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1 Chronicles 11 :: New International Version (NIV)

David Becomes King Over Israel

1Ch 11:1All Israel came together to David at Hebron and said, “We are your own flesh and blood.
1Ch 11:2In 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.’ ”
1Ch 11:3When 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

1Ch 11:4David and all the Israelites marched to Jerusalem (that is, Jebus). The Jebusites who lived there
1Ch 11:5said to David, “You will not get in here.” Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion—which is the City of David.
1Ch 11:6David 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.
1Ch 11:7David then took up residence in the fortress, and so it was called the City of David.
1Ch 11:8He built up the city around it, from the terraces[fn] to the surrounding wall, while Joab restored the rest of the city.
1Ch 11:9And David became more and more powerful, because the LORD Almighty was with him.

David’s Mighty Warriors

1Ch 11:10These 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—
1Ch 11:11this is the list of David’s mighty warriors: Jashobeam,[fn] a Hakmonite, was chief of the officers[fn]; he raised his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed in one encounter.
1Ch 11:12Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite, one of the three mighty warriors.
1Ch 11:13He 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.
1Ch 11:14But 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.
1Ch 11:15Three 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.
1Ch 11:16At that time David was in the stronghold, and the Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem.
1Ch 11:17David longed for water and said, “Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!”
1Ch 11:18So 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.
1Ch 11:19“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.
1Ch 11:20Abishai 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.
1Ch 11:21He was doubly honored above the Three and became their commander, even though he was not included among them.
1Ch 11:22Benaiah 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.
1Ch 11:23And he struck down an Egyptian who was five cubits[fn] 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.
1Ch 11:24Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada; he too was as famous as the three mighty warriors.
1Ch 11:25He 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.
1Ch 11:26The mighty warriors were: Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem,
1Ch 11:27Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite,
1Ch 11:28Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa, Abiezer from Anathoth,
1Ch 11:29Sibbekai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite,
1Ch 11:30Maharai the Netophathite, Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite,
1Ch 11:31Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin, Benaiah the Pirathonite,
1Ch 11:32Hurai from the ravines of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite,
1Ch 11:33Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite,
1Ch 11:34the sons of Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan son of Shagee the Hararite,
1Ch 11:35Ahiam son of Sakar the Hararite, Eliphal son of Ur,
1Ch 11:36Hepher the Mekerathite, Ahijah the Pelonite,
1Ch 11:37Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai son of Ezbai,
1Ch 11:38Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar son of Hagri,
1Ch 11:39Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Berothite, the armor-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah,
1Ch 11:40Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,
1Ch 11:41Uriah the Hittite, Zabad son of Ahlai,
1Ch 11:42Adina son of Shiza the Reubenite, who was chief of the Reubenites, and the thirty with him,
1Ch 11:43Hanan son of Maakah, Joshaphat the Mithnite,
1Ch 11:44Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jeiel the sons of Hotham the Aroerite,
1Ch 11:45Jediael son of Shimri, his brother Joha the Tizite,
1Ch 11:46Eliel the Mahavite, Jeribai and Joshaviah the sons of Elnaam, Ithmah the Moabite,
1Ch 11:47Eliel, Obed and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.
NIV Footnotes
Or the Millo
Possibly a variant of Jashob-Baal
Or Thirty; some Septuagint manuscripts Three (see also 2 Samuel 23:8)
That is, about 7 feet 6 inches or about 2.3 meters
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1 Chronicles Chapter 11 — Additional Translations: