David is anointed king
1 All the people of Israel went to David at Hebron ¡°Look, we are your own
flesh and blood.
2 Even when Saul was our king, you led Israel in battle; and Yahweh your God
said to you, ¡®You are the man who shall be shepherd of my people Israel and
shall be ruler over them.¡¯¡±
3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and David made a
covenant with them at Hebron in the presence of Yahweh, and he became king
of Israel, just as Yah weh had promised through Samuel.
4 David with all the Israelites attacked Jerusalem (that is to say, Jebus);
there lived the Jebusites.
5 They said to David, ¡°You will not get in here.¡± But David captured the
fortress of Zion, and it became the City of David.
6 David said, ¡°The first man to attack the Jebusites shall become leader and
commander of the army.¡± Joab son of Zeruiah attacked first and became
commander.
7 David went to live in the fortress, and because of this it was called the
City of David.
8 He then built a wall around the city, and the Millo as well as the
surrounding wall, while Joab restored the rest of the city.
9 David grew greater and greater, and Yahweh Sabaoth was with him.
David¡¯s champions
10 These are the famous warriors of David, those who during his rule strug
gled with him and with all Israel, to make him king as Yahweh had promised.
11 This is the list of David¡¯s warriors: Jashobeam the Hachmonite, leader of
the Thirty; one day he wielded his battle-ax against three hundred whom he
killed at one time.
12 After him there was Eleazar son of Dodo, the Ahohite, one of the three
cham pions.
13 He was with David at Pasdam mim where the Philistines had gathered to
attack. There was a field full of barley there. When the Israelites started
to run away,
14 Eleazar took a stand in the middle of the field, defended it and fought
the Philistines. So Yahweh brought about a great victory.
15 The Thirty leading soldiers went down to David at the rock near the Cave
of Adullam while a company of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of the
Rephaim.
16 David was then on a fortified hill, and a group of Philistines had
occupied Beth lehem.
17 David sighed, ¡°Oh, if someone would fetch me a drink of water from the
well by the gate of Bethlehem!¡±
18 At this The Three, forcing their way through the Philistine camp, drew
water from the well by the gate of Bethlehem and, bringing it away,
presented it to David. But David would drink none of it and poured it out as
an offering to Yahweh.
19 ¡°God keep me,¡± he said, ¡°from doing this! Am I to drink the blood of
these men? For at the risk of their lives they brought it.¡± And so he would
not drink it. Such were the deeds of The Three.
20 Abishai, the brother of Joab, was leader of The Thirty. He fought with
his spear against three hundred whom he killed, winning himself a name among
The Thirty.
21 He was the most famous of The Thirty and became their captain, but he was
not as famous as The Three.
22 Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a hero from Kabzeel, did many brave deeds; he
killed the two Ariels of Moab. One snowy day, he went down and killed the
lion in a pit.
23 He also killed an Egyptian, a huge man seven and a half feet tall. The
Egyptian had a gigantic spear in his hand, but Benaiah attacked him with a
club, snatched the spear from the Egyptian¡¯s hand and killed the man with
it.
24 Such were the deeds of Benaiah son of Jehoi ada, winning him a name among
the thirty leading soldiers.
25 He was famous among The Thirty, but he was not as famous as The Three.
David put him in command of his bodyguard.
26 The other valiant warriors were: Asahel the brother of Joab. Elhanan son
of Dodo, from Bethlehem.
27 Sham moth from Harod, Helez the Pelonite.
28 Ira son of Ikkesh, from Tekoa. Ab iezer from Anathoth.
29 Sibbecai from Hushah. Ilai from Ahoh.
30 Maharai from Netophah. Heled son of Baanah, from Netophah.
31 Ithai son of Ribai, from Gibeah of Ben jamin. Benaiah from Pirathon.
32 Hurai from the valleys near Gaash. Abiel from Bethhaarabah.
33 Azmaveth from Ba ha rum. Eliahba from Shaalbon.
34 Bene hashem from Gizon. Jonathan son of Shagee, from Harar.
35 Ahiam son of Sachar, from Harar. Eliphelet son of Ur.
36 Hepher from Mecherah. Ahijah the Pelonite.
37 Hezro from Carmel. Naarai son of Ezbai.
38 Joel the brother of Nathan. Mibhar son of Hagri.
39 Zelek the Ammonite. Naharai from Beeroth, armor bearer to Joab son of
Zeruiah.
40 Ira from Jattir. Gareb from Jattir.
41 Uriah the Hittite. Zabad son of Ahlai.
42 Adina son of Shiza (a leading member of the tribe of Reuben, with his own
group of thirty soldiers).
43 Hanan son of Maacah. Joshaphat the Mithnite.
44 Uzzia from Ashte roth. Shama and Jeiel, sons of Hotham the Aroerite.
45 Jediaelson of Shimri, and Joha his brother, the Tizite.
46 Eliel the Mahavite. Jeribai and Josha viah, sons of Elnaam. Ithmah the
Moabite.
47 Eliel, Obed, and Jaasiel from Zoba.