| NET Bible | International Standard Version |
| 1All Israel joined David at Hebron and said, "Look, we are your very flesh and blood! | 1Later on, all of Israel gathered together at Hebron in order to tell David, "Look, we're your own flesh and blood! |
| 2In the past, even when Saul was king, you were Israel's commanding general. The LORD your God said to you, 'You will shepherd my people Israel; you will rule over my people Israel.'" | 2Even back when Saul was ruling as king, you kept on leading the army of Israel out to battle and bringing them in again. The LORD your God told you, 'You yourself will shepherd my people Israel and will be Commander-in-Chief over my people Israel.'" |
| 3When all the leaders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, David made an agreement with them in Hebron before the LORD. They anointed David king over Israel, just as the LORD had announced through Samuel. | 3So all the elders of Israel approached the king at Hebron, where David entered into a covenant in the presence of the LORD. Then they anointed David to be king over Israel, just as the LORD had sent word through Samuel. |
| 4David and the whole Israelite army advanced to Jerusalem (that is, Jebus). (The Jebusites, the land's original inhabitants, lived there.) | 4Later, David and all of Israel marched to Jerusalem (then known as Jebus, where the Jebusites lived when they inhabited the land). |
| 5The residents of Jebus said to David, "You cannot invade this place!" But David captured the fortress of Zion (that is, the City of David). | 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 said, "Whoever attacks the Jebusites first will become commanding general!" So Joab son of Zeruiah attacked first and became commander. | 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 lived in the fortress; for this reason it is called the City of David. | 7David occupied the fortress, so it was named the City of David after him. |
| 8He built up the city around it, from the terrace to the surrounding walls; Joab restored the rest of the city. | 8He built up the walls surrounding the city in a complete circle from the terrace ramparts, and Joab repaired the rest of the city. |
| 9David's power steadily grew, for the LORD who commands armies was with him. | 9David became more and more prestigious because the LORD of the Heavenly Armies was with him. |
| 10These were the leaders of David's warriors who helped establish and stabilize his rule over all Israel, in accordance with the LORD's word. | 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 is the list of David's warriors: Jashobeam, a Hacmonite, was head of the officers. He killed three hundred men with his spear in a single battle. | 11This record of the warriors who were for David included Hachmoni's son Jashobeam, leader of the platoons, who killed 300 with his spear in a single encounter. |
| 12Next in command was Eleazar son of Dodo the Ahohite. He was one of the three elite warriors. | 12Next to him among the Three Warriors was Dodo the Ahohite's son Eleazar. |
| 13He was with David in Pas Dammim when the Philistines assembled there for battle. In an area of the field that was full of barley, the army retreated before the Philistines, | 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 then they made a stand in the middle of that area. They defended it and defeated the Philistines; the LORD gave them a great victory. | 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. |
| 15Three of the thirty leaders went down to David at the rocky cliff at the cave of Adullam, while a Philistine force was camped in the Valley of Rephaim. | 15Later, the Three Warriors went down to David's hideout at the cave of Adullam when the Philistine army was camping in the valley of giants. |
| 16David was in the stronghold at the time, while a Philistine garrison was in Bethlehem. | 16David was living in that stronghold at the time, while a Philistine garrison was then at Bethlehem. |
| 17David was thirsty and said, "How I wish someone would give me some water to drink from the cistern in Bethlehem near the city gate!" | 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 elite warriors broke through the Philistine forces and drew some water from the cistern in Bethlehem near the city gate. They carried it back to David, but David refused to drink it. He poured it out as a drink offering to the LORD | 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 |
| 19and said, "God forbid that I should do this! Should I drink the blood of these men who risked their lives?" Because they risked their lives to bring it to him, he refused to drink it. Such were the exploits of the three elite warriors. | 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." That's why he wouldn't drink it. The Three Warriors did these things. |
