1Chronicles 11

David Becomes King of All Israel

11Then all Israel gathered before David at Hebron and told him, "We are your own flesh and blood.H3478H6908H1732H2275H559H6106H13202In the past

, even when Saul was king, you were the one who really led the forces of Israel. And the LORD your God told you, 'You will be the shepherd of my people Israel. You will be the leader of my people Israel.'"H8543H8032H7586H4428H3318H935H3478H3068H430H559H7462H5971H3478H5057H1571H34783So there at Hebron, David made a covenant before the LORD with all the elders of Israel. And they anointed him king of Israel, just as the LORD had promised through Samuel.H935H2205H3478H4428H2275H1732H3772H1285H2275H6440H3068H4886H1732H4428H3478H1697H3068H3027H8050

David Captures Jerusalem

4Then David and all Israel went to Jerusalem (or Jebus, as it used to be called), where the Jebusites, the original inhabitants of the land, were living.H1732H3478H3212H3389H2982H2983H3427H7765The people of Jebus taunted David, saying, "You'll never get in here!" But David captured the fortress of Zion, which is now called the City of David.H3427H2982H559H1732H935H1732H3920H4686H6726H5892H17326David had said to his troops, "Whoever is first to attack the Jebusites will become the commander of my armies!" And Joab, the son of David's sister Zeruiah, was first to attack, so he became the commander of David's armies.H1732H559H5221H2983H7223H7218H8269H3097H1121H6870H5927H7223H5927H72187David made the fortress his home, and that is why it is called the City of David.H1732H3427H4679H7121H5892H17328He extended the city from the supporting terraces

to the surrounding area, while Joab rebuilt the rest of Jerusalem.H1129H5892H5439H4407H5439H3097H2421H7605H58929And David became more and more powerful, because the LORD of Heaven's Armies was with him.H1732H3212H1980H1419H3068H6635

David’s Mightiest Warriors

10These are the leaders of David's mighty warriors. Together with all Israel, they decided to make David their king, just as the LORD had promised concerning Israel.H7218H1368H1732H2388H4438H3478H4427H1697H3068H347811Here is the record of David's mightiest warriors: The first was Jashobeam the Hacmonite, who was leader of the Three—the mightiest warriors among David's men

. He once used his spear to kill 300 enemy warriors in a single battle.H4557H1368H1732H3434H2453H7218H7991H7970H5782H2595H7969H3967H2491H259H647112Next in rank among the Three was Eleazar son of Dodai

, a descendant of Ahoah.H310H499H1121H1734H266H7969H136813He was with David in the battle against the Philistines at Pas-dammim. The battle took place in a field full of barley, and the Israelite army fled.H1732H6450H6430H622H4421H2513H7704H4392H8184H5971H5127H6440H643014But Eleazar and David

held their ground in the middle of the field and beat back the Philistines. So the LORD saved them by giving them a great victory.H3320H8432H2513H5337H5221H6430H3068H3467H1419H866815Once when David was at the rock near the cave of Adullam, the Philistine army was camped in the valley of Rephaim. The Three (who were among the Thirty—an elite group among David's fighting men) went down to meet him there.H7969H7970H7218H3381H6697H1732H4631H5725H4264H6430H2583H6010H749716David was staying in the stronghold at the time, and a Philistine detachment had occupied the town of Bethlehem.H1732H4686H6430H5333H103517David remarked longingly to his men, "Oh, how I would love some of that good water from the well by the gate in Bethlehem."H1732H183H559H8248H4325H953H1035H817918So the Three broke through the Philistine lines, drew some water from the well by the gate in Bethlehem, and brought it back to David. But David refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out as an offering to the LORD.H7969H1234H4264H6430H7579H4325H953H1035H8179H5375H935H1732H1732H14H8354H5258H306819"God forbid that I should drink this!" he exclaimed. "This water is as precious as the blood of these men

who risked their lives to bring it to me." So David did not drink it. These are examples of the exploits of the Three.H559H430H2486H6213H2063H8354H1818H582H5315H5315H935H14H8354H6213H7969H1368

