The First Book of the Chronicles

⭑ Berean Study Bible :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 11 -

(2 Samuel 5:1–5)

Then all Israel came together to David at Hebron and said, “Here we are, your own flesh and blood.

Even in times past,(a) while Saul was king, you were the one who led Israel out and brought them back. And the LORD your God said, ‘You will shepherd My people Israel, and you will be ruler over them.’”

So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, where David made a covenant with them before the LORD. And they anointed him king over Israel, according to the word of the LORD through Samuel.

David Conquers Jerusalem

(2 Samuel 5:6–11)

Then David and all the Israelites marched to Jerusalem (that is, Jebus), where the Jebusites inhabited the land.

The people of Jebus said to David, “You will never get in here.” Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion (that is, the City of David).

Now David had said, “Whoever is the first to strike down a Jebusite will become chief commander.” And Joab son of Zeruiah went up first, and he became the chief.

So David took up residence in the fortress; that is why it was called the City of David.

He built up the city around it, from the supporting terraces (b) to the surrounding wall, while Joab restored the rest of the city.

And David became greater and greater, for the LORD of Hosts was with him.

David’s Mighty Men

(2 Samuel 23:8–39)

Now these were the chiefs of David’s mighty men, who, together with all Israel, bolstered and strengthened his kingdom, according to the word of the LORD concerning Israel.

This is the list of David’s mighty men: Jashobeam son of Hachmoni was chief of the officers;(c) he wielded his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed at one time.

Next in command was Eleazar son of Dodo

(d)

the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men.

He was with David at Pas-dammim when the Philistines gathered there for battle. At the place with a field full of barley, the troops fled from the Philistines.

But Eleazar and David stationed themselves

(e)

in the middle of the field and defended it. They struck down the Philistines, and the LORD brought about a great victory.

Three of the thirty chief men went down to David, to the rock at the cave of Adullam, while a company of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim.

At that time David was in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was at Bethlehem.

David longed for water and said, “Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!”

So the Three broke through the Philistine camp, drew water from the well at the gate of Bethlehem, and brought it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out to the LORD,

saying, “Far be it from me, my God, to do this! How can I drink the blood of these men who risked their lives?” Because they had brought it at the risk of their lives, David refused to drink it. Such were the exploits of the three mighty men.

Now Abishai, the brother of Joab, was chief of the Three,(f) and he lifted his spear against three hundred men, killed them, and won a name along with the Three.

He was doubly honored above the Three, and he became their commander, even though he was not included among the Three.

And Benaiah son of Jehoiada was a man of valor from Kabzeel, a man of many exploits. He struck down two champions of Moab,(g) and on a snowy day he went down into a pit and killed a lion.

He also killed an Egyptian, a huge man five cubits tall.(h) Although the Egyptian had a spear like a weaver’s beam in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club, snatched the spear from his hand, and killed the Egyptian with his own spear.

These were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada, who won a name alongside the three mighty men.

He was most honored among the Thirty, but he did not become one of the Three. And David appointed him over his guard.

Now these were the mighty men: Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan son of Dodo of Bethlehem,

Shammoth the Harorite,(i) Helez the Pelonite,

Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Anathothite,

Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite,

Maharai the Netophathite, Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite,

Ithai (j) son of Ribai from Gibeah of the Benjamites, Benaiah the Pirathonite,

Hurai (k) from the brooks (l) of Gaash, Abiel (m) the Arbathite,

Azmaveth the Baharumite,(n) Eliahba the Shaalbonite,

the sons of Hashem (o) the Gizonite, Jonathan son of Shagee the Hararite,

Ahiam son of Sachar (p) the Hararite, Eliphal son of Ur,

Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite,

Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai son of Ezbai,

Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar son of Hagri,

Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, the armor-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah,

Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,

Uriah the Hittite, Zabad son of Ahlai,

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

Hanan son of Maacah, Joshaphat the Mithnite,

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

Jediael son of Shimri and his brother Joha the Tizite,

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

Eliel, Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.

Footnotes

(a)11:2 Or For some time

(b)11:8 Hebrew the Millo

(d)11:12 Dodo is a variant of Dodai; see 1 Chronicles 27:4.

