1 Then did all Israel gather themselves unto David unto Hebron, saying Behold, thy bone and thy flesh are we.

2 Already yesterday and even before, even when Saul was king, thou wast he that led out and brought in Israel; and the Lord, thy God, said unto thee, Thou shalt indeed feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be truly a chief over my people Israel.

3 Thus came all the elders of Israel to the king to Hebron; and David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the Lord; and they anointed David as king over Israel, according to the word of the Lord through means of Samuel.

4 And David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, which is Jebus; and there were the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land.

5 And the inhabitants of Jebus said to David, Thou shalt not come in hither. Nevertheless David captured the strong–hold of Zion, the same is the City of David.

6 And David said, Whosoever doth smite the Jebusites at first shall be head and chief. Then did Joab the son of Zeruyah go up at first, and became head–man.

7 And David dwelt in the castle: therefore they called it, "The City of David."

8 And he built the city round about, even from the Millo as far as the surrounding district, and Joab repaired the rest of the city.

9 And David want on, and became greater and greater, and the lord of hosts was with him.

10 These also are the principals of the mighty men whom David had, who held firmly with him in his kingdom, with all Israel, to make him king, according to the word of the Lord concerning Israel.

11 And this is the number of the mighty men whom David had: Jashoh’am, the son of Chachmoni, the chief of the captains, who lifted up his spear against three hundred slain at one time.

12 And after him was El’asar the son of Dodo, the Achochite, who was one of the three mighty men.

13 He was with David at Pass–dammim, and the Philistines were gathered together there to battle, and there was a piece of ground full of barley; and the people had fled from before the Philistines.

14 And they placed themselves in the midst of that piece of ground, and they delivered it, and smote the Philistines: and the Lord helped them with a great victory.

15 And these three, the chiefs of the thirty, went down to the rock to David, to the cave of ‘Adullam; and the camp of the Philistines was pitched in the valley of Rephaim.

16 And David was then in the strong–hold, and an outpost of the Philistines was then at Beth–lechem.

17 And David longed, and said, Oh that some one would bring me water to drink out of the well of Beth–lechem, which is by the gate!

18 And the three broke through the camp of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Beth–lechem, which was by the gate, and carried it, and brought it to David; but David would not drink thereof, and poured it out unto the Lord.

19 And he said, Far be it from me, before my God, that I should do this: shall I drink the blood of these men that went at the risk of their lives? for at the risk of their lives did they bring it; and thus he would not drink it. These things did the three mighty men.

20 And Abshai the brother of Joab was the chief of these three; and he lifted up his spear against three hundred slain, and had a name among the three.

21 Of the three, he was more honored than the two, wherefore he became their captain; he nevertheless attained not unto the three in prowess.

22 Banayah the son of Jehoyada’, the son of a valiant man, great in many acts, of Kah–zeel: he it was that smote the two lion–like heroes of Moab; he also went down and smote a lion in the midst of a pit on a day when it snowed.

23 And he smote an Egyptian, a man of great stature, five cubits high; and in the Egyptian’s hand was a spear like a weaver’s beam; and he went down to him with a staff, and he snatched the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and slew him with his own spear.

24 These things did Benayah the son of Jehoyada’; and he had a name among the mighty men.

25 Behold, he was indeed more honored than the thirty; but he attained not to the first three. And David appointed him over his private council.

26 And the mighty men of the armies were, ‘Assahel the brother of Joab, Elchanan the son of Dodo of Beth–lechem.

27 Shammoth the Harorite, Chelez the Pelonite,

28 ‘Ira the son of ‘Ikkesh the Theko’ite, Abi’ezer the ‘Antothite,

29 Sibbechai the Chushathite, ‘Ilai the Achochite,

30 Maharai the Netophathite, Cheled the son of Ba’anah the Netophathite,

31 Ithai the son of Ribai of Gib’ah, of the children of ‘Benjamin, Benayah the Pir’athonite.

32 Churai of the Nachale–Ga’ash, Abiel the ‘Arbathite,

33 ‘Azmaveth the Bacharumite, Elyachba the Sha’albonite,

34 Bnai–hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan the son of Shage the Hararite.

35 Achiam the son of Sachar the Hararite, Eliphal the son of Ur,

36 Chepher the Mecherathite, Achiyah the Pelonite.

37 Chezro the Carmelite, Na’arai the son of Ezbai,

38 Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibchar the son of Hagri,

39 Zelek the ‘Ammonite, Nachrai the Berothite, the armor bearer of Joab the son of Zeruyah,

40 ‘Ira the Yithrite, Gareb the Yithrite,

41 Uriyah the Hittite, Zabad the son of Achlai,

42 ‘Adina the son of Shiza the Reubenite, a chief of the Reubenites, and with him were thirty men.

43 Chanan the son of Ma’achah, and Joshaphat the Mithnite.

44 ‘Uzziya the ‘Ashterathite, Shama’ and Je’iel the sons of Chothan the ‘Aro’erite,

45 Jedi’ael the son of Shimri, and Jocha his brother, the Thizite,

46 Eliel the Machavite, and Jerihal, and Joshavyah, the son of Elna’am, and Yithmah the Moabite,

47 Eliel, and ‘Obed, and Ja’assiel the Mezobayite.