1 Chronicles 11

11 ¹ Then all Israel gathered to David at Hebron, saying, "Look, we are your bone and flesh." ² Even before, while Saul was king, you led Israel out and back. Your Father told you, 'You will shepherd my people Israel; you will be ruler over my people Israel.'"

³ All Israel's elders 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, as our Father had said through Samuel.

David Takes Zion: The City of David

⁴ David and all Israel went to Jerusalem (that is, Jebus), where the Jebusites, its residents, lived. ⁵ Jebus's people told David, "You won't enter here." But David took the stronghold of Zion — the city of David. ⁶ David said, "Whoever strikes the Jebusites first becomes head and commander." Joab son of Zeruiah went up first and became head. ⁷ David then settled in the stronghold; that is why it was called the city of David. ⁸ He built the city all around, from the Millo to the encircling wall, while Joab restored the rest of the city. ^a a 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, with all Israel, to make him king, by our Father's word concerning Israel. ¹¹ These are David's mighty chiefs: Jashobeam, a Hachmonite, head of the Three, raised his spear against three hundred, killed at once. ¹² After him, Eleazar son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty warriors. ¹³ He was with David at Pas-dammim when Philistines gathered there for battle, in a field full of barley; the people fled from the Philistines, ¹⁴ But they stood their ground in the middle of the field, defended it, and struck the Philistines; our Father saved them with a great victory.

¹⁵ Three of the thirty top warriors went down to David at the rock by Adullam's cave, while a Philistine unit camped in the Rephaim Valley. ¹⁶ At that time David was in the stronghold, and a Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem. ¹⁷ David craved water: "If only someone would get me a drink from Bethlehem's well by the gate!"

¹⁸ The three broke through the Philistine camp, drew water from Bethlehem's well by the gate, and brought it to David. But he wouldn't drink it—he poured it out to our Father, ¹⁹ He said, "May my Father forbid it! Should I drink the blood of men who risked their lives to bring it?" So he refused. These were the deeds of the three warriors.

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 Most honored of the Thirty, he became their commander—yet not one of the Three.

²² Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant man from Kabzeel, did great deeds: he struck down two of Moab's mightiest, and went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion. ²³ He also killed an Egyptian about seven and a half feet tall, who had a spear like a weaver's beam. Benaiah went at him with a club, tore the spear from the Egyptian's hand, and killed him with it. ^b b v23 A weaver's beam was the heavy wooden roller in a loom — used here to picture an exceptionally thick spear shaft. ²⁴ These were Benaiah son of Jehoiada's deeds; he gained a name among the three mighty men. ²⁵ He was honored above the Thirty, but not among the Three. David put him in charge of his own guard.

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.