1 Chronicles 11

David Made King over All Israel

11Then all Israel gathered to David at Hebron 2and said, “Behold, we are your bone and your flesh. 2In times past, even when Saul was king, you were the one who led out and brought in Israel; and the Lord your God said to you, ‘3You shall shepherd My people Israel, and you shall be prince over My people Israel.’” 3So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the Lord; and 4they anointed David king over Israel, 5according to the word of the Lord through Samuel.

Jerusalem, Capital City

4Then David and all Israel went to Jerusalem (6that is, Jebus); and the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, were there. 5The inhabitants of Jebus said to David, “You shall not enter here.” Nevertheless David captured the stronghold of Zion (that is, the city of David). 6Now David had said, “Whoever strikes down a Jebusite first shall be chief and commander.” 7Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first, so he became chief. 7Then David dwelt in the stronghold; therefore it was called the city of David. 8He 8built the city all around, from the 9Millo even to the surrounding area; and Joab 10repaired the rest of the city. 911David became greater and greater, for the Lord of hosts was with him.

David’s Mighty Men

1012Now these are the heads of the mighty men whom David had, who gave him strong support in his kingdom, together with all Israel, to make him king, 13according to the word of the Lord concerning Israel. 11These constitute the list of the mighty men whom David had: 14Jashobeam, the son of a Hachmonite, 15the chief of the thirty; he lifted up his spear against three hundred 16whom he killed at one time.

12After him was Eleazar the son of 17Dodo, the Ahohite, who was 18one of the three mighty men. 13He was with David at 19Pasdammim 20when the Philistines were gathered together there to battle, and there was a plot of ground full of barley; and the people fled before the Philistines. 14They took their stand in the midst of the plot and defended it, and struck down the Philistines; and the Lord saved them by a great 21victory.

15Now three of the thirty chief men went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam, while 22the army of the Philistines was camping in the valley of Rephaim. 16David was then in the stronghold, while 23the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. 17David had a craving and said, “Oh that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!” 18So the three broke through the camp of the Philistines and drew water from the well of Bethlehem which was by the gate, and took it and brought it to David; nevertheless David would not drink it, but poured it out to the Lord; 19and he said, “Be it far from me before my God that I should do this. Shall I drink the blood of these men who went 24at the risk of their lives? For at the risk of their lives they brought it.” Therefore he would not drink it. These things the three mighty men did.

20As for 25Abshai the brother of Joab, he was chief of the 26thirty, and he swung his spear against three hundred 27and killed them; and he had a name as well as the 28thirty. 21Of the three in the second rank he was the most honored and became their commander; however, he did not attain to the first three.

2229Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, mighty in deeds, struck down the 30two sons of Ariel of Moab. He also went down and 31killed a lion inside a pit on a snowy day. 23He 32killed an Egyptian, a man of great stature five 33cubits tall. Now in the Egyptian’s hand was 34a spear like a weaver’s beam, but he went down to him with a club and snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and 35killed him with his own spear. 24These things Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did, and had a name as well as the three mighty men. 25Behold, he was honored among the thirty, but he did not attain to the three; and David appointed him over his guard.

26Now the mighty men of the armies were Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, 2736Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the 37Pelonite, 28Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Anathothite, 2938Sibbecai the Hushathite, 39Ilai the Ahohite, 30Maharai the Netophathite, 40Heled the son of Baanah the Netophathite, 31Ithai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the sons of Benjamin, Benaiah the Pirathonite, 3241Hurai of the brooks of Gaash, 42Abiel the Arbathite, 33Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite, 34the sons of 43Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan the son of Shagee the Hararite, 35Ahiam the son of 44Sacar the Hararite, 45Eliphal the son of Ur, 36Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite, 37Hezro the Carmelite, 46Naarai the son of Ezbai, 38Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar the son of Hagri, 39Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Berothite, the armor bearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah, 40Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, 41Uriah the Hittite, Zabad the son of Ahlai, 42Adina the son of Shiza the Reubenite, a chief of the Reubenites, and thirty with him, 43Hanan the son of Maacah and Joshaphat the Mithnite, 44Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jeiel the sons of Hotham the Aroerite, 45Jediael the son of Shimri and Joha his brother, the Tizite, 46Eliel the Mahavite and Jeribai and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam, and Ithmah the Moabite, 47Eliel and Obed and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.