Beginning
Chapter 9[a]
1 Thus all of Israel was recorded by its generations, for behold, it was inscribed in the book of the kings of Israel.
Judah was carried away into Babylon for its unfaithfulness. 2 The first inhabitants who dwelt in their possessions in their cities were the Israelites, the priests, the Levites, and the temple slaves.[b]
3 Among the Judahites who dwelt in Jerusalem along with the Benjaminites, Ephraimites, and Manassehites were: 4 Uthai, the son of Ammihud, the son of Omri, the son of Imri, the son of Bani, a descendant of Perez, the son of Judah.
5 From the Shelanites there was Asaiah, the firstborn, and his sons. 6 From the sons of Zerah there was Jeuel and their brethren, six hundred and ninety of them.
7 From the Benjaminites there were Sallu, the son of Meshullam, the son of Hodaviah, the son of Hassenuah, 8 Ibneiah, the son of Jeroham, Elah, the son of Uzzi, the son of Michri, and Meshullam, the son of Shephatiah, the son of Reuel, the son of Ibnijah, 9 along with their kinsmen, according to their generations. There were nine hundred fifty-six of them. All of these were leaders of their ancestral clans.
10 From the priests there were Jedaiah, Jehoiarib, Jachin, 11 and Azariah, the son of Hilkiah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Zadok, the son of Meraioth, the son of Ahitub, the chief custodian of the temple. 12 There were also Adaiah, the son of Jeroham, the son of Pashhur, the son of Malchijah, and Maasai, the son of Adiel, the son of Jahzerah, the son of Meshullam, the son of Meshillemith, the son of Immer. 13 Their brethren, who were the leaders of the ancestral clans, included one thousand, seven hundred and sixty men. They were all capable men who were responsible for ministry in the temple of the Lord.
14 From the Levites there were Shemaiah, the son of Hasshub, the son of Azrikam, the son of Hashabiah, who was a Merarite. 15 There were Bakbakkar, Heresh, Galal, and Mattaniah, the son of Mica, the son of Zichri, the son of Asaph. 16 There were Obadiah, the son of Shemaiah, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun, and Berechiah, the son of Asa, the son of Elkanah. They lived in the village of the Netophathites.
17 The gatekeepers were Shallum, Akkub, Talmon, Ahiman, and their brethren. Shallum was their leader. 18 They have been stationed at the king’s gate on the east up to the present day. They were the gatekeepers of the Levites.
19 Shallum, the son of Kore, the son of Ebiasaph, the son of Korah, and his brethren from the ancestral clan of the Korahites were the gatekeepers at the entrance to the tabernacle just as their ancestors had been the gatekeepers to the entrance of the dwelling place of the Lord. 20 In former days, Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, had been their leader, and the Lord had been with him.
21 Zechariah, the son of Meshelemiah was the gatekeeper at the entrance to the tent of meeting. 22 There were two hundred and twelve of those who had been chosen to be gatekeepers. They are registered by their family history in the villages. David and Samuel the seer had assigned them to their responsibilities. 23 They and their children were responsible for guarding the gates of the temple of the Lord (the shrine of the tabernacle) by turns. 24 The gatekeepers served in the four directions of the east, the west, the north, and the south. 25 Their brethren who lived in the villages would come up to join them for a period of seven days from time to time.
26 There were four Levites who held the office of chief gatekeepers. They were responsible for the chambers and the treasuries of the temple of the Lord. 27 They would spend the night stationed around the temple of God because they were responsible for it, and then they would open it each morning.
28 Some of them were responsible for the vessels used in the liturgy, and they would count them when they were brought in and taken out. 29 Others were assigned responsibility for the furniture and all of the other things used in the sanctuary as well as the flour, wine, oil, incense, and spices. 30 Some of the priests were responsible for mixing the spices in the ointments.
31 There was a certain Levite, Mattithiah, the firstborn of Shallum the Korahite, who was responsible for the baking of the bread. 32 Some of the Korahites, their brethren, were in charge of preparing the shewbread every Sabbath.
33 Those who were singers, the leaders of their ancestral clans of Levites, would stay in the chambers. They were free from other responsibilities, for they were busy working day and night.
34 These were all leaders of the ancestral clans of the Levites, leaders according to their generations, and they dwelt in Jerusalem.
The History of David[c]
35 Genealogy of Saul. Jeiel, the father of Gibeon, dwelt in Gibeon. His wife’s name was Maacah. 36 His firstborn was Abdon, then there were Zur, Kish, Baal, Ner, Nadab, 37 Gedor, Ahio, Zechariah, and Mikloth.
38 Mikloth was the father of Shimeam. They lived near their brethren, their brethren who lived in Jerusalem.
39 Ner was the father of Kish, and Kish was the father of Saul.
Saul was the father of Jonathan, Malchishua, Abinadab, and Esh-baal.
40 The son of Jonathan was Merib-baal, who was the father of Micah.
41 The sons of Micah were Pithon, Melech, Tahrea, and Ahaz.
42 Ahaz was the father of Jarah, and Jarah was the father of Alemeth, Azmaveth, and Zimri.
Zimri was the father of Moza.
43 Moza was the father of Binea, Rephaiah was his son, Eleasah his son, and Azel his son.
44 Azel had six sons, and these are their names: Azrikam, Bocheru, Ishmael, Sheariah, Obadiah, and Hanan. They were the sons of Azel.
