1 Chronicles 11

1 Then did all Israel gather themselves together to David, unto Hebron, saying, —Lo! thy bone and thy flesh, are we.

Then all Israel came together to David at Hebron and said, “Here we are, your own flesh and blood.

2 Moreover also, in time past even when Saul was king, thou, wast he that led out and brought in Israel, —and Yahweh thy God said unto thee, Thou, shalt shepherd my people Israel, Yea, thou, shalt be chief ruler, over my people Israel.

Even in times past, while Saul was king, you were the one who led Israel out and brought them back. And the LORD your God said, ‘You will shepherd My people Israel, and you will be ruler over them.’”

3 Thus came all the elders of Israel unto the king, to Hebron, and David solemnised to them a covenant in Hebron, before Yahweh, —and they anointed David to be king over Israel, according to the word of Yahweh, through Samuel.

So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, where David made a covenant with them before the LORD. And they anointed him king over Israel, according to the word of the LORD through Samuel.

4 Then went David and all Israel to Jerusalem, the same, was Jebus, —where were the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land.

Then David and all the Israelites marched to Jerusalem (that is, Jebus), where the Jebusites inhabited the land.

5 And the inhabitants of Jebus said unto David, Thou shalt not come in hither, —But David captured the citadel of Zion, the same, is the city of David.

The people of Jebus said to David, “You will never get in here.” Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion (that is, the City of David).

6 And David said, Whosoever smiteth the Jebusites, first, shall become a chief, and a ruler, —So then Joab son of Zeruiah, went up first, and became a chief.

Now David had said, “Whoever is the first to strike down a Jebusite will become chief commander.” And Joab son of Zeruiah went up first, and he became the chief.

7 And David dwelt in the citadel, —for this cause, did they call it, The City of David.

So David took up residence in the fortress; that is why it was called the City of David.

8 And he built the city round about, from Millo even as far as the circuit, —but, Joab, suffered the remainder of the city to live.

He built up the city around it, from the supporting terraces to the surrounding wall, while Joab restored the rest of the city.

9 Thus did David wax greater and yet greater, —and, Yahweh of Hosts, was with him.

And David became greater and greater, for the LORD of Hosts was with him.

10 Now, these, are the chiefs of the heroes, that pertained to David, who held strongly with him in his kingdom, with all Israel, to make him king, —according to the word of Yahweh, concerning Israel.

Now these were the chiefs of David’s mighty men, who, together with all Israel, bolstered and strengthened his kingdom, according to the word of the LORD concerning Israel.

11 And, this, is the number of the heroes who pertained to David, —Jashobeam son of a Hachmonite, chief of the thirty, the same, brandished his spear over three hundred—slain at one time.

This is the list of David’s mighty men: Jashobeam son of Hachmoni was chief of the officers; he wielded his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed at one time.

12 And, after him, was Eleazar son of Dodai, the Ahohite, —he, was among the three heroes;

Next in command was Eleazar son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men.

13 he, was with David in Pas-dammim, where, the Philistines, were gathered together to battle, and there was a field-plot full of barley, —and, the people, fled, from before the Philistines;

He was with David at Pas-dammim when the Philistines gathered there for battle. At the place with a field full of barley, the troops fled from the Philistines.

14 so they took their stand in the midst of the plot and rescued it, and smote the Philistines, —and Yahweh wrought a great victory.

But Eleazar and David stationed themselves in the middle of the field and defended it. They struck down the Philistines, and the LORD brought about a great victory.

15 And three of the thirty chiefs went down upon the rock, unto David, into the cave of Adullam, —a host of Philistines, being encamped in the vale of Rephaim.

Three of the thirty chief men went down to David, to the rock at the cave of Adullam, while a company of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim.

16 Now, David, then was in the stronghold, —and, a garrison of Philistines, then was in Bethlehem.

At that time David was in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was at Bethlehem.

17 And David longed, and said—Who will give me to drink of the water, out of the well of Bethlehem, that is within the gate?

David longed for water and said, “Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!”

18 And the three brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was within the gate, and bare it, and brought it in unto David, —yet would not David drink it, but poured it out unto Yahweh;

So the Three broke through the Philistine camp, drew water from the well at the gate of Bethlehem, and brought it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out to the LORD,

19 and said—Far be it from me, of my God, that I should do this! The blood of these men, shall I drink, with their lives? For, with their lives, have they brought it! So he would not drink it. These things, did the three heroes.

saying, “Far be it from me, my God, to do this! How can I drink the blood of these men who risked their lives?” Because they had brought it at the risk of their lives, David refused to drink it. Such were the exploits of the three mighty men.

20 And, Abishai brother of Joab—he, was the chief of three, he, having brandished his spear against three hundred—who were slain, —and so, he, had a name among three.

Now Abishai, the brother of Joab, was chief of the Three, and he lifted his spear against three hundred men, killed them, and won a name along with the Three.

21 Of the three in the second rank, was he honourable, therefore became he their captain, —though, unto the [first] three, did he not attain.

He was doubly honored above the Three, and he became their commander, even though he was not included among the Three.

22 Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, son of a man of valour, hero of many a deed, from Kabziel—he, smote the two [sons] of Ariel of Moab, he, also went down and smote a lion in the midst of a pit, in time of snow;

And Benaiah son of Jehoiada was a man of valor from Kabzeel, a man of many exploits. He struck down two champions of Moab, and on a snowy day he went down into a pit and killed a lion.

23 he, also smote an Egyptian, a man of [great] stature, five cubits, and, in the hand of the Egyptian, was a spear like a weaver’s beam, so he went down unto him with a staff, —and wrested the spear out of the hand of the Egyptian, and slew him with his spear.

He also killed an Egyptian, a huge man five cubits tall. Although the Egyptian had a spear like a weaver’s beam in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club, snatched the spear from his hand, and killed the Egyptian with his own spear.

24 These things, did Benaiah son of Jehoiada, so, he, had a name among three heroes.

These were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada, who won a name alongside the three mighty men.

25 Among the thirty, lo! honourable, was he, but, unto the [first] three, did he not attain, —howbeit David set him over his council.

He was most honored among the Thirty, but he did not become one of the Three. And David appointed him over his guard.

26 Now, the heroes of the forces, were, —Asahel, brother of Joab, Elhanan, son of Dodo, of Bethlehem;

Now these were the mighty men: Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan son of Dodo of Bethlehem,

27 Shammoth, the Harorite, Helez the Paltite;

Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite,

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

Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Anathothite,

29 Sibbecai, the Hushathite, Ilai, the Ahohite;

Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite,

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

Maharai the Netophathite, Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite,

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 torrents of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite;

Hurai from the brooks 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 Shageh, 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 Hezro, the Carmelite, Naarai, son of Ezbai;

Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai son of Ezbai,

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

Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar son of Hagri,

39 Zelek, the Ammonite, —Naharai, the Berothite, the armour-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah;

Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, the armor-bearer of Joab 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, a chief of the Reubenites and over the thirty;

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

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

Hanan son of Maacah, Joshaphat the Mithnite,

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

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

45 Jediael, son of Shimri, and Joha, his brother, 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, of Zobah.

Eliel, Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.