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 leader 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, 5in accordance with the word of the Lord through Samuel.

Jerusalem Is the 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 took the mountain stronghold of Zion (that is, the city of David). 6Now David had said, “Whoever is first to 7kill a Jebusite shall be chief and commander.” 8Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first, so he became chief. 7Then David lived in the stronghold; therefore it was called the city of David. 8He 9built the city all around, from the 10Millo to the surrounding area; and Joab 11repaired the rest of the city. 912And David became greater and greater, for the Lord of armies was with him.

David’s Mighty Men

1013Now these are the heads of the mighty men whom David had, who remained faithful to him in his kingdom, together with all Israel, to make him king, 14in accordance with the word of the Lord concerning Israel. 11These constitute the list of David’s mighty men: 15Jashobeam, the son of a Hachmonite, 16the chief of the thirty; he wielded his spear against three hundred 17whom he killed at one time.

12After him was Eleazar the son of 18Dodo, the Ahohite, who was 19one of the three mighty men. 13He was with David at 20Pas-dammim 21when the Philistines were gathered together there to battle, and there was a plot of land full of barley; and the people fled from the Philistines. 14But they took their stand in the midst of the plot and defended it, and defeated the Philistines; and the Lord saved them with a great 22victory.

15Now three of the thirty chief men went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam, while 23the army of the Philistines was camping in the Valley of Rephaim. 16David was then in the stronghold, while 24the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. 17And David 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; however, David would not drink it, but poured it out to the Lord; 19and he said, “Far be it from me before my God that I would do this. Shall I drink the blood of these men who went 25at the risk of their lives? For they brought it at the risk of their lives.” Therefore he would not drink it. The three mighty men did these things.

20As for 26Abshai the brother of Joab, he was chief of the 27thirty, and he wielded his spear against three hundred 28and killed them; and he had a name 29as well as the 30thirty. 21Of the three in the second rank he was the most honored, and he became their commander; however, he did not attain the reputation of the first three.

2231Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a warrior of Kabzeel, mighty in deeds, struck and killed the 32two sons of Ariel of Moab. He also went down and struck and killed a lion inside a pit on a snowy day. 23And he killed an Egyptian, a man of great stature 33five cubits 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 killed him with his own spear. 24Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did these things, and had a name 35as well as the three mighty men. 25Behold, he was honored among the thirty, but he did not attain the reputation of the first three; and David appointed him over his bodyguard.

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 his brother Joha the Tizite, 46Eliel the Mahavite, and Jeribai and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam, Ithmah the Moabite, 47Eliel, Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.