Chronicles I 11
1 And all Israel came to David in Chebron, saying, Behold, we [are] your bones and your flesh.
All the Israelites gathered to meet with David in Hebron. They told him, “We are your flesh and blood.
2 And heretofore when Saul was king, you were he that led Israel in and out, and the Lord of Israel said to you, You shall feed my people Israel, and you shall be for a ruler over 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 elders of Israel came to the king to Chebron; and king David made a covenant with them in Chebron before the Lord: and they anointed David to be king over Israel, according to the word of the Lord by 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 the king and his men went to Jerusalem, this [is] Jebus; and there the Jebusites the inhabitants of the land said to David,
Then David and all the Israelites went to Jerusalem (formerly known as Jebus) where the Jebusites lived.
5 You shall not enter in hither. But he took the strong hold of Sion: this [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 said, Whoever first smites the Jebusite, even he shall be chief and captain. And Joab the son of Saruia went up first, and became chief.
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 lived in the strong hold; therefore he 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 fortified the city round about.
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 continued to increase, and the Lord Almighty [was] with him.
David became more and more powerful, for the Lord Almighty was with him.
10 And these [are] the chiefs of the mighty men, whom David had, who strengthened [themselves] with him in his kingdom, with all Israel, to make him king, according to the word of the Lord concerning 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] the list of the mighty [men] of David; Jesebada, son of Achaman, first of the thirty: he drew his sword once against three hundred whom he killed 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 Eleazar son of Dodai, the Achochite: he was amongst the three mighty men.
After him came Eleazar, son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the Three leading warriors.
13 He was with David in Phasodamin, and the Philistines were gathered there to battle, and [there was] a portion of the field full of barley; and the people fled before 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 he stood in the midst of the portion, and rescued it, and struck the Philistines; and the Lord wrought a great deliverance.
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 chiefs went down to the rock to David, to the cave of Odollam, and the camp of the Philistines [was] in the giants' valley.
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 [was] then in the hold, and the garrison of the Philistines [was] then in Bethleem.
At the time David was in the stronghold, and the Philistine garrison was in Bethlehem.
17 And David longed, and said, Who will give me water to drink of the well of Bethleem, that is in 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 broke through the camp of the Philistines, and they drew water out of the well that was in Bethleem, which was in the gate, and they took it, and came to David: but David would not drink it, and poured it out to the Lord, and said,
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 God forbid that I should do this thing: shall I drink the blood of these men with their lives? for with [the peril of] their lives they brought it. So he would not drink it. These things did the three mighty [men].
“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 Abisa the brother of Joab, he was chief of three: he drew his sword against three hundred slain at one time, and he had a name amongst the [second] 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 He was more famous than the two [others] of the three, and he was chief [over] them; yet he reached not 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 And Banaia the son of Jodae was the son of a mighty man: many [were] his acts for Cabasael: he struck two lion-like men of Moab, and he went down and struck a lion in a pit on a snowy day.
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 struck an Egyptian, a wonderful man five cubits [high]; and in the hand of the Egyptian [there was] a spear like a weavers' beam; and Banaia went down to him with a staff, and took the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and killed 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 did Banaia son of Jodae, and his name [was] amongst the three mighties.
These were the kind of things Benaiah did that made him as famous as the Three leading warriors.
25 He was distinguished beyond the thirty, yet he reached not to the [first] three: and David set him over his family.
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 [men] of the forces [were], Asael the brother of Joab, Eleanan the son of Dodoe of Bethleem,
Other leading warriors were: Asahel, Joab's brother; Elhanan, son of Dodo, from Bethlehem;
27 Samaoth the Arorite, Chelles the Phelonite,
Shammoth the Harorite; Helez the Pelonite;
28 Ora the son of Ekkis the Thecoite, Abiezer the Anathothite,
Ira, son of Ikkesh from Tekoa; Abiezer from Anathoth;
29 Sobochai the Usathite, Eli the Achonite,
Sibbecai the Hushathite; Ilai the Ahohite;
30 Marai the Netophathite, Chthaod the son of Nooza the Netophathite,
Maharai of Netophah; Heled, son of Baanah of Netophah;
31 Airi the son of Rebie of the hill of Benjamin, Banaias the Pharathonite,
Ithai, son of Ribai from Gibeah of the Benjamites; Benaiah the Pirathonite;
32 Uri of Nachali Gaas, Abiel the Garabaethite,
Hurai from the valleys of Gaash; Abiel the Arbathite;
33 Azbon the Baromite, Eliaba the Salabonite,
Azmaveth the Baharumite; Eliahba the Shaalbonite;
34 the son of Asam the Gizonite, Jonathan the son of Sola the Ararite,
the sons of Hashem the Gizonite; Jonathan, son of Shagee the Hararite;
35 Achim the son of Achar the Ararite, Elphat the son of Thyrophar
Ahiam, son of Sachar the Hararite; Eliphal, son of Ur;
36 the Mechorathrite, Achia the Phellonite,
Hepher the Mecherathite; Ahijah the Pelonite;
37 Esere the Charmadaite, Naarai the son of Azobai,
Hezro the Carmelite; Naarai, son of Ezbai;
38 Joel the son of Nathan, Mebaal son of Agari,
Joel the Nathan's brother; Mibhar, son of Hagri;
39 Sele the son of Ammoni, Nachor the Berothite, armour-bearer to the son of Saruia,
Zelek the Ammonite; Naharai the Beerothite; Joab's armor-bearer, son of Zeruiah;
40 Ira the Jethrite, Gaber the Jethrite,
Ira the Ithrite; Gareb the Ithrite;
41 Uria the Chettite, Zabet son of Achaia,
Uriah the Hittite; Zabad son of Ahlai;
42 Adina son of Saeza, a chief of Ruben, and thirty with him,
Adina, son of Shiza the Reubenite, leader of the Reubenites, and the thirty who were with him;
43 Anan the son of Moocha, and Josaphat the Matthanite,
Hanan, son of Maacah; Joshaphat the Mithnite;
44 Ozia the Astarothite, Samatha and Jeiel sons of Chotham the Ararite,
Uzzia the Ashterathite; Shama and Jeiel, the sons of Hotham the Aroerite;
45 Jediel the son of Sameri, and Jozae his brother the Thosaite,
Jediael, son of Shimri, and his brother, Joha the Tizite;
46 Eliel the Maoite, and Jaribi, and Josia his son, Ellaam, and Jethama the Moabite,
Eliel the Mahavite; Jeribai and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam; Ithmah the Moabite;
47 Daliel, and Obeth, and Jessiel of Mesobia.
Eliel; Obed; and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.
