Chronological
The Israelites Make David King
5 All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron. They said to David, “Look, we are one family[a]! 2 Even when Saul was our king, you were the one who led us into battle. And you were the one who brought Israel back home from war. The Lord himself said to you, ‘You will be the shepherd of my people, the Israelites. You will be the ruler over Israel.’”
3 So all the leaders of Israel came to meet with King David at Hebron. He made an agreement with them in Hebron in front of the Lord, and they anointed David to be the king of Israel.
4 David was 30 years old when he began to rule. He was king for 40 years. 5 In Hebron he ruled over Judah for 7 years and 6 months, and in Jerusalem he ruled over all Israel and Judah for 33 years.
David Captures Jerusalem
6 The king and his men went to fight against the Jebusites living in Jerusalem. The Jebusites said to David, “You cannot come into our city.[b] Even our blind and crippled people can stop you.” (They said this because they thought that David would not be able to enter into their city. 7 But David did take the fort of Zion. This fort became the City of David.)
8 That day David said to his men, “Whenever you strike at the Jebusites, aim for the throat and kill them.”[c] David said this because he hates to have people left who are crippled and blind. That is why people now say, “The lame and blind are not allowed in the temple.[d]”
9 David lived in the fort and called it “The City of David.” David built up the city from the Millo[e] inward.[f] 10 He became stronger and stronger because the Lord All-Powerful was with him.
David Becomes King Over Israel
11 All the Israelites came to David at the town of Hebron. They said to David, “We are your own flesh and blood.[a] 2 In the past you led us in war. You led us even though Saul was the king. The Lord said to you ‘David, you will be the shepherd of my people, the Israelites. You will become the leader over my people.’”
3 All the leaders of Israel came to King David at the town of Hebron. David made an agreement with them in Hebron before the Lord. The leaders anointed David. That made him king over Israel. The Lord had promised through Samuel that this would happen.
David Captures Jerusalem
4 David and all the Israelites went to the city of Jerusalem. Jerusalem was called Jebus at that time. The people living in that city were named Jebusites. They 5 said to David, “You cannot get inside our city.” But David did defeat them. He took over the fortress of Zion, and it became the City of David.
6 David said, “The one who leads the attack on the Jebusites will become the commander over all my army.” So Joab led the attack. He was Zeruiah’s son. Joab became the commander of the army.
7 Then David made his home in the fortress. That is why it is named the City of David. 8 David built the city around the fort. He built it from the Millo to the wall around the city. Joab repaired the other parts of the city. 9 David continued to grow greater, and the Lord All-Powerful was with him.
The Three Heroes
10 This is a list of the leaders over David’s special soldiers. These heroes became very powerful with David in his kingdom. They and all the Israelites supported David and made him king, just as the Lord had promised.
11 This is a list of David’s special soldiers:
Jashobeam the Hacmonite[b] was the leader of the king’s special forces.[c] Jashobeam used his spear to kill 300 men at one time.
12 Next there was Eleazar son of Dodai[d] from Ahoah. Eleazar was one of the Three Heroes.[e] 13 Eleazar was with David at Pasdammim. The Philistines had come to that place to fight a war. There was a field full of barley there. The Israelites ran away from the Philistines. 14 But the Three Heroes stood there in that field and defended it. They defeated the Philistines. The Lord gave the Israelites a great victory.
15 Once David was at the cave of Adullam, and three of the Thirty Heroes[f] went down to meet him by a rock near the cave. At the same time the Philistine army was camped in the Valley of Rephaim.
16 Another time David was in the fortress, and a group of Philistine soldiers was stationed in Bethlehem. 17 David was thirsty for some water from his hometown, so he said, “Oh, if only I could have some water from that well by the gate in Bethlehem.” 18 So the Three Heroes[g] fought their way through the Philistine army and got some water from the well near the city gate in Bethlehem. They took it to David, but he refused to drink it. He poured it on the ground as an offering to the Lord. 19 David said, “God, I cannot drink this water. It would be like drinking the blood of the men who risked their lives to get this water for me.” That is why David refused to drink the water. The Three Heroes did many brave things like that.