Chapter 10
Saul’s Death and Burial. 1 Now the Philistines attacked Israel, and Israel fled from the Philistines. Many fell and were killed at Mount Gilboa. 2 The Philistines pursued Saul and his sons. The Philistines killed Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malchishua, the sons of Saul. 3 The fighting around Saul became fierce when the archers hit him. The archers wounded him. 4 Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Take out your sword and run me through lest these uncircumcised men come and mock me.” But he was terrified, so Saul took out a sword and fell on it. 5 When his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he, too, fell on his sword and died. 6 Saul and his three sons died, and his whole household died with him.
7 When all the Israelites in the valley saw that they had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their cities and fled. The Philistines came and occupied them.
8 The next day the Philistines came up to strip the dead, and they found Saul and his sons who had fallen on Mount Gilboa. 9 They stripped him, taking his head and his armor. They sent word throughout the surrounding land of the Philistines proclaiming the news among their idols and their people. 10 They placed his armor in the shrine of their gods, hanging his head in the shrine of Dagon.[d]
11 When all the people in Jabesh-gilead heard about everything that the Philistines had done to Saul, 12 all of their brave men rose up and took away the body of Saul and the bodies of his sons. They brought them to Jabesh and buried their bones under the oak tree in Jabesh. They then fasted for seven days.
13 [e]Saul died because of the transgressions that he had committed against the Lord, against the word of the Lord which he did not observe, for he even consulted with a medium to make inquiry. 14 He did not inquire from the Lord. He slew him and turned the kingdom over to David, the son of Jesse.
Chapter 11
David Becomes King.[f] 1 All of Israel gathered before David in Hebron and they said, “Behold, we are your bone and your flesh. 2 Moreover, in times past, even when Saul was the king, you led Israel out and brought them in. The Lord, your God, said to you, ‘You will shepherd my people Israel. You will be the ruler of my people Israel.’ ” 3 When all of the elders of Israel came to the king in Hebron, he made a covenant before the Lord with them at Hebron. They anointed David as king over Israel, fulfilling the word of the Lord that had been spoken by Samuel.
David Conquers Jerusalem. 4 David and all of Israel went to Jerusalem, that is, Jebus. The Jebusites were the inhabitants of that land. 5 The inhabitants of Jebus said to David, “You will never enter.” Nevertheless, David captured the citadel of Zion, that is, the City of David. 6 David had said, “Whoever leads the attack on the Jebusites will be the commander-in-chief.” Joab, the son of Zeruiah, led it so he became the commander.
7 David lived in the citadel, and thus it was called the City of David. 8 He built up the city around it, from Millo to the surrounding walls. Joab repaired the rest of the city. 9 David’s power grew and grew, for the Lord of hosts was with him.
10 David’s Brave Warriors. These were the leaders of David’s brave warriors. They made him and his kingdom strong, with all of Israel making him king, according to the word of the Lord about Israel. 11 [g]This is the list of David’s brave warriors: Ishbaal, a Hachmonite, was the leader of the captains. He raised up his spear against three hundred men at one time and he slew them.
12 After him there was Eleazar, the son of Dodo, who was one of the three mighty men. 13 He was with David at Pas-dammim when the Philistines gathered there for battle. It was a field that was planted with barley, and the people fled before the Philistines. 14 They took their stand in the middle of the field. They defended it and slew the Philistines, for the Lord brought about a great deliverance.
15 Now three of the thirty captains came down to the cave of Adullam to be with David, while the army of the Philistines was camped in the Valley of Rephaim. 16 David was in the stronghold, and there was a Philistine outpost in Bethlehem. 17 David longed for water so he said, “Oh that you would give me some water to drink from the well that is at the gate of Bethlehem.” 18 The Three broke through the lines of the Philistine army and drew water from the well at the gate to Bethlehem. They took it and brought it to David, but David would not drink it. He poured it out before the Lord. 19 He said, “Far be it from me, my God, that I should do such a thing, that I would drink the blood of these men, for they risked their lives to bring it back.” Therefore, he would not drink it.
These are the deeds of the Three brave warriors. 20 Abishai, the brother of Joab, was the leader of the Three. He raised up his spear against three hundred men and he slew them. He was the most famous of the Three. 21 He was twice as honored as the Three, for he was their captain, even though he was not one of the Three.
22 Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, was a brave warrior who performed many deeds. He was from Kabzeel. He slew two of Moab’s mightiest men. He also descended into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion. 23 He also slew a very tall Egyptian who was five cubits tall. The Egyptian had a spear in his hand that was as big as a weaver’s beam. He attacked him with his staff, and he snatched the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand and slew him with his own spear. 24 These were the deeds of Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada. He was as famous as the Three Brave Warriors. 25 He was more greatly honored than any of the Thirty,[h] but he did not belong to the Three. David assigned him to be in charge of his bodyguard.
26 The brave warriors were: Asahel, the brother of Joab; Elhanan, the son of Dodo from Bethlehem; 27 Shammoth the Harorite; Helez the Pelonite; 28 Ira, the son of Ikkesh from Tekoa; Abiezer from Anathoth; 29 Sibbecai the Hushathite; Ilai the Ahohite; 30 Maharai the Netophathite; Heled, the son of Baanah the Netophathite; 31 Ithai, the son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin; Benaiah the Pirathonite; 32 Hurai, from the Wadi 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 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 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, who was the leader of the Reubenites and the Thirty with him; 43 Hanan, the son of Maacah; Joshaphat the Mithnite; 44 Uzzia the Ashterathite; Shama and Jeiel, the sons of Hotham the Aroerite; 45 Jediael, the son of Shimri; his brother Joha the Tizite; 46 Eliel the Mahavite; Jeribai and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam; Ithmah the Moabite; 47 Eliel; Obed; and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.
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