1 ¶ Then all Israel gathered themselves to David in Hebron, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh.

Then all Israel came to David at Hebron and said, “See, we are your bone and your flesh.

2 A nd moreover yesterday and the day before yesterday, when Saul was king, it was thou that led out and brought in Israel; and the LORD thy God hath said unto thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be ruler over my people Israel.

In times past, even when Saul was king, you were the one who led out and brought in Israel. The Lord your God said to you, ‘You will be the shepherd of My people Israel. And you will be king over My people Israel.’”

3 T herefore, all the elders of Israel came to the king in Hebron, and David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the LORD, and they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of the LORD by the hand of Samuel.

So all the leaders of Israel came to the king at Hebron. And David made an agreement with them in Hebron before the Lord. Then they poured oil on David to be the king of Israel, just as the Lord had said through Samuel.

4 T hen David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, which is Jebus, for there the Jebusites were, the inhabitants of that land.

David and all Israel went to Jerusalem (that is, Jebus). And the Jebusites, the people of the land, were there.

5 A nd the inhabitants of Jebus said to David, Thou shalt not enter here. Nevertheless, David took the fortress of Zion, which is the city of David.

The people of Jebus said to David, “You will not come in here.” But David took the strong-place of Zion (that is, the city of David).

6 A nd David said, Whoever smites the Jebusites first shall be head and prince. So Joab, the son of Zeruiah, went up first and was made the head.

Now David had said, “Whoever kills a Jebusite first will be captain and leader.” Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first, so he became captain.

7 A nd David dwelt in the fortress; therefore, they called it the city of David.

Then David lived in the strong-place. So it was called the city of David.

8 A nd he built the city round about, even from Millo round about, and Joab restored the rest of the city.

He built the city all around, from the Millo and then around. And Joab built the rest of the city up again.

9 S o David waxed greater and greater, for the LORD of the hosts was with him.

David became greater and greater, for the Lord of All was with him. David’s Strong Men

10 ¶ These also are the chief of the mighty men whom David had, who strengthened him in his kingdom, with all Israel, to make him king over Israel, according to the word of the LORD.

These are the leaders of David’s strong men. They gave him much help in his nation, together with all Israel, to make him king. It was just as the Lord had said would happen with Israel.

11 A nd this is the number of the mighty men whom David had: Jashobeam, of Hachmoni, the chief of the captains; he lifted up his spear against three hundred slain at one time and killed them.

These are the names of David’s strong men. There was Jashobeam the son of Hachmonite, the head of the thirty. He killed 300 men with his spear at one time.

12 A nd after him was Eleazar, the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, who was one of the three mighties.

Then there was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite. He was one of the three powerful soldiers.

13 H e was with David at Pasdammim, and there the Philistines were gathered together to battle, where there was an inheritance of land full of barley; and as the people fled from before the Philistines,

He was with David at Pasdammim when the Philistines were gathered there to battle, where there was a piece of ground full of grain. And the people ran away from the Philistines.

14 t hey set themselves in the midst of that portion and delivered it and slew the Philistines; and the LORD saved them by a great salvation.

But he and his men stood on the piece of ground and fought for it, and killed the Philistines. The Lord saved them by His great power.

15 N ow three of the thirty principal ones went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam; and the camp of the Philistines was pitched in the valley of Rephaim.

Three of the thirty leaders went down to the rock and into the cave of Adullam where David was staying. The Philistine army was staying in the valley of Rephaim.

16 A nd David was then in the fortress, and the Philistines’ garrison was then at Bethlehem.

David was in a strong-place, while the Philistine soldiers had their place in Bethlehem.

17 A nd David longed and said, Oh, that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, that is at the gate!

David had a strong desire. He said, “O, if only someone would give me water to drink from the well by the gate of Bethlehem!”

18 A nd those three broke through the camp of the Philistines and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate and took it and brought it to David; but David would not drink of it, but poured it out to the LORD,

So the three men broke through the Philistine army. They took water from the well by the gate of Bethlehem, and brought it to David. But David would not drink it. He poured it out to the Lord,

19 a nd said, May God keep me from doing this thing. Shall I drink the blood of these men that have put their lives in jeopardy? For with the jeopardy of their lives they brought it. Therefore, he would not drink it. These things did these three mightiest.

and said, “Far be it from me that I should do this before my God. Should I drink the blood of these men? For they put their lives in danger to bring it.” So he would not drink it. These things are what the three powerful soldiers did.

