David’s Elite Soldiers^(A)

¹⁰ These are the leaders of the elite warriors who were strong supporters of David in his kingdom, along with all of Israel, in keeping with the message from the Lord concerning Israel. ¹¹ This record of the warriors who were for David included^[a] Hachmoni’s son Jashobeam,^[b] leader of the platoons,^[c] who killed 300 with his spear in a single encounter.

¹² Next to him among the Three Warriors^[d] was Dodo^[e] the Ahohite’s son Eleazar. ¹³ He was with David at Pas-dammim when the Philistines were there to engage them in battle. There was a field planted with barley, and the army had run away from the Philistines, ¹⁴ but they took a defensive stand in the middle of the field and killed the Philistines while the Lord saved them by means of a great victory.^[f]

¹⁵ Later, the Three Warriors went down to David’s hideout^[g] at the cave of Adullam when the Philistine army was camping in the valley of giants.^{[h] 16} David was living in that stronghold at the time, while a Philistine garrison was then at Bethlehem. ¹⁷ David expressed a longing, “Oh, how I wish someone would get me a drink of water from the Bethlehem well that’s by the city gate!” ¹⁸ So the Three Warriors broke through the Philistine ranks, drew some water from the Bethlehem well that was next to the city gate, and brought it back to David. But David refused to drink it, poured it out in the Lord’s presence, and ¹⁹ said in response, “May God forbid me to do this! I won’t drink the blood of these men, will I? After all, they risked their lives to bring it to me.”^[i] That’s why he wouldn’t drink it. The Three Warriors did these things.

David’s Other Valiant Soldiers^(B)

²⁰ Joab’s brother Abishai was the lieutenant^[j] in charge of the platoons. He used his spear to fight and kill 300 men, gaining a reputation distinct from the Three. ²¹ He was more well-known than the Three,^[k] but he never attained the stature of the Three.

²² Jehoiada’s son Benaiah, who was a valiant man, accomplished great things. He was from Kabzeel. He killed two men named^[l] Ariel from Moab^[m] and then he also went down into a pit and struck down a lion during a snow storm one day. ²³ He also killed a soldier^[n] from Egypt of enormous height—five cubits^[o] tall. The Egyptian carried a spear comparable in size to a weaver’s beam, but Benaiah attacked him with a staff, snatched the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear. ²⁴ Benaiah did things like this and gained a reputation comparable to the Three Warriors. ²⁵ He was well known among the platoons, but he didn’t measure up to^[p] the Three Warriors. David placed him in charge of his security detail.

²⁶ The elite forces included Asahel (Joab’s brother), Dodo’s son Elhanan from Bethlehem, ²⁷ Shammoth from Haror,^[q] Helez the Pelonite,^{[r] 28} Ikkesh’s son Ira from Tekoa, Abiezer from Anathoth, ²⁹ Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite, ³⁰ Maharai from Netophah, Baanah’s son Heled from Netophah, ³¹ Ribai’s son Ithai from Gibeah, controlled by^[s] the descendants of Benjamin, Benaiah of Pirathon, ³² Hurai from the wadis^[t] of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite, ³³ Azmaveth from Baharum, Eliahba from Shaalbon, ³⁴ Hashem the Gizonite, Shagee the Hararite’s son Jonathan, ³⁵ Sachar the Hararite’s son Ahiam, Ur’s son Eliphal, ³⁶ Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite, ³⁷ Hezro from Carmel, Ezbai’s son Naarai, ³⁸ Joel (Nathan’s brother), Hagri’s son Mibhar, ³⁹ Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai from Beeroth, who was the armor-bearer for Zeruiah’s son Joab, ⁴⁰ Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, ⁴¹ Uriah the Hittite, Ahlai’s son Zabad, ⁴² Shiza the Reubenite’s son Adina, a leader of the descendants of Reuben, along with thirty others with him, ⁴³ Maacah’s son Hanan, Joshaphat the Mithnite, ⁴⁴ Uzzia the Ashterathite, Hotham the Aroerite’s sons Shama and Jeiel, ⁴⁵ Shimri’s son Jediael and his brother Joha the Tizite, ⁴⁶ Eliel the Mahavite, Elnaam’s sons Jeribai and Joshaviah, Ithmah the Moabite, ⁴⁷ Eliel, Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.