1 Chronicles 11

1All Israel gathered themselves to David at Hebron, saying, “See, we are your bone and your flesh.”

2Even formerly, even when Saul was king, you led Israel out and brought it in, and Yahweh your God said to you, "You shall shepherd my people Israel, and you shall be ruler over my people Israel."

3All the elders of Israel came to the king in Hebron, and David made a covenant with them in Hebron before Yahweh, and they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of Yahweh through Samuel.

4David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, which is Jebus; there dwelt the Jebusites, the land's inhabitants.

5The inhabitants of Jebus said to David, "You shall not come here." Yet David captured the stronghold of Zion; it is the city of David.

6David said, “Whoever strikes the Jebusites first shall be chief and captain.” Joab son of Zeruiah went up first and became chief.

7David dwelt in the stronghold, so they called it the city of David.

8He built the city all around, from Millo all around, and Joab repaired the rest of the city.

9David advanced, becoming greater and greater, for Yahweh of hosts was with him.

10These were the captains of the mighty men who stood with David, strengthening themselves alongside him in his kingdom with all Israel to install him as king, according to Yahweh's word concerning Israel.

11This is the tally of David's mighty men: Jashobeam, Hachmoni's son, chief of the thirty captains; he brandished his spear against three hundred and slew them in one encounter.

12After him was Eleazar son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three champions.

13He was with David at Pasdammim, and there the Philistines assembled for battle, where a plot of the field stood full of barley, and the people fled before the Philistines.

14They took their stand in the middle of the field, rescued it, and struck down the Philistines, and Yahweh brought great deliverance.

15Three of the thirty chiefs went down to the rock to David, to the cave of Adullam, and the Philistine army camped in the valley of Rephaim.

16David was then in the stronghold, and the Philistine garrison was then in Bethlehem.

17David longed and said, "Who will give me a drink of water from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!"

18The three broke through the Philistines' camp, drew water from Bethlehem's well by the gate, carried it to David—but he refused to drink it and poured it out to Yahweh.

19He said, "Far be it from me before my God to do this! Shall I drink the blood of these men at the risk of their lives, since they brought it by risking their lives?" Therefore he refused to drink it. These things the three champions did.

20Abishai, Joab's brother, was chief of the three; he brandished his spear against three hundred and struck them down, and won renown among the three.

21Among the three he was more honored than the two and became their captain, but he did not attain the three.

22Benaiah son of Jehoiada, son of a valiant man from Kabzeel who had done many great deeds—he struck down two lionlike men of Moab; he also went down and struck down a lion in the middle of a pit on a day of snow.

23He killed an Egyptian, a man five cubits tall, who had a spear like a weaver's beam in his hand; he went down to him with a staff, snatched the spear from the Egyptian's hand, and killed him with his own spear.

24Benaiah son of Jehoiada did these things and gained renown among the three champions.

25Indeed, he was more honored than the thirty, but he did not reach the three, and David put him in charge of his guard.

26The champions of the armies: Asahel, Joab's brother, Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem.

27Shamoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite,

28Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Anathothite

29Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite.

30Maharai the Netophathite, Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite.

31Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah of Benjamin's sons, Benaiah the Pirathonite,

32Hurai from Gaash's brooks, Abiel the Arbathite

33Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite

34Sons of Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan son of Shage the Hararite

35Ahiam son of Sacar the Hararite, Eliphal son of Ur.

36Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite.

37Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai son of Ezbai

38Joel, Nathan's brother, Mibhar, Hagri's son.

39Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Berothite, the weapons bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah.

40Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite

41Uriah the Hittite, Zabad son of Ahlai

42Adina son of Shiza the Reubenite, head of the Reubenites, and thirty with him.

43Hanan son of Maacah, and Joshaphat the Mithnite.

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

45Jediael, Shimri's son, and Joha his brother, the Tizite.

46Eliel the Mahavite, Jeribai and Joshaviah sons of Elnaam, Ithmah the Moabite.

47Eliel, Obed, and Jaasiel the Mesobaite.