| New Living Translation | Berean Study Bible |
| 1Then all Israel gathered before David at Hebron and told him, “We are your own flesh and blood. | 1Then all Israel came together to David at Hebron and said, “Here we are, your own flesh and blood. |
| 2In the past, even when Saul was king, you were the one who really led the forces of Israel. And the LORD your God told you, ‘You will be the shepherd of my people Israel. You will be the leader of my people Israel.’” | 2Even in times past, while Saul was king, you were the one who led Israel out and brought them back. And the LORD your God said, ‘You will shepherd My people Israel, and you will be ruler over them.’ ” |
| 3So there at Hebron, David made a covenant before the LORD with all the elders of Israel. And they anointed him king of Israel, just as the LORD had promised through Samuel. David Captures Jerusalem | 3So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, where David made a covenant with them before the LORD. And they anointed him king over Israel, according to the word of the LORD through Samuel. |
| 4Then David and all Israel went to Jerusalem (or Jebus, as it used to be called), where the Jebusites, the original inhabitants of the land, were living. | 4Then David and all the Israelites marched to Jerusalem (that is, Jebus), where the Jebusites inhabited the land. |
| 5The people of Jebus taunted David, saying, “You’ll never get in here!” But David captured the fortress of Zion, which is now called the City of David. | 5The people of Jebus said to David, “You will never get in here.” Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion (that is, the City of David). |
| 6David had said to his troops, “Whoever is first to attack the Jebusites will become the commander of my armies!” And Joab, the son of David’s sister Zeruiah, was first to attack, so he became the commander of David’s armies. | 6Now David had said, “Whoever is the first to strike down a Jebusite will become chief commander.” And Joab son of Zeruiah went up first, and he became the chief. |
| 7David made the fortress his home, and that is why it is called the City of David. | 7So David took up residence in the fortress; that is why it was called the City of David. |
| 8He extended the city from the supporting terraces to the surrounding area, while Joab rebuilt the rest of Jerusalem. | 8He built up the city around it, from the supporting terraces to the surrounding wall, while Joab restored the rest of the city. |
| 9And David became more and more powerful, because the LORD of Heaven’s Armies was with him. David’s Mightiest Warriors | 9And David became greater and greater, for the LORD of Hosts was with him. |
| 10These are the leaders of David’s mighty warriors. Together with all Israel, they decided to make David their king, just as the LORD had promised concerning Israel. | 10Now these were the chiefs of David’s mighty men, who, together with all Israel, bolstered and strengthened his kingdom, according to the word of the LORD concerning Israel. |
| 11Here is the record of David’s mightiest warriors: The first was Jashobeam the Hacmonite, who was leader of the Three—the mightiest warriors among David’s men. He once used his spear to kill 300 enemy warriors in a single battle. | 11This is the list of David’s mighty men: Jashobeam son of Hachmoni was chief of the officers; he wielded his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed at one time. |
| 12Next in rank among the Three was Eleazar son of Dodai, a descendant of Ahoah. | 12Next in command was Eleazar son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men. |
| 13He was with David when the Philistines gathered for battle at Pas-dammim and attacked the Israelites in a field full of barley. The Israelite army fled, | 13He was with David at Pas-dammim when the Philistines gathered there for battle. At the place with a field full of barley, the troops fled from the Philistines. |
| 14but Eleazar and David held their ground in the middle of the field and beat back the Philistines. So the LORD saved them by giving them a great victory. | 14But Eleazar and David stationed themselves in the middle of the field and defended it. They struck down the Philistines, and the LORD brought about a great victory. |
| 15Once when David was at the rock near the cave of Adullam, the Philistine army was camped in the valley of Rephaim. The Three (who were among the Thirty—an elite group among David’s fighting men) went down to meet him there. | 15Three of the thirty chief men went down to David, to the rock at the cave of Adullam, while a company of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. |
| 16David was staying in the stronghold at the time, and a Philistine detachment had occupied the town of Bethlehem. | 16At that time David was in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was at Bethlehem. |
| 17David remarked longingly to his men, “Oh, how I would love some of that good water from the well by the gate in Bethlehem.” | 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 broke through the Philistine lines, drew some water from the well by the gate in Bethlehem, and brought it back to David. But David refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out as an offering to the LORD. | 18So the Three broke through the Philistine camp, drew water from the well at the gate of Bethlehem, and brought it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out to the LORD, |
