1 Chronicles 11

1 Then all Israel gathered themselves to David to Hebron, saying, “Behold, we are your bone and your flesh.

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 In times past, even when Saul was king, it was you who led out and brought in Israel. Yahweh your God said to you, ‘You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince 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 So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and David made a covenant with them in Hebron before Yahweh. They anointed David king over Israel, according to Yahweh’s word by 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 David and all Israel went to Jerusalem (also called Jebus); and the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, were there.

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 The inhabitants of Jebus said to David, “You will not come in here!” Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion. The same is David’s city.

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 David had said, “Whoever strikes the Jebusites first shall be chief and captain.” Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first, and was made 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 David lived in the stronghold; therefore they called it David’s city.

[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 He built the city all around, from Millo even around; and Joab repaired the rest of the city.

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 David grew greater and greater, for Yahweh of Armies 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 chief of the mighty men whom David had, who showed themselves strong with him in his kingdom, together with all Israel, to make him king, according to Yahweh’s word 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 This is the number of the mighty men whom David had: Jashobeam, the son of a Hachmonite, the chief of the thirty; he lifted up his spear against three hundred and killed them 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 After him was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, who was one of the three mighty men.

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

13 He was with David at Pasdammim, and there the Philistines were gathered together to battle, where there was a plot of ground 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 They stood in the middle of the plot, defended it, and killed the Philistines; and Yahweh saved them by 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 Three of the thirty chief men went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam; and the army of the Philistines were encamped in the valley 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 David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was in Bethlehem at that time.

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

17 David longed, and said, “Oh, that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem, which is by 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 The three broke through the army of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate, took it, and brought it to David; but David would not drink any of it, but poured it out to 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, “My God forbid me, that I should do this! Shall I drink the blood of these men who have put their lives in jeopardy?” For they risked their lives to bring it. Therefore he would not drink it. The three mighty men did these things.

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 Abishai, the brother of Joab, was chief of the three; for he lifted up his spear against three hundred and killed them, and had a name among the 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, he was more honorable than the two, and was made their captain; however he wasn’t included in the three.

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 the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done mighty deeds, killed the two sons of Ariel of Moab. He also went down and killed a lion in the middle of a pit on a snowy day.

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 killed an Egyptian, a man of great stature, five cubits high. In the Egyptian’s hand was a spear like a weaver’s beam; and he went down to him with a staff, plucked the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with his own 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 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did these things and had a name among the three mighty men.

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

25 Behold, he was more honorable than the thirty, but he didn’t attain to the three; and David set him over his guard.

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 The mighty men of the armies also include Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the 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 Pelonite,

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

28 Ira the 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 the son of Baanah the Netophathite,

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

31 Ithai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the children 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 brooks 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 the son of Shagee the Hararite,

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

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

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

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

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

39 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Berothite (the armor bearer of Joab the 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 the son of Ahlai,

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

42 Adina the son of Shiza the Reubenite (a chief of the Reubenites), and thirty with him,

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

43 Hanan the son of Maacah, Joshaphat the Mithnite,

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

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

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

45 Jediael the 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, the 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, Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.

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