1 Chronicles 11

New International Version

1 All Israel came together to David at Hebron and said, ‘We are your own flesh and blood.2 In the past, even while Saul was king, you were the one who led Israel on their military campaigns. And the Lord your God said to you, “You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will become their ruler.” ’3 When all the elders of Israel had come to King David at Hebron, he made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel, as the Lord had promised through Samuel.4 David and all the Israelites marched to Jerusalem (that is, Jebus). The Jebusites who lived there5 said to David, ‘You will not get in here.’ Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion – which is the City of David.6 David had said, ‘Whoever leads the attack on the Jebusites will become commander-in-chief.’ Joab son of Zeruiah went up first, and so he received the command.7 David then took up residence in the fortress, and so it was called the City of David.8 He built up the city around it, from the terraces[1] to the surrounding wall, while Joab restored the rest of the city.9 And David became more and more powerful, because the Lord Almighty was with him.10 These were the chiefs of David’s mighty warriors – they, together with all Israel, gave his kingship strong support to extend it over the whole land, as the Lord had promised –11 this is the list of David’s mighty warriors: Jashobeam,[2] a Hakmonite, was chief of the officers[3]; he raised his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed in one encounter. (2Sa 23:8)12 Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite, one of the three mighty warriors.13 He was with David at Pas Dammim when the Philistines gathered there for battle. At a place where there was a field full of barley, the troops fled from the Philistines.14 But they took their stand in the middle of the field. They defended it and struck the Philistines down, and the Lord brought about a great victory.15 Three of the thirty chiefs came down to David to the rock at the cave of Adullam, while a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim.16 At that time David was in the stronghold, and the Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem.17 David longed for water and said, ‘Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!’18 So the Three broke through the Philistine lines, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem and carried it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out to the Lord.19 ‘God forbid that I should do this!’ he said. ‘Should I drink the blood of these men who went at the risk of their lives?’ Because they risked their lives to bring it back, David would not drink it. Such were the exploits of the three mighty warriors.20 Abishai the brother of Joab was chief of the Three. He raised his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed, and so he became as famous as the Three.21 He was doubly honoured above the Three and became their commander, even though he was not included among them.22 Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant fighter from Kabzeel, performed great exploits. He struck down Moab’s two mightiest warriors. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion.23 And he struck down an Egyptian who was five cubits[4] tall. Although the Egyptian had a spear like a weaver’s rod in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club. He snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear.24 Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada; he too was as famous as the three mighty warriors.25 He was held in greater honour than any of the Thirty, but he was not included among the Three. And David put him in charge of his bodyguard.26 The mighty warriors were: Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem,27 Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite,28 Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa, Abiezer from Anathoth,29 Sibbekai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite,30 Maharai the Netophathite, Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite,31 Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin, Benaiah the Pirathonite,32 Hurai from the ravines of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite,33 Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite,34 the sons of Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan son of Shagee the Hararite,35 Ahiam son of Sakar the Hararite, Eliphal son of Ur,36 Hepher the Mekerathite, Ahijah the Pelonite,37 Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai son of Ezbai,38 Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar son of Hagri,39 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Berothite, the armour-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah,40 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,41 Uriah the Hittite, Zabad son of Ahlai,42 Adina son of Shiza the Reubenite, who was chief of the Reubenites, and the thirty with him,43 Hanan son of Maakah, Joshaphat the Mithnite,44 Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jeiel the sons of Hotham the Aroerite,45 Jediael son of Shimri, his brother Joha the Tizite,46 Eliel the Mahavite, Jeribai and Joshaviah the sons of Elnaam, Ithmah the Moabite,47 Eliel, Obed and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.

1 Chronicles 11

English Standard Version

1 Then all Israel gathered together to David at Hebron and said, “Behold, we are your bone and flesh. (2Sa 5:1; 2Sa 5:6)2 In 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.’” (Eze 34:23)3 So 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. (1Sa 16:1; 1Sa 16:3; 1Sa 16:12; 1Ch 11:10; 1Ch 12:23)4 And David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, that is, Jebus, where the Jebusites were, the inhabitants of the land. (Jos 15:8; Jud 1:21)5 The 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.6 David said, “Whoever strikes the Jebusites first shall be chief and commander.” And Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first, so he became chief. (2Sa 8:16)7 And David lived in the stronghold; therefore it was called the city of David.8 And he built the city all around from the Millo in complete circuit, and Joab repaired the rest of the city.9 And David became greater and greater, for the Lord of hosts was with him. (Es 9:4)10 Now 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. (2Sa 23:8; 1Ch 11:3)11 This 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. (2Sa 23:8; 1Ch 12:18)12 And next to him among the three mighty men was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite. (1Ch 27:4)13 He 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. (2Sa 23:11)14 But 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.15 Three 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. (1Ch 14:8)16 David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then at Bethlehem. (1Sa 10:5)17 And David said longingly, “Oh that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem that is by the gate!”18 Then 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 Lord19 and 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.20 Now 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.21 He was the most renowned[4] of the thirty[5] and became their commander, but he did not attain to the three.22 And 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.23 And 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. (1Sa 17:7)24 These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada and won a name beside the three mighty men.25 He was renowned among the thirty, but he did not attain to the three. And David set him over his bodyguard.26 The mighty men were Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, (1Ch 27:7)27 Shammoth of Harod,[8] Helez the Pelonite,28 Ira the son of Ikkesh of Tekoa, Abiezer of Anathoth,29 Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite,30 Maharai of Netophah, Heled the son of Baanah of Netophah,31 Ithai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the people of Benjamin, Benaiah of Pirathon,32 Hurai of the brooks of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite,33 Azmaveth of Baharum, Eliahba the Shaalbonite,34 Hashem[9] the Gizonite, Jonathan the son of Shagee the Hararite,35 Ahiam the son of Sachar the Hararite, Eliphal the son of Ur,36 Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite,37 Hezro of Carmel, Naarai the son of Ezbai,38 Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar the son of Hagri, (1Ch 5:10)39 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai of Beeroth, the armor-bearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah,40 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,41 Uriah the Hittite, Zabad the son of Ahlai, (1Ch 2:36)42 Adina the son of Shiza the Reubenite, a leader of the Reubenites, and thirty with him,43 Hanan the son of Maacah, and Joshaphat the Mithnite,44 Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jeiel the sons of Hotham the Aroerite,45 Jediael the son of Shimri, and Joha his brother, the Tizite,46 Eliel the Mahavite, and Jeribai, and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam, and Ithmah the Moabite,47 Eliel, and Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.