These are those who went over the Jordan in the first month, when it had overflowed all its banks; and they put to flight all them of the valleys, both toward the east, and toward the west.
Others who gladly gave themselves to David to fight for him are also mentioned: the Benjaminites who joined him at Ziklag when he was fleeing from Saul (12:1-7; see notes on 1 Samuel 27:1-7); the fearless soldiers from Gad, Benjamin and Judah who had previously joined him at his stronghold in Adullum (8-18; see notes on 1 Samuel 22:1-23); and the Israelite military commanders from Manasseh who deserted to him at the time of the Philistines’ last battle with Saul (19-22; see notes on 1 Samuel 29:1-25). Finally, the writer records how all the tribes of Israel sent a representative force of troops to Hebron to present themselves to David, their new king (23-40; see notes on 2 Samuel 5:1-5).