| 19“God forbid that I should drink this!” he exclaimed. “This water is as precious as the blood of these men who risked their lives to bring it to me.” So David did not drink it. These are examples of the exploits of the Three. David’s Thirty Mighty Men | 19saying, “Far be it from me, my God, to do this! How can I drink the blood of these men who risked their lives?” Because they had brought it at the risk of their lives, David refused to drink it. Such were the exploits of the three mighty men. |
| 20Abishai, the brother of Joab, was the leader of the Thirty. He once used his spear to kill 300 enemy warriors in a single battle. It was by such feats that he became as famous as the Three. | 20Now Abishai, the brother of Joab, was chief of the Three, and he lifted his spear against three hundred men, killed them, and won a name along with the Three. |
| 21Abishai was the most famous of the Thirty and was their commander, though he was not one of the Three. | 21He was doubly honored above the Three, and he became their commander, even though he was not included among the Three. |
| 22There was also Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant warrior from Kabzeel. He did many heroic deeds, which included killing two champions of Moab. Another time, on a snowy day, he chased a lion down into a pit and killed it. | 22And Benaiah son of Jehoiada was a man of valor from Kabzeel, a man of many exploits. He struck down two champions of Moab, and on a snowy day he went down into a pit and killed a lion. |
| 23Once, armed only with a club, he killed an Egyptian warrior who was 7 1/2 feet tall and who was armed with a spear as thick as a weaver’s beam. Benaiah wrenched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with it. | 23He also killed an Egyptian, a huge man five cubits tall. Although the Egyptian had a spear like a weaver’s beam in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club, snatched the spear from his hand, and killed the Egyptian with his own spear. |
| 24Deeds like these made Benaiah as famous as the three mightiest warriors. | 24These were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada, who won a name alongside the three mighty men. |
| 25He was more honored than the other members of the Thirty, though he was not one of the Three. And David made him captain of his bodyguard. | 25He was most honored among the Thirty, but he did not become one of the Three. And David appointed him over his guard. |
| 26David’s mighty warriors also included: Asahel, Joab’s brother; Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem; | 26Now these were the mighty men: Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan son of Dodo of Bethlehem, |
| 27Shammah from Harod; Helez from Pelon; | 27Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite, |
| 28Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa; Abiezer from Anathoth; | 28Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Anathothite, |
| 29Sibbecai from Hushah; Zalmon from Ahoah; | 29Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite, |
| 30Maharai from Netophah; Heled son of Baanah from Netophah; | 30Maharai the Netophathite, Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite, |
| 31Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah (in the land of Benjamin); Benaiah from Pirathon; | 31Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah of the Benjamites, Benaiah the Pirathonite, |
| 32Hurai from near Nahale-gaash ; Abi-albon from Arabah; | 32Hurai from the brooks of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite, |
| 33Azmaveth from Bahurim ; Eliahba from Shaalbon; | 33Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite, |
| 34the sons of Jashen from Gizon; Jonathan son of Shagee from Harar; | 34the sons of Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan son of Shagee the Hararite, |
| 35Ahiam son of Sharar from Harar; Eliphal son of Ur; | 35Ahiam son of Sachar the Hararite, Eliphal son of Ur, |
| 36Hepher from Mekerah; Ahijah from Pelon; | 36Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite, |
| 37Hezro from Carmel; Paarai 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 from Ammon; Naharai from Beeroth, the armor bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah; | 39Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, the armor-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah, |
| 40Ira from Jattir; Gareb from Jattir; | 40Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, |
| 41Uriah the Hittite; Zabad son of Ahlai; | 41Uriah the Hittite, Zabad son of Ahlai, |
| 42Adina son of Shiza, the Reubenite leader who had thirty men with him; | 42Adina son of Shiza the Reubenite, chief of the Reubenites, and the thirty with him, |
| 43Hanan son of Maacah; Joshaphat from Mithna; | 43Hanan son of Maacah, Joshaphat the Mithnite, |
| 44Uzzia from Ashtaroth; Shama and Jeiel, the sons of Hotham, from Aroer; | 44Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jeiel the sons of Hotham the Aroerite, |
| 45Jediael son of Shimri; Joha, his brother, from Tiz; | 45Jediael son of Shimri and his brother Joha the Tizite, |
| 46Eliel from Mahavah; Jeribai and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam; Ithmah from Moab; | 46Eliel the Mahavite, Jeribai and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam, Ithmah the Moabite, |
| 47Eliel and Obed; Jaasiel from Zobah. | 47Eliel, Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite. |
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