fight his battles.
2. Several of these warriors were from King Saul's own tribe of Benjamin. They were experts at using a bow and arrows, and they could shoot an arrow or sling a stone with either hand.
8. Men from the tribe of Gad also joined David at his fortress in the desert and served as his warriors. They were also brave soldiers—fierce as lions and quick as gazelles. They were always prepared to fight with shields and spears.
14. All these men were army officers; some were high-ranking officers over a thousand troops, and others were officers over a hundred troops.
15. Earlier, they had crossed the River Jordan when it flooded, and they chased out the people who lived in the valleys on each side of the river.