| 20Abishai the brother of Joab was head of the three elite warriors. He killed three hundred men with his spear and gained fame along with the three elite warriors. | 20Joab's brother Abishai was the lieutenant in charge of the platoons. He used his spear to fight and kill 300 men, gaining a reputation distinct from the Three. |
| 21From the three he was given double honor and he became their officer, even though he was not one of them. | 21He was more well-known than the Three, but he never attained the stature of the Three. |
| 22Benaiah son of Jehoiada was a brave warrior from Kabzeel who performed great exploits. He struck down the two sons of Ariel of Moab; he also went down and killed a lion inside a cistern on a snowy day. | 22Jehoiada's son Benaiah, who was a valiant man, accomplished great things. He was from Kabzeel. He killed two men named Ariel from Moab and then he also went down into a pit and struck down a lion during a snow storm one day. |
| 23He even killed an Egyptian who was seven and a half feet tall. The Egyptian had a spear as big as the crossbeam of a weaver's loom; Benaiah attacked him with a club. He grabbed the spear out of the Egyptian's hand and killed him with his own spear. | 23He also killed a soldier from Egypt of enormous height—five cubits 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. |
| 24Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada, who gained fame along with the three elite warriors. | 24Benaiah did things like this and gained a reputation comparable to the Three Warriors. |
| 25He received honor from the thirty warriors, though he was not one of the three elite warriors. David put him in charge of his bodyguard. | 25He was well known among the platoons, but he didn't measure up to the Three Warriors. David placed him in charge of his security detail. |
| 26The mighty warriors were: Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan son of Dodo, from Bethlehem, | 26The elite forces included Asahel (Joab's brother), Dodo's son Elhanan from Bethlehem, |
| 27Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite, | 27Shammoth from Haror, Helez the Pelonite, |
| 28Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Anathothite, | 28Ikkesh's son Ira from Tekoa, Abiezer from Anathoth, |
| 29Sibbekai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite, | 29Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite, |
| 30Maharai the Netophathite, Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite, | 30Maharai from Netophah, Baanah's son Heled from Netophah, |
| 31Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjaminite territory, Benaiah the Pirathonite, | 31Ribai's son Ithai from Gibeah, controlled by the descendants of Benjamin, Benaiah of Pirathon, |
| 32Hurai from the valleys of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite, | 32Hurai from the wadis of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite, |
| 33Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite, | 33Azmaveth from Baharum, Eliahba from Shaalbon, |
| 34the sons of Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan son of Shageh the Hararite, | 34Hashem the Gizonite, Shagee the Hararite's son Jonathan, |
| 35Ahiam son of Sakar the Hararite, Eliphal son of Ur, | 35Sachar the Hararite's son Ahiam, Ur's son Eliphal, |
| 36Hepher the Mekerathite, Ahijah the Pelonite, | 36Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite, |
| 37Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai son of Ezbai, | 37Hezro from Carmel, Ezbai's son Naarai, |
| 38Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar son of Hagri, | 38Joel (Nathan's brother), Hagri's son Mibhar, |
| 39Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, the armor-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah, | 39Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai from Beeroth, who was the armor-bearer for Zeruiah's son Joab, |
| 40Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, | 40Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, |
| 41Uriah the Hittite, Zabad son of Achli, | 41Uriah the Hittite, Ahlai's son Zabad, |
| 42Adina son of Shiza the Reubenite, leader of the Reubenites and the thirty warriors with him, | 42Shiza the Reubenite's son Adina, a leader of the descendants of Reuben, along with thirty others with him, |
| 43Hanan son of Maacah, Joshaphat the Mithnite, | 43Maacah's son Hanan, Joshaphat the Mithnite, |
| 44Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jeiel, the sons of Hotham the Aroerite, | 44Uzzia the Ashterathite, Hotham the Aroerite's sons Shama and Jeiel, |
| 45Jediael son of Shimri, and Joha his brother, the Tizite, | 45Shimri's son Jediael and his brother Joha the Tizite, |
| 46Eliel the Mahavite, and Jeribai and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam, and Ithmah the Moabite, | 46Eliel the Mahavite, Elnaam's sons Jeribai and Joshaviah, Ithmah the Moabite, |
| 47Eliel, and Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite. | 47Eliel, Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite. |
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