I Chronicles 11

¹Then all of Israel was gathered to David at Hebron, saying: “We are your bone and your flesh.

²Also, yesterday and the day before, when Saul still reigned, you were the one who led out and brought in Israel. For the Lord your God said to you: ‘You shall pasture my people Israel, and you shall be the leader over them.’ ”

³Therefore, all those greater by birth of Israel went to the king at Hebron. And David formed a pact with them before the Lord. And they anointed him king over Israel, in accord with the word of the Lord, which he spoke by the hand of Samuel.

⁴Then David and all of Israel went to Jerusalem. The same is Jebus, where the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, were.

⁵And those who were living in Jebus said to David: “You shall not enter here.” But David seized the stronghold of Zion, which is the city of David.

⁶And he said, “Whoever shall strike the Jebusites first, shall be ruler and commander.” And so Joab, the son of Zeruiah, ascended first, and he was made the leader.

⁷Then David lived in the stronghold, and for this reason it was called the City of David.

⁸And he built up the city all around, from Millo even to every side. But Joab built the rest of the city.

⁹And David continued advancing and increasing, and the Lord of hosts was with him.

¹⁰These are the leaders of the strong men of David, who assisted him, so that he would become king over all of Israel, in accord with the word of the Lord, which he spoke to Israel.

¹¹And this is the number of the robust of David: Jashobeam, the son of a Hachmonite, leader among the thirty. He lifted up his spear over three hundred, who were wounded at one time.

¹²And after him, there was Eleazar, the son of his uncle, an Ahohite, who was among the three powerful ones.

¹³He was with David in Pasdammim, when the Philistines were gathered to that place for battle. Now the field of that region was full of barley, but the people had fled from the face of the Philistines.

¹⁴These men stood in the midst of the field, and they defended it. And when they had struck down the Philistines, the Lord gave a great salvation to his people.

¹⁵Then three from the thirty leaders descended to the rock where David was, to the cave of Adullam, when the Philistines had made camp in the Valley of the Rephaim.

¹⁶Now David was in a stronghold, and a garrison of the Philistines was in Bethlehem.

¹⁷And then David desired and said, “O if only someone would give me water from the well of Bethlehem, which is at the gate!”

¹⁸Therefore, these three broke through to the midst of the camp of the Philistines, and they drew water from the well of Bethlehem, which was at the gate. And they took it to David, so that he might drink. But he was not willing; and instead, he offered it as a libation to the Lord,

¹⁹saying: “Far be it from me, that I would do this in the sight of my God, and that I would drink the blood of these men. For at the peril of their own lives, they brought the water to me.” And for this reason, he was not willing to drink. The three most powerful accomplished these things.

²⁰Also, Abishai, the brother of Joab, was the leader of the three, and he lifted up his spear against three hundred, who were wounded. And he was most renowned among the three,

²¹and he was famous among the second three and their leader. Yet truly, he did not reach as far as the first three.

²²Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, from Kabzeel, was a very mature man, who had accomplished many deeds. He struck down the two lions of God from Moab. And he descended and killed a lion in the middle of a pit, in the time of snow.

²³And he struck down an Egyptian man, whose stature was five cubits, and who had a spear like a weaver’s beam. And yet he descended to him with a staff. And he seized the spear that he was holding in his hand. And he killed him with his own spear.

²⁴These things were done by Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, who was most renowned among the three robust ones,

²⁵the first among the thirty. Yet truly, he did not reach as far as the three. Then David placed him beside his ear.

²⁶Moreover, the strongest men of the army were Asahel, the brother of Joab; and Elhanan, the son of his uncle, from Bethlehem;

²⁷Shammoth, a Harorite; Helez, a Pelonite;

²⁸Ira, the son of Ikkesh, a Tekoite; Abiezer, an Anathothite;

²⁹Sibbecai, a Hushathite; Ilai, an Ahohite;

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

³¹Ithai, the son of Ribai, from Gibeah, of the sons of Benjamin; Benaiah, a Pirathonite;

³²Hurai, from the torrent Gaash; Abiel, an Arbathite; Azmaveth, a Baharumite; Eliahba, a Shaalbonite.

³³The sons of Hashem, a Gizonite: Jonathan, the son of Shagee, a Hararite;

³⁴Ahiam, the son of Sachar, a Hararite;

³⁵Eliphal, the son of Ur;

³⁶Hepher, a Mecherathite; Ahijah, a Pelonite;

³⁷Hezro, a Carmelite; Naharai, the son of Ezbai;

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

³⁹Zelek, an Ammonite; Naarai, a Beerothite, the armor bearer of Joab, the son of Zeruiah;

⁴⁰Ira, an Ithrite; Gareb, an Ithrite;

⁴¹Uriah, a Hittite; Zabad, the son of Ahlai;

⁴²Adina, the son of Shiza, a Reubenite, the leader of the Reubenites, and thirty who were with him;

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

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

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

⁴⁶Eliel, a Mahavite; and Jeribai and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam; and Ithmah, a Moabite; Eliel, and Obed, and Jaasiel from Mezobaite.

