1 Chronicles 11

1 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.

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

2 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.’”

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 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.

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 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.

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

5 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’.

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 [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.

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

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

8 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.

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

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

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

10 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.

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 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.

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

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

13 [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,

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 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.

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 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.

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

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

17 [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!”

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 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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

22 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.

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 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.

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

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

25 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.

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

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

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

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

Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite,

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

Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Anathothite,

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

Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite,

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

Maharai the Netophathite, Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite,

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

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

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

Hurai from the brooks of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite,

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

Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite,

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

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

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

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

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

Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite,

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

Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai son of Ezbai,

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

Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar son of Hagri,

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

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

40 Ira and Gareb from Jattir [town];

Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,

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

Uriah the Hittite, Zabad son of Ahlai,

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

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

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

Hanan son of Maacah, Joshaphat the Mithnite,

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

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

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

Jediael son of Shimri and his brother Joha the Tizite,

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

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

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

Eliel, Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.