David is Anointed King

(2 Samuel 5:1-10)

1Later on, all of Israel gathered together at Hebron in order to tell David, “Look, we’re your own flesh and blood!a 2Even back when Saul was ruling as king, you kept on leading the army of Israel out to battleb and bringing them in again.c The LORD your God told you, ‘You yourself will shepherd my people Israel and will be Commander-in-Chiefd over my people Israel.’” 3So all the elders of Israel approached the king at Hebron, where David entered into a covenant ine the presence of the LORD. Then they anointed David to be king over Israel, just as the LORD had sent word throughf Samuel.

David Captures Jerusalem

4Later, David and all of Israel marched to Jerusalem (then known as Jebus, where the Jebusites lived when they inhabited the land). 5The inhabitants of Jebus told David, “You’re not coming in here!” Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion, now known as the City of David.

6David had announced, “Whoever first attacks the Jebusites will be appointed chief and commander.” When Zeruiah’s son Joab went up first, he became chief. 7David occupiedg the fortress, so it was named the City of David after him. 8He built up the walls surrounding the city in a complete circle from the terrace ramparts,h and Joab repaired the rest of the city. 9David became more and more prestigious because the LORD of the Heavenly Armies was with him.

David’s Elite Soldiers

(2 Samuel 23:8-17)

10These are the leaders of the elite warriors who were strong supporters of David in his kingdom, along with all of Israel, in keeping with the message from the LORD concerning Israel. 11This record of the warriors who were for David includedi Hachmoni’s son Jashobeam,j leader of the platoons,k who killed 300 with his spear in a single encounter.

12Next to him among the Three Warriorsl was Dodom the Ahohite’s son Eleazar. 13He was with David at Pas-dammim when the Philistines were there to engage them in battle. There was a field planted with barley, and the army had run away from the Philistines, 14but they took a defensive stand in the middle of the field and killed the Philistines while the LORD saved them by means of a great victory.n

15Later, the Three Warriors went down to David’s hideouto at the cave of Adullam when the Philistine army was camping in the valley of giants.p 16David was living in that stronghold at the time, while a Philistine garrison was then at Bethlehem. 17David expressed a longing, “Oh, how I wish someone would get me a drink of water from the Bethlehem well that’s by the city gate!” 18So the Three Warriors broke through the Philistine ranks, drew some water from the Bethlehem well that was next to the city gate, and brought it back to David. But David refused to drink it, poured it out in the LORD’s presence, and 19said in response, “May God forbid me to do this! I won’t drink the blood of these men, will I? After all, they risked their lives to bring it to me.”q That’s why he wouldn’t drink it. The Three Warriors did these things.

David’s Other Valiant Soldiers

(2 Samuel 23:18-39)

20Joab’s brother Abishai was the lieutenantr in charge of the platoons. He used his spear to fight and kill 300 men, gaining a reputation distinct from the Three. 21He was more well-known than the Three,s but he never attained the stature of the Three.

22Jehoiada’s son Benaiah, who was a valiant man, accomplished great things. He was from Kabzeel. He killed two men namedt Ariel from Moabu and then he also went down into a pit and struck down a lion during a snow storm one day. 23He also killed a soldierv from Egypt of enormous height—five cubitsw tall. The Egyptian carried a spear comparable in size to a weaver’s beam, but Benaiah attacked him with a staff, snatched the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear. 24Benaiah did things like this and gained a reputation comparable to the Three Warriors. 25He was well known among the platoons, but he didn’t measure up tox the Three Warriors. David placed him in charge of his security detail.

26The elite forces included Asahel (Joab’s brother), Dodo’s son Elhanan from Bethlehem, 27Shammoth from Haror,y Helez the Pelonite,z 28Ikkesh’s son Ira from Tekoa, Abiezer from Anathoth, 29Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite, 30Maharai from Netophah, Baanah’s son Heled from Netophah, 31Ribai’s son Ithai from Gibeah, controlled byaa the descendants of Benjamin, Benaiah of Pirathon, 32Hurai from the wadisbb of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite, 33Azmaveth from Baharum, Eliahba from Shaalbon, 34Hashem the Gizonite, Shagee the Hararite’s son Jonathan, 35Sachar the Hararite’s son Ahiam, Ur’s son Eliphal, 36Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite, 37Hezro from Carmel, Ezbai’s son Naarai, 38Joel (Nathan’s brother), Hagri’s son Mibhar, 39Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai from Beeroth, who was the armor-bearer for Zeruiah’s son Joab, 40Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, 41Uriah the Hittite, Ahlai’s son Zabad, 42Shiza the Reubenite’s son Adina, a leader of the descendants of Reuben, along with thirty others with him, 43Maacah’s son Hanan, Joshaphat the Mithnite, 44Uzzia the Ashterathite, Hotham the Aroerite’s sons Shama and Jeiel, 45Shimri’s son Jediael and his brother Joha the Tizite, 46Eliel the Mahavite, Elnaam’s sons Jeribai and Joshaviah, Ithmah the Moabite, 47Eliel, Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.