1 Chronicles 11

Then all Israel gathered themselves to David unto Hebron, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh.

1Then all the people of Israel came to David at the town of Hebron. They said, "Look, we are your own family."

2And moreover in time past, even when Saul was king, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: and the LORD thy God said unto thee, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be ruler over my people Israel.

2"Even when Saul was king, you led our army out and brought it home safely. And the LORD your God said to you, 'You will take care of my people Israel, the way a shepherd takes care of sheep. You will be their ruler.'"

3Therefore came all the elders of Israel to the king to Hebron; and David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the LORD; and they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of the LORD by Samuel.

3So all the leaders of Israel came to David at Hebron. There David made a solemn promise with them before the LORD. Then they poured olive oil on his head to make him king. This happened just as the LORD had said through Samuel.

Note"Anointed" means they poured olive oil on his head. That was how Israel showed a person was chosen to be king.

4And David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, which is Jebus; where the Jebusites were, the inhabitants of the land.

4David and all Israel marched to Jerusalem, which was also called Jebus. The Jebusites lived in that land.

5And the inhabitants of Jebus said to David, Thou shalt not come hither. Nevertheless David took the castle of Zion, which is the city of David.

5The people of Jebus told David, "You will never get in here." But David captured their strong fort called Zion. It became the City of David.

6And David said, Whosoever smiteth the Jebusites first shall be chief and captain. So Joab the son of Zeruiah went first up, and was chief.

6David had said, "The first man to strike down a Jebusite will be my chief commander." Joab son of Zeruiah went up first. So he became the chief.

7And David dwelt in the castle; therefore they called it the city of David.

7David moved into the fort and lived there. That is why people called it the City of David.

8And he built the city round about, even from Millo round about: and Joab repaired the rest of the city.

8He built up the city all around, from the stone terraces out to the wall. Joab repaired the rest of the city.

NoteThe KJV says "from Millo." Millo was a set of stone terraces built into the hillside to hold up the city.

9So David waxed greater and greater: for the LORD of hosts was with him.

9David grew stronger and stronger. The LORD, who rules over all the armies of heaven, was with him.

10These also are the chief of the mighty men whom David had, who strengthened themselves with him in his kingdom, and with all Israel, to make him king, according to the word of the LORD concerning Israel.

10These are the leaders of David's mighty men. They stood with him, and with all Israel, to make him king. It happened just as the LORD had said about Israel.

11And this is the number of the mighty men whom David had; Jashobeam, an Hachmonite, the chief of the captains: he lifted up his spear against three hundred slain by him at one time.

11This is the list of David's mighty men. Jashobeam son of Hachmoni was chief of the officers. He fought three hundred men with his spear and killed them all at one time.

12And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, who was one of the three mighties.

12Next came Eleazar son of Dodo, from the family of Ahoah. He was one of the three mighty men.

Note"The three" and "the thirty" are the names of two groups of David's best soldiers. The three were the very top group.

13He was with David at Pasdammim, and there the Philistines were gathered together to battle, where was a parcel of ground full of barley; and the people fled from before the Philistines.

13He was with David at Pas-dammim when the Philistines came there to fight. A field full of barley grew at that place. Israel's soldiers ran away from the Philistines.

14And they set themselves in the midst of that parcel, and delivered it, and slew the Philistines; and the LORD saved them by a great deliverance.

14But Eleazar and David stood in the middle of that field and guarded it. They struck down the Philistines. The LORD gave them a great victory.

15Now three of the thirty captains went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam; and the host of the Philistines encamped in the valley of Rephaim.

15Three of the thirty leaders went down to David at the rock by the cave of Adullam. A group of Philistine soldiers was camped in the Valley of Rephaim.

16And David was then in the hold, and the Philistines’ garrison was then at Bethlehem.

16At that time David was hiding in a safe place among the rocks. Philistine soldiers were staying in Bethlehem.

17And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, that is at the gate!

17David was very thirsty. He said, "I wish someone would bring me water from the well by Bethlehem's gate!"

18And the three brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: but David would not drink of it, but poured it out to the LORD,

18So the three men broke through the Philistine camp. They drew water from that well and carried it back to David. But David would not drink it. He poured it out on the ground as a gift to the LORD.

19And said, My God forbid it me, that I should do this thing: shall I drink the blood of these men that have put their lives in jeopardy? for with the jeopardy of their lives they brought it. Therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mightiest.

