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11 Then all Israel gathered themselves to David to Hebron, saying, “Behold, we are your bone and your flesh. In times past, even when Saul was king, it was you who led out and brought in Israel. Yahweh your God said to you, ‘You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince over my people Israel.’”

So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and David made a covenant with them in Hebron before Yahweh; and they anointed David king over Israel, according to Yahweh’s word by Samuel. David and all Israel went to Jerusalem (also called Jebus); and the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, were there. The inhabitants of Jebus said to David, “You will not come in here.” Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion. The same is David’s city. David said, “Whoever strikes the Jebusites first shall be chief and captain.” Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first, and was made chief. David lived in the stronghold; therefore they called it David’s city. He built the city all around, from Millo even around; and Joab repaired the rest of the city. David grew greater and greater; for Yahweh of Armies was with him. 10 Now these are the chief of the mighty men whom David had, who showed themselves strong with him in his kingdom, together with all Israel, to make him king, according to Yahweh’s word concerning Israel.

11 This is the number of the mighty men whom David had: Jashobeam, the son of a Hachmonite, the chief of the thirty; he lifted up his spear against three hundred and killed them at one time. 12 After him was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, who was one of the three mighty men. 13 He was with David at Pasdammim, and there the Philistines were gathered together to battle, where there was a plot of ground full of barley; and the people fled from before the Philistines. 14 They stood in the middle of the plot, defended it, and killed the Philistines; and Yahweh saved them by a great victory. 15 Three of the thirty chief men went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam; and the army of the Philistines were encamped in the valley of Rephaim. 16 David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was in Bethlehem at that time. 17 David longed, and said, “Oh that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!”

18 The three broke through the army 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 any of it, but poured it out to Yahweh, 19 and said, “My God forbid me, that I should do this! Shall I drink the blood of these men who have put their lives in jeopardy?” For they risked their lives to bring it. Therefore he would not drink it. The three mighty men did these things.

20 Abishai, the brother of Joab, he was chief of the three; for he lifted up his spear against three hundred and killed them, and had a name among the three. 21 Of the three, he was more honorable than the two, and was made their captain; however he wasn’t included in the three. 22 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done mighty deeds, killed the two sons of Ariel of Moab. He also went down and killed a lion in the middle of a pit on a snowy day. 23 He killed an Egyptian, a man of great stature, five cubits[a] high. In the Egyptian’s hand was a spear like a weaver’s beam; and he went down to him with a staff, plucked the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with his own spear. 24 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did these things, and had a name among the three mighty men. 25 Behold, he was more honorable than the thirty, but he didn’t attain to the three; and David set him over his guard.

26 The mighty men of the armies also include Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, 27 Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite, 28 Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Anathothite, 29 Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite, 30 Maharai the Netophathite, Heled the son of Baanah the Netophathite, 31 Ithai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin, Benaiah the Pirathonite, 32 Hurai of the brooks of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite, 33 Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite, 34 the sons of Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan the son of Shagee the Hararite, 35 Ahiam the son of Sacar the Hararite, Eliphal the son of Ur, 36 Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite, 37 Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai the son of Ezbai, 38 Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar the son of Hagri, 39 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Berothite, 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, 42 Adina the son of Shiza the Reubenite, a chief 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.

Footnotes

  1. 11:23 A cubit is the length from the tip of the middle finger to the elbow on a man’s arm, or about 18 inches or 46 centimeters. Therefore this Egyptian was bout 7 feet and 6 inches or 2.28 meters tall.

David, King of Israel(A)

11 Then all Israel assembled before David at Hebron, saying, “We are your own people, even your flesh and blood. Also from times past until now, even when Saul was king, you were the one who led Israel going out and coming in, and the Lord your God said to you, Indeed, you will shepherd My people Israel as the ruler of Israel.”

Then all the elders of Israel came to King David at Hebron, and he made a covenant with them there before the Lord. So they anointed David king over Israel according to the word of the Lord delivered by Samuel.

