1 Chronicles 11
New American Bible (Revised Edition)
Chapter 11
David Is Made King. 1 (A)Then all Israel gathered around David in Hebron, and they said: “Look! We are your bone and your flesh. 2 In days past, when Saul was still the king, it was you who led Israel in all its battles. And now the Lord, your God, has said to you: You shall shepherd my people Israel; you shall be ruler over my people Israel.”(B) 3 Then all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and at Hebron David made a covenant with them in the presence of the Lord; and they anointed David king over Israel, in accordance with the word of the Lord given through Samuel.(C)
Jerusalem Captured. 4 Then David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, that is, Jebus, where the inhabitants of the land were called Jebusites.(D) 5 The inhabitants of Jebus said to David, “You shall not enter here.” David nevertheless captured the fortress of Zion, which is the City of David. 6 David said, “Whoever strikes the Jebusites first shall be made chief and captain.” Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was the first to attack; and so he became chief.(E) 7 David took up residence in the fortress, which therefore was called the City of David. 8 He built up the city on all sides, from the Millo all the way around, while Joab restored the rest of the city.(F) 9 David became ever more powerful, for the Lord of hosts was with him.
David’s Warriors. 10 (G)These were David’s chief warriors who, together with all Israel, supported him in his reign in order to make him king, according to the Lord’s word concerning Israel.
11 Here is the list of David’s warriors:
Ishbaal, the son of Hachamoni, chief of the Three.[a] He brandished his spear over three hundred, whom he had slain in a single encounter.
12 Next to him was Eleazar, the son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the Three warriors.(H) 13 He was with David at Pas-dammim, where the Philistines had massed for battle. There was a plot of land full of barley. The people were fleeing before the Philistines,(I) 14 but he took his stand in the middle of the plot, kept it safe, and cut down the Philistines. Thus the Lord brought about a great victory.
15 Three of the Thirty chiefs went down to the rock, to David, who was in the cave of Adullam while the Philistines were encamped in the valley of Rephaim.(J) 16 David was then in the stronghold, and a Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem. 17 David had a strong craving, and said, “If only someone would give me a drink of water from the cistern by the gate of Bethlehem!” 18 Thereupon the Three broke through the encampment of the Philistines, drew water from the cistern by the gate of Bethlehem, and carried it back to David. But David refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out[b] to the Lord, 19 saying, “God forbid that I should do such a thing! Could I drink the blood of these men who risked their lives? For at the risk of their lives they brought it.” So he refused to drink it. Such deeds as these the Three warriors performed.
20 (K)Abishai, the brother of Joab, was the chief of the Thirty;[c] he brandished his spear over three hundred, whom he had slain. He made a name beside the Three,(L) 21 but was twice as famous as any of the Thirty, becoming their leader. However, he did not attain to the Three.
