New Living Translation

English Standard Version

David Becomes King of All Israel

Then all Israel gathered before David at Hebron and told him, “We are your own flesh and blood.

1

David Anointed King

Then all Israel gathered together to David at Hebron and said, “Behold, we are your bone and flesh.

2

In the past,a even when Saul was king, you were the one who really led the forces of Israel. And the LORD your God told you, ‘You will be the shepherd of my people Israel. You will be the leader of my people Israel.’”

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.’”

3

So there at Hebron, David made a covenant before the LORD with all the elders of Israel. And they anointed him king of Israel, just as the LORD had promised through Samuel.

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.

4

David Captures Jerusalem

Then David and all Israel went to Jerusalem (or Jebus, as it used to be called), where the Jebusites, the original inhabitants of the land, were living.

4

David Takes Jerusalem

And David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, that is, Jebus, where the Jebusites were, the inhabitants of the land.

5

The people of Jebus taunted David, saying, “You’ll never get in here!” But David captured the fortress of Zion, which is now called the City of David.

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.

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David had said to his troops, “Whoever is first to attack the Jebusites will become the commander of my armies!” And Joab, the son of David’s sister Zeruiah, was first to attack, so he became the commander of David’s armies.

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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.

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David made the fortress his home, and that is why it is called the City of David.

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And David lived in the stronghold; therefore it was called the city of David.

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He extended the city from the supporting terracesb to the surrounding area, while Joab rebuilt the rest of Jerusalem.

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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 more and more powerful, because the LORD of Heaven’s Armies was with him.

9

And David became greater and greater, for the Lord of hosts was with him.

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David’s Mightiest Warriors

These are the leaders of David’s mighty warriors. Together with all Israel, they decided to make David their king, just as the LORD had promised concerning Israel.

10

David’s Mighty Men

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.

11

Here is the record of David’s mightiest warriors: The first was Jashobeam the Hacmonite, who was leader of the Three — the mightiest warriors among David’s men.c He once used his spear to kill 300 enemy warriors in a single battle.

11

This is an account of David’s mighty men: Jashobeam, a Hachmonite, was chief of the three.a He wielded his spear against 300 whom he killed at one time.

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Next in rank among the Three was Eleazar son of Dodai,d a descendant of Ahoah.

12

And next to him among the three mighty men was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite.

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He was with David when the Philistines gathered for battle at Pas-dammim and attacked the Israelites in a field full of barley. The Israelite army fled,

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.

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but Eleazar and Davide held their ground in the middle of the field and beat back the Philistines. So the LORD saved them by giving them a great victory.

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But he took hisb stand in the midst of the plot and defended it and killed the Philistines. And the Lord saved them by a great victory.

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Once when David was at the rock near the cave of Adullam, the Philistine army was camped in the valley of Rephaim. The Three (who were among the Thirty — an elite group among David’s fighting men) went down to meet him there.

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.

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David was staying in the stronghold at the time, and a Philistine detachment had occupied the town of Bethlehem.

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

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David remarked longingly to his men, “Oh, how I would love some of that good water from the well by the gate in Bethlehem.”

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

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So the Three broke through the Philistine lines, drew some water from the well by the gate in Bethlehem, and brought it back to David. But David refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out as an offering to the LORD.

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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

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“God forbid that I should drink this!” he exclaimed. “This water is as precious as the blood of these menf who risked their lives to bring it to me.” So David did not drink it. These are examples of the exploits of the Three.

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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

David’s Thirty Mighty Men

Abishai, the brother of Joab, was the leader of the Thirty.g He once used his spear to kill 300 enemy warriors in a single battle. It was by such feats that he became as famous as the Three.

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Now Abishai, the brother of Joab, was chief of the thirty.c And he wielded his spear against 300 men and killed them and won a name beside the three.

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Abishai was the most famous of the Thirty and was their commander, though he was not one of the Three.

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He was the most renownedd of the thirtye and became their commander, but he did not attain to the three.

22

There was also Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant warrior from Kabzeel. He did many heroic deeds, which included killing two championsh of Moab. Another time, on a snowy day, he chased a lion down into a pit and killed it.

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And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was a valiant manf 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.

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Once, armed only with a club, he killed an Egyptian warrior who was 7 1/2 feeti tall and who was armed with a spear as thick as a weaver’s beam. Benaiah wrenched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with it.

23

And he struck down an Egyptian, a man of great stature, five cubitsg 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.

24

Deeds like these made Benaiah as famous as the three mightiest warriors.

24

These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada and won a name beside the three mighty men.

25

He was more honored than the other members of the Thirty, though he was not one of the Three. And David made him captain of his bodyguard.

25

He was renowned among the thirty, but he did not attain to the three. And David set him over his bodyguard.

26

David’s mighty warriors also included:
Asahel, Joab’s brother;
Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem;

26

The mighty men were Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,

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Shammah from Harod;j
Helez from Pelon;

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Shammoth of Harod,h Helez the Pelonite,

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Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa;
Abiezer from Anathoth;

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Ira the son of Ikkesh of Tekoa, Abiezer of Anathoth,

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Sibbecai from Hushah;
Zalmonk from Ahoah;

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Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite,

30

Maharai from Netophah;
Heled son of Baanah from Netophah;

30

Maharai of Netophah, Heled the son of Baanah of Netophah,

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Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah (in the land of Benjamin);
Benaiah from Pirathon;

31

Ithai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the people of Benjamin, Benaiah of Pirathon,

32

Hurai from near Nahale-gaashl;
Abi-albonm from Arabah;

32

Hurai of the brooks of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite,

33

Azmaveth from Bahurimn;
Eliahba from Shaalbon;

33

Azmaveth of Baharum, Eliahba the Shaalbonite,

34

the sons of Jasheno from Gizon;
Jonathan son of Shagee from Harar;

34

Hashemi the Gizonite, Jonathan the son of Shagee the Hararite,

35

Ahiam son of Shararp from Harar;
Eliphal son of Ur;

35

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

36

Hepher from Mekerah;
Ahijah from Pelon;

36

Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite,

37

Hezro from Carmel;
Paaraiq son of Ezbai;

37

Hezro of Carmel, Naarai the son of Ezbai,

38

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

38

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

39

Zelek from Ammon;
Naharai from Beeroth, the armor bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah;

39

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

40

Ira from Jattir;
Gareb from Jattir;

40

Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,

41

Uriah the Hittite;
Zabad son of Ahlai;

41

Uriah the Hittite, Zabad the son of Ahlai,

42

Adina son of Shiza, the Reubenite leader who had thirty men with him;

42

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

43

Hanan son of Maacah;
Joshaphat from Mithna;

43

Hanan the son of Maacah, and Joshaphat the Mithnite,

44

Uzzia from Ashtaroth;
Shama and Jeiel, the sons of Hotham, from Aroer;

44

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

45

Jediael son of Shimri;
Joha, his brother, from Tiz;

45

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

46

Eliel from Mahavah;
Jeribai and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam;
Ithmah from Moab;

46

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

47

Eliel and Obed;
Jaasiel from Zobah.r

47

Eliel, and Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.

Parallel

New Living Translation

English Standard Version

1 Chronicles 11

1 Chronicles 11