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

Then all Israel gathered to David at Hebron and said, “Behold, 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; and the Lord your God said to you, ‘ You shall shepherd My people Israel, and you shall be prince 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 elders of Israel came to the king at 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 through Samuel. Jerusalem, Capital City

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

Then David and all Israel went to Jerusalem ( that is, Jebus); and the Jebusites, the inhabitants 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 inhabitants of Jebus said to David, “You shall not enter here.” Nevertheless David captured the stronghold 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 strikes down a Jebusite first shall be chief and commander.” Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first, so he became chief.

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

Then David dwelt in the stronghold; therefore 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 even to the surrounding area; and Joab repaired the rest of the city.

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 hosts was with him. David’s Mighty 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.

Now these are the heads of the mighty men whom David had, who gave him strong support in his kingdom, together with all Israel, to make him king, according to the word of the Lord concerning 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 constitute the list 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 whom he killed at one time.

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

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, 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 together there to battle, and there was a plot of ground full of barley; and the people fled before 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.

They took their stand in the midst of the plot and defended it, and struck down the Philistines; and the Lord saved them by a great victory.

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.

Now three of the thirty chief men went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam, while the army of the Philistines was camping in the valley of Rephaim.

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

David was then in the stronghold, while the garrison of the Philistines was then 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 craving and said, “Oh that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!”

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 broke through the camp of the Philistines and drew water from the well of Bethlehem which was by the gate, and took it and brought it to David; nevertheless David would not drink it, but 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 he said, “Be it far from me before my God that I should do this. Shall I drink the blood of these men who went at the risk of their lives? For at the risk of their lives they brought it.” Therefore he would not drink it. These things the three mighty men 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 Abshai the brother of Joab, he was chief of the thirty, and he swung his spear against three hundred and killed them; and he had a name as well as the thirty.

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.

Of the three in the second rank he was the most honored and became their commander; however, he did not attain to the first 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 valiant man of Kabzeel, mighty in deeds, struck down the two sons of Ariel of Moab. He also went down and killed a lion inside a pit on a snowy day.

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.

He killed an Egyptian, a man of great stature five cubits tall. Now in the Egyptian’s hand was a spear like a weaver’s beam, but he went down to him with a club and snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and 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 things Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did, and had a name as well as the three mighty men.

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.

Behold, he was honored among the thirty, but he did not attain to the three; and David appointed him over his guard.

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

Now the mighty 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, Helez the Pelonite,

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

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

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

Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite,

30 M aharai, 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, that pertained to the sons of Benjamin, Benaiah, the Pirathonite,

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

32 H urai of the Gaash river, 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, Jonathan, the son of Shage, the Hararite,

the sons of Hashem the Gizonite, 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 Sacar the Hararite, Eliphal the son of Ur,

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

Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite,

37 H ezro, 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 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, the armor bearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah,

40 I ra, 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 dina, the son of Shiza, the Reubenite, head of the Reubenites, and thirty with him,

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

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

Hanan the son of Maacah and Joshaphat the Mithnite,

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

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

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

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

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

Eliel and Obed and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.