Other Brave Soldiers
20 Joab’s brother, Abishai, was the leader of the Three Heroes. Abishai used his spear against 300 enemies and killed them. He was as famous as the Three Heroes. 21 Abishai was even more famous than the Three Heroes.[h] He became their leader, even though he was not one of the Three Heroes.
22 Then there was Benaiah son of Jehoiada, from Kabzeel. He was the son of a powerful man.[i] Benaiah did many brave things. He killed two of the best soldiers in Moab. One day when it was snowing, Benaiah went down into a hole in the ground and killed a lion. 23 And Benaiah killed a big Egyptian soldier. That man was about 7 1/2 feet[j] tall. The Egyptian had a spear that was very large and heavy. It was as big as the pole on a weaver’s loom. Benaiah had only a club. He grabbed the spear in the Egyptian’s hands and took it away from him. Then Benaiah killed the Egyptian with his own spear. 24 Benaiah son of Jehoiada did many brave things like that. He was as famous as the Three Heroes. 25 Benaiah was even more famous than the Thirty Heroes, but he was not one of the Three Heroes. David made Benaiah the leader of his bodyguards.
The Thirty Heroes
26 The following men were among the king’s special forces:
Asahel, Joab’s brother;
Elhanan son of Dodai from Bethlehem;
27 Shammoth the Harodite;
Helez the Pelonite;
28 Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa;
Abiezer from Anathoth;
29 Sibbecai the Hushathite;
Ilai from Ahoah;
30 Maharai from Netophah;
Heled son of Baanah from Netophah;
31 Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin;
Benaiah the Pirathonite;
32 Hurai from the Brooks of Gaash;
Abiel the Arbathite;
33 Azmaveth the Baharumite;
Eliahba the Shaalbonite;
34 the sons of Hashem the Gizonite;
Jonathan son of Shagee the Hararite;
35 Ahiam son of Sacar the Hararite;
Eliphal son of Ur;
36 Hepher the Mekerathite;
Ahijah the Pelonite;
37 Hezro the Carmelite;
Naarai son of Ezbai;
38 Joel, Nathan’s brother;
Mibhar son of Hagri;
39 Zelek the Ammonite;
Naharai the officer from Beeroth, who carried the armor for Joab son of Zeruiah;
40 Ira the Ithrite;
Gareb the Ithrite;
41 Uriah the Hittite;
Zabad son of Ahlai;
42 Adina who was the son of Shiza from the tribe of Reuben and was the leader of the tribe and one of the Thirty Heroes;
43 Hanan son of Maacah;
Joshaphat the Mithnite;
44 Uzzia the Ashterathite;
Shama and Jeiel sons of Hotham from Aroer;
45 Jediael son of Shimri
and 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.
The Brave Men Who Joined David
12 This is a list of the men who came to David while he was at Ziklag. This was when David was hiding from Saul son of Kish. These men helped David in battle. 2 They could shoot arrows from their bows with either their right or left hand. They could also throw stones from their slings with either their right or left hand. They were Saul’s relatives from the tribe of Benjamin. They were
3 Ahiezer, their leader, and Joash (sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite); Jeziel and Pelet (sons of Azmaveth); Beracah and Jehu from the town of Anathoth; 4 Ishmaiah the Gibeonite (a hero and leader of the Thirty Heroes); Jeremiah, Jahaziel, Johanan, and Jozabad from the Gederathites; 5 Eluzai, Jerimoth, Bealiah, and Shemariah; Shephatiah from Haruph; 6 Elkanah, Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer, and Jashobeam, all from the tribe of Korah; 7 and Joelah and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham from the town of Gedor.
The Gadites
8 Part of the tribe of Gad joined David at his fortress in the desert. They were brave soldiers trained for war and skilled with the shield and spear. They looked as fierce as lions, and they could run as fast as gazelles through the mountains.
