1 Chronicles 12:29
 1 Chronicles 12:29 
New International Version (©2011)
from Benjamin, Saul's tribe--3,000, most of whom had remained loyal to Saul's house until then;

New Living Translation (©2007)
From the tribe of Benjamin, Saul's relatives, there were 3,000 warriors. Most of the men from Benjamin had remained loyal to Saul until this time.

English Standard Version (©2001)
Of the Benjaminites, the kinsmen of Saul, 3,000, of whom the majority had to that point kept their allegiance to the house of Saul.

New American Standard Bible (©1995)
Of the sons of Benjamin, Saul's kinsmen, 3,000; for until now the greatest part of them had kept their allegiance to the house of Saul.

King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.)
And of the children of Benjamin, the kindred of Saul, three thousand: for hitherto the greatest part of them had kept the ward of the house of Saul.

Holman Christian Standard Bible (©2009)
From the Benjaminites, the relatives of Saul: 3,000 (up to that time the majority of the Benjaminites maintained their allegiance to the house of Saul).

International Standard Version (©2012)
The tribe of Benjamin, relatives of Saul numbered 3,000, of whom most had remained allied to what remained of Saul's dynasty.

NET Bible (©2006)
From Benjamin, Saul's tribe, there were 3,000, most of whom, up to that time, had been loyal to Saul.

GOD'S WORD® Translation (©1995)
From Benjamin's descendants, Saul's relatives, there were 3,000 men, though most of them remained loyal to Saul's family.

King James 2000 Bible (©2003)
And of the children of Benjamin, the kindred of Saul, three thousand: for until now the greatest part of them had remained loyal to the house of Saul.

American King James Version
And of the children of Benjamin, the kindred of Saul, three thousand: for till now the greatest part of them had kept the ward of the house of Saul.

American Standard Version
And of the children of Benjamin, the brethren of Saul, three thousand: for hitherto the greatest part of them had kept their allegiance to the house of Saul.

Douay-Rheims Bible
And of the sons of Benjamin the brethren of Saul, three thousand: for hitherto a great part of them followed the house of Saul.

Darby Bible Translation
And of the children of Benjamin, the brethren of Saul, three thousand; but hitherto the greater part of them had adhered to the house of Saul.

English Revised Version
And of the children of Benjamin, the brethren of Saul, three thousand: for hitherto the greatest part of them had kept their allegiance to the house of Saul.

Webster's Bible Translation
And of the children of Benjamin, the kindred of Saul, three thousand: for hitherto the greatest part of them had kept the ward of the house of Saul.

World English Bible
Of the children of Benjamin, the brothers of Saul, three thousand: for hitherto the greatest part of them had kept their allegiance to the house of Saul.

Young's Literal Translation
And of the sons of Benjamin, brethren of Saul, are three thousand, and hitherto their greater part are keeping the charge of the house of Saul.

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

From the tribe of Benjamin, to which Saul belonged (שׁאוּל אחי, see on 1 Chronicles 12:2), only 3000 men came, for until that time (הנּה ועד, cf. 1 Chronicles 9:18) the greater number of them were keeping the guard of the house of Saul, i.e., were devoted to the interests of the fallen house. For משׁמרת שׁמר, see on Genesis 26:5 and Leviticus 8:35. From this we learn that the attachment of the Benjamites to Saul continued even after the death of his son Ishbosheth, and that it was with difficulty that they could bring themselves to recognise David as king.


Barnes' Notes on the Bible

For hitherto ... - Rather, "For still the greatest part of them maintained their allegiance to the house of Saul." This is given as the reason for so few coming to Hebron. It shows us that, even after the death of Ishbosheth, the Benjamites had hopes of furnishing a third king to the nation.


Geneva Study Bible

And of the children of Benjamin, the kindred of Saul, three thousand: for hitherto the greatest part of them had {k} kept the ward of the house of Saul.

(k) That is, the greatest number took Saul's side.


Wesley's Notes

12:29 Kept the ward - Endeavoured to keep the crown in Saul's family.


King James Translators' Notes

kindred: Heb. brethren

the greatest...: Heb. a multitude of them


Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

29. Benjamin … three thousand-This small number shows the unpopularity of the movement in this tribe; and, indeed, it is expressly stated that the mass of the population had, even after Ish-bosheth's death, anxiously endeavored to secure the crown in the family of Saul.


1 Chronicles 12:29 Parallel Commentaries
Bible Hub: Online Parallel Bible


David's Army Grows at Hebron
28And Zadok, a young man mighty of valor, and of his father's house twenty and two captains. 29And of the children of Benjamin, the kindred of Saul, three thousand: for till now the greatest part of them had kept the ward of the house of Saul. 30And of the children of Ephraim twenty thousand and eight hundred, mighty men of valor, famous throughout the house of their fathers. …

2 Samuel 2:8 Meanwhile, Abner son of Ner, the commander of Saul's army, had taken Ish-Bosheth son of Saul and brought him over to Mahanaim.
2 Samuel 2:9 He made him king over Gilead, Ashuri and Jezreel, and also over Ephraim, Benjamin and all Israel.
2 Samuel 3:19 Abner also spoke to the Benjamites in person. Then he went to Hebron to tell David everything that Israel and the whole tribe of Benjamin wanted to do.
1 Chronicles 12:2 they were armed with bows and were able to shoot arrows or to sling stones right-handed or left-handed; they were relatives of Saul from the tribe of Benjamin):
1 Chronicles 12:30 from Ephraim, brave warriors, famous in their own clans--20,800;