| NET Bible | New International Version |
| 1All Israel joined David at Hebron and said, "Look, we are your very flesh and blood! | 1All Israel came together to David at Hebron and said, "We are 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.'" | 2In the past, even while Saul was king, you were the one who led Israel on their military campaigns. And the LORD your God said to you, 'You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will become their ruler.'" |
| 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. | 3When all the elders of Israel had come to King David at Hebron, he made a covenant with them at Hebron before the LORD, and they anointed David king over Israel, as the LORD had promised through Samuel. |
| 4David and the whole Israelite army advanced to Jerusalem (that is, Jebus). (The Jebusites, the land's original inhabitants, lived there.) | 4David and all the Israelites marched to Jerusalem (that is, Jebus). The Jebusites who lived there |
| 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). | 5said to David, "You will not get in here." Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion--which is 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 said, "Whoever leads the attack on the Jebusites will become commander-in-chief." Joab son of Zeruiah went up first, and so he received the command. |
| 7David lived in the fortress; for this reason it is called the City of David. | 7David then took up residence in the fortress, and so it was called the City of David. |
| 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 city around it, from the terraces to the surrounding wall, while Joab restored the rest of the city. |
| 9David's power steadily grew, for the LORD who commands armies was with him. | 9And David became more and more powerful, because the LORD Almighty 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 were the chiefs of David's mighty warriors--they, together with all Israel, gave his kingship strong support to extend it over the whole land, as the LORD had promised-- |
| 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 is the list of David's mighty warriors: Jashobeam, a Hakmonite, was chief of the officers; he raised his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed in one encounter. |
| 12Next in command was Eleazar son of Dodo the Ahohite. He was one of the three elite warriors. | 12Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite, one of the three mighty warriors. |
| 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 gathered there for battle. At a place where there was a field full of barley, the troops fled 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 their stand in the middle of the field. They defended it and struck the Philistines down, and the LORD brought about 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. | 15Three of the thirty chiefs came down to David to the rock at the cave of Adullam, while a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. |
| 16David was in the stronghold at the time, while a Philistine garrison was in Bethlehem. | 16At that time David was in the stronghold, and the Philistine garrison was 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 longed for water and said, "Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!" |
| 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 broke through the Philistine lines, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem and carried it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out to the LORD. |
| 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. | 19"God forbid that I should do this!" he said. "Should I drink the blood of these men who went at the risk of their lives?" Because they risked their lives to bring it back, David would not drink it. Such were the exploits of the three mighty warriors. |
| 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. | 20Abishai the brother of Joab was chief of the Three. He raised his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed, and so he became as famous as 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 doubly honored above the Three and became their commander, even though he was not included among them. |
| 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. | 22Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant fighter from Kabzeel, performed great exploits. He struck down Moab's two mightiest warriors. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion. |
| 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. | 23And he struck down an Egyptian who was five cubits tall. Although the Egyptian had a spear like a weaver's rod in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club. He snatched the spear from 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. | 24Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada; he too was as famous as the three mighty 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 held in greater honor than any of the Thirty, but he was not included among the Three. And David put him in charge of his bodyguard. |
| 26The mighty warriors were: Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan son of Dodo, from Bethlehem, | 26The mighty warriors were: Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem, |
| 27Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite, | 27Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite, |
| 28Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Anathothite, | 28Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa, Abiezer from Anathoth, |
| 29Sibbekai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite, | 29Sibbekai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite, |
| 30Maharai the Netophathite, Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite, | 30Maharai the Netophathite, Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite, |
| 31Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjaminite territory, Benaiah the Pirathonite, | 31Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin, Benaiah the Pirathonite, |
| 32Hurai from the valleys of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite, | 32Hurai from the ravines of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite, |
| 33Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite, | 33Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite, |
| 34the sons of Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan son of Shageh the Hararite, | 34the sons of Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan son of Shagee the Hararite, |
| 35Ahiam son of Sakar the Hararite, Eliphal son of Ur, | 35Ahiam son of Sakar the Hararite, Eliphal son of Ur, |
| 36Hepher the Mekerathite, Ahijah the Pelonite, | 36Hepher the Mekerathite, Ahijah the Pelonite, |
| 37Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai son of Ezbai, | 37Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai son of Ezbai, |
| 38Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar son of Hagri, | 38Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar son of Hagri, |
| 39Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, the armor-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah, | 39Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Berothite, the armor-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah, |
| 40Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, | 40Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, |
| 41Uriah the Hittite, Zabad son of Achli, | 41Uriah the Hittite, Zabad son of Ahlai, |
| 42Adina son of Shiza the Reubenite, leader of the Reubenites and the thirty warriors with him, | 42Adina son of Shiza the Reubenite, who was chief of the Reubenites, and the thirty with him, |
| 43Hanan son of Maacah, Joshaphat the Mithnite, | 43Hanan son of Maakah, 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 son of Shimri, and Joha his brother, the Tizite, | 45Jediael son of Shimri, 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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