9 Ezer was the leader of the army from the tribe of Gad. Obadiah was the second in command. Eliab was the third in command. 10 Mishmannah was the fourth in command. Jeremiah was the fifth in command. 11 Attai was the sixth in command. Eliel was the seventh in command. 12 Johanan was the eighth in command. Elzabad was the ninth in command. 13 Jeremiah was the tenth in command. Macbannai was the eleventh in command.
14 These men were leaders of the Gadite army. The weakest from that group was worth 100 men, and the strongest was worth 1000 men.[k] 15 They were the soldiers who crossed the Jordan River in the first month of the year, when it was flooded over its banks. They chased away the people in the valley who were on both sides of the river.
Other Soldiers Join David
16 Other men from the tribes of Benjamin and Judah also came to David at the fortress. 17 David went out to meet them and said, “If you have come in peace to help me, I welcome you. Join me. But if you have come to spy on me when I have done nothing wrong, may the God of our ancestors see what you did and punish you.”
18 Amasai was the leader of the Thirty Heroes.[l] Then the Spirit came on Amasai, and he said,
“We are yours, David!
We are with you, son of Jesse.
Peace, peace to you.
Peace to those who help you,
because your God helps you.”
So David welcomed these men into his group and put them in charge of the troops.
19 Some of the men from the tribe of Manasseh also joined David. They joined him when he went with the Philistines to fight Saul. But David and his men did not really help the Philistines. The Philistine leaders talked about David helping them, but then they decided to send him away. They said, “If David goes back to his master Saul, our heads will be cut off!” 20 These were the men from Manasseh who joined David when he went to the town of Ziklag: Adnah, Jozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai. All of them were generals[m] from the tribe of Manasseh. 21 They helped David fight against bad men who were going around the country and stealing things from people. All these men of Manasseh were brave soldiers. They became leaders in David’s army.
22 More and more men came every day to help David. So he had a large and powerful army.
Other Men Join David at Hebron
23 These are the numbers of the men who came to David at the town of Hebron. These men were ready for war. They came to give Saul’s kingdom to David. That is what the Lord said would happen. This is their number:
24 From the tribe of Judah there were 6800 men ready for war. They carried shields and spears.
25 From the tribe of Simeon there were 7100 men. They were brave soldiers ready for war.
26 From the tribe of Levi there were 4600 men. 27 Jehoiada was in that group. He was a leader from Aaron’s family. There were 3700 men with Jehoiada. 28 Zadok was also in that group. He was a brave young soldier. He came with 22 officers from his family.
29 From the tribe of Benjamin there were 3000 men. They were Saul’s relatives. Most of them stayed faithful to Saul’s family until that time.
30 From the tribe of Ephraim there were 20,800 men. They were brave soldiers. They were famous men in their own families.
31 From half the tribe of Manasseh there were 18,000 men. They were called by name to come and make David king.
32 From the family of Issachar there were 200 wise leaders. These men understood the right thing for Israel to do at the right time. Their relatives were with them and under their command.
33 From the tribe of Zebulun there were 50,000 trained soldiers. They were trained to use all kinds of weapons and were very loyal to David.
34 From the tribe of Naphtali there were 1000 officers. They had 37,000 men with them. These men carried shields and spears.
35 From the tribe of Dan there were 28,600 men ready for war.
36 From the tribe of Asher there were 40,000 trained soldiers ready for war.
37 From the east side of the Jordan River, there were 120,000 men from the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and half of Manasseh. They had all kinds of weapons.
38 All these men were brave fighters. They came to the town of Hebron for one reason—to make David king of all Israel. All the other Israelites also agreed that David should be king. 39 The men spent three days at Hebron with David. They ate and drank, because their relatives had prepared food for them. 40 Also, their neighbors from the areas where the tribes of Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali live brought food on donkeys, camels, mules, and cattle. They brought much flour, fig cakes, raisins, wine, oil, cattle, and sheep. The people in Israel were very happy.
Copyright © 2006 by Bible League International