¹⁶ Other Benjamites^(A) and some men from Judah also came to David in his stronghold. ¹⁷ David went out to meet them and said to them, “If you have come to me in peace to help me, I am ready for you to join me. But if you have come to betray me to my enemies when my hands are free from violence, may the God of our ancestors see it and judge you.”

¹⁸ Then the Spirit^(B) came on Amasai,^(C) chief of the Thirty, and he said:

So David received them and made them leaders of his raiding bands.