The Death of Saul and His Sons

10 Now the Philistines fought against Israel, and every Israelite fled away from before the Philistines. And they fell slain upon Mount Gilboa. 2 And the Philistines ⌊overtook⌋a Saul and his sons. And the Philistines killed Jonathan, Abinadab, and Malki-Shua, the sons of Saul. 3 And the battle was heavy against Saul, and the ⌊archers⌋b found him, and he was wounded by the ⌊archers⌋.c 4 And Saul said to his armor-bearer, “Draw your sword and thrust me through with it, lest these uncircumcised come and deal harshly with me.” But his armor-bearer was not willing, because he was very afraid. Then Saul took the sword and fell upon it. 5 When his armor-bearer saw that Saul was dead, he also fell upon the sword, and he died. 6 So Saul died. And his three sons and all his house died together. 7 And when all the men of Israel who were in the valley saw that theyd had fled and that Saul and his sons were dead, they abandoned their cities and fled. Then the Philistines came and dwelled in them. 8 And it happened that on the next day when the Philistines came to strip the dead, they found Saul and his sons fallen on Mount Gilboa. 9 And they stripped him and took his head and his weapons, and they sent them throughout the land of the Philistines to bring news to their idols and the nation. 10 And they put his weapons in the temple of their gods, and they fastened his skull to the temple of Dagon. 11 When all Jabesh-Gilead heard all that the Philistines had done to Saul, 12 every strong man arose and took the dead body of Saul and the dead bodies of his sons and brought them to Jabesh. And they buried their bones under the oak in Jabesh and fasted seven days. 13 So Saul died on account of his sin which he had sinned against Yahweh concerning the command of Yahweh that he did not keep. He also consulted a medium to seek guidance. 14 But he did not seek Yahweh. So Yahweh put him to death and turned over the kingship to David, the son of Jesse.

The Anointing of David as King

11 Then all Israel gathered to David in Hebron, saying, “Look—we are your flesh and bones. 2 ⌊For some time now⌋,a even when Saul was king, you were ⌊the one who led the army of Israel in battle⌋.b And Yahweh your God said to you, ‘You will shepherd my people Israel and will be leader over my people Israel.’ ” 3 Then 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 they anointed David as king over Israel according to the word of Yahweh by the hand of Samuel. 4 And David and all Israel went to Jerusalem (that is Jebus). And the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, were there. 5 And the inhabitants of Jebus said to David, “You will not enter here.” But David captured the stronghold of Zion; that is, the city of David. 6 Then David said, “Whoever strikes the Jebusites first will be chief and commander.” And Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first and became chief. 7 And David lived in the fortress. Therefore they called it the city of David. 8 And he built the city all around from the Millo and up to the circuit. And Joab restored the remainder of the city. 9 And David ⌊became greater and greater⌋.c And Yahweh of hosts was with him.

David’s Mighty Men

10 Now these are the chiefs of the mighty men who were for David, who gave him strong support in his kingdom, together with all Israel to make him king according to the word of Yahweh concerning Israel. 11 And this is the numbering of the mighty warriors who were for David: Jashobeam son of Hachmoni was chief of the three. He himself raised his spear against three hundred whom he killed on one occasion.

12 And after him was Eleazar son of Dodo the Ahohite. He was among the three mighty warriors. 13 He himself was with David at Pas-Dammim when the Philistines were gathered there for the battle. And there was a plot of the field filled with barley, and the people fled before the Philistines. 14 But they took their stand in the middle of the plot and defended it. And they killed the Philistines. And Yahweh saved them with a great victory.

15 And three of the thirty chiefs went down toward the rock to David at the cave of Adullam when the army of the Philistines was encamped in the valley of Rephaim. 16 And David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. 17 And David had a craving, and he said, “Who could give me a drink of water from the well of Bethlehem that is by the gate!” 18 Then the three broke through into the camp of the Philistines and drew water from the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate and brought it and came to David. But David would not drink it and poured it out before Yahweh. 19 And he said, “Far be it from me that I would do this before my God. Shall I drink the lifeblood of these men? For ⌊at the risk of their lives⌋d they brought it.” And he was not willing to drink it. These things the three mighty men did.

