Chronological
David Anointed King Over Israel(A)
5 All of the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, “We are your bone and flesh. 2 Previously, when Saul was king over us, you were the one leading Israel out and in. Also, the Lord said to you: You will shepherd My people Israel, and you will be ruler over Israel.”
3 So all of the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and King David made a covenant with them before the Lord at Hebron. They anointed David king over Israel.
4 David was thirty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned forty years. 5 He reigned over Judah from Hebron for seven years and six months, and he reigned over all of Israel and Judah from Jerusalem for thirty-three years.
David Conquers Jerusalem(B)
6 The king and his men went to Jerusalem against the Jebusites, who were living in the land. They said to David, “You will not enter here; even the blind and the lame will turn you away”—thinking, “David cannot enter here.” 7 Nevertheless, David overthrew the stronghold of Zion, which is now the City of David.
8 David said on that day, “Whoever defeats the Jebusites, let him go through the water shaft to reach the lame and the blind, who are despised by David.” Therefore, it is said, “The blind and lame shall not come into the house.”
9 So David occupied the stronghold, and he called it the City of David. He built on all sides from the terraces inward. 10 David went on and became great, because the Lord, the God of Hosts, was with him.
David, King of Israel(A)
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(B)
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.
The Mighty Men Join David
12 Now these are the men who came to David at Ziklag, while he yet kept himself away from Saul the son of Kish. They were among the brave men, helpers in the war. 2 They were armed with bows, and could use both the right hand and the left in hurling stones and shooting arrows out of a bow. They were Saul’s brothers of Benjamin.
3 The chief was Ahiezer, then Joash, the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite; Jeziel and Pelet the sons of Azmaveth; Berakah, and Jehu the Anathothite; 4 and Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a brave warrior among the thirty, and over the thirty; Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, and Jozabad the Gederathite; 5 and Eluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, Shemariah, and Shephatiah the Haruphite; 6 and Elkanah, Ishiah, Azarel, Joezer, and Jashobeam the Korahites; 7 and Joelah and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham of Gedor.
8 From the Gadites mighty men of valor, men of the war battalion, who could handle shield and sword, whose faces were like the faces of lions, and who were as swift as the gazelles on the mountains, separated themselves for David in the stronghold in the wilderness:
9 Ezer the captain,
Obadiah the second, Eliab the third,
10 Mishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth,
11 Attai the sixth, Eliel the seventh,
12 Johanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth,
13 Jeremiah the tenth, Makbannai the eleventh.
14 These were from Gad, captains of the battalions. One of the least of them was as a hundred and the greatest as a thousand. 15 These were the ones who crossed over the Jordan during the first month when it had overflowed its banks and caused the valley dwellers to flee to the east and to the west.
16 Some of the sons of Benjamin and Judah came to the stronghold of David. 17 So David went out before them and said to them, “If you have come in peace to help me, then I will have a heart united with yours, but if to betray me to my adversaries, when there is no violence in my hand, may the God of our fathers see, and may He decide between us.”
18 Then the Spirit came upon Amasai the captain of the officers, and he said,
“We are for you, David,
and with you, son of Jesse.
Peace, peace to you,
and peace to the one helping you,
for your God helps you.”
So David welcomed them and appointed them as captains of the troops.
19 Now some from Manasseh joined forces with David when he came with the Philistines for battle against Saul, but they did not help them. For after taking counsel, the lords of the Philistines sent him away, saying, “It will be our heads if he falls back to his lord Saul.” 20 As he went to Ziklag, these men of Manasseh deserted to join him: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai, chiefs of thousands in Manasseh. 21 So they helped David against the bands of raiders because all of them were mighty men of valor and commanders in the army. 22 For at that time, day by day, they came to help David until they became a great camp like the camp of God.
David’s Army at Hebron
23 Now these make up the number of the leaders equipped for the battalion who came to David at Hebron in order to turn the kingdom of Saul over to him, as the mouth of the Lord had spoken.
24 The sons of Judah who carried shields and spears: six thousand eight hundred equipped for war.
25 From the sons of Simeon, mighty men of valor, fit for war: seven thousand one hundred.
26 From the sons of the Levites: four thousand six hundred. 27 Jehoiada was the principal leader of the Aaronites, and he brought with him three thousand seven hundred, 28 while Zadok, a brave young warrior, brought twenty-two leaders from the house of his father.
29 From the sons of Benjamin, the brothers of Saul: three thousand (up to that time the greater number of them were keeping their loyalty with the house of Saul).
30 From the sons of Ephraim: twenty thousand eight hundred mighty men of valor, men of reputation in the house of their fathers.
31 From the half-tribe of Manasseh: eighteen thousand who were marked by name to come and crown David king.
32 From the sons of Issachar, those having understanding of times and what Israel should do: two hundred of their captains with all their brothers at their command.
33 Of Zebulun, fifty thousand seasoned troops, equipped for battle with all the weapons of war, to help David with singleness of purpose. From Zebulun, those going out to war, equipped for battle with all the weapons of war, to help David with an undivided heart: fifty thousand.
34 From Naphtali: one thousand leaders and thirty-seven thousand with shields and spears.
35 From the Danites, competent for battle: twenty-eight thousand six hundred.
36 From Asher, those going out to war, arranged for battle: forty thousand.
37 Also from the other side of the Jordan, from the Reubenites, the Gadites, and half of the tribe of Manasseh with all their battle array: one hundred and twenty thousand.
38 All these made up the men of war, arranged in ranks, who came to Hebron with a sincere heart to make David king over all Israel, along with the all the rest of Israel who with one heart came to make David king. 39 Now all these were there with David three days, eating and drinking, for their brothers had made provisions for them, 40 and also the ones who were as near to them as Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali were bringing bread on donkeys, on camels, on mules, and on oxen, food of fine flour, fig cakes, raisins, wine, oil, herds, and flocks in abundance, for there was joy in Israel.
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.