1 THEN [after the death of Ish-bosheth, Saul's son, who ruled over eleven tribes of Israel for two troubled years after Saul's death] all Israel gathered at Hebron and said to David, Behold, we are your bone and your flesh. 2 In 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 and leader over [them]. 3 So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and David made a covenant with them there before the Lord, and they anointed [him] king over Israel, according to the word of the Lord through Samuel.
4 And David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, that is Jebus, where the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, were. 5 Then the Jebusites said to David, You shall not come in here! But David took the stronghold of Zion, that is, the City of David. 6 And David said, Whoever smites the Jebusites first shall be chief and commander. Joab son of Zeruiah [David's half sister] went up first, and so he was made chief. 7 David dwelt in the stronghold; so it was called the City of David. 8 He built the city from the Millo [a fortification] on around; and Joab repaired and revived the rest of the [old Jebusite] city. 9 And David became greater and greater, for the Lord of hosts was with him.
10 Now these are the chiefs of David's mighty men, who strongly supported him in his kingdom, together with all Israel, to make him king, according to the word of the Lord concerning Israel. 11 And this is the number [thirty, and list] of David's mighty men: Jashobeam, a Hachmonite, the chief of the Thirty [captains]. He lifted up his spear against 300, whom he slew at one time.
12 Next to him in rank was Eleazar son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men. 13 He was with David at Pas-dammim [where David had long before slain Goliath], and there the Philistines were gathered for battle, where there was a plot of ground full of barley or lentils; and the men [of Israel] fled before the Philistines. 14 And Eleazar [one of the Three] stood in the midst of that plot and defended it and slew the Philistines [until his hand was weary, and his hand cleaved to the sword], and the Lord saved by a great victory and deliverance.
15 Three of the thirty chief men went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam, and the army of the Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. 16 David was then in the stronghold, and the Philistines' garrison was in Bethlehem. 17 And David longingly said, Oh, that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem which is by the gate! 18 Then the Three [mighty men] broke through the camp of the Philistines and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem which was by the gate and brought it to David. But David would not drink it; he poured it out to the Lord, 19 And said, My God forbid that I should do this thing. Shall I drink the blood of these men who have put their lives in jeopardy? For at the risk of their lives they brought it. So he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men.
20 Abishai the brother of Joab was chief of the Three. For he lifted up his spear against 300 and slew them, and was named among the Three. 21 Of the Three [in the second rank] he was more renowned than the two, and became their captain; however, he attained not to the first three.
22 Benaiah son of Jehoiada, whose father was a valiant man of Kabzeel, had done mighty deeds. He slew the two sons of Ariel of Moab. Also he went down and slew a lion in a pit in time of snow. 23 He slew an Egyptian also, a man of great stature, five cubits tall. The Egyptian held a spear like a weaver's beam, and [Benaiah] went to him with a staff and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand and slew him with the man's own spear. 24 These things did Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and won a name beside the three mighty men. 25 He was renowned among the Thirty, but he did not attain to the rank of the first three. David put him over his guard and council.
26 Also the mighty men of the armies were: Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan son of Dodo of Bethlehem, 27 Shammoth of Harod, Helez the Pelonite, 28 Ira son of Ikkesh of Tekoa, Abiezer of Anathoth, 29 Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite, 30 Maharai of Netophah, Heled son of Baanah of Netophah, 31 Ithai son of Ribai of Gibeah of the Benjamites, Benaiah of Pirathon, 32 Hurai of the brooks of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite, 33 Azmaveth of Baharum, Eliahba of Shaalbon, 34 The sons of Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan son of Shagee the Hararite, 35 Ahiam son of Sacar the Hararite, Eliphal son of Ur, 36 Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite, 37 Hezro of Carmel, Naarai son of Ezbai, 38 Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar son of Hagri, 39 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Berothite, the armor-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah [David's half sister], 40 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, 41 Uriah the Hittite [Bathsheba's husband], Zabad son of Ahlai, 42 Adina son of Shiza, a leader of the Reubenites, and thirty heroes with him, 43 Hanan son of Maacah, and Joshaphat the Mithnite, 44 Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jeiel the sons of Hotham the Aroerite, 45 Jediael son of Shimri, and Joha his brother, the Tizite, 46 Eliel the Mahavite, Jeribai and Joshaviah sons of Elnaam, Ithmah the Moabite, 47 Eliel, Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.