⁷ When David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the army of the warriors.

⁸ When David heard of it, he sent Joab and all the army of the warriors.^{(A) 9} The Ammonites came out and drew up in battle array at the entrance of the city, and the kings who had come were by themselves in the open country.

¹⁰ When Joab saw that the line of battle was set against him both in front and in the rear, he chose some of the picked men of Israel and arrayed them against the Arameans; ¹¹ the rest of his troops he put in the charge of his brother Abishai, and they were arrayed against the Ammonites.^{(B) 12} He said, “If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you shall help me, but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will help you.^{(C) 13} Be strong, and let us be courageous for our people and for the cities of our God, and may the Lord do what seems good to him.” ¹⁴ So Joab and the troops who were with him advanced toward the Arameans for battle, and they fled before him.^{(D) 15} When the Ammonites saw that the Arameans fled, they likewise fled before Abishai, Joab’s brother, and entered the city. Then Joab came to Jerusalem.

¹⁶ But when the Arameans saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they sent messengers and brought out the Arameans who were beyond the River, with Shophach the commander of the army of Hadadezer at their head.^{(E) 17} When David was informed, he gathered all Israel together, crossed the Jordan, came to them, and drew up his forces against them. When David set the battle in array against the Arameans, they fought with him.^{(F) 18} The Arameans fled before Israel, and David killed seven thousand Aramean charioteers and forty thousand foot soldiers and also Shophach the commander of their army.^{(G) 19} When the servants of Hadadezer saw that they had been defeated by Israel, they made peace with David and became subject to him. So the Arameans were not willing to help the Ammonites any more.^(H)

David’s Mighty Men

⁸ These are the names of the warriors whom David had: Josheb-basshebeth a Tahchemonite; he was chief of the Three;^[a] he wielded his spear^[b] against eight hundred whom he killed at one time.

⁹ Next to him among the three warriors was Eleazar son of Dodo son of Ahohi. He was with David when they defied the Philistines who were gathered there for battle. The Israelites withdrew,^{(A) 10} but he stood his ground. He struck down the Philistines until his arm grew weary, though his hand clung to the sword. The Lord brought about a great victory that day. Then the people came back to him—but only to strip the dead.^(B)

¹¹ Next to him was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. The Philistines gathered together at Lehi, where there was a plot of ground full of lentils, and the army fled from the Philistines.^{(C) 12} But he took his stand in the middle of the plot, defended it, and killed the Philistines, and the Lord brought about a great victory.

¹³ Toward the beginning of harvest three of the thirty chiefs went down to join David at the cave of Adullam while a band of Philistines was encamped in the valley of Rephaim.^{(D) 14} David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then at Bethlehem.^{(E) 15} David said longingly, “Oh, that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem that is by the gate!” ¹⁶ Then the three warriors broke through the camp of the Philistines, drew water from the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate, and brought it to David. But he would not drink of it; he poured it out to the Lord, ¹⁷ for he said, “The Lord forbid that I should do this. Can I drink the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives?” Therefore he would not drink it. The three warriors did these things.^(F)

¹⁸ Now Abishai son of Zeruiah, the brother of Joab, was chief of the Thirty.^[c] With his spear he fought against three hundred men and killed them and won a name beside the Three.^{(G) 19} He was the most renowned of the Thirty^[d] and became their commander, but he did not attain to the Three.

²⁰ Benaiah son of Jehoiada was a valiant warrior^[e] from Kabzeel, a doer of great deeds; he struck down two sons of Ariel^[f] of Moab. He also went down and killed a lion in a pit on a day when snow had fallen.^{(H) 21} And he killed an Egyptian, a handsome man. The Egyptian had a spear in his hand, but Benaiah went against him with a staff, snatched the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with his own spear. ²² Such were the things Benaiah son of Jehoiada did and won a name beside the three warriors. ²³ He was renowned among the Thirty, but he did not attain to the Three. And David put him in charge of his bodyguard.^(I)

²⁴ Among the Thirty were Asahel brother of Joab; Elhanan son of Dodo of Bethlehem;^{(J) 25} Shammah of Harod; Elika of Harod;^{(K) 26} Helez the Paltite; Ira son of Ikkesh of Tekoa; ²⁷ Abiezer of Anathoth; Mebunnai the Hushathite; ²⁸ Zalmon the Ahohite; Maharai of Netophah; ²⁹ Heleb son of Baanah of Netophah; Ittai son of Ribai of Gibeah of the Benjaminites; ³⁰ Benaiah of Pirathon; Hiddai of the wadis of Gaash; ³¹ Abi-albon the Arbathite; Azmaveth of Bahurim;^{[g] 32} Eliahba of Shaalbon; the sons of Jashen: Jonathan ³³ son of^[h] Shammah the Hararite; Ahiam son of Sharar the Hararite; ³⁴ Eliphelet son of Ahasbai of Maacah; Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite; ³⁵ Hezro^[i] of Carmel; Paarai the Arbite; ³⁶ Igal son of Nathan of Zobah; Bani the Gadite; ³⁷ Zelek the Ammonite; Naharai of Beeroth, the armor-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah; ³⁸ Ira the Ithrite; Gareb the Ithrite;^{(L) 39} Uriah the Hittite—thirty-seven in all.^(M)