| English Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1Then all Israel gathered together to David at Hebron and said, “Behold, we are your bone and flesh. | 1All Israel joined David at Hebron and said, "Look, we are your very 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.’” | 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.'" |
| 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. | 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. |
| 4And David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, that is, Jebus, where the Jebusites were, the inhabitants of the land. | 4David and the whole Israelite army advanced to Jerusalem (that is, Jebus). (The Jebusites, the land's original inhabitants, lived 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 residents of Jebus said to David, "You cannot invade this place!" But David captured the fortress 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 attacks the Jebusites first will become commanding general!" So Joab son of Zeruiah attacked first and became commander. |
| 7And David lived in the stronghold; therefore it was called the city of David. | 7David lived in the fortress; for this reason it is 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 around it, from the terrace to the surrounding walls; Joab restored the rest of the city. |
| 9And David became greater and greater, for the LORD of hosts was with him. | 9David's power steadily grew, for the LORD who commands armies 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. | 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. |
| 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, a Hacmonite, was head of the officers. He killed three hundred men with his spear in a single battle. |
| 12And next to him among the three mighty men was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite. | 12Next in command was Eleazar son of Dodo the Ahohite. He was one of the three elite 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 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, |
| 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 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. |
| 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 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. |
| 16David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then at Bethlehem. | 16David was in the stronghold at the time, while a Philistine garrison was in 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 thirsty and said, "How I wish someone would give me some water to drink from the cistern in Bethlehem near the city gate!" |
| 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 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 |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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 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. |
| 21He was the most renowned of the thirty and became their commander, but he did not attain to the three. | 21From the three he was given double honor and he became their officer, even though he was not one of them. |
| 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 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. |
| 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 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. |
| 24These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada and won a name beside the three mighty men. | 24Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada, who gained fame along with the three elite warriors. |
| 25He was renowned among the thirty, but he did not attain to the three. And David set him over his bodyguard. | 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. |
| 26The mighty men were Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, | 26The mighty warriors were: Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan son of Dodo, from 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, | 29Sibbekai 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 in Benjaminite territory, Benaiah the Pirathonite, |
| 32Hurai of the brooks of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite, | 32Hurai from the valleys 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 Shageh the Hararite, |
| 35Ahiam the son of Sachar the Hararite, Eliphal the son of Ur, | 35Ahiam son of Sakar the Hararite, Eliphal son of Ur, |
| 36Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite, | 36Hepher the Mekerathite, 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 of 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 Achli, |
| 42Adina the son of Shiza the Reubenite, a leader of the Reubenites, and thirty with him, | 42Adina son of Shiza the Reubenite, leader of the Reubenites and the thirty warriors 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 Joha his brother, the Tizite, |
| 46Eliel the Mahavite, and Jeribai, and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam, and Ithmah the Moabite, | 46Eliel the Mahavite, and Jeribai and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam, and Ithmah the Moabite, |
| 47Eliel, and Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite. | 47Eliel, and Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite. |
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