David Anointed King over All Israel
aThen all Israel gathered to David at Hebron and said, “Behold, we are your bone and your flesh. 2 Previously, even when Saul was king, you were the one who led out and brought in Israel; and Yahweh your God said to you, ‘aYou will shepherd My people Israel, and you will be a ruler over My people Israel.’” 3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and David cut a covenant with them in Hebron before Yahweh; then athey anointed David king over Israel, baccording to the word of Yahweh through Samuel.
David Captures Jerusalem
4 Then David and all Israel went to Jerusalem (athat is, Jebus); and the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, were there. 5 Then the inhabitants of Jebus said to David, “You shall not come in here.” Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion, that is, the city of David. 6 And David said, “Whoever strikes down a Jebusite first shall be chief and commander.” aJoab the son of Zeruiah went up first, so he became chief. 7 Then David lived in the stronghold; therefore it was called the city of David. 8 And he built the city all around, from the Millo even to the surrounding area; and Joab repaired the rest of the city. 9 aAnd David became greater and greater, and Yahweh of hosts was with him.
David’s Mighty Men
10 aNow these are the heads of the mighty men whom David had, who gave him strong support in his kingdom, together with all Israel, to make him king, baccording to the word of Yahweh concerning Israel. 11 These constitute the list of the mighty men whom David had: aJashobeam, the son of a Hachmonite, bthe chief of the thirty; he lifted up his spear against three hundred slain by him at one time.
12 And after him was Eleazar the son of aDodo, the Ahohite, who was one of the three mighty men. 13 He was with David at Pasdammim. aNow the Philistines had gathered together there to battle, and there was a portion of the field full of barley; and the people fled from before the Philistines. 14 But they took their stand in the midst of that portion and delivered it, and struck down the Philistines. So Yahweh saved them by a great salvation.
15 Then three of the thirty chief men went down to the rock to David, to the cave of Adullam, while athe camp of the Philistines was camping in the valley of Rephaim. 16 And David was then in the fortress, while athe garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. 17 Then David had a craving and said, “Oh that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!” 18 So the three broke through the camp of the Philistines and drew water from the well of Bethlehem which was by the gate, and carried it and brought it to David. Nevertheless, David was not willing to drink it, but poured it out to Yahweh; 19 and he said, “Be it far from me before my God that I should do this. Shall I drink the blood of these men who went at the risk of their lives? For at the risk of their lives they brought it.” Therefore he was not willing to drink it. These things the three mighty men did.
20 Now Abshai, the brother of Joab, was chief of the thirty. And he swung his spear against three hundred who were slain by him; and he had a name as well as the thirty. 21 Of the three in the second rank he was the most honored and became their commander; however, he did not attain to the first three.
22 aBenaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, mighty in deeds, struck down the two sons of Ariel of Moab. He also went down and struck down a lion in the midst of a pit on a snowy day. 23 He had also struck down an Egyptian, an impressive man, five cubits tall. Now in the Egyptian’s hand was aa spear like a weaver’s beam, but he went down to him with a club and snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear. 24 These things Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did, and had a name as well as the three mighty men. 25 Behold, he was honored among the thirty, but he did not attain to the three. And David appointed him over his guard.
26 Now the mighty men of the military forces were Asahel the brother of Joab,
Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,
27 Shammoth the Harorite,
Helez the Pelonite,
28 Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,
Abiezer the Anathothite,
29 Sibbecai the Hushathite,
Ilai the Ahohite,
30 Maharai the Netophathite,
Heled the son of Baanah the Netophathite,
31 Ithai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the sons of Benjamin,
Benaiah the Pirathonite,
32 Hurai of the brooks of Gaash,
Abiel the Arbathite,
33 Azmaveth the Baharumite,
Eliahba the Shaalbonite,
34 the sons of Hashem the Gizonite,
Jonathan the son of Shagee the Hararite,
35 Ahiam the son of Sacar the Hararite,
Eliphal the son of Ur,
36 Hepher the Mecherathite,
Ahijah the Pelonite,
37 Hezro the Carmelite,
Naarai the son of Ezbai,
38 Joel the brother of Nathan,
Mibhar the son of Hagri,
39 Zelek the Ammonite,
Naharai the Berothite, the armor bearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah,
40 Ira the Ithrite,
Gareb the Ithrite,
41 Uriah the Hittite,
Zabad the son of Ahlai,
42 Adina the son of Shiza the Reubenite, a chief of the Reubenites, and thirty with him,
43 Hanan the son of Maacah
and Joshaphat the Mithnite,
44 Uzzia the Ashterathite,
Shama and Jeiel the sons of Hotham the Aroerite,
45 Jediael the son of Shimri
and Joha his brother, the Tizite,
46 Eliel the Mahavite
and Jeribai and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam,
and Ithmah the Moabite,
47 Eliel and Obed and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.