| English Standard Version | Holman Christian Standard Bible |
| 1Then all Israel gathered together to David at Hebron and said, “Behold, we are your bone and flesh. | 1All Israel came together to David at Hebron and said, "Here we are, your own flesh and blood. |
| 2In times past, even when Saul was king, it was you who led out and brought in Israel. And the LORD your God said to you, ‘You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince over my people Israel.’” | 2Even when Saul was king, you led us out to battle and brought us back. The LORD your God also said to you, 'You will shepherd My people Israel and be ruler over My people Israel.'" |
| 3So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and David made a covenant with them at Hebron before the LORD. And they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of the LORD by Samuel. | 3So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron. David made a covenant with them at Hebron in the LORD's presence, and they anointed David king over Israel, in keeping with the LORD's word through Samuel. |
| 4And David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, that is, Jebus, where the Jebusites were, the inhabitants of the land. | 4David and all Israel marched to Jerusalem (that is, Jebus); the Jebusites who inhabited the land were there. |
| 5The inhabitants of Jebus said to David, “You will not come in here.” Nevertheless, David took the stronghold of Zion, that is, the city of David. | 5The inhabitants of Jebus said to David, "You will never get in here." Yet David did capture the stronghold of Zion, that is, the city of David. |
| 6David said, “Whoever strikes the Jebusites first shall be chief and commander.” And Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first, so he became chief. | 6David said, "Whoever is the first to kill a Jebusite will become chief commander." Joab son of Zeruiah went up first, so he became the chief. |
| 7And David lived in the stronghold; therefore it was called the city of David. | 7Then David took up residence in the stronghold; therefore, it was called the city of David. |
| 8And he built the city all around from the Millo in complete circuit, and Joab repaired the rest of the city. | 8He built up the city all the way around, from the supporting terraces to the surrounding parts, and Joab restored the rest of the city. |
| 9And David became greater and greater, for the LORD of hosts was with him. | 9David steadily grew more powerful, and the LORD of Hosts was with him. |
| 10Now these are the chiefs of David’s mighty men, who gave him strong support in his kingdom, together with all Israel, to make him king, according to the word of the LORD concerning Israel. | 10The following were the chiefs of David's warriors who, together with all Israel, strongly supported him in his reign to make him king according to the LORD's word about Israel. |
| 11This is an account of David’s mighty men: Jashobeam, a Hachmonite, was chief of the three. He wielded his spear against 300 whom he killed at one time. | 11This is the list of David's warriors: Jashobeam son of Hachmoni was chief of the Thirty; he wielded his spear against 300 and killed them at one time. |
| 12And next to him among the three mighty men was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite. | 12After him, Eleazar son of Dodo the Ahohite was one of the three warriors. |
| 13He was with David at Pas-dammim when the Philistines were gathered there for battle. There was a plot of ground full of barley, and the men fled from the Philistines. | 13He was with David at Pas-dammim when the Philistines had gathered there for battle. There was a portion of a field full of barley, where the troops had fled from the Philistines. |
| 14But he took his stand in the midst of the plot and defended it and killed the Philistines. And the LORD saved them by a great victory. | 14But Eleazar and David took their stand in the middle of the field and defended it. They killed the Philistines, and the LORD gave them a great victory. |
| 15Three of the thirty chief men went down to the rock to David at the cave of Adullam, when the army of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. | 15Three of the 30 chief men went down to David, to the rock at the cave of Adullam, while the Philistine army was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. |
| 16David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then at Bethlehem. | 16At that time David was in the stronghold, and a Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem. |
| 17And David said longingly, “Oh that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem that is by the gate!” | 17David was extremely thirsty and said, "If only someone would bring me water to drink from the well at the city gate of Bethlehem!" |
| 18Then the three mighty men broke through the camp 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 it. He poured it out to the LORD | 18So the Three broke through the Philistine camp and drew water from the well at the gate of Bethlehem. They brought it back to David, but he refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out to the LORD. |
| 19and said, “Far be it from me before my God that I should do this. Shall I drink the lifeblood of these men? For at the risk of their lives they brought it.” Therefore he would not drink it. These things did the three mighty men. | 19David said, "I would never do such a thing in the presence of God! How can I drink the blood of these men who risked their lives?" For they brought it at the risk of their lives. So he would not drink it. Such were the exploits of the three warriors. |
