All Israel Unites to Anoint David King
11 1 Then all Israel gathered to David at Hebron and said, "Look, we are your own bone and flesh. 2 In times past, even while Saul was king, it was you who led Israel out and brought them home. And your Father said to you, 'You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will be ruler over my people Israel.'"
3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and David made a covenant with them at Hebron before our Father. Then they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of our Father spoken through Samuel.
David Takes Zion: The City of David
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 never get in here." But David captured the stronghold of Zion, that is, the city of David.
6 David had said, "Whoever strikes down the Jebusites first will become chief and commander." Joab son of Zeruiah went up first, so he became chief.
7 David then settled in the stronghold; that is why it was called the city of David. 8 He built up the city all around, from the Millo to the surrounding wall, while Joab restored the rest of the city. 1 1 v8 The Millo was a terraced fill structure built into the eastern slope of Jerusalem to expand and support the city. 9 And David became more and more powerful, for the Father of heaven's armies was with him.
The Mighty Men Who Stood with David
10 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 our Father concerning Israel.
11 This is the list of David's mighty men: Jashobeam, a Hachmonite, was chief of the Three. He used his spear to kill three hundred men in a single encounter.
12 Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodo, the Ahohite. He was one of the three mighty men. 13 He was with David at Pas-dammim when the Philistines gathered there for battle. There was a field full of barley, and the people fled from the Philistines; 14 but they took their stand in the middle of the field, defended it, and struck down the Philistines, and our Father saved them with a great victory.
15 Three of the thirty chief men came down to David at the rock near the cave of Adullam, while a band of Philistines was camped in the Valley of Rephaim. 16 At that time David was in the stronghold, and a Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem. 17 David longed for water and said, "Oh, if only someone would bring me water from the well by the gate of Bethlehem!"
18 So the three broke through the Philistine camp, drew water from the well by the gate of Bethlehem, and carried it back to David. But he would not drink it; instead he poured it out to our Father, 19 and said, "May my Father forbid that I should do this! Should I drink the blood of these men who risked their lives? For they brought it at the risk of their lives." So he would not drink it. Such were the deeds of the three mighty men.
20 Abishai the brother of Joab was chief of the Thirty. He used his spear to kill three hundred men, and he made a name for himself among the Three. 21 He was the most honored of the Thirty and became their commander, but he was not one of the Three.
22 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done great deeds. He struck down two of Moab's mightiest warriors, and he went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion. 23 He also struck down an Egyptian, a man of great size, about seven and a half feet tall. The Egyptian had a spear like a weaver's beam in his hand, yet Benaiah went against him with a club, snatched the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and killed him with his own spear. 2 2 v23 A weaver's beam was the heavy wooden roller in a loom — used here to picture an exceptionally thick spear shaft. 24 Such were the deeds of Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he made a name for himself among the three mighty men. 25 He was honored above the Thirty, but he was not one of the Three. And David put him in charge of his bodyguard.
26 The mighty warriors were: Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan son of Dodo of Bethlehem,
27 Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite, 28 Ira son of Ikkesh of Tekoa, Abiezer of Anathoth, 29 Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite, 30 Maharai of Netophah, Heled son of Baanah of Netophah, 31 Ithai son of Ribai of Gibeah of the Benjaminites, Benaiah of Pirathon, 32 Hurai of the brooks of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite, 33 Azmaveth of Baharum, Eliahba the Shaalbonite, 34 the sons of Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan son of Shagee the Hararite, 35 Ahiam son of Sachar the Hararite, Eliphal son of Ur, 36 Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite, 37 Hezro of Carmel, Naarai son of Ezbai, 38 Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar son of Hagri, 39 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai of Beeroth, the armor-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah, 40 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, 41 Uriah the Hittite, Zabad son of Ahlai, 42 Adina son of Shiza the Reubenite, a leader of the Reubenites, and thirty with him, 43 Hanan son of Maacah, Joshaphat the Mithnite, 44 Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jeiel the sons of Hotham the Aroerite, 45 Jediael son of Shimri, and Joha his brother, the Tizite, 46 Eliel the Mahavite, Jeribai and Joshaviah the sons of Elnaam, Ithmah the Moabite, 47 Eliel, Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.