1 Chronicles 11 | New International Reader’s Version

New International Reader’s Version

David becomes king over Israel

1 The whole community of Israel came together to see David at Hebron. They said, ‘We are your own flesh and blood. 2 In the past, Saul was our king. But you led the men of Israel in battle. The LORD your God said to you, “You will be the shepherd over my people Israel. You will become their ruler.” ’ 3 All the elders of Israel came to see King David at Hebron. There he made a covenant with them in front of the LORD. They anointed David as king over Israel. It happened just as the LORD had promised through Samuel.

David captures Jerusalem

4 David and all the men of Israel marched to Jerusalem. Jerusalem was also called Jebus. The Jebusites who lived there 5 said to David, ‘You won’t get in here.’ But David captured the fort of Zion. It became known as the City of David. 6 David had said, ‘Anyone who leads the attack against the Jebusites will become the commander of Israel’s army.’ Joab went up first. So he became the commander of the army. He was the son of Zeruiah. 7 David moved into the fort. So it was called the City of David. 8 He built up the city around the fort. He filled in the low places. He built a wall around it. During that time, Joab built up the rest of the city. 9 David became more and more powerful. That’s because the LORD who rules over all was with him.

David’s mighty warriors

10 The chiefs of David’s mighty warriors and the whole community of Israel helped David greatly. They helped him become king over the entire land. That’s exactly what the LORD had promised him. 11 Here is a list of David’s mighty warriors. Jashobeam was chief of the officers. He was a Hakmonite. He used his spear against 300 men. He killed all of them at one time. 12 Next to him was Eleazar. He was one of the three mighty warriors. He was the son of Dodai, the Ahohite. 13 Jashobeam was with David at Pas Dammim. The Philistines had gathered there for battle. Israel’s troops ran away from the Philistines. At the place where that happened, there was a field full of barley. 14 The three mighty warriors took their stand in the middle of the field. They didn’t let the Philistines capture it. They struck them down. The LORD helped them win a great battle. 15 David was near the rock at the cave of Adullam. Three of the 30 chiefs came down to him there. A group of Philistines was camped in the Valley of Rephaim. 16 At that time David was in his usual place of safety. Some Philistine troops were stationed at Bethlehem. 17 David really wanted some water. He said, ‘I wish someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!’ 18 So the three mighty warriors fought their way past the Philistine guards. They got some water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem. They took the water back to David. But David refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out as a drink offering to the LORD. 19 ‘I would never drink that water!’ David said. ‘It would be like drinking the blood of these men. They put their lives in danger by going to Bethlehem.’ The men had put their lives in danger by bringing the water back. So David wouldn’t drink it. Those were some of the brave things the three mighty warriors did. 20 Abishai was chief over the three mighty warriors. He was the brother of Joab. Abishai used his spear against 300 men. He killed all of them. So he became as famous as the three mighty warriors. 21 He was honoured twice as much as the three mighty warriors. He became their commander. But he wasn’t included among them. 22 Benaiah was a great hero from Kabzeel. He was the son of Jehoiada. Benaiah did many brave things. He struck down two of Moab’s best fighting men. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day. He killed a lion there. 23 And Benaiah struck down an Egyptian who was 2.5 metres tall. The Egyptian was holding a spear as big as a weaver’s rod. Benaiah went out to fight against him with a club. He grabbed the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand. Then he killed him with it. 24 Those were some of the brave things Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, did. He too was as famous as the three mighty warriors. 25 He was honoured more than any of the 30 chiefs. But he wasn’t included among the three mighty warriors. And David put him in charge of his own personal guards. 26 Here is a list of David’s mighty warriors. Asahel, the brother of Joab Elhanan, the son of Dodo, from Bethlehem 27 Shammoth, the Harorite Helez, the Pelonite 28 Ira, the son of Ikkesh, from Tekoa Abiezer from Anathoth 29 Sibbekai, the Hushathite Ilai, the Ahohite 30 Maharai from Netophah Heled, the son of Baanah, from Netophah 31 Ithai, the son of Ribai, from Gibeah in Benjamin Benaiah from Pirathon 32 Hurai from the valleys of Gaash Abiel, the Arbathite 33 Azmaveth, the Baharumite Eliahba, the Shaalbonite 34 the sons of Hashem, the Gizonite Jonathan, the son of Shagee, the Hararite 35 Ahiam, the son of Sakar, the Hararite Eliphal, the son of Ur 36 Hepher, the Mekerathite Ahijah, the Pelonite 37 Hezro from Carmel Naarai, the son of Ezbai 38 Joel, the brother of Nathan Mibhar, the son of Hagri 39 Zelek from Ammon Naharai, from Beeroth, who carried the armour of Joab, the son of Zeruiah 40 Ira, the Ithrite Gareb, the Ithrite 41 Uriah, the Hittite Zabad, the son of Ahlai 42 Adina, the son of Shiza, the Reubenite, who was chief of the Reubenites and the 30 men with him 43 Hanan, the son of Maakah Joshaphat, the Mithnite 44 Uzzia, the Ashterathite Shama and Jeiel, the sons of Hotham from Aroer 45 Jediael, the son of Shimri his brother Joha, the Tizite 46 Eliel, the Mahavite Jeribai and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam Ithmah from Moab 47 Eliel Obed Jaasiel, the Mezobaite