| 20Now Abishai, the brother of Joab, was chief of the thirty. And he wielded his spear against 300 men and killed them and won a name beside the three. | 20Abishai, Joab's brother, was the leader of the Three. He raised his spear against 300 men and killed them, gaining a reputation among the Three. |
| 21He was the most renowned of the thirty and became their commander, but he did not attain to the three. | 21He was more honored than the Three and became their commander even though he did not become one of the Three. |
| 22And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was a valiant man of Kabzeel, a doer of great deeds. He struck down two heroes of Moab. He also went down and struck down a lion in a pit on a day when snow had fallen. | 22Benaiah son of Jehoiada was the son of a brave man from Kabzeel, a man of many exploits. Benaiah killed two sons of Ariel of Moab, and he went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion. |
| 23And he struck down an Egyptian, a man of great stature, five cubits tall. The Egyptian had in his hand a spear like a weaver’s beam, but Benaiah went down to him with a staff and snatched the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear. | 23He also killed an Egyptian who was seven and a half feet tall. Even though the Egyptian had a spear in his hand like a weaver's beam, Benaiah went down to him with a club, snatched the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and then killed him with his own spear. |
| 24These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada and won a name beside the three mighty men. | 24These were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada, who had a reputation among the three warriors. |
| 25He was renowned among the thirty, but he did not attain to the three. And David set him over his bodyguard. | 25He was the most honored of the Thirty, but he did not become one of the Three. David put him in charge of his bodyguard. |
| 26The mighty men were Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, | 26The fighting men were: Joab's brother Asahel, Elhanan son of Dodo of Bethlehem, |
| 27Shammoth of Harod, Helez the Pelonite, | 27Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite, |
| 28Ira the son of Ikkesh of Tekoa, Abiezer of Anathoth, | 28Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Anathothite, |
| 29Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite, | 29Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite, |
| 30Maharai of Netophah, Heled the son of Baanah of Netophah, | 30Maharai the Netophathite, Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite, |
| 31Ithai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the people of Benjamin, Benaiah of Pirathon, | 31Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah of the Benjaminites, Benaiah the Pirathonite, |
| 32Hurai of the brooks of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite, | 32Hurai from the wadis of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite, |
| 33Azmaveth of Baharum, Eliahba the Shaalbonite, | 33Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite, |
| 34Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan the son of Shagee the Hararite, | 34the sons of Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan son of Shagee the Hararite, |
| 35Ahiam the son of Sachar the Hararite, Eliphal the son of Ur, | 35Ahiam son of Sachar the Hararite, Eliphal son of Ur, |
| 36Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite, | 36Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite, |
| 37Hezro of Carmel, Naarai the son of Ezbai, | 37Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai son of Ezbai, |
| 38Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar the son of Hagri, | 38Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar son of Hagri, |
| 39Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai of Beeroth, the armor-bearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah, | 39Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, the armor-bearer for Joab son of Zeruiah, |
| 40Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, | 40Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, |
| 41Uriah the Hittite, Zabad the son of Ahlai, | 41Uriah the Hittite, Zabad son of Ahlai, |
| 42Adina the son of Shiza the Reubenite, a leader of the Reubenites, and thirty with him, | 42Adina son of Shiza the Reubenite, chief of the Reubenites, and 30 with him, |
| 43Hanan the son of Maacah, and Joshaphat the Mithnite, | 43Hanan son of Maacah, Joshaphat the Mithnite, |
| 44Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jeiel the sons of Hotham the Aroerite, | 44Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jeiel the sons of Hotham the Aroerite, |
| 45Jediael the son of Shimri, and Joha his brother, the Tizite, | 45Jediael son of Shimri and his brother Joha the Tizite, |
| 46Eliel the Mahavite, and Jeribai, and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam, and Ithmah the Moabite, | 46Eliel the Mahavite, Jeribai and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam, Ithmah the Moabite, |
| 47Eliel, and Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite. | 47Eliel, Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite. |
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