1    ^noteThen all Israel assembled at Hebron to wait upon David. 2   ‘We are your own flesh and blood’, they said. ‘In the past, while Saul was still king, you led the forces of Israel to war, and you brought them home again. And the Lord your God said to you, “You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, you shall be their prince.”’ 3   All the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron; there David made a covenant with them before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel, as the Lord had said through the lips of Samuel.

4   Then David and all Israel went to Jerusalem (that is Jebus, where the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, lived). 5   The people of Jebus said to David, ‘Never shall you come in here’; none the less David did capture the stronghold of Zion, and it is now known as the City of David. 6   David said, ‘The first man to kill a Jebusite shall become a commander or an officer’, and the first man to go up was Joab son of Zeruiah; so he was given the command.

7   David took up his residence in the stronghold: that is why they called it the City of David. 8   He built the city round it, starting at the Millo and including its neighbourhood, while Joab reconstructed the rest of the city. 9   So David steadily grew stronger, for the Lord of Hosts was with him.

10    ^noteOf David's heroes these were the chief, men who lent their full strength to his government and, with all Israel, joined in making him king; such was the Lord's decree for Israel. 11   First came Jashoboam ^note the Hachmonite, chief of the three; ^note he it was who brandished his spear over three hundred, all slain at one time. 12   Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the heroic three. 13   He was with David at Pas-dammim where the Philistines had gathered for battle in a field carrying a good crop of barley; and when the people had fled from the Philistines he stood his ground ^note in the field, 14   saved it ^note and defeated them. So the Lord brought about a great victory.

David king over Israel

15   Three of the thirty chiefs went down to the rock to join David at the cave of Adullam, while the Philistines were encamped in the Vale of Rephaim. 16   At that time David was in the stronghold, and a Philistine garrison held Bethlehem. 17   One day a longing came over David, and he exclaimed, ‘If only I could have a drink of water from the well ^note by the gate of Bethlehem!’ 18   At this the three made their way through the Philistine lines and drew water from the well by the gate of Bethlehem, and brought it to David. But David refused to drink it; he poured it out to the Lord and said, 19   ‘God forbid that I should do such a thing! Can I drink the blood of these men ^note? They have brought it at the risk of their lives.’ So he would not drink it. Such were the exploits of the heroic three.

20   Abishai the brother of Joab was chief of the thirty. ^noteHe once brandished his spear over three hundred dead, and he was famous among the thirty. ^note 21   He held higher rank than the rest of the thirty ^note and became their captain, but he did not rival the three. 22   Benaiah son of Jehoiada, from Kabzeel, was ^note a hero of many exploits. It was he who smote the two champions of Moab, and who went down into a pit and killed a lion on a snowy day. 23   It was he who also killed the Egyptian, a giant seven and a half feet ^note high armed with a spear as big as the beam of a loom; he went to meet him with a club, snatched the spear out of the Egyptian's hand and killed him with his own weapon. 24   Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada, famous among the heroic thirty. ^note 25   He was more famous than the rest of the thirty, but did not rival the three. David appointed him to his household.

26   These were his valiant heroes: Asahel the brother of Joab, and Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem; 27   Shammoth from Harod, ^note and Helez from a place unknown; 28   Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa, and Abiezer from Anathoth; 29   Sibbecai from Hushah, and Ilai the Ahohite; Maharai from Netophah, and Heled son of Baanah from Netophah; 30    Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah of Benjamin, and Benaiah from Pirathon; 31    Hurai from the ravines of Gaash, and Abiel from Beth-arabah; 32    Azmoth from Bahurim, and Eliahba from Shaalbon; 33    34   Hashem ^note the Gizonite, and Jonathan son of Shage the Hararite; 35   Ahiam son of Sacar the Hararite, and Eliphal son of Ur; 36   Hepher from Mecherah, and Ahijah from a place unknown; 37   Hezro from Carmel, and Naarai son of Ezbai; 38   Joel the brother of Nathan, and Mibhar the son of Haggeri; Zelek the Ammonite, 39   and Naharai from Beeroth, armour-bearer to Joab son of Zeruiah; 40    41   Ira the Ithrite, and Gareb the Ithrite; Uriah the Hittite, and Zabad son of Ahlai. 42   Adina son of Shiza the Reubenite, a chief

David king over Israel of the Reubenites, was over these thirty. ^note 43   Also Hanan son of Maacah, and Joshaphat the Mithnite; 44   Uzzia from Ashtaroth, Shama and Jeiel the sons of Hotham from Aroer; 45   Jediael son of Shimri, and Joha his brother, the Tizite; 46   Eliel the Mahavite, and Jeribai and Joshaviah sons of Elnaam, and Ithmah the Moabite; 47   Eliel, Obed, and Jasiel, from Zobah. ^note

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