1 Chronicles 11

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

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

2 In times past, even when Saul was king, it was thou that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the LORD thy God said unto thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be prince over my people Israel.

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 elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the LORD; and they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of the LORD by the hand of Samuel.

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

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

5 And the inhabitants of Jebus said to David, Thou shalt not come in hither. Nevertheless David took the strong hold of Zion; the same is 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 And David said, Whosoever smiteth the Jebusites first shall be chief and captain. And Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first, and was made chief.

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 And David dwelt in the strong hold; therefore they called it the city of David.

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

8 And he built the city round about, from Millo even round about: and Joab repaired the rest 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 And David waxed greater and greater; for the LORD of hosts was with him.

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

10 Now these are the chief of the mighty men whom David had, who shewed themselves strong with him in his kingdom, together with all Israel, to make him king, according to the word of the LORD concerning Israel.

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 And 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 slew them at one time.

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

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

13 He was with David at Pasdammim, and there the Philistines were gathered together to battle, where was a plot of ground full of barley; and the people fled from before the Philistines.

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 And they stood in the midst of the plot, and defended it, and slew the Philistines; and the LORD saved them by a great victory.

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 And three of the thirty chief went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam; and the host of the Philistines were encamped in the valley of Rephaim.

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 And David was then in the hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Beth-lehem.

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

17 And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me water to drink of the well of Beth-lehem, which is by the gate!

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 And the three brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Beth-lehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: but David would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the LORD,

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 and said, My God forbid it me, that I should do this: shall I drink the blood of these men that have put their lives in jeopardy? for with [the jeopardy of] their lives they brought it. Therefore he would not drink it. These things did the three mighty men.

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 And Abishai, the brother of Joab, he was chief of the three: for he lifted up his spear against three hundred and slew them, and had a name among the three.

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 Of the three, he was more honourable than the two and was made their captain: howbeit he attained not to the [first] three.

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

22 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done mighty deeds, he slew the two [sons of] Ariel of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow.

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 And he slew an Egyptian, a man of great stature, five cubits high; and in the Egyptian’s hand was a spear like a weaver’s beam; and he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and slew him with his own spear.

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 These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had a name among the three mighty men.

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

25 Behold, he was more honourable than the thirty, but he attained not to the [first] three: and David set him over his guard.

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

26 Also the mighty men of the armies; Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Beth-lehem;

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

27 Shammoth the Harorite, 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;

Sibbecai 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 from Gibeah of the Benjamites, Benaiah the Pirathonite,

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

Hurai from the brooks of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite,

33 Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite;

Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite,

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

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

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

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

36 Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite;

Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite,

37 Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai the son of Ezbai;

Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai son of Ezbai,

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

Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar son of Hagri,

39 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Berothite, the armourbearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah;

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

40 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite;

Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,

41 Uriah the Hittite, Zabad the son of Ahlai;

Uriah the Hittite, Zabad son of Ahlai,

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

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

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

Hanan son of Maacah, Joshaphat the Mithnite,

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

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

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

Jediael son of Shimri and his brother Joha the Tizite,

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

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

47 Eliel, and Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.

Eliel, Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.