(e)11:14 Literally But they stationed themselves

(f)11:20 Hebrew; Syriac the Thirty; also in verse 21

(g)11:22 Or two sons of Ariel of Moab

(h)11:23 5 cubits is approximately 7 feet 6 inches or 229 centimeters tall.

(i)11:27 Shammoth the Harorite is a variant of Shammah the Harodite; see 2 Samuel 23:25.

(j)11:31 Ithai is a variant of Ittai; see 2 Samuel 23:29.

(k)11:32 Hurai is a variant of Hiddai; see 2 Samuel 23:30.

(l)11:32 Or from the ravines

(m)11:32 Abiel is a variant of Abi-albon; see 2 Samuel 23:31.

(n)11:33 Baharumite is a variant of Barhumite; see 2 Samuel 23:31.

(o)11:34 Hashem is a variant of Jashen; see LXX and 2 Samuel 23:32.

(p)11:35 Sachar is a variant of Sharar; see 2 Samuel 23:33.

(2 Samuel 5:1–5)

Then all Israel gathered themselves to David to Hebron, saying, “Behold, we are your bone and your flesh.

In times past, even when Saul was king, it was you who led out and brought in Israel. The LORD your God said to you, ‘You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince over my people Israel.’”

So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the LORD. They anointed David king over Israel, according to the LORD’s word by Samuel.

David Conquers Jerusalem

(2 Samuel 5:6–11)

David and all Israel went to Jerusalem (also called Jebus); and the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, were there.

The inhabitants of Jebus said to David, “You will not come in here!” Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion. The same is David’s city.

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

David lived in the stronghold; therefore they called it David’s city.

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

David grew greater and greater, for the LORD of Armies was with him.

David’s Mighty Men

(2 Samuel 23:8–39)

Now these are the chief of the mighty men whom David had, who showed themselves strong with him in his kingdom, together with all Israel, to make him king, according to the LORD’s word concerning Israel.

This is the number 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 and killed them at one time.

After him was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, who was one of the three mighty men.

He was with David at Pasdammim, and there the Philistines were gathered together to battle, where there was a plot of ground full of barley; and the people fled from before the Philistines.

They stood in the middle of the plot, defended it, and killed the Philistines; and the LORD saved them by a great victory.

Three of the thirty chief men went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam; and the army of the Philistines were encamped in the valley of Rephaim.

David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was in Bethlehem at that time.

David longed, and said, “Oh, that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!”

The three broke through the army of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate, took it, and brought it to David; but David would not drink any of it, but poured it out to the LORD,

and said, “My God forbid me, that I should do this! Shall I drink the blood of these men who have put their lives in jeopardy?” For they risked their lives to bring it. Therefore he would not drink it. The three mighty men did these things.

Abishai, the brother of Joab, was chief of the three; for he lifted up his spear against three hundred and killed them, and had a name among the three.

Of the three, he was more honorable than the two, and was made their captain; however he wasn’t included in the three.

Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done mighty deeds, killed the two sons of Ariel of Moab. He also went down and killed a lion in the middle of a pit on a snowy day.

He killed an Egyptian, a man of great stature, five cubits (a) high. In the Egyptian’s hand was a spear like a weaver’s beam; and he went down to him with a staff, plucked the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with his own spear.

Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did these things and had a name among the three mighty men.

Behold, he was more honorable than the thirty, but he didn’t attain to the three; and David set him over his guard.

The mighty men of the armies also include Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,

Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite,

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

Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite,

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

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

Hurai of the brooks of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite,

Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite,

the sons of Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan the son of Shagee the Hararite,

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

Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite,

Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai the son of Ezbai,

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

Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Berothite (the armor bearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah),

Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,

Uriah the Hittite, Zabad the son of Ahlai,

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

Hanan the son of Maacah, Joshaphat the Mithnite,

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

Jediael the son of Shimri, and Joha his brother, the Tizite,

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

Eliel, Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.

Footnotes

(a)11:23 A cubit is the length from the tip of the middle finger to the elbow on a man’s arm, or about 18 inches or 46 centimeters. Therefore this Egyptian was about 7 feet and 6 inches or 2.28 meters tall.