Dual Panel1ALL Israel assembled and came to David at Hebron. “We are your own flesh and blood,” they said.
2“In the past, while Saul was still king, it was you that led the forces of Israel on their campaigns. To you the LORD your God said, ‘You are to be shepherd of my people Israel; you are to be their prince.’”
3The elders of Israel all 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.
4David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, that is Jebus, where the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the region, lived.
5The people of Jebus said to David, “You will never come in here”; none the less David did capture the stronghold of Zion, and it is now known as the City of David.
6David had said, “The first man to kill a Jebusite will become a commander or an officer,” and the first man to go up was Joab son of Zeruiah; so he was given the command.
7David took up his residence in the stronghold: that is why it was called the City of David.
8He built the city around it: David started at the Millo and included its neighbourhood, while Joab reconstructed the rest of the city.
9David steadily grew more and more powerful, for the LORD of Hosts was with him.
10These were the chief of David's heroes, 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.
11First came Jashobeam the Hachmonite, chief of the three; it was he who brandished his spear over three hundred, all slain at one time.
12Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the heroic three.
13He was with David at Pas-dammim where the Philistines had gathered for battle in a field carrying a good crop of barley. When the people had fled from the Philistines
14he stood his ground in the field, defended it, and defeated them. So the LORD brought about a great victory.
15Three of the thirty chiefs went down to the rock to join David at the cave of Adullam, while the Philistines were encamped in the valley of Rephaim.
16David was then in the stronghold, and a Philistine garrison held Bethlehem.
17One day David exclaimed with longing, “If only I could have a drink of water from the well by the gate at Bethlehem!”
18At 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 he refused to drink it; he poured it out to the LORD,
19saying, “God forbid that I should do such a thing! Can I drink the blood of these men? They have brought it at the risk of their lives.” So he would not drink it. Such were the exploits of the heroic three.
20Abishai the brother of Joab was chief of the thirty; he it was who brandished his spear over three hundred dead. He was famous among the thirty.
21He surpassed in reputation the rest of the thirty; he became their captain, but he did not rival the three.
22Benaiah son of Jehoiada, from Kabzeel, was a hero of many exploits. It was he who slew the two champions of Moab, and who once went down into a pit and killed a lion on a snowy day.
23He also killed an Egyptian, a giant seven and a half feet high armed with a spear as big as the beam of a loom. Benaiah went to meet him with a club, wrested the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and killed him with his own weapon.
24Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada, famous among the heroic thirty.
25He was more famous than the rest of the thirty, but he did not rival the three. David appointed him to his household.
26These were his valiant heroes: Asahel the brother of Joab; Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem;
27Shammoth from Harod; Helez from a place unknown;
28Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa; Abiezer from Anathoth;
29Sibbechai from Hushah; Ilai the Ahohite;
30Maharai from Netophah; Heled son of Baanah from Netophah;
31Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah of Benjamin; Benaiah from Pirathon;
32Hurai from the wadis of Gaash; Abiel from Beth-arabah;
33Azmoth from Bahurim; Eliahba from Shaalbon;
34Hashem the Gizonite; Jonathan son of Shage the Hararite;
35Ahiam son of Sacar the Hararite; Eliphal son of Ur;
36Hepher from Mecherah; Ahijah from a place unknown;
37Hezro from Carmel; Naarai son of Ezbai;
38Joel brother of Nathan; Mibhar son of Hageri;
39Zelek the Ammonite; Naharai from Beroth, armour-bearer to Joab son of Zeruiah;
40Ira the Ithrite; Gareb the Ithrite;
41Uriah the Hittite; Zabad son of Ahlai.
42Adina son of Shiza the Reubenite, a chief of the Reubenites, was over these thirty.
43Also Hanan son of Maacah, and Joshaphat the Mithnite;
44Uzzia from Ashtaroth, Shama and Jeiel the sons of Hotham from Aroer;
45Jediael son of Shimri, and his brother Joha the Tizite;
46Eliel the Mahavite, and Jeribai and Joshaviah sons of Elnaam, and Ithmah the Moabite;
47Eliel and Obed, and Jaasiel from Zobah.