1 Chronicles 11

David Made King over All Israel

1 Then all Israel gathered to David at Hebron *11:1 Lit sayingand said, "Behold, we are your bone and your flesh. 2 In times past, even when Saul was king, you were the one who led out and brought in Israel; and the Lord your God said to you, ‘You shall shepherd My people Israel, and you shall be leader over My people Israel.’ " 3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the Lord; and they anointed David king over Israel, in accordance with the word of the Lord through Samuel.

Jerusalem Is the Capital City

4 Then David and all Israel went to Jerusalem (that is, Jebus); and the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, were there. 5 The inhabitants of Jebus said to David, "You shall not enter here." Nevertheless David took the mountain stronghold of Zion (that is, the city of David). 6 Now David had said, "Whoever is first to *11:6 Lit strikekill a Jebusite shall be chief and commander." Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first, so he became chief. 7 Then David lived in the stronghold; therefore it was called the city of David. 8 He *11:8 Or fortifiedbuilt the city all around, from the *11:8 I.e., terraced structureMillo to the surrounding area; and Joab *11:8 Lit revivedrepaired the rest of the city. 9 And David became greater and greater, for the Lord of armies was with him.

David’s Mighty Men

10 Now these are the heads of the mighty men whom David had, who remained faithful to him in his kingdom, together with all Israel, to make him king, in accordance with the word of the Lord concerning Israel. 11 These constitute the list of David’s mighty men: Jashobeam, the son of a Hachmonite, the chief of the thirty; he wielded his spear against three hundred *11:11 Lit slain oneswhom he killed at one time.

12 After him was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, who was*11:12 Lit amongone of the three mighty men. 13 He was with David at *11:13 In 1 Sam 17:1, Ephes-dammimPas-dammim when the Philistines were gathered together there to battle, and there was a plot of land full of barley; and the people fled from the Philistines. 14 But they took their stand in the midst of the plot and defended it, and defeated the Philistines; and the Lord saved them with a great *11:14 Or salvationvictory.

15 Now three of the thirty chief men went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam, while the army of the Philistines was camping in the Valley of Rephaim. 16 David was then in the stronghold, while the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. 17 And David had a craving and said, "Oh that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!" 18 So the three broke through the camp of the Philistines and drew water from the well of Bethlehem which was by the gate, and took it and brought it to David; however, David would not drink it, but poured it out to the Lord; 19 and he said, "Far be it from me before my God that I would do this. Shall I drink the blood of these men who went*11:19 Lit with their soulsat the risk of their lives? For they brought it at the risk of their lives." Therefore he would not drink it. The three mighty men did these things.

20 As for *11:20 In 2 Sam 23:18, AbishaiAbshai the brother of Joab, he was chief of the *11:20 As in Syriac; MT threethirty, and he wielded his spear against three hundred *11:20 Lit slain onesand killed them; and he had a name *11:20 Lit among theas well as the *11:20 As in Syriac; MT threethirty. 21 Of the three in the second rank he was the most honored, and he became their commander; however, he did not attain the reputation of the first three.

22 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a warrior of Kabzeel, mighty in deeds, struck and killed the *11:22 Or two lion-like heroes oftwo sons of Ariel of Moab. He also went down and struck and killed a lion inside a pit on a snowy day. 23 And he killed an Egyptian, a man of great stature *11:23 About 7.5 ft. or 2.3 mfive cubits tall. Now in the Egyptian’s hand was a spear like a weaver’s beam, but he went down to him with a club and snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear. 24 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did these things, and had a name *11:24 Lit among theas well as the three mighty men. 25 Behold, he was honored among the thirty, but he did not attain the reputation of the first three; and David appointed him over his bodyguard.

26 Now the mighty men of the armies were Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, 27 *11:27 In 2 Sam 23:25, Shammah the HaroditeShammoth the Harorite, Helez the *11:27 In 2 Sam 23:26, PaltitePelonite, 28 Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Anathothite, 29 *11:29 In 2 Sam 23:27, MebunnaiSibbecai the Hushathite, *11:29 In 2 Sam 23:28, ZalmonIlai the Ahohite, 30 Maharai the Netophathite, *11:30 In 2 Sam 23:29, HelebHeled the son of Baanah the Netophathite, 31 Ithai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the sons of Benjamin, Benaiah the Pirathonite, 32 *11:32 In 2 Sam 23:30, HiddaiHurai of the brooks of Gaash, *11:32 In 2 Sam 23:31, Abi-albonAbiel the Arbathite, 33 Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite, 34 the sons of *11:34 In 2 Sam 23:32, JashenHashem the Gizonite, Jonathan the son of Shagee the Hararite, 35 Ahiam the son of *11:35 In 2 Sam 23:33, ShararSacar the Hararite, *11:35 In 2 Sam 23:34, Eliphelet the son of AhasbaiEliphal the son of Ur, 36 Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite, 37 Hezro the Carmelite, *11:37 In 2 Sam 23:35, Paarai the ArbiteNaarai 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 chief of the Reubenites, and thirty with him, 43 Hanan the son of Maacah and Joshaphat the Mithnite, 44 Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jeiel the sons of Hotham the Aroerite, 45 Jediael the son of Shimri and his brother Joha the Tizite, 46 Eliel the Mahavite, and Jeribai and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam, Ithmah the Moabite, 47 Eliel, Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.