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

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

2 I n 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.’”

In times past, even when Saul was king, it was thou that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and Jehovah thy God said unto thee, Thou shalt be shepherd of my people Israel, and thou shalt be prince over my people Israel.

3 S o 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.

So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and David made a covenant with them in Hebron before Jehovah; and they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of Jehovah by Samuel.

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

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

5 T he 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).

And the inhabitants of Jebus said to David, Thou shalt not come in hither. Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion; the same is the city of David.

6 N ow 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.

And David said, Whosoever smiteth the Jebusites first shall be chief and captain. And Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first, and was made chief.

7 T hen David lived in the strong-place. So it was called the city of David.

And David dwelt in the stronghold; therefore they called it the city of David.

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

And he built the city round about, from Millo even round about; and Joab repaired the rest of the city.

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

And David waxed greater and greater; for Jehovah of hosts was with him.

10 T hese 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.

Now these are the chief of the mighty men whom David had, who showed themselves strong with him in his kingdom, together with all Israel, to make him king, according to the word of Jehovah concerning Israel.

11 T hese 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.

And this is the number of the mighty men whom David had: Jashobeam, the son of a Hachmonite, the chief of the thirty; he lifted up his spear against three hundred and slew them at one time.

12 T hen there was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite. He was one of the three powerful soldiers.

And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, who was one of the three mighty men.

13 H e 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.

He was with David at Pasdammim, and there the Philistines were gathered together to battle, where was a plot of ground full of barley; and the people fled from before the Philistines.

14 B ut 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.

And they stood in the midst of the plot, and defended it, and slew the Philistines; and Jehovah saved them by a great victory.

15 T hree 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.

And three of the thirty chief men went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam; and the host of the Philistines were encamped in the valley of Rephaim.

16 D avid was in a strong-place, while the Philistine soldiers had their place in Bethlehem.

And David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Beth-lehem.

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

And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me water to drink of the well of Beth-lehem, which is by the gate!

18 S o 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,

And the three brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Beth-lehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: but David would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto Jehovah,

19 a nd 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.

and said, My God forbid it me, that I should do this: 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 the three mighty men.

20 A s 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.

And Abishai, the brother of Joab, he was chief of the three; for he lifted up his spear against three hundred and slew them, and had a name among the three.

21 H e was the best known of the thirty. But he was not as important as the three.

Of the three, he was more honorable than the two, and was made their captain: howbeit he attained not to the first three.

22 B enaiah 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.

Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done mighty deeds, he slew the two sons of Ariel of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow.

23 A nd 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.

And 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.

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

These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had a name among the three mighty men.

25 H e 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.

Behold, he was more honorable than the thirty, but he attained not to the first three: and David set him over his guard.

26 T he strong men of the armies were Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,

Also the mighty men of the armies: Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Beth-lehem,

27 S hammoth the Harorite, and Helez the Pelonite.

Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite,

28 A nd there were Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Anathothite,

Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Anathothite,

29 S ibbecai the Hushathite, and Ilai the Ahohite.

Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite,

30 T here were Maharai the Netophathite, Heled the son of Baanah the Netophathite,

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

31 I thai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the sons of Benjamin, and Benaiah the Pirathonite.

Ithai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin, Benaiah the Pirathonite,

32 T here were Hurai of the rivers of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite,

Hurai of the brooks 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. There were Jonathan the son of Shagee the Hararite,

the sons of Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan the son of Shagee the Hararite,

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

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

36 H epher the Mecherathite, and Ahijah the Pelonite.

Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite,

37 T here were Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai the son of Ezbai,

Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai the son of Ezbai,

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

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

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

Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Berothite, the armorbearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah,

40 T here were Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,

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

Adina the son of Shiza the Reubenite, a chief of the Reubenites, and thirty with him,

43 T hen there were Hanan the son of Maacah, Joshaphat the Mithnite,

Hanan the son of Maacah, and Joshaphat the Mithnite,

44 U zzia the Ashterathite, and Shama and Jeiel the sons of Hotham the Aroerite.

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

45 T here were Jediael the son of Shimri, his brother Joha the Tizite,

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

46 E liel the Mahavite, and Jeribai and Joshaviah the sons of Elnaam. And there were Ithmah the Moabite,

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

47 E liel, Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.

Eliel, and Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.