1 Chronicles 11

David Becomes King over All Israel

1Then all Israel gathered to David at Hebron, saying, “See, we are your bone and your flesh. 2Even in the past, even while Saul was king, you were the one who led Israel out and brought them in. And Yahweh your God said to you, ‘You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will 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 at Hebron before Yahweh, and they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of Yahweh through Samuel. 4David and all Israel went to Jerusalem — that is, Jebus — where the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, were. 5The inhabitants of Jebus said to David, “You will not come in here.” But David captured the stronghold of Zion — that is, the city of David. 6David said, “Whoever strikes the Jebusites first will become chief and commander.” And Joab son of Zeruiah went up first, and became chief. 7David settled in the stronghold; therefore they called it the city of David. 8He built the city all around, from the Millo to the surrounding area, and Joab restored the rest of the city. 9David became greater and greater, for Yahweh of hosts was with him.

David’s Mighty Men

10These are the heads of the mighty men David had, who supported him strongly in his kingdom, together with all Israel, to make him king, according to the word of Yahweh concerning Israel. 11This is the number of the mighty men David had: Jashobeam son of a Hachmonite, chief of the thirty; he raised his spear against three hundred, slain at one time. 12After him was Eleazar son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men. 13He was with David at Pas-dammim, when the Philistines had gathered there for battle, and there was a plot of ground full of barley, and the troops fled before the Philistines. 14They took their stand in the middle of the plot and defended it, and struck down the Philistines, and Yahweh saved them with a great victory. 15Three of the thirty chiefs went down to the rock, to David, to the cave of Adullam, while the camp of the Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. 16David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then at Bethlehem. 17David longed for water and said, “Who will give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem that is by the gate?” 18So the three broke through the camp of the Philistines and drew water from the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate, and carried it back and brought it to David. But David would not drink it; instead he poured it out to Yahweh, 19and said, “Far be it from me, before my God, to do this! Should I drink the blood of these men, who risked their lives? For at the risk of their lives they brought it.” So he would not drink it. These are the things the three mighty men did. 20Abishai, the brother of Joab, was chief of the three; he raised his spear against three hundred slain, and he had a name among the three. 21Of the three he was honored above the two, and he became their commander, but he did not attain to the three.* 22Benaiah son of Jehoiada, son of a valiant man of many deeds, from Kabzeel — he struck down the two Ariel of Moab, and he went down and struck down a lion inside a pit on a day of snow.* 23He also struck down an Egyptian, a man of great size, five cubits tall; in the Egyptian’s hand was a spear like a weaver’s beam, but he went down against him with a staff, wrenched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with his own spear. 24These are the things Benaiah son of Jehoiada did, and he had a name among the three mighty men. 25He was honored among the thirty, but he did not attain to the three; and David set him over his bodyguard. 26The mighty men of the armies were: Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan son of Dodo of Bethlehem, 27Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite, 28Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Anathothite, 29Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite, 30Maharai the Netophathite, Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite, 31Ithai son of Ribai of Gibeah of the Benjaminites, Benaiah the Pirathonite, 32Hurai of the wadis of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite, 33Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite, 34the sons of Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan son of Shagee the Hararite, 35Ahiam son of Sacar the Hararite, Eliphal son of Ur, 36Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite, 37Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai son of Ezbai, 38Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar son of Hagri, 39Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Berothite, armor-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah, 40Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, 41Uriah the Hittite, Zabad son of Ahlai, 42Adina son of Shiza the Reubenite, a chief of the Reubenites, and thirty with him, 43Hanan son of Maacah, and Joshaphat the Mithnite, 44Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jeiel the sons of Hotham the Aroerite, 45Jediael 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.