19He said, "My God, I must not do this! These men risked their lives to bring it. Drinking it would be like drinking their blood." So he would not drink it. These are the brave things the three mighty men did.

20And Abishai the brother of Joab, he was chief of the three: for lifting up his spear against three hundred, he slew them, and had a name among the three.

20Abishai, Joab's brother, was the leader of the three. He fought three hundred men with his spear and killed them. He became famous, like the three men were.

21Of the three, he was more honourable than the two; for he was their captain: howbeit he attained not to the first three.

21He was honored twice as much as those three, and he became their commander. But he was not counted as one of the first three.

22Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done many acts; he slew two lionlike men of Moab: also he went down and slew a lion in a pit in a snowy day.

22Benaiah son of Jehoiada was a brave man from the town of Kabzeel. He did many bold things. He killed two of Moab's best fighters. On a snowy day he climbed into a pit and killed a lion.

23And he slew an Egyptian, a man of great stature, five cubits high; and in the Egyptian’s hand was a spear like a weaver’s beam; and he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and slew him with his own spear.

23He also killed an Egyptian who was very tall, about seven and a half feet. The Egyptian carried a spear as thick as a heavy wooden pole. Benaiah went at him with only a club. He pulled the spear from the man's hand and killed him with it.

NoteThe KJV says "five cubits high." A cubit was about eighteen inches, so the man stood about seven and a half feet tall.

24These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among the three mighties.

24These are the brave things Benaiah son of Jehoiada did. He became famous, like the three mighty men were.

25Behold, he was honourable among the thirty, but attained not to the first three: and David set him over his guard.

25He was the most honored of the thirty, but he was not one of the three. David put him in charge of his own guards.

26Also the valiant men of the armies were, Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,

26Here are the other mighty men. Asahel, the brother of Joab. Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem.

27Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite,

27Shammoth from Haror. Helez from Pelon.

28Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Antothite,

28Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa. Abiezer from Anathoth.

29Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite,

29Sibbecai from Hushah. Ilai from the family of Ahoah.

30Maharai the Netophathite, Heled the son of Baanah the Netophathite,

30Maharai from Netophah. Heled son of Baanah, also from Netophah.

31Ithai the son of Ribai of Gibeah, that pertained to the children of Benjamin, Benaiah the Pirathonite,

31Ithai son of Ribai, from Gibeah in the land of Benjamin. Benaiah from Pirathon.

32Hurai of the brooks of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite,

32Hurai from the streams of Gaash. Abiel from Arbah.

33Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite,

33Azmaveth from Baharum. Eliahba from Shaalbon.

34The sons of Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan the son of Shage the Hararite,

34The sons of Hashem from Gizon. Jonathan son of Shagee from Harar.

35Ahiam the son of Sacar the Hararite, Eliphal the son of Ur,

35Ahiam son of Sacar from Harar. Eliphal son of Ur.

36Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite,

36Hepher from Mecherah. Ahijah from Pelon.

37Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai the son of Ezbai,

37Hezro from Carmel. Naarai son of Ezbai.

38Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar the son of Haggeri,

38Joel, the brother of Nathan. Mibhar son of Hagri.

39Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Berothite, the armourbearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah,

39Zelek from Ammon. Naharai from Beeroth, who carried the weapons of Joab son of Zeruiah.

40Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,

40Ira and Gareb, who both came from the family of Ithra.

41Uriah the Hittite, Zabad the son of Ahlai,

41Uriah the Hittite. Zabad son of Ahlai.

42Adina the son of Shiza the Reubenite, a captain of the Reubenites, and thirty with him,

42Adina son of Shiza, a leader of the tribe of Reuben, with thirty men under him.

43Hanan the son of Maachah, and Joshaphat the Mithnite,

43Hanan son of Maacah. Joshaphat from Mithan.

44Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jehiel the sons of Hothan the Aroerite,

44Uzzia from Ashtaroth. Shama and Jehiel, the sons of Hotham from Aroer.

45Jediael the son of Shimri, and Joha his brother, the Tizite,

45Jediael son of Shimri, and his brother Joha from Tiz.

46Eliel the Mahavite, and Jeribai, and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam, and Ithmah the Moabite,

46Eliel from Mahavah. Jeribai and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam. Ithmah from Moab.

47Eliel, and Obed, and Jasiel the Mesobaite.

47Eliel, Obed, and Jasiel from Mezobah.