1 ARST Then the people of Israel came to David at the city of Hebron and said to him,“Listen, we have the same ancestors as you. BSB BSB: Then all Israel came together to David at Hebron and said, “Here we are, your own flesh and blood.
2 ARST In the past, when Saul was our king, you were the one who led our Israelite soldiers in battle. You are the one to whom Yahweh our God promised,‘You will care for my people; you will lead Israel.’” BSB BSB: Even 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.’”
3 ARST So all the Israelite elders came to David at Hebron. There David made an agreement with them with Yahweh as witness. The elders anointed David with oil to set him apart to be the king of the Israelite people, just as Yahweh had previously told the prophet Samuel would happen. BSB BSB: So 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.
4 ARST David and all the Israelite soldiers went to Jerusalem. Another name for the city was Jebus because the Jebus people group lived in the area. BSB BSB: Then David and all the Israelites marched to Jerusalem (that is, Jebus), where the Jebusites inhabited the land.
5 ARST The people in the city said to David,“You will not get in here!” But David and his soldiers captured the fortress there named Zion. Another name for it since then is the City of David. BSB BSB: The 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).
6 ARST Now, David had said to his soldiers,“Whoever leads our soldiers to defeat the people in Jebus will become the commander of all my army.” Joab son of Zeruiah led the soldiers, so he became the commander. BSB BSB: Now 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.
7 ARST So David moved into the fortress. That is why they named it the City of David. BSB BSB: So David took up residence in the fortress; that is why it was called the City of David.
8 ARST David’ s workers rebuilt the city, starting where the land was filled in and extending to the wall that was around the city. Joab’ s men repaired the other parts of the city. BSB BSB: He built up the city around it, from the supporting terraces to the surrounding wall, while Joab restored the rest of the city.
9 ARST David became more and more powerful because Yahweh, commander of the angel armies, helped him. BSB BSB: And David became greater and greater, for the LORD of Hosts was with him.
10 ARST Together with all Israel, the leaders of David’ s warriors helped establish David’ s reign and supported him in becoming king, just as Yahweh had told Israel. BSB BSB: Now 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.
11 ARST David’ s warriors included: Jashobeam was from the Hachmon clan. He was the leader of the officers. One time he fought against 300 enemies and killed them all with his spear. BSB BSB: This 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.
12 ARST Next was Eleazar son of Dodo, from the clan of Ahoh. He was one of David’ s three elite warriors. BSB BSB: Next in command was Eleazar son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men.
13 ARST Once he was with David at Pas Dammim when the Philistine soldiers gathered for the battle. There was a field of barley there. At first the Israelite soldiers ran away from the Philistine soldiers, BSB BSB: He was with David at Pas-dammim when the Philistines gathered there for battle. At a place with a field full of barley, the troops fled from the Philistines.
14 ARST but then they stopped in the middle of the field and fought to defend it. They killed the Philistine soldiers. Yahweh enabled them to win a great victory. BSB BSB: But 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.
15 ARST One time three of David’ s 30 greatest warriors came to David when he was camping next to the huge rock outside the cave near Adullam. At that same time, the Philistine army had camped in the Valley of Rephaim. BSB BSB: Three 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.
16 ARST David was then in a fortress, and some of the Philistine soldiers were occupying Bethlehem. BSB BSB: At that time David was in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was at Bethlehem.
17 ARST One day David longingly said,“I wish that someone would bring me some water from the well near the gate at Bethlehem.” BSB BSB: David longed for water and said, “Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!”
18 ARST So the three greatest warriors forced their way through the Philistine camp and drew some water from that well, and brought it to David. But he would not drink it. Instead, he poured it out on the ground as an offering to Yahweh. BSB BSB: So 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 ARST He said,“God would consider it wrong for me to drink this water! That would be like drinking the blood of these men and taking their lives, since they were willing to give their lives for me!” So he refused to drink it. That was one of the things that David’ s three greatest warriors did. BSB BSB: saying, “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.
20 ARST Now Joab’ s brother Abshai was the leader of the three elite warriors, and he gained fame among those three. One time Abshai fought 300 enemies with his spear, and he killed them all. BSB BSB: Now Abishai, the brother of Joab, was chief of the Three, and he wielded his spear against three hundred men, killed them, and won a name along with the Three.
