1 Chronicles 11 – NIV & NIRV

New International Version

1 Chronicles 11:1-47

David Becomes King Over Israel

1All Israel came together to David at Hebron and said, “We are your own flesh and blood. 2In the past, even while Saul was king, you were the one who led Israel on their military campaigns. And the Lord your God said to you, ‘You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will become their ruler.’ ”

3When all the elders of Israel had come to King David at Hebron, he made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel, as the Lord had promised through Samuel.

David Conquers Jerusalem

4David and all the Israelites marched to Jerusalem (that is, Jebus). The Jebusites who lived there 5said to David, “You will not get in here.” Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion—which is the City of David.

6David had said, “Whoever leads the attack on the Jebusites will become commander in chief.” Joab son of Zeruiah went up first, and so he received the command.

7David then took up residence in the fortress, and so it was called the City of David. 8He built up the city around it, from the terraces11:8 Or the Millo to the surrounding wall, while Joab restored the rest of the city. 9And David became more and more powerful, because the Lord Almighty was with him.

David’s Mighty Warriors

10These were the chiefs of David’s mighty warriors—they, together with all Israel, gave his kingship strong support to extend it over the whole land, as the Lord had promised— 11this is the list of David’s mighty warriors:

Jashobeam,11:11 Possibly a variant of Jashob-Baal a Hakmonite, was chief of the officers11:11 Or Thirty; some Septuagint manuscripts Three (see also 2 Samuel 23:8); he raised his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed in one encounter.

12Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite, one of the three mighty warriors. 13He was with David at Pas Dammim when the Philistines gathered there for battle. At a place where there was a field full of barley, the troops fled from the Philistines. 14But they took their stand in the middle of the field. They defended it and struck the Philistines down, and the Lord brought about a great victory.

15Three of the thirty chiefs came down to David to the rock at the cave of Adullam, while a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. 16At that time David was in the stronghold, and the Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem. 17David longed for water and said, “Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!” 18So the Three broke through the Philistine lines, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem and carried it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out to the Lord. 19“God forbid that I should do this!” he said. “Should I drink the blood of these men who went at the risk of their lives?” Because they risked their lives to bring it back, David would not drink it.

Such were the exploits of the three mighty warriors.

20Abishai the brother of Joab was chief of the Three. He raised his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed, and so he became as famous as the Three. 21He was doubly honored above the Three and became their commander, even though he was not included among them.

22Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant fighter from Kabzeel, performed great exploits. He struck down Moab’s two mightiest warriors. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion. 23And he struck down an Egyptian who was five cubits11:23 That is, about 7 feet 6 inches or about 2.3 meters tall. Although the Egyptian had a spear like a weaver’s rod in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club. He snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear. 24Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada; he too was as famous as the three mighty warriors. 25He was held in greater honor than any of the Thirty, but he was not included among the Three. And David put him in charge of his bodyguard.

26The mighty warriors were:

Asahel the brother of Joab,

Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem,

27Shammoth the Harorite,

Helez the Pelonite,

28Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa,

Abiezer from Anathoth,

29Sibbekai the Hushathite,

Ilai the Ahohite,

30Maharai the Netophathite,

Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite,

31Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin,

Benaiah the Pirathonite,

32Hurai from the ravines of Gaash,

Abiel the Arbathite,

33Azmaveth the Baharumite,

Eliahba the Shaalbonite,

34the sons of Hashem the Gizonite,

Jonathan son of Shagee the Hararite,

35Ahiam son of Sakar the Hararite,

Eliphal son of Ur,

36Hepher the Mekerathite,

Ahijah the Pelonite,

37Hezro the Carmelite,

Naarai son of Ezbai,

38Joel the brother of Nathan,

Mibhar son of Hagri,

39Zelek the Ammonite,

Naharai the Berothite, the armor-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah,

40Ira the Ithrite,

Gareb the Ithrite,

41Uriah the Hittite,

Zabad son of Ahlai,

42Adina son of Shiza the Reubenite, who was chief of the Reubenites, and the thirty with him,

43Hanan son of Maakah,

Joshaphat the Mithnite,

44Uzzia the Ashterathite,

Shama and Jeiel the sons of Hotham the Aroerite,

45Jediael son of Shimri,

his brother Joha the Tizite,

46Eliel the Mahavite,

Jeribai and Joshaviah the sons of Elnaam,

Ithmah the Moabite,

47Eliel, Obed and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.

New International Reader’s Version

1 Chronicles 11:1-47

David Becomes King Over Israel

1The whole community of Israel came together to see David at Hebron. They said, “We are your own flesh and blood. 2In the past, Saul was our king. But you led the men of Israel in battle. The Lord your God said to you, ‘You will be the shepherd over my people Israel. You will become their ruler.’ ”

3All the elders of Israel came to see King David at Hebron. There he made a covenant with them in front of the Lord. They anointed David as king over Israel. It happened just as the Lord had promised through Samuel.

