Then all Israel gathered themselves to David at Hebron, saying, “Behold, we are your bone and your flesh.
In times past, even when Saul was king, it was you who led out and brought in Israel. Yahweh your God said to you, ‘You will be shepherd of my people Israel; you will be ruler over my people Israel.’”
So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and David cut a covenant with them in Hebron before Yahweh, and they anointed David king over Israel according to the word of Yahweh by the hand of Samuel.
David Takes Jerusalem
David and all Israel went to Jerusalem (which is Jebus), and the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, were there.
The inhabitants of Jebus said to David, “You will not get in here!” But David captured the stronghold of Zion, which is the city of David.
David said, “Whoever strikes the Jebusites first will be head and commander.” Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first and was made head.
David lived in the stronghold, so they called it the city of David.
He built the city all around, from the Millo around, and Joab restored the rest of the city.
And David grew greater and greater, for Yahweh of Armies was with him.
David's Mighty Men
Now these are the chiefs of the mighty men whom David had, who gave him strong support in his kingdom, together with all Israel, to make him king according to the word of Yahweh concerning Israel.
This is the number of the mighty men whom David had: Jashobeam, the son of a Hachmonite, the chief of the 30; he lifted up his spear against 300 and killed them at one time.
After him was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, who was one of the three mighty men.
He was with David at Pasdammim, and the Philistines were gathered together there for battle. There was a plot of ground full of barley, and the people fled from before the Philistines.
They stood in the middle of the plot and defended it and killed the Philistines; and Yahweh saved them by a great victory.
Three of the 30 chief men went down to David, to the rock at the Cave of Adullam, and the army of the Philistines were encamped in the Valley of Rephaim.
David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem.
David longed and said, “Oh that one would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem that is by the city gate!”
The three broke through the army 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 of it, but poured it out to Yahweh
and said, “Far be it from me before my God that I should do this! Should I drink the blood of these men who have put their lives in jeopardy? For they risked their lives to bring it.” Therefore he would not drink it. The three mighty men did these kinds of things.
Abishai, the brother of Joab, was chief of the three, for he lifted up his spear against 300 and killed them, and had a name among the three.
He was doubly honored above the three and was made their commander even though he was not one of the three.
Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel who had done mighty deeds, he struck down the two lion-hearted men of Moab. He also went down and struck down a lion in the middle of a pit in time of snow.
He struck down an Egyptian, a man of great stature, five cubits tall, and in the Egyptian’s hand was a spear like a weaver’s beam; and he went down to him with a staff and snatched the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear.
Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did these things and had a name among the three mighty men.
He was honored among the 30, but he did not attain to the three. And David set him over his bodyguard.
Now the mighty men of the armies were Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,
Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite,
Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Anathothite,
Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite,
Maharai the Netophathite, Heled the son of Baanah the Netophathite,
Ithai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin, Benaiah the Pirathonite,
Hurai of the brooks of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite,
Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite,
the sons of Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan the son of Shagee the Hararite,
Ahiam the son of Sacar the Hararite, Eliphal the son of Ur,
Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite,
Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai the son of Ezbai,
Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar the son of Hagri,
Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Berothite, the armor-bearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah,
Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,
Uriah the Hittite, Zabad the son of Ahlai,
Adina the son of Shiza the Reubenite, a leader of the Reubenites, and 30 with him,
Hanan the son of Maacah, and Joshaphat the Mithnite,
Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jeiel the sons of Hotham the Aroerite,
Jediael the son of Shimri and Joha his brother, the Tizite,
Eliel the Mahavite, and Jeribai and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam, and Ithmah the Moabite,