22 Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, a valiant man of mighty deeds, from Kabzeel, killed the two sons of Ariel of Moab. Also, he went down and killed the lion in the cistern on a snowy day. 23 He likewise slew the Egyptian, a huge man five cubits tall. The Egyptian carried a spear that was like a weaver’s beam, but Benaiah came against him with a staff; he wrested the spear from the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with that spear. 24 Such deeds as these Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, performed, and he made a name beside the Three warriors, 25 but was more famous than any of the Thirty. However, he did not attain to the Three. David put him in charge of his bodyguard.(M)
26 Also these warriors: Asahel, the brother of Joab; Elhanan, son of Dodo, from Bethlehem;(N) 27 Shammoth, from En-harod; Helez, from Beth-pelet; 28 Ira, son of Ikkesh, from Tekoa; Abiezer, from Anathoth; 29 Sibbecai, from Husha; Ilai, from Ahoh;(O) 30 Maharai, from Netophah; Heled, son of Baanah, from Netophah;(P) 31 Ithai, son of Ribai, from Gibeah of Benjamin; Benaiah, from Pirathon;(Q) 32 Hurai, from Nahale-gaash; Abiel, from Beth-arabah; 33 Azmaveth, from Bahurim; Eliahba, from Shaalbon; 34 Jashen the Gunite; Jonathan, son of Shagee the Hararite; 35 Ahiam, son of Sachar the Hararite; Elipheleth, son of 36 Ahasbai, from Beth-maacah; Ahijah, from Gilo; 37 Hezro, from Carmel; Naarai, the son of Ezbai; 38 Joel, brother of Nathan, from Rehob, the Gadite; 39 Zelek the Ammonite; Naharai, from Beeroth, the armor-bearer of Joab, son of Zeruiah; 40 Ira, from Jattir; Gareb, from Jattir; 41 Uriah the Hittite; Zabad, son of Ahlai, 42 and, in addition to the Thirty, Adina, son of Shiza, the Reubenite, chief of the tribe of Reuben; 43 Hanan, son of Maacah; Joshaphat the Mithnite; 44 Uzzia, the Ashterathite; Shama and Jeiel, sons of Hotham, from Aroer; 45 Jediael, son of Shimri, and Joha, his brother, the Tizite; 46 Eliel the Mahavite; Jeribai and Joshaviah, sons of Elnaam; Ithmah, from Moab; 47 Eliel, Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobian.
Footnotes
- 11:11 The Three: the Chronicler actually names only two of these figures, Ishbaal and Eleazar. According to 2 Sm 23:11, the third member of the Three was Shammah.
- 11:18 Poured it out: as a libation.
- 11:20 The Thirty: they are listed by name in vv. 26–47. The parallel list in 2 Sm 23:8–39 often differs in names and spellings; for the numbers, see note on 2 Sm 23:8–39.
1 Chronicles 11
Contemporary English Version
David Becomes King of Israel
(2 Samuel 5.1-3)
11 Israel's leaders met with David at Hebron and said, “We are your relatives, 2 and we know that you have led our army into battle, even when Saul was still our king. The Lord God has promised that you would rule our country and take care of us like a shepherd. 3 So we have come to crown you king of Israel.”
David made an agreement with the leaders and asked the Lord to be their witness. Then the leaders poured olive oil on David's head to show that he was now king of Israel. This happened just as the Lord's prophet Samuel had said.
David Captures Jerusalem
(2 Samuel 5.6-10)
4 (A) Jerusalem was called Jebus at the time, and David led Israel's army to attack the town. 5 The Jebusites said, “You won't be able to get in here!” But David captured the fortress of Mount Zion, which is now called the City of David.
6 David had told his troops, “The first soldier to kill a Jebusite will become my army commander.” And since Joab son of Zeruiah attacked first, he became commander.
7 Later, David moved to the fortress—that's why it's called the City of David. 8 He had the city rebuilt, starting at the landfill on the east side.[a] Meanwhile, Joab supervised the repairs to the rest of the city.
9 David became a great and strong ruler, because the Lord All-Powerful was on his side.
The Three Warriors
(2 Samuel 23.8-17)
10 The Lord had promised that David would become king, and so everyone in Israel gave David their support. Certain warriors also helped keep his kingdom strong.
11 The first of these warriors was Jashobeam the son of Hachmoni, the leader of the Three Warriors.[b] In one battle he killed 300 men with his spear.
12 Another one of the Three Warriors was Eleazar son of Dodo the Ahohite. 13 During a battle against the Philistines at Pas-Dammim, all the Israelite soldiers ran away, 14 except Eleazar, who stayed with David. They took their positions in a nearby barley field and defeated the Philistines! The Lord gave Israel a great victory that day.
15 One time the Three Warriors[c] went to meet David among the rocks at Adullam Cave. The Philistine army had set up camp in Rephaim Valley 16 and had taken over Bethlehem. David was in a fortress, 17 and he said, “I'm very thirsty. I wish I had a drink of water from the well by the gate to Bethlehem.”
