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 the people of Israel came to David at Hebron [town] and said to him, “Listen, we have the same ancestors [IDM] that you have.

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.

In the past, when Saul was our king, it was you who led our Israeli [soldiers in our battles]. You are the one to whom Yahweh our God promised, ‘You will be the leader [MET] of my people; you will be their king.’”

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 Israeli elders came to David at Hebron. And David made a sacred agreement with them while Yahweh was listening. They anointed him [with olive oil to set him apart] to be the king of the Israeli people. That is what Yahweh had previously told [the prophet] Samuel would happen.

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

David and all the Israeli [soldiers] [SYN] went to Jerusalem. [At that time, ] Jerusalem was called Jebus, and the people who lived there were the Jebus people-group.

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.

Those people said to David, “Your [soldiers] will not be able to get inside our city!” But David’s [soldiers] captured the city, even though it had strong walls around it, and since then it has been called ‘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.

[What happened was this: ]: David said [to his soldiers], “The one who leads [our soldiers] to attack the Jebus people-group will become the commander of all my army.” Joab, the son of Zeruiah, led the soldiers, so he became the commander of all the army.

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

[After they captured] the city which had strong walls around it, David moved there. That is why they named it ‘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.

David’s workers rebuilt the city, starting where the land was filled in and extending to the wall that was around the city. Joab’s [men] repaired the other parts of the city.

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

David became more and more powerful/influential, because the Almighty Commander of the armies of angels was with/helping 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.

Yahweh had promised [that David would become the king]. And all the Israeli people (were happy that David was/supported David as) their king. There were many soldiers/warriors who helped David’s kingdom to remain strong.

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 a list of the leaders of David’s [most mighty] warriors: Jashobeam was from the Hacmon clan. He was one of the leaders of David’s most powerful soldiers. One time he fought against 300 enemies and killed them all with his spear.

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

Another one was Eleazar, who was the son of Dodo from the clan of Ahoh.

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;

[One day] he was with David at Pas Dammim when the soldiers of Philistia gathered there for the battle. There was a field of barley there. At first the Israeli soldiers ran away from the soldiers of Philistia,

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 then David and Eleazar stopped in the middle of the field and fought to defend it and killed [many of] the soldiers of Philistia. Yahweh enabled them to win a great victory on that day.

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.

One time three of David’s thirty most mighty warriors came to David when he was camping next to the huge rock outside the cave near Adullam. At that same time, the army of Philistia had camped in the Rephaim Valley.

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

David was in a fortress, and some of the soldiers of Philistia were occupying 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?

[One day] David was very thirsty and said, “I wish that someone would bring me some water from the well near the gate at 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 those three most outstanding warriors forced their way through the camp of Philistia soldiers and drew some water from the well, and brought it to David. But he would not drink it. Instead, he poured it out [on the ground to be an offering] to Yahweh.

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.

He said, “Yahweh, it would certainly not be right for me to drink this water! That would be like [RHQ] drinking the blood of these men who were willing/ready to die for me!” So he refused to drink it. That was one of the things that those three most outstanding warriors did.

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.

Joab’s [younger] brother Abishai was the leader of the 30 most mighty warriors. [One time] Abishai fought 300 [enemy] soldiers with his spear and killed them.

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.

So he became as famous as those three most outstanding warriors. He became their commander, even though he was not one of those three men.

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;

Jehoiada’s son Benaiah was a brave soldier from Kabzeel [town] who did heroic deeds. He killed two of the best warriors from [the] Moab [people-group]. One day he went down into a pit when snow was falling [on the ground] and killed a lion there.

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 a soldier from Egypt who was (7-1/2 feet/2.3 meters) tall. The soldier from Egypt carried a spear that was as long as a weaver’s rod. Benaiah had [only] a club, but he grabbed the other man’s spear and killed him with it.

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

Those are some of the things that Benaiah did. So he became as famous as the three mighty warriors.

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 more honored than the other members of the group of thirty most mighty warriors, but he did not become a member of the group of three most outstanding warriors. David appointed him to be the leader of his bodyguards.

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

These are the names of David’s mighty warriors: Asahel, the [younger] brother of Joab; Elhanan, the son of Dodo, from Bethlehem;

27 Shammoth, the Harorite, Helez the Paltite;

Shammah, from [the] Harod [clan]; Helez, from [the] Pelon [clan];

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

Ira, the son of Ikkesh, from Tekoa [town]; Abiezer, from Anathoth [city];

29 Sibbecai, the Hushathite, Ilai, the Ahohite;

Sibbecai, from Hushah’s [clan]; Ilai from Ahoh’s clan;

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

Maharai, from Netophah [town]; Heled, the son of Baanah, also from Netophah [town];

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

Ithai, the son of Ribai, from Gibeah [town] in [the land that belonged to] the tribe of Benjamin; Benaiah, from Pirathon [town];

32 Hurai, of the torrents of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite;

Hurai, from the valleys near Gaash [Mountain]; Abiel from the clan of Arabah;

33 Azmaveth, the Baharumite, Eliahba, the Shaalbonite;

Azmaveth, from Baharum [town]; Eliahba, from Shaalbon [town];

34 the sons of Hashem, the Gizonite, Jonathan, son of Shageh, the Hararite;

The sons of Hashem from [the] Gizon [clan]; Jonathan the son of Shagee from the Harar [town/clan];

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

Ahiam the son of Sharar/Sacar, from Harar [town/clan]; Eliphal the son of Ur;

36 Hepher, the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite;

Hepher from the Mekerath [clan]; Ahijah from the Pelon [clan/town];

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

Hezro from Carmel [city]; Naarai the son of Ezbai;

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

Joel the [younger] brother of Nathan; Mibhar the son of Hagri;

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

Zelek from the Ammon people-group; Naharai, the man who carried Joab’s weapons, from Beeroth [town];

40 Ira, the Ithrite, Gareb, the Ithrite;

Ira and Gareb from Jattir [town];

41 Uriah, the Hittite, Zabad son of Ahlai;

Uriah, [Bathsheba’s husband], from the Heth people-group; Zabad the son of Ahlai;

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

Adina the son of Shiza, a leader from the tribe of Reuben, who had thirty [soldiers] with him;

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

Hanan the son of Maacah; Joshaphat from Mithna [town/clan];

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

Uzzia from Ashterath [town]; Shama and Jeiel, the sons of Hotham, from Aroer [city];

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

Jediael the son of Shimri and his [younger] brother Joha, from Tiz [town/clan];

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

Eliel from Mahavah [town/clan]; Jeribai and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam; Ithmah from [the] Moab [region];

47 Eliel, and Obed, and Jaasiel, of Zobah.

Eliel and Obed, and Jaasiel from Zobah [town/clan].