1 Chronicles 11
1 All Israel gathered around David at Hebron and said, “Look, we are your own flesh and blood.
2 Even in the past, when Saul was king, you were the one who led Israel out and brought them back. And the LORD your God said to you, ‘You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will be leader over my people Israel.’”
3 All the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and David made a covenant with them there before the LORD. Then they anointed David king over Israel, as the LORD had spoken through Samuel.
4 David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, that is, Jebus, where the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, were living.
5 The inhabitants of Jebus said to David, “You will not get in here.” But David captured the stronghold of Zion, which is the City of David.
6 David said, “Whoever strikes the Jebusites first will become commander and chief.” Joab son of Zeruiah went up first and became chief.
7 David lived in the stronghold, and that is why they called it the City of David.
8 He built up the city all around, from the Millo to the surrounding area, and Joab rebuilt the rest of the city.
9 David grew greater and greater, and the LORD of Armies was with him.
10 These were the chiefs of David’s warriors, who firmly supported him in his kingdom, together with all Israel, to make him king, as the LORD had spoken concerning Israel.
11 This is the number of David’s warriors: Jashobeam son of a Hachmonite, chief of the officers. He wielded his spear against three hundred, whom he killed at one time.
12 Next was Eleazar son of Dodo the Ahohite. He was one of the three warriors.
13 He was with David at Pas-dammim, where the Philistines had gathered for battle. There was a field plot full of barley, and the people fled from the Philistines.
14 But they took their stand in the middle of that plot, defended it, and struck down the Philistines. The LORD brought about a great victory.
15 Three of the thirty chiefs went down to the rock, to David at the cave of Adullam, while the Philistine camp was set up in the Valley of Rephaim.
16 David was then in the stronghold, and the Philistine garrison was then at Bethlehem.
17 David expressed a longing and said, “Who will bring me a drink of water from the well at Bethlehem, by the gate?”
18 So the three broke through the Philistine camp, drew water from the well at Bethlehem by the gate, took it, and brought it to David. But David refused to drink it and poured it out to the LORD.
19 He said, “Far be it from me, before my God, to do this! Should I drink the blood of these men, bought at the cost of their lives? They brought it at the cost of their lives.” So he refused to drink it. These are the things the three warriors did.
20 Abishai, Joab’s brother, was chief of the three. He wielded his spear against three hundred, whom he killed, and he became renowned among the three.
21 Of the three, he was the most honored of the two and became their commander, but he did not attain to the three.
22 Benaiah son of Jehoiada, son of a valiant man from Kabzeel, was a man of great exploits. He struck down the two Ariel of Moab, and he went down and struck down a lion inside a pit on a snowy day.
23 He struck down an Egyptian, a man five cubits tall. The Egyptian had a spear in his hand like a weaver’s beam, but Benaiah went down to him with a staff, snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with his own spear.
24 These were the things Benaiah son of Jehoiada did, and he became renowned among the three warriors.
25 Among the thirty, he was the most honored, but he did not attain to the three. David put him in charge of his personal guard.
26 The mighty warriors were Asahel, Joab’s brother; Elhanan son of Dodo, from Bethlehem;
27 Shammoth the Harorite; Helez the Pelonite;
28 Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite; Abiezer the Anathothite;
29 Sibbecai the Hushathite; Ilai the Ahohite;
30 Maharai the Netophathite; Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite;
31 Ithai son of Ribai, from Gibeah of the Benjaminites; Benaiah the Pirathonite;
32 Hurai from the ravines of Gaash; Abiel the Arbathite;
33 Azmaveth the Baharumite; Eliaba the Shaalbonite;
34 the sons of Hashem the Gizonite; Jonathan son of Shagee the Hararite;
35 Ahiam son of Sacar the Hararite; Eliphal son of Ur;
36 Hepher the Mecherathite; Ahijah the Pelonite;
37 Hezro the Carmelite; Naarai son of Ezbai;
38 Joel, Nathan’s brother; Mibhar son of Hagri;
39 Zelek the Ammonite; Naharai the Beerothite, Joab son of Zeruiah’s armor-bearer;
40 Ira the Ithrite; Gareb the Ithrite;
41 Uriah the Hittite; Zabad son of Ahlai;
42 Adina son of Shiza the Reubenite, chief of the Reubenites, and with him thirty men;
43 Hanan son of Maacah; Jehoshaphat the Mithnite;
44 Uzzia the Ashterathite; Shama and Jeiel, sons of Hotham the Aroerite;
45 Jediael son of Shimri, and his brother Joha the Tizite;
46 Eliel the Mahavite; Jeribai and Joshaviah, sons of Elnaam; and Ithmah the Moabite;
47 Eliel, Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.
Read and listen to this chapter in the Shalem app, free: narration, chapter video and reading progress. Get the app