1 Chronicles 11

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David anointed King

Then all of Israel gathered to David at Hebron and said, "We are your own flesh and bone. Even when Saul was king, you were the one who led Israel. The Existing One your God told you, 'You will shepherd my people Israel, and you'll be their prince.'" So all of Israel's elders came to King David at Hebron, and they made a covenant with them before front of the Existing One. They anointed David as king over Israel, just like the Existing One's message had said through Samuel.

David takes Jerusalem

David and all of Israel went to Jerusalem which was at that time called Jebus, the city inhabited by the Jebusites. The Jebusites told David, "You can't come in," but David conquered it, the stronghold of Zion and city of David. David said, "Whoever attacks the Jebusites first will become my commander," and Joab (Zeruiah's son) attacked first and became commander. David lived there which is why it became known as the city of David. He built the city from Millo all the way around, and Joab repaired the rest of the city. David's fame increased more and more, because the Existing One of hosts was with him.

David’s mighty warriors

Now these are the leaders of David's warriors, who led the Israelites in supporting David's kingdom just like the Existing One's message had said. These are his warriors:

Jashobeam: a Hachmonite who was leader of the three. He used his spear to kill 300 people in just one fight.

Eleazar: the son of Dodo (the Ahohite). He was with David at Pas-dammim when the Philistines were gathered there for battle. When everyone else was running away from the Philistines in the barley field, Eleazar took his stand and defended the field, killing the Philistines. The Existing One saved them, providing a great victory.

Three of the thirty leaders went to David's rock in the Adullam cave where the Philistine army camped in the Rephaim valley. David was in the city, and the Philistines were at Bethlehem. David longingly said, "I wish someone would bring me water to drink from the well at Bethlehem." Then the three Israelite warriors broke through the Philistine camp and drew water from Bethlehem's well and brought it to David. But David refused to drink it and instead poured it out to the Existing One and said, "May I never do such a thing before my God. How can I drink this when these men risked their lives to get it?" Those were some of the things the three warriors did.

Now Abishai (Joab's brother) was leader of the thirty. He killed 300 men with a spear which gave him a name among the three. He was the most famous of the thirty and became their commander, even though the three were more accomplished.

And Benaiah (Jehoiada's son) was a warrior of Kabzeel and did many great things. He killed two heroes from Moab. He went into a snowy pit and killed a lion. He killed an Egyptian who was seven and a half feet tall. The Egyptian's spear was as thick as a weaver's beam, but Benaiah approached him with just a staff and snatched the spear out of the Egyptian's hand and killed him with his own spear. These are some of the things Benaiah did to win him a name among the three warriors. He was famous among the thirty, but not as accomplished as the three. David appointed him as leader of his bodyguard.

The mighty warriors were

  1. Asahel (Joab's brother)

  2. Elhanan (son of Dodo from Bethlehem)

  3. Shammoth (from Harod)

  4. Helez (the Pelonite)

  5. Ira (son of Ikkesh from Tekoa)

  6. Abiezer (from Anathoth)

  7. Sibbecai (the Hushathite)

  8. Ilai (the Ahohite)

  9. Maharai (from Netophah)

  10. Heled (son of Baanah from Netophah)

  11. Ithai (son of Ribai from Gibeah and the tribe of Benjamin),

  12. Benaiah (from Pirathon)

  13. Hurai (from the Gaash brooks)

  14. Abiel (the Arbathite)

  15. Azmaveth (from Baharum)

  16. Eliahba (the Shaalbonite)

  17. Hashem (the Gizonite)

  18. Jonathan (son of Shagee the Hararite)

  19. Ahiam (son of Sachar the Hararite)

  20. Eliphal (Ur's son)

  21. Hepher (the Mecherathite)

  22. Ahijah (the Pelonite)

  23. Hezro (from Carmel)

  24. Naarai (Ezbai's son)

  25. Joel (Nathan's brother)

  26. Mibhar (Hagri's son)

  27. Zelek (the Ammonite)

  28. Naharai (from Beeroth, the armor-bearer of Joab, Zeruiah’s son)

  29. Ira (the Ithrite)

  30. Gareb (the Ithrite)

  31. Uriah (the Hittite)

  32. Zabad (Ahlai's son)

  33. Adina (son of Shiza the Reubenite. A leader of the Reubenites and thirty with him)

  34. Hanan (Maacah's son)

  35. Joshaphat (the Mithnite)

  36. Uzzia (the Ashterathite)

  37. Shama (son of Hotham the Aroerite)

  38. Jeiel (also son of Hotham the Aroerite)

  39. Jediael (son of Shimri's the Tizite)

  40. Joha (also son of Shimri's the Tizite)

  41. Eliel (the Mahavite)

  42. Jeribai (Elnaam's son)

  43. Joshaviah (also Elnaam's son)

  44. Ithmah (the Moabite)

  45. Eliel

  46. Obed

  47. Jaasiel (the Mezobaite).

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1 Chronicles 10