1Alle Israels ledere kom nu til David i Hebron. „Vi tilhører jo et og samme folk,” sagde de. (2.Sam 5,1)2„Og du har altid været vores leder i krig—selv da Saul var konge! Det er Herren selv, der har sagt, at du skal være hyrde og leder for hele hans folk.”3Derpå sluttede alle Israels ledere en venskabspagt med David for Herrens ansigt, og de salvede ham til konge over Israel, sådan som Herren gennem profeten Samuel havde sagt, at det ville ske.
David indtager Jerusalem
4Derefter drog David sammen med sine folk til Jerusalem, som dengang hed Jebus. Men jebusitterne, som boede der, (2.Sam 5,6)5sagde til David: „Her kommer du aldrig ind!” Ikke desto mindre indtog David klippeborgen Zion, som derefter blev kaldt Davidsbyen.6David havde lovet, at den, der først slog en jebusit ihjel, ville blive hans hærfører. Da Joab, hvis mor hed Zeruja, var den første, som nåede ind i byen og slog en af fjenderne ihjel, blev han anfører for Davids hær.7David flyttede nu sin residens til klippeborgen, som derfor blev kaldt Davidsbyen.8Han udbyggede byen og befæstede bymuren hele vejen rundt fra forsvarstårnet. Resten af byens genopbygning tog Joab sig af.9I de følgende år styrkede David sit kongedømme, for Herren, den Almægtige, var med ham.
Davids krigshelte
10Her skal nævnes nogle af de dygtigste og tapreste af Davids krigere, der sammen med resten af Israels ledere støttede ham, så han blev valgt til konge og fik magten over riget, sådan som Herren havde lovet. (2.Sam 23,8)11Jashobeam, søn af Hakmoni, var den mest berømte af de tre store helte. Med sit spyd dræbte han engang 300 modstandere i ét slag.12Den næste af de tre store var Elazar, en søn af ahohitten Dodo.13Han kæmpede sammen med David i slaget mod filistrene ved Pas-Dammim. Kampen foregik midt i en bygmark, og den israelitiske hær flygtede.14Men Elazar og hans mænd holdt stand og huggede filistrene ned. Den dag gav Herren israelitterne en stor sejr.15Foruden de tre store helte var der en større gruppe tapre krigere, som blev kaldt „De Tredive”. Engang da David opholdt sig ved Adullams klippehule, og filistrenes hær havde slået lejr i Refaimdalen, drog tre af „De Tredive” tapre krigere ned til David.16Han opholdt sig som sagt i klippeborgen, mens en af filistrenes garnisoner havde besat Betlehem, som lå i nærheden.17David var tørstig og sagde henkastet: „Det kunne være skønt med et krus vand fra brønden ved byporten hjemme i Betlehem!”18Da sneg de tre mænd sig gennem filistrenes lejr, øste vand fra brønden ved byporten og bragte det til David. Men han kunne ikke få sig selv til at drikke det. I stedet hældte han det ud på jorden som et offer til Herren.19„Gud forbyde, at jeg skulle drikke det!” udbrød han. „Det ville jo være som at drikke de tre mænds blod, der satte livet på spil for at hente det!” Derfor drak han det ikke. Det er blot ét eksempel på de tre heltes vovemod.20-21Abishaj, Joabs bror, var anfører for „De Tredive”. Engang dræbte han 300 fjendtlige soldater med sit spyd! Det var på grund af sådanne heltegerninger, at „De Tredive” så op til ham som deres anfører, men han kom ikke på højde med de tre store helte.22Benaja, Jojadas søn fra Kabtze’el, var en anden heltemodig kriger. Det var ham, der dræbte Ariels to sønner, kæmperne fra Moab. Det var også ham, der kravlede ned i en cisterne og dræbte en løve en dag, hvor det sneede.23Ved en anden lejlighed gik han løs på en egyptisk kæmpe, der var næsten to og en halv meter høj og havde et enormt spyd. Benaja slog spyddet ud af hånden på ham med sin stok og dræbte ham med det.24Det var den slags heltegerninger, som gjorde Benaja lige så berømt som de tre store helte,25selv om han ikke regnedes med blandt dem. Men „De Tredive” så op til ham, og David udnævnte ham til chef for sin livvagt.26-47Her følger en liste over Davids heltemodige krigere: Asael, Joabs bror; Elhanan, Dodos søn fra Betlehem; Shammot fra Harod; Heletz fra Pelon; Ira, Ikkesh’ søn fra Tekoa; Abiezer fra Anatot; Sibbekaj fra Husha; Ilaj fra Ahoa; Maharaj fra Netofa; Heled, Ba’anas søn fra Netofa; Ittaj, Ribajs søn fra Gibea i Benjamins land; Benaja fra Piraton; Huraj fra Ga’ashkløften; Abiel fra Arba; Azmavet fra Baharum; Eljahba fra Sha’albon; Jashens sønner fra Gizon; Jonatan, Shages søn fra Harar; Ahiam, Sakars søn fra Harar; Elifal, Urs søn; Hefer fra Mekera; Ahija fra Pelon; Hetzro fra Karmel; Na’araj, Ezbajs søn; Joel, Natans bror; Mibhar, Hagris søn; Zelek fra Ammon; Nahraj, Joabs våbendrager, fra Be’erot; Ira fra Jattir; Gareb fra Jattir; hittitten Urias; Zabad, Ahlajs søn; Adina, Shizas søn—en leder fra Rubens stamme med 30 krigere under sig; Hanan, Ma’akas søn; Joshafat fra Mitan; Uzzija fra Ashtarot; Shama og Jeuel, Hotams sønner fra Aroer; Jediael, Shimris søn; Joha, hans bror fra Titz; Eliel fra Mahava; Jeribaj og Joshavja, Elna’ams sønner; Jitma fra Moab; og endelig Eliel, Obed og Ja’asiel fra Zoba.