20 Now Abishai the brother of Joab was himself the head of the three.e And he roused himself with his spear against three hundred whom he killed and made a name for himselff among the three. 21 ⌊He was twice as renowned⌋g among the threeh and was their commander. But he did not attain to the three. 22 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was ⌊a strong man⌋i from Kabzeel, one who did great deeds. He himself struck down two sons of Ariel of Moab. And he himself went down and struck down a lion within a pit on a snowy day. 23 And he himself struck down an Egyptian man, a large man five cubits tall. And in the hand of the Egyptian was a spear like a weaver’s beam. But he went down to him with a club and seized the spear from the hand of the Egyptian and killed him with his own spear. 24 These things Benaiah son of Jehoiada did and had a name among the three mighty warriors. 25 He himself was certainly distinguished among the thirty, but he did not attain to the three. And David appointed him over his bodyguard.

26 Now the mighty warriors of the troops were Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo from Bethlehem, 27 Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite, 28 Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Anathothite, 29 Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite, 30 Maharai the Netophathite, Heled the son of Baanah the Netophathite, 31 Ittai the son of Ribai from Gibeah of the people of Benjamin, Benaiah the Pirathonite, 32 Hurai of the valleys of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite, 33 Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite, 34 the sons of Hashem the Gizonite, Jehonathan the son of Shagee the Hararite, 35 Ahiam the son of Sacar the Hararite, Eliphal the son of Ur, 36 Hepher the Mekerathite, Ahijah the Pelonite, 37 Hezro the Carmelite, Naari the son of Ezbai, 38 Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar the son of Hagri, 39 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, the bearer of the weapons of Joab the son of Zeruiah, 40 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, 41 Uriah the Hittite, Zabad the son of Ahlai, 42 Adina the son of Shiza the Reubenite, a leader of the Reubenites, and thirty with him, 43 Hanan the son of Maacah, Jehoshaphat the Mithnite, 44 Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jeiel the sons of Hotham the Aroerite, 45 Jediael the son of Shimri and Joha his brother the Tizite, 46 Eliel the Mahavite, Jeribai and Joshaviah the sons of Elnaam, Ithmah the Moabite, 47 Eliel, Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.

David and His Mighty Men at Ziklag

12 Now these are the ones who came to David at Ziklag while he was still shut up because ⌊of Saul⌋,a the son of Kish. And they were the mighty warriors helping with the war. 2 They were armed with the bow, able to shoot right-handed or left-handed, slinging stones or shooting arrows with the bow; they were kinsmen of Saul from Benjamin. 3 The leader was Ahiezer, then Jehoash, sons of Shemaah the Gibeonite; Jeiel and Pelet, sons of Azmaveth; Beracah; Jehu the Anathothite; 4 Ishmaiah the Gibeonite, a mighty warrior among the thirty who was over the thirty;b Jeremiah; Jahaziel; Johanan; Jozabad the Gederathite; 5c Eluzai; Jerimoth; Bealiah; Shemariah; Shephatiah the Hariphite; 6 Elkanah, Isshiah, Azarel, Joezer, and Jashobeam the Korahites; 7 Joelah and Zebadiah, sons of Jeroham from the Gedor.

8 And from the Gadites, valiant mighty warriors, ⌊soldiers fit for war⌋,d expert with shield and spear, defected to David at the fortress toward the wilderness. And ⌊they had faces like lions⌋e and were swift as gazelles upon the mountains. 9 Ezer the chief, Obadiah second, Eliab third, 10 Mishmannah fourth, Jeremiah fifth, 11 Attai sixth, Eliel seventh, 12 Jehonan eighth, Elzabad ninth, 13 Jeremiah tenth, Macbannai eleventh. 14 These were the sons of Gad, leaders of the army. The smallest one was as a hundred, and the greatest as a thousand. 15 These were they who crossed the Jordan in the first month, when it was filled over all its banks. And they put to flight all who were in the valley to the east and to the west.

16 And some of the sons of Benjamin and from Judah came to the fortress, to David. 17 And David went out ⌊to meet them⌋f and answered and said to them, “If you come in peace to me, to help me, ⌊my heart will be joined with you⌋,g but if you come to betray me to my adversaries, although there is no wrong on my hands, may the God of our fathers see and pass judgment.” 18 Then the Spirit came upon Amasai, chief of the thirty who said:

“We are yours, O David!

And we are with you, O son of Jesse!

Peace! Peace to you, and peace to those who help you,

for your God helps you.”

So David appointed them as heads of the troops.

19 And some Manassites deserted to David when he came with the Philistines to the battle against Saul, but he did not help them, for the rulers of the Philistines sent him away upon counsel, saying, “He will desert to his master Saul at the cost of our heads.” 20 When he went to Ziklag some Manassites deserted to him: Adnah, Jehozabad, Jediael, Michael, Jozabad, Elihu, and Zillethai, heads