11:1 All Israel joined David at Hebron and said, “Look, we are your very flesh and blood!1 11:2 In the past, even when Saul was king, you were Israel’s general.2 The LORD your God said to you, ‘You will shepherd my people; you will rule over my people Israel.’“ 11:3 When all the leaders3 of Israel came to the king at Hebron, David made an agreement4 with them in Hebron before the LORD, and they designated5 him king over Israel, just as the LORD had announced through Samuel.6
David Conquers Jerusalem11:4 David and all Israel went to Jerusalem (that is, Jebus). (The Jebusites who lived in the land dwelt there.)7 11:5 The residents of Jebus said to David, “You cannot invade this place!” But David captured the fortress of Zion (that is, the City of David). 11:68 David said, “Whoever attacks9 the Jebusites first will become general;10 so Joab son of Zeruiah attacked11 first and become commander.12 11:7 David lived in the fortress; for this reason it is called the City of David. 11:8 He built up the city around it, from the terrace to the surrounding walls;13 Joab restored the rest of the city. 11:9 David’s power steadily grew, for the LORD who leads armies was with him.14
David’s Warriors11:10 These were the leaders of David’s warriors who helped establish and stabilize his rule over all Israel, in accordance with the LORD’s word.15 11:11 This is the list of David’s warriors:16
Jashobeam, a Hacmonite, was head of the officers.17 He killed 300 men with his spear in a single battle.18
11:12 Next in command19 was Eleazar son of Dodo the Achochite. He was one of the three elite warriors. 11:13 He was with David in Pas Dammim20 when the Philistines assembled there for battle. In an area of the field that was full of barley, the army retreated before the Philistines, 11:14 but then they made a stand in the middle of that area. They defended it21 and defeated the Philistines; the LORD gave them a great victory.22
11:15 Three of the 30 leaders went down to David at the rocky cliff at the cave of Adullam, while a Philistine force was camped in the Valley of Rephaim. 11:16 David was in the stronghold, while a Philistine garrison was in Bethlehem. 11:17 David was thirsty and said, “How I wish someone would give me some water to drink23 from the cistern in Bethlehem near the gate!” 11:18 So the three elite warriors broke through the Philistine forces and drew some water from the cistern in Bethlehem near the gate. They carried it back to David, but David refused to drink it. He poured it out as a drink offering to the LORD, 11:19 and said, “God forbid that I should do this!24 Should I drink the blood of these men who risked their lives?”25 Because they risked their lives26 to bring it to him, he refused to drink it. Such were the exploits of the three elite warriors.27
11:20 Abishai the brother of Joab was head of the three elite warriors. He killed 300 men with his spear,28 and gained fame among the three elite warriors.29 11:21 From30 the three he was given double honor and he became their officer, even though he was not one of them.
11:22 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was a brave warrior from Kabzeel who performed great exploits. He struck down the two sons of Ariel of Moab;31 he also went down and killed a lion in the middle of a cistern on a snowy day. 11:23 He even killed an Egyptian who was seven and a half feet32 tall. The Egyptian had a spear as big as the cross beam of a weaver’s loom; Benaiah attacked33 him with a club. He grabbed the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear. 11:24 Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada, who gained fame among the three elite warriors. 11:25 He received honor from34 the thirty warriors, though he was not one of the three elite warriors. David put him in charge of his bodyguard.
11:26 The mighty warriors were:
Asahel, the brother of Joab,
Elchanan son of Dodo, from Bethlehem,
Helez the Pelonite,
11:28 Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoaite,
Abiezer the Anathothite,
11:29 Sabbechai the Hushathite,
Ilai the Achochite,
11:30 Maharai the Netophathite,
Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite,
11:31 Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjaminite territory,
Benaiah the Pirathonite,
11:32 Hurai from the valleys of Gaash,
Abiel the Arbathite,
11:33 Azmaveth the Bacharumite,
Eliachba the Shaalbonite,
11:34 the sons of Hashem the Gizonite,
Jonathan son of Shageh the Hararite,
11:35 Achiam son of Sachar the Hararite,
Eliphal son of Ur,
Achijah the Pelonite,
Naarai son of Ezbai,
11:38 Joel the brother of Nathan,
Mibchar son of Hagri,
Naharai the Berothite, the armor-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah,
Gareb the Ithrite,
Zabad son of Achli,
11:42 Adina son of Shiza the Reubenite, leader of the Reubenites and the thirty warriors,
Joshaphat the Mithnite,
11:44 Uzijah the Ashterathite,
Shama and Jeiel, the sons of Hotham the Aroerite,
and Jocha his brother, the Tizite,
and Jeribai and Joshaviah, the sons of Elinaam,
and Ithmah the Moabite,
and Obed,