Beginning

9 So all Israel was registered by genealogies, and these were written in the book of the kings of Israel. And Judah was led into exile to Babylon for their unfaithfulness.

² Now the first ones to dwell in their possessions in their cities were children of Israel, priests, Levites, and temple servants.

A Post-Exilic Genealogy^(A)

³ Some of the sons of Judah dwelt in Jerusalem alongside some of the sons of Benjamin, Ephraim, and Manasseh:

²² All those chosen as gatekeepers were two hundred and twelve. They were registered by their genealogy in their villages. Now David and Samuel the seer established them in their trusted offices. ²³ So they and their sons were in charge of the gates of the house of the Lord, that is, the house of the tabernacle, as guards. ²⁴ The gatekeepers were on four sides: east, west, north, and south. ²⁵ Their brothers in their villages were to come for seven days from time to time to serve with them. ²⁶ For in their trusted offices the four main gatekeepers who were Levites had charge over the chambers and treasuries of the house of God. ²⁷ They spent the night around the house of God, for the watch was entrusted to them, and they were responsible for opening it every morning.

²⁸ Some of them were in charge of the vessels of service, that they should bring them in and out by number. ²⁹ Some others were appointed over the furnishings and all the implements of the sanctuary as well as the fine flour, the wine, the oil, the frankincense, and the spices. ³⁰ And some of the sons of the priests mixed the ointment of the spices. ³¹ Mattithiah, one of the Levites (he was the firstborn of Shallum the Korahite), was entrusted with making the flat cakes. ³² Others of the sons of the Kohathites and from their brothers were given charge over the showbread to prepare it every Sabbath.

³³ Now these are the singers, heads of the fathers’ houses of the Levites, who stayed in the temple chambers, free from other service, because they were occupied with the work day and night.

³⁴ These were the heads of the fathers’ houses of the Levites according to their generations, leaders, who dwelt in Jerusalem.

The Genealogy of Saul^(B)

The Death of Saul^(C)

10 Now when the Philistines fought against Israel, every Israelite fighter fled before the Philistines, and the slain fell on Mount Gilboa. ² But the Philistines pursued Saul and his sons and struck down Saul’s sons Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malki-Shua. ³ As the battle with Saul became heavy, the archers’ bows found their target and mortally wounded him.

⁴ So Saul said to his armor bearer, “Draw your sword and pierce me through lest these uncircumcised Philistines come and make a fool of me.”

But his armor bearer was unwilling to do it because he was overwhelmed with fear, so Saul took the sword and fell on it himself. ⁵ When the armor bearer saw that Saul was dead, he too fell on his sword and died. ⁶ Thus, Saul and his three sons, namely all his house, died together.

⁷ Now when all the children of Israel in the valley saw that they had fled the battlefield, and Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their cities and escaped, leaving the Philistines to come and dwell in them.

⁸ The next day, when the Philistines came to pillage the slain, they found Saul and his sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. ⁹ So they stripped Saul, removed his head and his armor, and circulated the news of his demise throughout the land of the Philistines to their idols as well as the people. ¹⁰ Then they placed his armor in the temple of their gods, while his head they impaled in the house of Dagon.

¹¹ Now all Jabesh Gilead heard about everything the Philistines did to Saul, ¹² so their valiant men rose up and carried the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons to Jabesh. They buried their bones under the oak in Jabesh and fasted, mourning seven days.

¹³ So Saul died because of his unfaithful deeds against the Lord, because of his failure to keep the word of the Lord, and because he sought to consult a spirit of divination ¹⁴ but did not seek the Lord. So He killed him and turned the kingdom over to David the son of Jesse.

David, King of Israel^(D)

11 Then all Israel assembled before David at Hebron, saying, “We are your own people, even your flesh and blood. ² 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.”

³ 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

⁴ Now David and all Israel with him went to Jerusalem (that is, Jebus, since the Jebusites still dwelt there in the land). ⁵ And the Jebusites said to David, “You will not come here,” but he captured the stronghold of Zion (it is the City of David).

⁶ 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.

⁷ Then David dwelt in the stronghold, which is why they called it the City of David, ⁸ and he fortified the city all around from the Millo encircling the stronghold, while Joab preserved the rest of the city. ⁹ So David kept on going, becoming greater and greater, and the Lord of Hosts was with him.

David’s Mighty Men^(E)

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.