1 Chronicles 11

1 Then all Israel gathered themselves to David in Hebron, saying: We are thy bone, and thy flesh.

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

2 Yesterday also, and the day before when Saul was king, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: for the Lord thy God said to thee: Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt; be ruler over them.

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.

3 So all the ancients of Israel came to the king to Hebron, and David made a covenant with them before the Lord: and they anointed him king over Israel, according to the word of the Lord which he spoke in the hand of Samuel.

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.

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

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

5 And the inhabitants of Jebus said to David: Thou shalt not come in here. But David took the castle of Sion, which is the city of David.

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.

6 And he said: Whosoever shall first strike the Jebusites, shall be the head and chief captain. And Joab the son of Sarvia went up first, and was made the general.

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.

7 And David dwelt in the castle, and therefore it was called the city of David.

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

8 And he built the city round about from Mello all round, and Joab built the rest of the city.

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.

9 And David went on growing and increasing, and the Lord of hosts was with him.

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

10 These are the chief of the valiant men of David, who helped him to be made king over all Israel, according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke to Israel.

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.

11 And this is the number of the heroes of David: Jesbaam the son of Hachamoni the chief among the thirty: he lifted up his spear against three hundred wounded by him at one time.

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.

12 And after him was Eleazar his uncle’s son the Ahohite, who was one of the three mighties.

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

13 He was with David in Phesdomim, when the Philistines were gathered to that place to battle: and the field of that country was full of barley, and the people fled from before the Philistines.

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.

14 But these men stood in the midst of the field, and defended it: and they slew the Philistines, and the Lord gave a great deliverance to his people.

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.

15 And three of the thirty captains went down to the rock, wherein David was, to the cave of Odollam, when the Philistines encamped in the valley of Raphaim.

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.

16 And David was in a hold, and the garrison of the Philistines in Bethlehem.

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

17 And David longed, and said: O that some man would give me water of the cistern of Bethlehem, which is in the gate.

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!

18 And these three broke through the midst of the camp of the Philistines, and drew water out of the cistern of Bethlehem, which was in the gate, and brought it to David to drink: and he would not drink of it, but rather offered it to the Lord,

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,

19 Saying: God forbid that I should do this in the sight of my God, and should drink the blood of these men: for with the danger of their lives they have brought me the water. And therefore he would not drink. These things did the three most valiant.

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.

20 And Abisai the brother of Joab, he was chief of three, and he lifted up his spear against three hundred whom he slew, and he was renowned among the three,

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.

21 And illustrious among the second three, and their captain: but yet he attained not to the first three.

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

22 Banaias the son of Joiada, a most valiant man, of Cabseel, who had done many acts: he slew the two ariels of Moab: and he went down, and killed a lion in the midst of a pit in the time of snow.

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.

23 And he slew an Egyptian, whose stature was of five cubits, and who had a spear like a weaver’s beam: and he went down to him with a staff, and plucked away the spear, that he held in his hand, and slew him with his own spear.

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.

24 These things did Banaias the son of Joiada, who was renowned among the three valiant ones,

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

25 And the first among the thirty, but yet to the three he attained not: and David made him of his council.

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

26 Moreover the most valiant men of the army, were Asahel brother of Joab, and Elchanan the son of his uncle of Bethlehem,

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

27 Sammoth an Arorite, Helles a Phalonite,

Shammoth the Harodite, Helez the Pelonite,

28 Ira the son of Acces a Thecuite, Abiezer an Anathothite,

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

29 Sobbochai a Husathite, Ilai an Ahohite,

Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite,

30 Maharai a Netophathite, Heled the son of Baana a Netophathite,

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

31 Ethai the son of Ribai of Gabaath of the sons of Benjamin, Banal a Pharathonite,

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

32 Hurai of the torrent Gaas, Abiel an Arbathite, Azmoth a Bauramite, Eliaba a Salabonite,

Hurai of Nahale-gaash, Abiel the Arbathite,

33 The sons of Assem a, Gezonite, Jonathan the son of Sage an Ararite,

Azmaveth of Bahurim, Eliahba the Shaalbonite,

34 Ahiam the son of Sachar an Ararite,

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

35 Eliphal the son of Ur,

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

36 Hepher a Mecherathite, Ahia a Phelonite,

Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite,

37 Hesro a Carmelite, Naarai the son of Azbai,

Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai, the son of Ezbai,

38 Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibahar the son of Agarai.

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

39 Selec an Ammonite, Naharai a Berothite, the armourbearer of Joab the son of Sarvia.

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

40 Ira a Jethrite, Gareb a Jethrite,

Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,

41 Urias a Hethite, Zabad the son of Oholi,

Uriah the Hittite, Zabad, the son of Ahlai,

42 Adina the son of Siza a Rubenite the prince of the Rubenites, and thirty with him:

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

43 Hanan the son of Maacha, and Josaphat a Mathanite,

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

44 Ozia an Astarothite, Samma, and Jehiel the sons of Hotham an Arorite,

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

45 Jedihel the son of Zamri, and Jobs his brother a Thosaite,

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

46 Eliel a Mithumite, and Jeribai, and Josaia the sons of Elnaim, and Jethma a Moabite,

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

47 Eliel, and Obed, and Jasiel of Masobia.

Eliel and Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.