1 A nd gathered are all Israel unto David to Hebron, saying, `Lo, thy bone and thy flesh we;

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

2 e ven in time past, even in Saul's being king, it is thou who art taking out and bringing in Israel, and Jehovah thy God saith to thee: Thou dost feed My people Israel, and thou art leader 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 A nd all the elders of Israel come in unto the king to Hebron, and David maketh with them a covenant in Hebron before Jehovah, and they anoint David for king over Israel, according to the word of Jehovah 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 A nd David goeth, and all Israel, to Jerusalem -- it Jebus -- and there the Jebusite, the inhabitants of the 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 say to David, `Thou dost not come in hither;' and David captureth the fortress of Zion -- it 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 saith, `Whoever smiteth the Jebusite first doth become head and prince;' and go up first doth Joab son of Zeruiah and becometh 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 dwelleth in the fortress, therefore they have called it, `City of David;'

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

8 a nd he buildeth the city round about, from Millo, and unto the circumference, and Joab restoreth 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 A nd David goeth, going on and becoming great, and Jehovah of Hosts with him.

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

10 A nd these heads of the mighty ones whom David hath, who are strengthening themselves with him in his kingdom, with all Israel, to cause him to reign, according to the word of Jehovah, over Israel.

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 an account of the mighty ones whom David hath: Jashobeam son of a Hachmonite head of the thirty; he is lifting up his spear against three hundred -- wounded, at one time.

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 Eleazar son of Dodo the Ahohite, he among the three mighty;

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

13 h e hath been with David in Pas-Dammim, and the Philistines have been gathered there to battle, and a portion of the field is full of barley, and the people have fled from the face of 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 a nd they station themselves in the midst of the portion, and deliver it, and smite the Philistines, and Jehovah saveth -- 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 A nd three of the thirty heads go down on the rock unto David, unto the cave of Adullam, and the host of the Philistines is encamping 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 then in the fortress, and the station of the Philistines then in Beth-Lehem,

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

17 a nd David longeth, and saith, `Who doth give me to drink water from the well of Beth-Lehem, that 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 the three break through the camp of the Philistines, and draw water from the well of Beth-Lehem, that at the gate, and bear and bring in unto David, and David hath not been willing to drink it, and poureth it out to Jehovah,

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 saith, `Far be it from me, by my God, to do this; the blood of these men do I drink with their lives? for with their lives they have brought it;' and he was not willing to drink it; these did the three mighty ones.

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 brother of Joab, he hath been head of the three: and he is lifting up his spear against three hundred -- wounded, and hath a name among 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 by the two he is honoured, and becometh their head; and unto the three he hath not come.

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

22 B enaiah son of Jehoiada, son of a man of valour, of great deeds, from Kabzeel: he hath smitten the two lion-like Moabites, and he hath gone down and smitten the lion in the midst of the pit, in the day of snow.

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 hath smitten the man, the Egyptian -- a man of measure, five by the cubit -- and in the hand of the Egyptian a spear like a beam of weavers, and he goeth down unto him with a rod, and taketh violently away the spear out of the hand of the Egyptian, and slayeth 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 hath Benaiah son of Jehoiada done, and hath a name among the three mighty ones.

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

25 O f the thirty, lo, he honoured, and unto the three he hath not come, and David setteth him over his guard.

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 nd the mighty ones of the forces Asahel brother of Joab, Elhanan son of Dodo of Beth-Lehem,

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

27 S hammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite,

Shammoth the Harorite, and Helez the Pelonite.

28 I ra son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abi-Ezer the Annethothite,

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 son of Baanah the Netophathite,

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

31 I thai son of Ribai of Gibeah, of 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 brooks of Gaash, 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 son of Shage the Hararite,

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

35 A hiam son of Sacar the Hararite, Eliphal 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 ezor the Carmelite, Naarai son of Ezbai,

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

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

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

39 Z elek the Ammonite, Naharai the Berothite, bearer of the weapons of Joab 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 son of Ahlai,

Uriah the Hittite, Zabad the son of Ahlai,

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

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

43 H anan 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 sons of Hothan the Aroerite,

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

45 J ediael 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, 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 Jaasiel the Mesobaite.

Eliel, Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.