David’s Thirty Mighty Men

20Abishai, the brother of Joab, was the leader of the Thirty

. He once used his spear to kill 300 enemy warriors in a single battle. It was by such feats that he became as famous as the Three.H52H251H3097H7218H7969H5782H2595H7969H3967H2491H8034H796921Abishai was the most famous of the Thirty and was their commander, though he was not one of the Three.H7969H3513H8147H8269H935H796922There was also Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant warrior from Kabzeel. He did many heroic deeds, which included killing two champions

of Moab. Another time, on a snowy day, he chased a lion down into a pit and killed it.H1141H1121H3077H1121H2428H376H6909H7227H6467H5221H8147H739H4124H3381H5221H738H8432H953H7950H311723Once, armed only with a club, he killed an Egyptian warrior who was 7 1/2 feet

tall and whose spear was as thick as a weaver's beam. Benaiah wrenched the spear from the Egyptian's hand and killed him with it.H5221H4713H376H4060H2568H520H4713H3027H2595H707H4500H3381H7626H1497H2595H4713H3027H2026H259524Deeds like these made Benaiah as famous as the three mightiest warriors.H6213H1141H1121H3077H8034H7969H136825He was more honored than the other members of the Thirty, though he was not one of the Three. And David made him captain of his bodyguard.H2009H3513H7970H935H7969H1732H7760H492826David's mighty warriors also included: Asahel, Joab's brother; Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem;H1368H2428H6214H251H3097H445H1121H1734H103527Shammah from Harod;

Helez from Pelon;H8054H2033H2503H639728Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa; Abiezer from Anathoth;H5896H1121H6142H8621H44H606929Sibbecai from Hushah; Zalmon

from Ahoah;H5444H2843H5866H26630Maharai from Netophah; Heled son of Baanah from Netophah;H4121H5200H2466H1121H1196H520031Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah (in the land of Benjamin); Benaiah from Pirathon;H863H1121H7380H1390H1121H1144H1141H655332Hurai from near Nahale-gaash

; Abi-albon from Arabah;H2360H5158H1608H22H616433Azmaveth from Bahurim

; Eliahba from Shaalbon;H5820H978H455H817034the sons of Jashen

from Gizon; Jonathan son of Shagee from Harar;H1121H2044H1493H3129H1121H7681H204335Ahiam son of Sharar

from Harar; Eliphal son of Ur;H279H1121H7940H2043H465H1121H21836Hepher from Mekerah; Ahijah from Pelon;H2660H4382H281H639737Hezro from Carmel; Paarai

son of Ezbai;H2695H3761H5293H1121H22938Joel, the brother of Nathan; Mibhar son of Hagri;H3100H251H5416H4006H1121H190539Zelek from Ammon; Naharai from Beeroth, Joab's armor bearer;H6768H5984H5171H1307H5375H3627H3097H1121H687040Ira from Jattir; Gareb from Jattir;H5896H3505H1619H350541Uriah the Hittite; Zabad son of Ahlai;H223H2850H2066H1121H30442Adina son of Shiza, the Reubenite leader who had thirty men with him;H5721H1121H7877H7206H7218H7206H797043Hanan son of Maacah; Joshaphat from Mithna;H2605H1121H4601H3146H498144Uzzia from Ashtaroth; Shama and Jeiel, the sons of Hotham, from Aroer;H5814H6254H8091H3273H1121H2369H620045Jediael son of Shimri; Joha, his brother, from Tiz;H3043H1121H8113H3109H251H849146Eliel from Mahavah; Jeribai and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam; Ithmah from Moab;H447H4233H3403H3145H1121H493H3495H412547Eliel and Obed; Jaasiel from Zobah

.H447H5744H3300H4677