1Then all Israel gathered together to David at Hebron and said, “Behold, we are your bone and flesh. (2.Sam 5,1; 2.Sam 5,6)2In times past, even when Saul was king, it was you who led out and brought in Israel. And the Lord your God said to you, ‘You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince over my people Israel.’” (Ez 34,23)3So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord. And they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of the Lord by Samuel. (1.Sam 16,1; 1.Sam 16,3; 1.Sam 16,12; 1.Krøn 11,10; 1.Krøn 12,23)
David Takes Jerusalem
4And David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, that is, Jebus, where the Jebusites were, the inhabitants of the land. (Josva 15,8; Dom 1,21)5The inhabitants of Jebus said to David, “You will not come in here.” Nevertheless, David took the stronghold of Zion, that is, the city of David.6David said, “Whoever strikes the Jebusites first shall be chief and commander.” And Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first, so he became chief. (2.Sam 8,16)7And David lived in the stronghold; therefore it was called the city of David.8And he built the city all around from the Millo in complete circuit, and Joab repaired the rest of the city.9And David became greater and greater, for the Lord of hosts was with him. (Ester 9,4)
David’s Mighty Men
10Now these are the chiefs of David’s mighty men, who gave him strong support in his kingdom, together with all Israel, to make him king, according to the word of the Lord concerning Israel. (2.Sam 23,8; 1.Krøn 11,3)11This is an account of David’s mighty men: Jashobeam, a Hachmonite, was chief of the three.[1] He wielded his spear against 300 whom he killed at one time. (2.Sam 23,8; 1.Krøn 12,18)12And next to him among the three mighty men was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite. (1.Krøn 27,4)13He was with David at Pas-dammim when the Philistines were gathered there for battle. There was a plot of ground full of barley, and the men fled from the Philistines. (2.Sam 23,11)14But he took his[2] stand in the midst of the plot and defended it and killed the Philistines. And the Lord saved them by a great victory.15Three of the thirty chief men went down to the rock to David at the cave of Adullam, when the army of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. (1.Krøn 14,8)16David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then at Bethlehem. (1.Sam 10,5)17And David said longingly, “Oh that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem that is by the gate!”18Then the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate and took it and brought it to David. But David would not drink it. He poured it out to the Lord19and said, “Far be it from me before my God that I should do this. Shall I drink the lifeblood of these men? For at the risk of their lives they brought it.” Therefore he would not drink it. These things did the three mighty men.20Now Abishai, the brother of Joab, was chief of the thirty.[3] And he wielded his spear against 300 men and killed them and won a name beside the three.21He was the most renowned[4] of the thirty[5] and became their commander, but he did not attain to the three.22And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was a valiant man[6] of Kabzeel, a doer of great deeds. He struck down two heroes of Moab. He also went down and struck down a lion in a pit on a day when snow had fallen.23And he struck down an Egyptian, a man of great stature, five cubits[7] tall. The Egyptian had in his hand a spear like a weaver’s beam, but Benaiah went down to him with a staff and snatched the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear. (1.Sam 17,7)24These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada and won a name beside the three mighty men.25He was renowned among the thirty, but he did not attain to the three. And David set him over his bodyguard.26The mighty men were Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, (1.Krøn 27,7)27Shammoth of Harod,[8] Helez the Pelonite,28Ira the son of Ikkesh of Tekoa, Abiezer of Anathoth,29Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite,30Maharai of Netophah, Heled the son of Baanah of Netophah,31Ithai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the people of Benjamin, Benaiah of Pirathon,32Hurai of the brooks of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite,33Azmaveth of Baharum, Eliahba the Shaalbonite,34Hashem[9] the Gizonite, Jonathan the son of Shagee the Hararite,35Ahiam the son of Sachar the Hararite, Eliphal the son of Ur,36Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite,37Hezro of Carmel, Naarai the son of Ezbai,38Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar the son of Hagri, (1.Krøn 5,10)39Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai of Beeroth, the armor-bearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah,40Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,41Uriah the Hittite, Zabad the son of Ahlai, (1.Krøn 2,36)42Adina the son of Shiza the Reubenite, a leader of the Reubenites, and thirty with him,43Hanan the son of Maacah, and Joshaphat the Mithnite,44Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jeiel the sons of Hotham the Aroerite,45Jediael the son of Shimri, and Joha his brother, the Tizite,46Eliel the Mahavite, and Jeribai, and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam, and Ithmah the Moabite,47Eliel, and Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.