1 Chronicles 11

1 Then all Israel came together to David at Hebron, and said, Truly, we are your bone and your flesh.

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

2 In the past, when Saul was king, it was you who went at the head of Israel when they went out or came in; and the Lord your God said to you, You are to be the keeper of my people Israel, and their ruler.

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 So all the responsible men of Israel came to the king at Hebron; and David made an agreement with them in Hebron before the Lord; and they put the holy oil on David and made him king over Israel, as the Lord had said by Samuel.

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 Then David and all Israel went to Jerusalem (which is Jebus); and the Jebusites, the people of the land, were there.

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

5 And the people of Jebus said to David, You will not come in here. But still, David took the strong place of Zion, which is the town of David.

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, The first to overcome the Jebusites will be chief and captain. And Joab, the son of Zeruiah, went up first, and became chief.

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 took the strong tower for his living-place, so it was named the town of David.

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

8 And he took in hand the building of the town all round, starting from the Millo; and Joab put the rest of the town in order.

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 became greater and greater in power, because the Lord of armies was with him.

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

10 Now these are the chief of David's men of war who were his strong supporters in the kingdom, and, with all Israel, made him king, as the Lord had said about Israel.

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 This is the list of David's men of war: Ishbaal, the son of a Hachmonite, the chief of the three: he put to death three hundred at one time with his spear.

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 Eleazar, the son of Dodo the Ahohite, who was one of the three great fighters.

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 Pas-dammim, where the Philistines had come together for the fight, near a bit of land full of barley; and the people went in flight before the Philistines.

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 he took up his position in the middle of the bit of land, and kept back their attack, and overcame the Philistines; and the Lord gave a great salvation.

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 three of the thirty went down to David, to the rock, into the strong place of Adullam; and the army of the Philistines had taken up their position in the valley of Rephaim.

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 At that time David had taken cover in the strong place, and an armed force of the Philistines was in Beth-lehem.

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

17 And David, moved by a strong desire, said, If only someone would give me a drink of the water from the water-hole of Beth-lehem by the doorway into the town!

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 So the three, forcing a way through the Philistine army, got water from the water-hole of Beth-lehem, by the doorway into the town, and took it back to David; but David would not take it, but made an offering of it, draining it out to the Lord,

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 Saying, By my God, far be it from me to do this! How may I take as drink the life-blood of these men who have put their lives in danger? so he did not take it. These things did the three great men of war.

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 Abishai, the brother of Joab, was chief of the thirty, for he put to death three hundred with his spear, but he had not a name among the three.

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 thirty, he was the noblest, and was made their captain, but he was not equal to the first three.

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 Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, a fighting-man of Kabzeel, had done great acts; he put to death two young lions going into their secret place; and he went down into a hole and put a lion to death in time of snow.

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 made an attack on an Egyptian, a very tall man about five cubits high, armed with a spear like a cloth-worker's rod; he went down to him with a stick, and pulling his spear out of the hand of the Egyptian, put him to death with that same spear.

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 were the acts of Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, who had a great name among the thirty men of war.

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

25 He was honoured over the thirty, but he was not equal to the first three: and David put him over his servants.

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 these were the great men of war: Asahel, the brother of Joab, Elhanan, the son of Dodo of Beth-lehem,

And the mighty men of the armies were, 'Assahel the brother of Joab, Elchanan the son of Dodo of Beth-lechem.

27 Shammoth the Harodite, Helez the Pelonite,

Shammoth the Harorite, Chelez the Pelonite,

28 Ira, the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Anathothite,

'Ira the son of 'Ikkesh the Theko'ite, Abi'ezer the 'Antothite,

29 Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite,

Sibbechai the Chushathite, 'Ilai the Achochite,

30 Maharai the Netophathite, Heled, the son of Baanah the Netophathite,

Maharai the Netophathite, Cheled the son of Ba'anah the Netophathite,

31 Ithai, the son of Ribai of Gibeah, of the children of Benjamin, Benaiah the Pirathonite,

Ithai the son of Ribai of Gib'ah, of the children of 'Benjamin, Benayah the Pir'athonite.

32 Hurai of Nahale-gaash, Abiel the Arbathite,

Churai of the Nachale-Ga'ash, Abiel the 'Arbathite,

33 Azmaveth of Bahurim, Eliahba the Shaalbonite,

'Azmaveth the Bacharumite, Elyachba the Sha'albonite,

34 The sons of Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan, the son of Shage the Hararite,

Bnai-hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan the son of Shage the Hararite.

35 Ahiam, the son of Sacar the Hararite, Eliphal, the son of Ur,

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

36 Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite,

Chepher the Mecherathite, Achiyah the Pelonite.

37 Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai, the son of Ezbai,

Chezro the Carmelite, Na'arai the son of Ezbai,

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

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

39 Zelek the Ammonite, and Naharai the Berothite, the servant who had the care of the arms of Joab, the son of Zeruiah;

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

40 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,

'Ira the Yithrite, Gareb the Yithrite,

41 Uriah the Hittite, Zabad, the son of Ahlai,

Uriyah the Hittite, Zabad the son of Achlai,

42 Adina, the son of Shiza the Reubenite, a chief of the Reubenites, and thirty with him;

'Adina the son of Shiza the Reubenite, a chief of the Reubenites, and with him were thirty [men].

43 Hanan, the son of Maacah, and Joshaphat the Mithnite,

Chanan the son of Ma'achah, and Joshaphat the Mithnite.

44 Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jeiel, the sons of Hotham the Aroerite,

'Uzziya the 'Ashterathite, Shama' and Je'iel the sons of Chothan the 'Aro'erite,

45 Jediael, the son of Shimri, and Joha his brother, the Tizite,

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

46 Eliel the Mahavite, and Jeribai and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam, and Ithmah the Moabite,

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

47 Eliel and Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.

Eliel, and 'Obed, and Ja'assiel the Mezobayite.