18 The Three Warriors sneaked through the Philistine camp and got some water from the well near Bethlehem's gate. They took it back to David, but he refused to drink it. Instead, he poured out the water as a sacrifice to the Lord 19 and said, “Drinking this water would be like drinking the blood of these men who risked their lives to get it for me.”
The Three Warriors did these brave deeds.
The Thirty Warriors
(2 Samuel 23.18-39)
20 Joab's brother Abishai was the leader of the Thirty Warriors,[d] and in one battle he killed 300 men with his spear. He was just as famous as the Three Warriors 21 and was more famous than the rest of the Thirty Warriors. He was their commander, but he never became one of the Three Warriors.[e]
22 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was a brave man from Kabzeel who did some amazing things. One time he killed two of Moab's best fighters, and one snowy day he went into a pit and killed a lion. 23 Another time he killed an Egyptian who was over two meters tall and was armed with a spear. Benaiah only had a club, so he grabbed the spear from the Egyptian and killed him with it. 24 Benaiah did things like that; he was just as brave as the Three Warriors, 25 even though he never became one of them. And he was certainly as famous as the rest of the Thirty Warriors. So David made him the leader of his own bodyguard.
26-47 Here is a list of the other famous warriors:
Asahel the brother of Joab; Elhanan the son of Dodo from Bethlehem; Shammoth from Haror; Helez from Pelon; Ira the son of Ikkesh from Tekoa; Abiezer from Anathoth; Sibbecai the Hushathite; Ilai[f] the Ahohite; Maharai from Netophah; Heled the son of Baanah from Netophah; Ithai the son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin; Benaiah from Pirathon; Hurai[g] from near the streams on Mount Gaash; Abiel from Arbah; Azmaveth from Baharum; Eliahba from Shaalbon; Hashem[h] the Gizonite; Jonathan the son of Shagee from Harar; Ahiam the son of Sachar the Hararite; Eliphal the son of Ur; Hepher from Mecherah; Ahijah from Pelon; Hezro from Carmel; Naarai the son of Ezbai; Joel the brother of Nathan; Mibhar the son of Hagri; Zelek from Ammon; Naharai from Beeroth who carried Joab's weapons; Ira the Ithrite; Gareb the Ithrite; Uriah the Hittite; Zabad the son of Ahlai; Adina the son of Shiza, a leader in the Reuben tribe, and 30 of his soldiers; Hanan the son of Maacah; Joshaphat from Mithan; Uzzia from Ashterah; Shama and Jeiel the sons of Hotham from Aroer; Jediael and Joha the sons of Shimri from Tiz; Eliel from Mahavah; Jeribai and Joshaviah the sons of Elnaam; Ithmah from Moab; Eliel, Obed, and Jaasiel from Mezobah.
Footnotes
- 11.8 the landfill on the east side: The Hebrew text has “the Millo,” which probably refers to a landfill to strengthen and extend the hill where the city was built.
- 11.11 the Three Warriors: One ancient translation and 2 Samuel 23.8; Hebrew “the Thirty Warriors.” The “Three Warriors” was the most honored group of warriors and may have been part of the “Thirty Warriors.” “Three” and “thirty” are spelled almost the same in Hebrew, so there is some confusion in the manuscripts as to which group is being talked about in some places in the following lists.
- 11.15 the Three Warriors: Hebrew “three of the thirty most important warriors.”
- 11.20 the Thirty Warriors: One ancient translation; Hebrew “the Three Warriors.” The “Thirty Warriors” was the second most honored group of warriors and may have also been officers in the army.
- 11.20,21 Warriors: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text of these verses.
- 11.26-47 Ilai: Or “Zalmon” (see 2 Samuel 23.24-39).
- 11.26-47 Hurai: Or “Hiddai” (see 2 Samuel 23.24-39).
- 11.26-47 Hashem: One ancient translation; Hebrew “the sons of Hashem.”
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