English Standard Version

David Anointed King

1 Then all Israel gathered together to David at Hebron and said, “Behold, we are your bone and flesh. (2Sa 5:1; 2Sa 5:6) 2 In times past, even when Saul was king, it was you who led out and brought in Israel. And the Lord your God said to you, ‘You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince over my people Israel.’” (Eze 34:23) 3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord. And they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of the Lord by Samuel. (1Sa 16:1; 1Sa 16:3; 1Sa 16:12; 1Ch 11:10; 1Ch 12:23)

1Sa 16:11Sa 16:31Sa 16:121Ch 11:101Ch 12:23

David Takes Jerusalem

4 And David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, that is, Jebus, where the Jebusites were, the inhabitants of the land. (Jos 15:8; Jud 1:21) 5 The inhabitants of Jebus said to David, “You will not come in here.” Nevertheless, David took the stronghold of Zion, that is, the city of David. 6 David said, “Whoever strikes the Jebusites first shall be chief and commander.” And Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first, so he became chief. (2Sa 8:16) 7 And David lived in the stronghold; therefore it was called the city of David. 8 And he built the city all around from the Millo in complete circuit, and Joab repaired the rest of the city. 9 And David became greater and greater, for the Lord of hosts was with him. (Es 9:4)

David’s Mighty Men

10 Now these are the chiefs of David’s mighty men, 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. (2Sa 23:8; 1Ch 11:3) 11 This is an account of David’s mighty men: Jashobeam, a Hachmonite, was chief of the three.^[1] He wielded his spear against 300 whom he killed at one time. (2Sa 23:8; 1Ch 12:18) 12 And next to him among the three mighty men was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite. (1Ch 27:4) 13 He was with David at Pas-dammim when the Philistines were gathered there for battle. There was a plot of ground full of barley, and the men fled from the Philistines. (2Sa 23:11) 14 But he took his^[2] stand in the midst of the plot and defended it and killed the Philistines. And the Lord saved them by a great victory. 15 Three of the thirty chief men went down to the rock to David at the cave of Adullam, when the army of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. (1Ch 14:8) 16 David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then at Bethlehem. (1Sa 10:5) 17 And David said longingly, “Oh that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem that is by the gate!” 18 Then the three mighty men 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 it. He poured it out to the Lord 19 and said, “Far be it from me before my God that I should do this. Shall I drink the lifeblood of these men? For at the risk of their lives they brought it.” Therefore he would not drink it. These things did the three mighty men. 20 Now Abishai, the brother of Joab, was chief of the thirty.^[3] And he wielded his spear against 300 men and killed them and won a name beside the three. 21 He was the most renowned^[4] of the thirty^[5] and became their commander, but he did not attain to the three. 22 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was a valiant man^[6] of Kabzeel, a doer of great deeds. He struck down two heroes of Moab. He also went down and struck down a lion in a pit on a day when snow had fallen. 23 And he struck down an Egyptian, a man of great stature, five cubits^[7] tall. The Egyptian had in his hand a spear like a weaver’s beam, but Benaiah went down to him with a staff and snatched the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear. (1Sa 17:7) 24 These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada and won a name beside the three mighty men. 25 He was renowned among the thirty, but he did not attain to the three. And David set him over his bodyguard. 26 The mighty men were Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, (1Ch 27:7) 27 Shammoth of Harod,^[8] Helez the Pelonite, 28 Ira the son of Ikkesh of Tekoa, Abiezer of Anathoth, 29 Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite, 30 Maharai of Netophah, Heled the son of Baanah of Netophah, 31 Ithai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the people of Benjamin, Benaiah of Pirathon, 32 Hurai of the brooks of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite, 33 Azmaveth of Baharum, Eliahba the Shaalbonite, 34 Hashem^[9] the Gizonite, Jonathan the son of Shagee the Hararite, 35 Ahiam the son of Sachar the Hararite, Eliphal the son of Ur, 36 Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite, 37 Hezro of Carmel, Naarai the son of Ezbai, 38 Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar the son of Hagri, (1Ch 5:10) 39 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai of Beeroth, the armor-bearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah, 40 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, 41 Uriah the Hittite, Zabad the son of Ahlai, (1Ch 2:36) 42 Adina the son of Shiza the Reubenite, a leader of the Reubenites, and thirty with him, 43 Hanan the son of Maacah, and Joshaphat the Mithnite, 44 Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jeiel the sons of Hotham the Aroerite, 45 Jediael the son of Shimri, and Joha his brother, the Tizite, 46 Eliel the Mahavite, and Jeribai, and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam, and Ithmah the Moabite, 47 Eliel, and Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.