I Chronicles 11

¹Then all Israel gathered themselves to David in Hebron, saying: We are thy bone, and thy flesh.

²Yesterday also, and the day before when Saul was king, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: for the Lord thy God said to thee: Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be ruler over them.

³So all the ancients of Israel came to the king to Hebron, and David made a covenant with them before the Lord: and they anointed him king over Israel according to the word of the Lord which he spoke in the hand of Samuel.

⁴And David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, which is Jebus, where the Jebusites were the inhabitants of the land.

⁵And the inhabitants of Jebus said to David: Thou shalt not come in here. But David took the castle of Sion, which is the city of David.

⁶And he said: Whosoever shall first strike the Jebusites, shall be the head and chief captain. And Joab the son of Sarvia went up first, and was made the general.

⁷And David dwelt in the castle, and therefore it was called the city of David,

⁸And he built the city round about from Mello all round, and Joab built the rest of the city.

⁹And David went on growing and increasing, and the Lord of hosts was with him.

¹⁰These are the chief of the valiant man of David, who helped him to be made king over all Israel, according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke to Israel.

¹¹And this is the number of the heroes of David: Jesbaam the son of Hachamoni the chief among the thirty: he lifted up his spear against three hundred wounded by him at one time.

¹²And after him was Eleazar his uncle's son the Ahohite, who was one of the three mighties.

¹³He was with David in Phesdomim, when the Philistines were gathered to that place to battle: and the field of that country was full of barley, and the people fled from before the Philistines.

¹⁴But these men stood in the midst of the field, and defended it: and they slew the Philistines, and the Lord gave a great deliverance to his people.

¹⁵And three of the thirty captains went down to the rock, wherein David was, to the cave of Odollam, when the Philistines encamped in the valley of Raphaim.

¹⁶And David was in a hold, and the garrison of the Philistines in Bethlehem.

¹⁷And David longed, and said: O that some man would give me water of the cistern of Bethlehem, which is in the gate.

¹⁸And these three broke through the midst of the camp of the Philistines, and drew water out of the cistern of Bethlehem, which was in the gate, and brought it to David to drink: and he would not drink of it, but rather offered it to the Lord,

¹⁹Saying: God forbid that I should do this in the sight of my God, and should drink the blood of these men: for with the danger of their lives they have brought me the water. And therefore he would not drink. These things did the three most valiant.

²⁰And Abisai the brother of Joab, he was chief of three, and he lifted up his spear against three hundred whom he slew, and he was renowned among the three,

²¹And illustrious among the second three, and their captain: but yet he attained not to the first three.

²²Banaias the son of Joiada a most valiant man, of Cabseel, who had done many acts: he slew the two ariels of Moab: and he went down, and killed a lion in the midst of a pit in the time of snow.

²³And he slew an Egyptian, whose stature was of five cubits, and who had a spear like a weaver's beam: and he went down to him with a staff, and plucked away the spear, that he held in his hand, and slew him with his own spear.

²⁴These things did Banaias the son of Joiada, who was renowned among the three valiant ones,

²⁵And the first among the thirty, but yet to the three he attained not: and David made him of his council.

²⁶Moreover the most valiant men of the army, were Asahel brother of Joab, and Elchanan the son of his uncle of Bethlehem,

²⁷Sammoth an Arorite, Helles a Phalonite,

²⁸Ira the son of Acces a Thecuite, Abiezer an Anathothite,

²⁹Sobbochai a Husathite, Ilai an Ahohite,

³⁰Maharai a Netophathite, Heled the son of Baana a Netophathite,

³¹Ethai the son of Ribai of Gabaath of the sons of Benjamin, Banai a Pharathonite,

³²Hurai of the torrent Gaas, Abiel an Arbathite, Azmoth a Bauramite, Eliaba a Salabonite,

³³The sons of Assem a Gezonite, Jonathan the son of Sage an Ararite,

³⁴Ahiam the son of Sachar an Ararite,

³⁵Eliphal the son of Ur,

³⁶Hepher a Mecherathite, Ahia a Phelonite,

³⁷Hesro a Carmelite, Naarai the son of Azbai,

³⁸Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibahar the son of Agarai.

³⁹Selec an Ammonite, Naharai a Berothite, the armourbearer of Joab the son of Sarvia.

⁴⁰Ira a Jethrite, Gareb a Jethrite,

⁴¹Urias a Hethite, Zabad the son of Oholi,

⁴²Adina the son of Siza a Rubenite the prince of the Rubenites, and thirty with him:

⁴³Hanan the son of Maacha, and Josaphat a Mathanite,

⁴⁴Ozia an Astarothite, Samma, and Jehiel the sons of Hotham an Arorite,

⁴⁵Jedihel the son of Zamri, and Joha his brother a Thosaite,

⁴⁶Eliel a Mahumite, and Jeribai, and Josaia the sons of Elnaim, and Jethma a Moabite, Eliel, and Obed, and Jasiel of Masobia.