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David’s Mighty Men(A)

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.

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Footnotes

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

10 These also are the chief of the mighty men whom David had, who strengthened themselves with him in his kingdom, and with all Israel, to make him king, according to the word of the Lord concerning Israel. 11 And this is the number of the mighty men whom David had; Jashobeam, an Hachmonite, the chief of the captains: he lifted up his spear against three hundred slain by him at one time. 12 And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, who was one of the three mighties. 13 He was with David at Pas-dammim, and there the Philistines were gathered together to battle, where was a parcel of ground full of barley; and the people fled from before the Philistines. 14 And they set themselves in the midst of that parcel, and delivered it, and slew the Philistines; and the Lord saved them by a great deliverance.

15 Now three of the thirty captains went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam; and the host of the Philistines encamped in the valley of Rephaim. 16 And David was then in the hold, and the Philistines’ garrison was then at Beth-lehem. 17 And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Beth-lehem, that is at the gate! 18 And the three brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Beth-lehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: but David would not drink of it, but poured it out to the Lord, 19 and said, My God forbid it me, that I should do this thing: shall I drink the blood of these men that have put their lives in jeopardy? for with the jeopardy of their lives they brought it. Therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mightiest.

20 And Abishai the brother of Joab, he was chief of the three: for lifting up his spear against three hundred, he slew them, and had a name among the three. 21 Of the three, he was more honourable than the two; for he was their captain: howbeit he attained not to the first three. 22 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done many acts; he slew two lionlike men of Moab: also he went down and slew a lion in a pit in a snowy day. 23 And he slew an Egyptian, a man of great stature, five cubits high; and in the Egyptian’s hand was a spear like a weaver’s beam; and he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and slew him with his own spear. 24 These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among the three mighties. 25 Behold, he was honourable among the thirty, but attained not to the first three: and David set him over his guard.

26 Also the valiant men of the armies were, Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Beth-lehem, 27  Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite, 28 Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abi-ezer the Antothite, 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, that pertained to 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 Shage 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 Haggeri, 39 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Berothite, the armourbearer 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 Maachah, and Joshaphat the Mithnite, 44 Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jehiel the sons of Hothan 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 Jasiel the Mesobaite.

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