1 Chronicles 11

1Then all Israel gathered to David at Hebron and said, “Look, we are your own bone and flesh.

2In 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 ruler 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. 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 living.

5The inhabitants of Jebus said to David, “You will not get in here.” But David captured the stronghold of Zion, that is, the city of David.

6David had said, “Whoever strikes down the Jebusites first will be chief and commander.” Joab son of Zeruiah went up first, so he became chief.

7David lived in the stronghold; that is why it was called the city of David.

8He built up the city all around, from the Millo all the way around, and Joab restored the rest of the city.

9David grew greater and greater, for Yahweh of Armies was with him.

10These are the chiefs of David’s mighty warriors, who gave him strong support in his kingdom, together with all Israel, to make him king, according to the word of Yahweh concerning Israel.

11This is the list of David’s mighty warriors: Jashobeam son of Hachmoni, chief of the officers. He wielded his spear against three hundred men and killed them at one time.

12Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodo the Ahohite; he was one of the three mighty warriors.

13He was with David at Pas-dammim when the Philistines gathered there for battle. There was a plot of ground full of barley, and the troops fled from the Philistines.

14But they took their stand in the middle of the plot, defended it, and struck down the Philistines, and Yahweh saved them with a great victory.

15Three of the thirty chief men went down to the rock, to David at the cave of Adullam, while the army of the Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim.

16David was then in the stronghold, and a Philistine garrison was then at Bethlehem.

17David had a craving and said, “Oh, that someone would 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, drew water from the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate, and carried it back to David. But David would not drink it; he poured it out to Yahweh.

19He said, “Far be it from me before my God to do this! Should I drink the blood of these men who went at the risk of their lives? For they brought it at the risk of their lives.” So he would not drink it. These are the things the three mighty warriors did.

20Abishai the brother of Joab was chief of the Three. He wielded his spear against three hundred men and killed them, and he won a name alongside the Three.

21Of the Three he was doubly honored and became their commander, but he did not attain to the Three.

22Benaiah son of Jehoiada was the son of a valiant man from Kabzeel who did great deeds. He struck down two champions of Moab. He also went down and killed a lion in a pit on a snowy day.

23He struck down an Egyptian, a man of great size, five cubits tall. The Egyptian had a spear in his hand like a weaver’s beam, but Benaiah went down to him with a club, snatched the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with his own spear.

24These are the things Benaiah son of Jehoiada did, and he won a name alongside the three mighty warriors.

25He was more honored than the Thirty, but he did not attain to the Three. David put him in charge of his bodyguard.

26The mighty warriors 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 from Gibeah of the Benjaminites, Benaiah the Pirathonite,

32Hurai from the ravines 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 Sachar 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, the 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, Joshaphat the Mithnite,

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

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

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

47Eliel, Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.