20 A nd Abishai, the brother of Joab, was chief of three, who had lifted up his spear against three hundred, whom he slew and had a name among the three.

As for Abishai the brother of Joab, he was the head of the thirty. He fought and killed 300 men with his spear. And his name became well-known like the three.

21 O f the three, he obtained the most honour in this second group of three, for he was their prince; however, he did not attain to the first three.

He was the best known of the thirty. But he was not as important as the three.

22 B enaiah, the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man, of great acts, of Kabzeel; he slew two lions of Moab; he also went down and slew a lion in the middle of a pit on a snowy day.

Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a powerful soldier from Kabzeel, did great things. He killed the two sons of Ariel of Moab. He went down and killed a lion inside a deep hole on a day when there was snow.

23 A nd he slew an Egyptian, a man of great stature, five cubits high; and in the Egyptian’s hand was a spear like a weaver’s beam; and he went down to him with a staff and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand and slew him with his own spear.

And he killed an Egyptian who was very tall, five cubits tall. The Egyptian held a spear as big as the cross-piece of a cloth-maker. But Benaiah went down to him with a heavy stick and took the spear from the Egyptian’s hand. Then he killed him with his own spear.

24 T hese things did Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among the three mighties.

These are the things Benaiah the son of Johoiada did. His name was well-known like the three powerful soldiers.

25 H e was the most honoured among the thirty, but did not attain to the first three. And David placed him in his council.

He was respected among the thirty. But he was not as important as the three. David chose him to be the head of his house soldiers.

26 A lso the valiant men of the armies were Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan, the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,

The strong men of the armies were Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,

27 S hammoth of Harori, Helez, the Pelonite,

Shammoth the Harorite, and Helez the Pelonite.

28 I ra, the son of Ikkesh, the Tekoite, Abiezer, the Antothite,

And there were Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Anathothite,

29 S ibbecai, the Hushathite, Ilai, the Ahohite,

Sibbecai the Hushathite, and Ilai the Ahohite.

30 M aharai, the Netophathite, Heled, the son of Baanah, the Netophathite,

There were Maharai the Netophathite, Heled the son of Baanah the Netophathite,

31 I thai, the son of Ribai of Gibeah, that pertained to the sons of Benjamin, Benaiah, the Pirathonite,

Ithai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the sons of Benjamin, and Benaiah the Pirathonite.

32 H urai of the Gaash river, Abiel, the Arbathite,

There were Hurai of the rivers of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite,

33 A zmaveth, the Baharumite, Eliahba, the Shaalbonite,

Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite,

34 t he sons of Hashem, the Gizonite, Jonathan, the son of Shage, the Hararite,

the sons of Hashem the Gizonite. There were Jonathan the son of Shagee the Hararite,

35 A hiam, the son of Sacar, the Hararite, Eliphal, the son of Ur,

Ahiam the son of Sachar the Hararite, Eliphal the son of Ur,

36 H epher, the Mecherathite, Ahijah, the Pelonite,

Hepher the Mecherathite, and Ahijah the Pelonite.

37 H ezro, the Carmelite, Naarai, the son of Ezbai,

There were Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai the son of Ezbai,

38 J oel, the brother of Nathan, Mibhar, the son of Haggeri,

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

39 Z elek, the Ammonite, Naharai, the Berothite, the armourbearer of Joab, the son of Zeruiah,

Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Berothite. Naharai was the one who carried the battle-clothes of Joab the son of Zeruiah.

40 I ra, the Ithrite, Gareb, the Ithrite,

There were Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,

41 U riah, the Hittite, Zabad, the son of Ahlai,

Uriah the Hittite, Zabad the son of Ahlai,

42 A dina, the son of Shiza, the Reubenite, head of the Reubenites, and thirty with him,

and Adina the son of Shiza the Reubenite. Adina was a leader of the Reubenites, and had thirty men with him.

43 H anan, the son of Maachah, and Joshaphat, the Mithnite,

Then there were Hanan the son of Maacah, Joshaphat the Mithnite,

44 U zzia, the Ashterathite, Shama and Jehiel, the sons of Hothan, the Aroerite,

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

45 J ediael, the son of Shimri, and Joha, his brother, the Tizite,

There were Jediael the son of Shimri, his brother Joha the Tizite,

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

Eliel the Mahavite, and Jeribai and Joshaviah the sons of Elnaam. And there were Ithmah the Moabite,

47 E liel, and Obed, and Jasiel the Mesobaite.

Eliel, Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.