1 Chronicles 11

1 And all Israel is gathered to David at Hebron, saying, “Behold, we [are] your bone and your flesh;

All the Israelites gathered to meet with David in Hebron. They told him, “We are your flesh and blood.

2 even in time past, even in Saul’s being king, it is you who are taking out and bringing in Israel, and your God YHWH says to you: You feed My people Israel, and you are leader over My people Israel.”

In recent times, even though Saul was king, you were the real leader of Israel. The Lord your God told you, ‘You will be the shepherd of my people, and you will be the leader of my people Israel.’”

3 And all [the] elderly of Israel come to the king at Hebron, and David makes a covenant with them in Hebron before YHWH, and they anoint David for king over Israel, according to the word of YHWH by the hand of Samuel.

All the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and David made a solemn agreement with them before the Lord. There they anointed David as king of Israel, as the Lord had promised through Samuel.

4 And David goes, and all Israel, to Jerusalem—it [is] Jebus—and the Jebusite [is] there, the inhabitants of the land.

Then David and all the Israelites went to Jerusalem (formerly known as Jebus) where the Jebusites lived.

5 And the inhabitants of Jebus say to David, “You do not come in here”; and David captures the fortress of Zion—it [is] the City of David.

The Jebusites told David, “You will not enter here!” But David did capture the fortress of Zion, now known as the City of David.

6 And David says, “Whoever strikes the Jebusite first becomes head and prince”; and Joab son of Zeruiah goes up first and becomes head.

David had said, “Whoever is first to attack the Jebusites will be my commander-in-chief.” Since Joab, son of Zeruiah, was the first, he became commander-in-chief.

7 And David dwells in the fortress, therefore they have called it the City of David;

David decided to love in the fortress, which is why they named it after him the City of David.

8 and he builds the city all around, from Millo, and to the circumference, and Joab restores the rest of the city.

He built up the city all around it, from the Millo in a circuit all around, while Joab repaired the rest of the city.

9 And David goes, going on and becoming great, and YHWH of Hosts [is] with him.

David became more and more powerful, for the Lord Almighty was with him.

10 And these [are] heads of the mighty ones whom David has, who are strengthening themselves with him in his kingdom, with all Israel, to cause him to reign, according to the word of YHWH, over Israel.

These were the leaders of David's powerful warriors who, along with all the Israelites, gave him strong support in becoming king, just as the Lord had promised would happen to Israel.

11 And this [is] an account of the mighty ones whom David has: Jashobeam son of a Hachmonite [is] head of the thirty; he is lifting up his spear against three hundred—wounded, at one time.

This is the list of the leading warriors who supported David: Jashobeam, son of Hachmoni, leader of the Three. Using his spear, he once killed 300 men in a single battle.

12 And after him [is] Eleazar son of Dodo the Ahohite, he [is] among the three mighty;

After him came Eleazar, son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the Three leading warriors.

13 he has been with David in Pas-Dammim, and the Philistines have been gathered there to battle, and a portion of the field is full of barley, and the people have fled from the face of the Philistines,

He was with David at Pas-dammin when the Philistines gathered for battle that took place in a field full of barley. The Israelite army ran away when the Philistines attacked,

14 and they station themselves in the midst of the portion, and deliver it, and strike the Philistines, and YHWH saves [with] a great salvation.

but David and Eleazar took a stand in the middle of the field, defending their ground and killing the Philistines. The Lord saved them by giving them a great victory.

15 And three of the thirty heads go down on the rock to David, to the cave of Adullam, and the host of the Philistines is encamping in the Valley of Rephaim,

Another time, the Three, who were part of the Thirty leading warriors, went down to meet David when he was at the cave of Adullam. The Philistine army was camped in the valley of Rephaim.

16 and David [is] then in the fortress, and the station of the Philistines [is] then in Beth-Lehem,

At the time David was in the stronghold, and the Philistine garrison was in Bethlehem.

17 and David longs and says, “Who gives me water to drink from the well of Beth-Lehem that [is] at the gate!”

David was feeling really thirsty, and he said, “If only someone could bring me a drink of water from the well beside the entrance gate to Bethlehem!”

18 And the three break through the camp of the Philistines, and draw water from the well of Beth-Lehem that [is] at the gate, and carry and bring [it] to David, and David has not been willing to drink it, and pours it out to YHWH,

The Three broke through the Philistine defenses, took some water from the well at Bethelehem's gate, and brought it back to David. But David refused to drink it, and poured it out as an offering to the Lord.

