David Becomes King Over Israel

11 The whole community of Israel came together to see David at Hebron. They said, “We are your own flesh and blood. 2In the past, Saul was our king. But you led the men of Israel in battle. The Lord your God said to you, ‘You will be the shepherd over my people Israel. You will become their ruler.’ ”

3All of the elders of Israel came to see King David at Hebron. There he made a covenant with them in the sight of the Lord. They anointed David as king over Israel. It happened just as the Lord had promised through Samuel.

David Captures Jerusalem

4David and all of the men of Israel marched to Jerusalem. Jerusalem was also called Jebus.

The Jebusites who lived there 5spoke to David. They said, “You won’t get in here.”

But David captured the fort of Zion. It became known as the City of David.

6David had said, “Anyone who leads the attack against the Jebusites will become the commander of Israel’s army.” Joab went up first. So he became the commander of the army. He was the son of Zeruiah.

7David moved into the fort. So it was called the City of David. 8He built up the city around the fort. He filled in the low places. He built a wall around it. During that time, Joab built up the rest of the city.

9David became more and more powerful. That’s because the Lord who rules over all was with him.

David’s Mighty Men

10The chiefs of David’s mighty men and the whole community of Israel helped David greatly. They helped him become king over the entire land. That’s exactly what the Lord had promised him. 11Here is a list of David’s mighty men.

Jashobeam was chief of the officers. He was a Hacmonite. He used his spear against 300 men. He killed all of them at one time.

12Next to him was Eleazar. He was one of the three mighty men. He was the son of Dodai, the Ahohite. 13Jashobeam was with David at Pas Dammim. The Philistines had gathered there for battle. Israel’s troops ran away from the Philistines. At the place where that happened, there was a field that was full of barley. 14The three mighty men took their stand in the middle of the field. They didn’t let the Philistines capture it. They struck them down. The Lord helped them win a great battle.

15David was near the rock at the cave of Adullam. Three of the 30 chiefs came down to him there. A group of Philistines was camped in the Valley of Rephaim. 16At that time David was in his usual place of safety. Some Philistine troops were stationed at Bethlehem.

17David longed for water. He said, “I wish someone would get me a drink of water from the well that is near the gate of Bethlehem!”

18So the Three fought their way past the Philistine guards. They got some water from the well that was near the gate of Bethlehem. They took the water back to David.

But David refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out as a drink offering to the Lord. 19“I would never drink that water!” David said. “It would be like drinking the blood of these men. They put their lives in danger by going to Bethlehem.” The men had put their lives in danger by bringing the water back. So David wouldn’t drink it.

Those were some of the brave things the three mighty men did.

20Abishai was chief over the Three. He was the brother of Joab. He used his spear against 300 men. He killed all of them. So he became as famous as the Three were. 21He was honored twice as much as the Three. He became their commander. But he wasn’t included among them.

22Benaiah was a great hero from Kabzeel. He was the son of Jehoiada. Benaiah did many brave things. He struck down two of Moab’s best fighting men. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day. He killed a lion there.

23And Benaiah struck down an Egyptian who was seven and a half feet tall. The Egyptian was holding a spear as big as a weaver’s rod. Benaiah went out to fight against him with a club. He grabbed the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand. Then he killed him with it.

24Those were some of the brave things Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, did. He too was as famous as the three mighty men were. 25He was honored more than any of the Thirty. But he wasn’t included among the Three. And David put him in charge of his own personal guards.

26 Here is a list of David’s mighty men.

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, from Tekoa

Abiezer from Anathoth

29 Sibbecai, the Hushathite

Ilai, the Ahohite

30 Maharai from Netophah

Heled, the son of Baanah, from Netophah

31 Ithai, the son of Ribai, from Gibeah in Benjamin

Benaiah from Pirathon

32 Hurai from the valleys of Gaash

Abiel, the Arbathite

33 Azmaveth, the Baharumite

Eliahba, the Shaalbonite

34 the sons of Hashem, the Gizonite

Jonathan, 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 from Carmel

Naarai, the son of Ezbai

38 Joel, the brother of Nathan

Mibhar, the son of Hagri

39 Zelek from Ammon

Naharai, from Beeroth, who carried the armor 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, who was chief of the Reubenites and the 30 men with him

43 Hanan, the son of Maacah

Joshaphat, the Mithnite

44 Uzzia, the Ashterathite

Shama and Jeiel, the sons of Hotham from Aroer

45 Jediael, the son of Shimri

his brother Joha, the Tizite

46 Eliel, the Mahavite

Jeribai and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam

Ithmah from Moab

47 Eliel

Obed

Jaasiel, the Mezobaite