Holy Bible Aionian Edition® ~ English---Bible-in-Basic-English ~ 1-Chronicles Chapter 11

< 1 Chronicles 11 >

1 Then all Israel came together to David at Hebron, and said, Truly, we are your bone and your flesh.

Then all Israel came to David at Hebron and said, “Look, we are your flesh and bone.

2 In the past, when Saul was king, it was you who went at the head of Israel when they went out or came in; and the Lord your God said to you, You are to be the keeper of my people Israel, and their ruler.

In the recent past, when Saul was king over us, it was you who led the Israelite army. Yahweh your God said to you, 'You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will become a ruler over my people Israel.'”

3 So all the responsible men of Israel came to the king at Hebron; and David made an agreement with them in Hebron before the Lord; and they put the holy oil on David and made him king over Israel, as the Lord had said by Samuel.

So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and David made a covenant with them before Yahweh. They anointed David king over Israel. In this way, the word of Yahweh that had been declared by Samuel came true.

4 Then David and all Israel went to Jerusalem (which is Jebus); and the Jebusites, the people of the land, were there.

David and all Israel went to Jerusalem (that is, Jebus). Now the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, were there.

5 And the people of Jebus said to David, You will not come in here. But still, David took the strong place of Zion, which is the town of David.

The inhabitants of Jebus said to David, “You will not come in here.” But David took the stronghold of Zion, that is, the city of David.

6 And David said, The first to overcome the Jebusites will be chief and captain. And Joab, the son of Zeruiah, went up first, and became chief.

David had said, “Whoever attacks the Jebusites first will become chief and commander.” So Joab son of Zeruiah attacked first, so he was made the chief.

7 And David took the strong tower for his living-place, so it was named the town of David.

Then David began to live in the stronghold. So they called it the city of David.

8 And he took in hand the building of the town all round, starting from the Millo; and Joab put the rest of the town in order.

He built the city all around from the Millo and back to the surrounding wall. Joab restored the rest of the city.

9 And David became greater and greater in power, because the Lord of armies was with him.

David became greater and greater because Yahweh of hosts was with him.

10 Now these are the chief of David's men of war who were his strong supporters in the kingdom, and, with all Israel, made him king, as the Lord had said about Israel.

These were the leaders David had, who showed themselves strong with him in his kingdom, together with all Israel, to make him king, obeying the word of Yahweh concerning Israel.

11 This is the list of David's men of war: Ishbaal, the son of a Hachmonite, the chief of the three: he put to death three hundred at one time with his spear.

This is a list of David's mighty men: Jashobeam, the son of a Hachmonite, was commander of the officers. He killed three hundred men with his spear on one occasion.

12 And after him was Eleazar, the son of Dodo the Ahohite, who was one of the three great fighters.

After him was Eleazar son of Dodo, the Ahohite, who was one of the three mighty men.

13 He was with David at Pas-dammim, where the Philistines had come together for the fight, near a bit of land full of barley; and the people went in flight before the Philistines.

He was with David at Pas Dammim, and there the Philistines assembled together for battle, where there was a barley field and the army fled from the Philistines.

14 And he took up his position in the middle of the bit of land, and kept back their attack, and overcame the Philistines; and the Lord gave a great salvation.

They stood in the middle of the field. They defended it and cut down the Philistines and Yahweh rescued them with a great victory.

15 And three of the thirty went down to David, to the rock, into the strong place of Adullam; and the army of the Philistines had taken up their position in the valley of Rephaim.

Then three of the thirty leaders went down to the rock to David, to the cave of Adullam. The army of the Philistines was camped in the Valley of Rephaim.

16 At that time David had taken cover in the strong place, and an armed force of the Philistines was in Beth-lehem.

At that time David was in his stronghold, a cave, while the Philistines had established their camp at Bethlehem.

17 And David, moved by a strong desire, said, If only someone would give me a drink of the water from the water-hole of Beth-lehem by the doorway into the town!

David was longing for water and said, “If only someone would give me water to drink from the well at Bethlehem, the well that is by the gate!”

18 So the three, forcing a way through the Philistine army, got water from the water-hole of Beth-lehem, by the doorway into the town, and took it back to David; but David would not take it, but made an offering of it, draining it out to the Lord,

So these three mighty men broke through the army of the Philistines and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, the well at the gate. They took the water and brought it to David, but he refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out to Yahweh.

19 Saying, By my God, far be it from me to do this! How may I take as drink the life-blood of these men who have put their lives in danger? so he did not take it. These things did the three great men of war.

Then he said, “May it be that I should never do this! Should I drink the blood of these men who have risked their lives?” Because they had put their lives at risk, David refused to drink it. These were the deeds of the three mighty men.

20 And Abishai, the brother of Joab, was chief of the thirty, for he put to death three hundred with his spear, but he had not a name among the three.

Abishai brother of Joab was captain over the Three. He once used his spear against three hundred and killed them. He is mentioned along with the Three.

21 Of the thirty, he was the noblest, and was made their captain, but he was not equal to the first three.

Of the Three, he was given double honor and became their captain, even though he was not one of them.

22 Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, a fighting-man of Kabzeel, had done great acts; he put to death two young lions going into their secret place; and he went down into a hole and put a lion to death in time of snow.

Benaiah son of Jehoiada was a brave warrior from Kabzeel, who did great deeds. He killed the two sons of Ariel of Moab. He also went down into a pit and killed a lion on a day when the snow was falling.

23 And he made an attack on an Egyptian, a very tall man about five cubits high, armed with a spear like a cloth-worker's rod; he went down to him with a stick, and pulling his spear out of the hand of the Egyptian, put him to death with that same spear.

He even killed an Egyptian, a man five cubits tall. The Egyptian had a spear like a weaver's beam, but he went down to him with only a staff. He seized the spear out of the Egyptian's hand and killed him with his own spear.

24 These were the acts of Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, who had a great name among the thirty men of war.

Benaiah son of Jehoiada did these feats, and he was named alongside the three mighty men.

25 He was honoured over the thirty, but he was not equal to the first three: and David put him over his servants.

He was more highly regarded than the thirty soldiers in general, but he was not regarded quite as highly as the three mighty men. Yet David put him in charge of his bodyguard.

26 And these were the great men of war: Asahel, the brother of Joab, Elhanan, the son of Dodo of Beth-lehem,

The mighty men were Asahel brother of Joab, Elhanan son of Dodo of Bethlehem,

27 Shammoth the Harodite, Helez the Pelonite,

Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite,

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

Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Anathothite,

29 Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite,

Sibbekai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite,

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

Maharai the Netophathite, Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite,

31 Ithai, the son of Ribai of Gibeah, of the children of Benjamin, Benaiah the Pirathonite,

Ithai son of Ribai of Gibeah of Benjamin's descendants, Benaiah the Pirathonite,