11All the people of Israel went to David at Hebron and said to him, “We are your own flesh and blood. ²In the past, even when Saul was still our king, you led the people of Israel in battle, and the Lord your God promised you that you would lead his people and be their ruler.” ³So all the leaders of Israel came to King David at Hebron. He made a sacred alliance with them, they anointed him, and he became king of Israel, just as the Lord had promised through Samuel.

⁴^*King David and all the Israelites went and attacked the city of Jerusalem. It was then known as Jebus, and the Jebusites, the original inhabitants of the land, were still living there. ⁵The Jebusites told David he would never get inside the city, but David captured their fortress of Zion, and it became known as “David’s City”. ⁶David said, “The first man to kill a Jebusite will be commander of the army!” Joab, whose mother was Zeruiah, led the attack and became commander. ⁷Because David went to live in the fortress, it came to be called “David’s City”. ⁸He rebuilt the city, starting at the place where land was filled in on the east side of the hill, and Joab restored the rest of the city. ⁹David grew stronger and stronger, because the Lord Almighty was with him.

David’s Famous Soldiers

¹⁰This is the list of David’s famous soldiers. Together with the rest of the people of Israel, they helped him to become king, as the Lord had promised, and they kept his kingdom strong.

¹¹First was Jashobeam of the clan of Hachmon, the leader of “The Three”.^f He fought with his spear against 300 men and killed them all in one battle. ¹²Next among the famous “Three” was Eleazar son of Dodo, of the clan of Ahoh. ¹³He fought on David’s side against the Philistines at the battle of Pas Dammim. He was in a barley field when the Israelites started to run away, ¹⁴so he and his men made a stand in the middle of the field and fought the Philistines. The Lord gave him a great victory.

¹⁵One day three of the 30 leading soldiers went to a rock where David was staying near the cave of Adullam, while a band of Philistines was camping in the Valley of Rephaim. ¹⁶At that time David was on a fortified hill, and a group of Philistines had occupied Bethlehem. ¹⁷David got homesick and said, “How I wish someone would bring me a drink of water from the well by the gate in Bethlehem!” ¹⁸The three famous soldiers forced their way through the Philistine camp, drew some water from the well, and brought it back to David. But he would not drink it; instead he poured it out as an offering to the Lord ¹⁹and said, “I could never drink this! It would be like drinking the blood of these men who risked their lives!” So he refused to drink it. These were the brave deeds of the three famous soldiers.

²⁰Joab’s brother Abishai was the leader of “The Famous Thirty”.^g He fought with his spear against 300 men and killed them, and became famous among “The Thirty”.^h ²¹He was the most famous of “The Thirty”ⁱ and became their leader, but he was not as famous as “The Three”.

²²Benaiah son of Jehoiada from Kabzeel was a famous soldier; he did many brave deeds, including killing two great Moabite warriors. He once went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion. ²³He also killed an Egyptian, a huge man over 2 metres tall, who was armed with a gigantic spear. Benaiah attacked him with a club, snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with it. ²⁴Those were the brave deeds of Benaiah, who was one of “The Thirty”.^j ²⁵He was outstanding among “The Thirty”, but not as famous as “The Three”. David put him in charge of his bodyguard.

²⁶These are the other outstanding soldiers:

Asahel, Joab’s brother;

Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem;

²⁷Shammoth from Harod;

Helez from Pelet;

²⁸Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa;

Abiezer from Anathoth;

²⁹Sibbecai from Hushah;

Ilai from Ahoh;

³⁰Maharai from Netophah;

Heled son of Baanah from Netophah;

³¹Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin;

Benaiah from Pirathon;

³²Hurai from the valleys near Gaash;

Abiel from Arbah;

³³Azmaveth from Bahurum;

Eliahba from Shaalbon;

³⁴Hashem^k from Gizon;

Jonathan son of Shagee from Harar;

³⁵Ahiam son of Sachar from Harar;

Eliphal son of Ur;

³⁶Hepher from Mecherah;

Ahijah from Pelon;

³⁷Hezro from Carmel;

Naarai son of Ezbai;

³⁸Joel brother of Nathan;

Mibhar son of Hagri;

³⁹Zelek from Ammon;

Naharai, Joab’s armour-bearer, from Beeroth;

⁴⁰Ira and Gareb from Jattir;

⁴¹Uriah the Hittite;

Zabad son of Ahlai;

⁴²Adina son of Shiza (a leading member of the tribe of Reuben, with his own group of 30 soldiers);

⁴³Hanan son of Maacah;

Joshaphat from Mithan;

⁴⁴Uzzia from Ashterah;

Shamma and Jeiel, sons of Hotham, from Aroer;

⁴⁵Jediael and Joha, sons of Shimri, from Tiz;

⁴⁶Eliel from Mahavah;

Jeribai and Joshaviah, sons of Elnaam;

Ithmah from Moab;

⁴⁷Eliel, Obed, and Jaasiel from Zobah.^l

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Footnotes

fOne ancient translation (see also 2 Sam 23:8) “The Three”; Hebrew “The Thirty”.
gOne ancient translation Thirty; Hebrew Three.
hOne ancient translation (see also 2 Sam 23:18) “The Thirty”; Hebrew “The Three”.
iProbable text (see 2 Sam 23:19) most famous of “The Thirty”; Hebrew unclear.
jProbable text “The Thirty”; Hebrew “The Three”.
kProbable text Hashem; Hebrew the sons of Hashem.
lProbable text from Zobah; Hebrew unclear.

Cross references

*11.4: Js 15:63; Jg 1:21