21 ARST Among a second group of three elite warriors, he was honored and became their leader, but he was not considered part of the first group of three elite warriors. BSB BSB: He was doubly honored above the Three, and he became their commander, even though he was not included among the Three.
22 ARST Jehoiada’ s son Benaiah was a brave soldier from the city of Kabzeel who did great deeds. He killed two of the best warriors from the Moab people group. One day he went down into a pit in snowy weather and killed a lion. BSB BSB: And 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.
23 ARST He also killed an Egyptian soldier who was two and one- third meters tall. The Egyptian carried a spear that was as long as a weaver’ s rod, but Benaiah fought him with a club. Benaiah grabbed the Egyptian’ s spear and killed him with it. BSB BSB: He also struck down 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.
24 ARST Those are some of the things that Benaiah son of Jehoiada did. So he became famous along with the three elite warriors. BSB BSB: These were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada, who won a name along with the three mighty men.
25 ARST Indeed, he was more honored than the remainder of the 30 warriors, but he did not become a member of the first group of three warriors. David appointed him to be the leader of his bodyguards. BSB BSB: He was most honored among the Thirty, but he did not become one of the Three. And David appointed him over his guard.
26 ARST These are the names of the great warriors: Asahel, brother of Joab; Elhanan son of Dodo, from Bethlehem; BSB BSB: Now these were the mighty men: Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan son of Dodo of Bethlehem,
27 ARST Shammoth, from Haror; Helez, from Pelon; BSB BSB: Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite,
28 ARST Ira son of Ikkesh, from Tekoa; Abiezer, from Anathoth; BSB BSB: Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Anathothite,
29 ARST Sibbekai, from Hushah; Ilai from Ahoh; BSB BSB: Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite,
30 ARST Maharai, from Netophah; Heled son of Baanah, from Netophah; BSB BSB: Maharai the Netophathite, Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite,
31 ARST Ithai, son of Ribai, from Gibeah which belonged to the descendants of Benjamin; Benaiah, from Pirathon; BSB BSB: Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah of the Benjamites, Benaiah the Pirathonite,
32 ARST Hurai, from the valleys near Mount Gaash; Abiel from Arabah; BSB BSB: Hurai from the brooks of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite,
33 ARST Azmaveth, from Baharum; Eliahba, from Shaalbon; BSB BSB: Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite,
34 ARST the sons of Hashem from Gizon; Jonathan son of Shagee from Harar; BSB BSB: the sons of Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan son of Shagee the Hararite,
35 ARST Ahiam son of Sakar from Harar; Eliphal son of Ur; BSB BSB: Ahiam son of Sachar the Hararite, Eliphal son of Ur,
36 ARST Hepher from Mekerath; Ahijah from Pelon; BSB BSB: Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite,
37 ARST Hezro from Carmel; Naarai son of Ezbai; BSB BSB: Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai son of Ezbai,
38 ARST Joel the brother of Nathan; Mibhar son of Hagri; BSB BSB: Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar son of Hagri,
39 ARST Zelek from the Ammon people group; Naharai from Beeroth, the armor bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah; BSB BSB: Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, the armor-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah,
40 ARST Ira from Jattir; Gareb from Jattir; BSB BSB: Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,
41 ARST Uriah, Bathsheba’ s husband, from the Heth people group; Zabad son of Ahlai; BSB BSB: Uriah the Hittite, Zabad son of Ahlai,
42 ARST Adina son of Shiza from the tribe of Reuben, a leader from that tribe, who had 30 soldiers with him; BSB BSB: Adina son of Shiza the Reubenite, chief of the Reubenites, and the thirty with him,
43 ARST Hanan son of Maacah; Joshaphat from Mithna; BSB BSB: Hanan son of Maacah, Joshaphat the Mithnite,
44 ARST Uzzia from Ashterath; Shama and Jeiel, sons of Hotham, from Aroer. BSB BSB: Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jeiel the sons of Hotham the Aroerite,
45 ARST Jediael son of Shimri and his brother Joha, from Tiz; BSB BSB: Jediael son of Shimri and his brother Joha the Tizite,
46 ARST Eliel from Mahavah; Jeribai and Joshaviah, sons of Elnaam; Ithmah from Moab; BSB BSB: Eliel the Mahavite, Jeribai and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam, Ithmah the Moabite,
47 ARST Eliel and Obed, and Jaasiel from Zobah. BSB BSB: Eliel, Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.
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