David Captures Jerusalem

4David and all the men of Israel marched to Jerusalem. Jerusalem was also called Jebus. The Jebusites who lived there 5said to David, “You won’t get in here.” But David captured the fort of Zion. It became known as the City of David.

6David had said, “Anyone who leads the attack against the Jebusites will become the commander of Israel’s army.” Joab went up first. So he became the commander of the army. He was the son of Zeruiah.

7David moved into the fort. So it was called the City of David. 8He built up the city around the fort. He filled in the low places. He built a wall around it. During that time, Joab built up the rest of the city. 9David became more and more powerful. That’s because the Lord who rules over all was with him.

David’s Mighty Warriors

10The chiefs of David’s mighty warriors and the whole community of Israel helped David greatly. They helped him become king over the entire land. That’s exactly what the Lord had promised him. 11Here is a list of David’s mighty warriors.

Jashobeam was chief of the officers. He was a Hakmonite. He used his spear against 300 men. He killed all of them at one time.

12Next to him was Eleazar. He was one of the three mighty warriors. He was the son of Dodai, the Ahohite. 13Jashobeam was with David at Pas Dammim. The Philistines had gathered there for battle. Israel’s troops ran away from the Philistines. At the place where that happened, there was a field full of barley. 14The three mighty warriors took their stand in the middle of the field. They didn’t let the Philistines capture it. They struck them down. The Lord helped them win a great battle.

15David was near the rock at the cave of Adullam. Three of the 30 chiefs came down to him there. A group of Philistines was camped in the Valley of Rephaim. 16At that time David was in his usual place of safety. Some Philistine troops were stationed at Bethlehem. 17David really wanted some water. He said, “I wish someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!” 18So the three mighty warriors fought their way past the Philistine guards. They got some water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem. They took the water back to David. But David refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out as a drink offering to the Lord. 19“I would never drink that water!” David said. “It would be like drinking the blood of these men. They put their lives in danger by going to Bethlehem.” The men had put their lives in danger by bringing the water back. So David wouldn’t drink it.

Those were some of the brave things the three mighty warriors did.

20Abishai was chief over the three mighty warriors. He was the brother of Joab. Abishai used his spear against 300 men. He killed all of them. So he became as famous as the three mighty warriors. 21He was honored twice as much as the three mighty warriors. He became their commander. But he wasn’t included among them.

22Benaiah was a great hero from Kabzeel. He was the son of Jehoiada. Benaiah did many brave things. He struck down two of Moab’s best fighting men. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day. He killed a lion there. 23And Benaiah struck down an Egyptian who was seven and a half feet tall. The Egyptian was holding a spear as big as a weaver’s rod. Benaiah went out to fight against him with a club. He grabbed the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand. Then he killed him with it. 24Those were some of the brave things Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, did. He too was as famous as the three mighty warriors. 25He was honored more than any of the 30 chiefs. But he wasn’t included among the three mighty warriors. And David put him in charge of his own personal guards.

26Here is a list of David’s mighty warriors.

Asahel, the brother of Joab

Elhanan, the son of Dodo, from Bethlehem

27Shammoth, the Harorite

Helez, the Pelonite

28Ira, the son of Ikkesh, from Tekoa

Abiezer from Anathoth

29Sibbekai, the Hushathite

Ilai, the Ahohite

30Maharai from Netophah

Heled, the son of Baanah, from Netophah

31Ithai, the son of Ribai, from Gibeah in Benjamin

Benaiah from Pirathon

32Hurai from the valleys of Gaash

Abiel, the Arbathite

33Azmaveth, the Baharumite

Eliahba, the Shaalbonite

34the sons of Hashem, the Gizonite

Jonathan, the son of Shagee, the Hararite

35Ahiam, the son of Sakar, the Hararite

Eliphal, the son of Ur

36Hepher, the Mekerathite

Ahijah, the Pelonite

37Hezro from Carmel

Naarai, the son of Ezbai

38Joel, the brother of Nathan

Mibhar, the son of Hagri

39Zelek from Ammon

Naharai, from Beeroth, who carried the armor of Joab, the son of Zeruiah

40Ira, the Ithrite

Gareb, the Ithrite

41Uriah, the Hittite

Zabad, the son of Ahlai

42Adina, the son of Shiza, the Reubenite, who was chief of the Reubenites and the 30 men with him

43Hanan, the son of Maakah

Joshaphat, the Mithnite

44Uzzia, the Ashterathite

Shama and Jeiel, the sons of Hotham from Aroer

45Jediael, the son of Shimri

his brother Joha, the Tizite

46Eliel, the Mahavite

Jeribai and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam

Ithmah from Moab

47Eliel

Obed

Jaasiel, the Mezobaite