David Conquers Jerusalem

Now David and all Israel with him went to Jerusalem (that is, Jebus, since the Jebusites still dwelt there in the land). And the Jebusites said to David, “You will not come here,” but he captured the stronghold of Zion (it is the City of David).

Now David had said, “Whoever strikes Jebus first will be the commander and leader of the army,” so Joab, the son of Zeruiah, went up first and became the commander.

Then David dwelt in the stronghold, which is why they called it the City of David, and he fortified the city all around from the Millo encircling the stronghold, while Joab preserved the rest of the city. So David kept on going, becoming greater and greater, and the Lord of Hosts was with him.

David’s Mighty Men(B)

10 Now these are the heads of the mighty men whom David had, who strengthened him in his kingdom, along with all Israel, to establish him as king according to the word of the Lord to Israel. 11 These make up the number of the mighty men who fought for David:

Jashobeam, the son of Hakmoni, the head of the thirty, who lifted his spear in triumph over three hundred slain at one time.

12 After him was Eleazar, the son of Dodai the Ahohite, who was among the three mighty men. 13 He was with David at Pas Dammim when the Philistines were gathered there for battle. There was a piece of ground full of barley. Now the men fled from the Philistines. 14 But they stood their ground in the middle of the field, defended it, and killed the Philistines; and the Lord saved them by a great victory.

15 Now three of the thirty captains climbed down the rock to David at the cave of Adullam while the camp of the Philistines was set up in the Valley of Rephaim. 16 (At that time, David was in the stronghold, but a garrison of the Philistines was in Bethlehem.) 17 Now David was overcome with longing and said, “Who will get me a drink of water from the well of Bethlehem by the gate?” 18 These three broke through the Philistine camp, drew water from the well of Bethlehem by the gate, and carried it back to David. However, he was not willing to drink it but poured out the water to the Lord. 19 For he said, “Far be it from me before my God to do this. Should I drink the life blood of these men who put their lives in jeopardy? For at the risk of their lives they brought it.” Therefore he would not drink it.

The three mighty men did these things.

20 Also Abishai himself, the brother of Joab, was a captain of the three who lifted his spear in triumph over three hundred slain and was given a name among the three. 21 He was honored as a leader by the second company of the three, but he did not attain to the first three.

22 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was the son of a valiant man from Kabzeel, who had done many deeds. He killed two Moabite warriors. Indeed, once he went down into a well and struck a lion on a snowy day. 23 And he killed an Egyptian, a man of great stature, five cubits[a] tall. The Egyptian had in his hand a spear like a weaver’s beam, and he went down to him with a staff, wrested the spear from the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with his own spear. 24 Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, did these things, and won a name among the three mighty men. 25 Out of the thirty captains, he himself was honored, and although he did not attain to the three, David set him over his guard.

26 Now the other mighty men of valor of the army were

Asahel the brother of Joab,

Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,

27 Shammoth the Harorite,

Helez the Pelonite,

28 Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,

Abiezer the Anathothite,

29 Sibbekai the Hushathite,

Ilai the Ahohite,

30 Maharai the Netophathite,

Heled the son of Baanah, the Netophathite,

31 Ithai the son of Ribai of Gibeah in Benjamin,

Benaiah the Pirathonite,

32 Hurai from the rivers of Gaash,

Abiel the Arbathite,

33 Azmaveth the Baharumite,

Eliahba the Shaalbonite,

34 the sons of Hashem the Gizonite,

Jonathan the son of Shagee, the Hararite,

35 Ahiam the son of Sakar, the Hararite,

Eliphal the son of Ur,

36 Hepher the Mekerathite,

Ahijah the Pelonite,

37 Hezro the Carmelite,

Naarai the son of Ezbai,

38 Joel the brother of Nathan,

Mibhar the son of Hagri,

39 Zelek the Ammonite,

Naharai the Berothite, 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,

42 Adina the son of Shiza, the Reubenite, a captain of the Reubenites, and thirty with him,

43 Hanan the son of Maakah,

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,

Ithmah the Moabite,

47 Eliel, Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.

Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 11:23 About 7 feet 6 inches, or 2.3 meters.