19 and says, “Far be it from me, by my God, to do this; do I drink the blood of these men with their lives? For with their lives they have brought it”; and he was not willing to drink it; these [things] the three mighty ones did.

“God forbid that I should do this!” he said. “It would be like drinking the blood of these men who risked their lives! They risked their lives to bring me a drink.” So he did not drink it. This is just some of the things the Three leading warriors did.

20 And Abishai brother of Joab, he has been head of the three: and he is lifting up his spear against three hundred—wounded, and has a name among three.

Abishai, Joab's brother, was leader of the second Three. Using his spear, he once killed 300 men, and became famous among the Three.

21 Of the three he is more honored than the [other] two, and becomes their head; but he has not come to the [first] three.

He was the most highly regarded of the Three and was their commander, though he was not one of the first Three.

22 Benaiah son of Jehoiada, son of a man of valor, of great deeds, from Kabzeel: he has struck the two lion-like Moabites, and he has gone down and struck the lion in the midst of the pit, in the day of snow.

Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, a strong warrior from Kabzeel, did many amazing things. He killed two sons of Ariel of Moab. He also went after a lion into a pit in the snow and killed it.

23 And he has struck the man, the Egyptian, a man of [great] measure—five by the cubit—and in the hand of the Egyptian [is] a spear like a weavers’ beam, and he goes down to him with a rod, and violently takes away the spear out of the hand of the Egyptian, and slays him with his own spear.

Another time he killed an Egyptian—a huge man who stood seven foot six inches tall. The Egyptian had a spear whose shaft was as thick as a weaver's rod. Benaiah attacked him with just a club, but he was able to grab the spear from the Egyptian's hand, and killed him with his own spear.

24 These [things] Benaiah son of Jehoiada has done, and has a name among the three mighty ones.

These were the kind of things Benaiah did that made him as famous as the Three leading warriors.

25 Of the thirty, behold, he [is] honored, but he has not come to the [first] three, and David sets him over his guard.

He was the most highly regarded of the Thirty, though he was not one of the Three. David put him in charge of his personal bodyguard.

26 And the mighty ones of the forces [are] Asahel brother of Joab, Elhanan son of Dodo of Beth-Lehem,

Other leading warriors were: Asahel, Joab's brother; Elhanan, son of Dodo, from Bethlehem;

27 Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite,

Shammoth the Harorite; Helez the Pelonite;

28 Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abi-Ezer the Annethothite,

Ira, son of Ikkesh from Tekoa; Abiezer from Anathoth;

29 Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite,

Sibbecai the Hushathite; Ilai the Ahohite;

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

Maharai of Netophah; Heled, son of Baanah of Netophah;

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

Ithai, son of Ribai from Gibeah of the Benjamites; Benaiah the Pirathonite;

32 Hurai of the brooks of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite,

Hurai from the valleys of Gaash; Abiel the Arbathite;

33 Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite,

Azmaveth the Baharumite; Eliahba the Shaalbonite;

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

the sons of Hashem the Gizonite; Jonathan, son of Shagee the Hararite;

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

Ahiam, son of Sachar the Hararite; Eliphal, son of Ur;

36 Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite,

Hepher the Mecherathite; Ahijah the Pelonite;

37 Hezor the Carmelite, Naarai son of Ezbai,

Hezro the Carmelite; Naarai, son of Ezbai;

38 Joel brother of Nathan, Mibhar son of Haggeri,

Joel the Nathan's brother; Mibhar, son of Hagri;

39 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Berothite, bearer of the weapons of Joab son of Zeruiah,

Zelek the Ammonite; Naharai the Beerothite; Joab's armor-bearer, son of Zeruiah;

40 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,

Ira the Ithrite; Gareb the Ithrite;

41 Uriah the Hittite, Zabad son of Ahlai,

Uriah the Hittite; Zabad son of Ahlai;

42 Adina son of Shiza the Reubenite, head of the Reubenites, and thirty by him,

Adina, son of Shiza the Reubenite, leader of the Reubenites, and the thirty who were with him;

43 Hanan son of Maachah, and Joshaphat the Mithnite,

Hanan, son of Maacah; Joshaphat the Mithnite;

44 Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jehiel sons of Hothan the Aroerite,

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

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

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

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

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

47 Eliel, and Obed, and Jaasiel the Mesobaite.

Eliel; Obed; and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.