1 All Israel came together to David at Hebron and said, "See, we are your own bone and flesh.
2 Even before, while Saul was king, you were the one who led Israel out and in. And the LORD your God told you, 'You will be the shepherd of my people Israel, and you will be prince over my people Israel.'"
3 And all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the LORD; and they anointed David as king over Israel, as the LORD had spoken through Samuel.
4 Then David went with all Israel to Jerusalem, which is Jebus; the Jebusites, the people of the land, were there.
5 The people who lived in Jebus told David, "You shall not enter here." But David took the stronghold of Zion; it is the City of David.
6 David had said, "Whoever is first to strike the Jebusites will become head and commander." Joab son of Zeruiah was the first to go up, so he became head.
7 David took up residence in the stronghold, and for that reason it was called the City of David.
8 He built up the city on every side, from the Millo all the way around, while Joab rebuilt the rest of the city.
9 David kept growing ever greater, because the LORD of hosts was with him.
10 Now these are the heads of the mighty men David had, who gave him strong support in his kingship, together with all Israel, to make him king as the LORD had said about Israel.
11 This is the list of David's mighty men: Jashobeam son of a Hachmonite, head of the officers. He raised his spear over three hundred and slew them at one time.
12 After him was Eleazar son of Dodo the Ahohite; he was among the three mighty men.
13 He was with David at Pas-dammim when the Philistines had gathered there to fight. There was a field there full of barley, and the people ran from the Philistines.
14 But they stood their ground in the middle of the field, held it, and cut down the Philistines; and the LORD brought about a great deliverance.
15 Three of the thirty leaders went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam, while the Philistine force was camped in the Valley of Rephaim.
16 At that time David was in the stronghold, and a Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem.
17 David felt a craving and said, "If only someone would bring me water to drink from the well at Bethlehem, the one by the gate!"
18 So the three forced their way through the Philistine camp, drew water from the well at Bethlehem by the gate, and took it and brought it to David. But David refused to drink it and poured it out to the LORD.
19 He said, "My God forbid that I should do such a thing! Should I drink the blood of these men, who risked their lives? For they brought it at the risk of their lives." And he refused to drink it. Such were the deeds of the three mighty men.
20 Abishai, Joab's brother, was the head of the three. He raised his spear over three hundred and slew them, and he won a name with the three.
21 Of the three, he was honored above the two and became their leader, yet he did not reach the three.
22 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was the son of a brave man from Kabzeel who had done great deeds. He killed the two Ariels of Moab. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion.
23 And he killed an Egyptian, a huge man five cubits tall. The Egyptian had a spear in his hand like a weaver's beam, but Benaiah went down against him with a club, wrenched the spear from the Egyptian's hand, and killed him with it.
24 Such were the deeds of Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he won a name with the three mighty men.
25 He was honored more than the thirty, but he did not reach the three. David put him in charge of his guard.
26 The mighty warriors of the army were these: Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem,
27 Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite,
28 Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Anathothite,
29 Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite,
30 Maharai the Netophathite, Heled the son of Baanah the Netophathite,
31 Ithai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the sons of Benjamin, Benaiah the Pirathonite,
32 Hurai of the brooks of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite,
33 Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite,
34 the sons of Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan the son of Shagee the Hararite,
35 Ahiam the son of Sachar the Hararite, Eliphal the son of Ur,
36 Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite,
37 Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai the son of Ezbai,
38 Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar the son of Hagri,
39 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Berothite, the armor-bearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah,
40 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,
41 Uriah the Hittite, Zabad the son of Ahlai,
42 Adina the son of Shiza the Reubenite, a chief of the Reubenites, and thirty with him,
43 Hanan the son of Maacah, and Joshaphat the Mithnite,
44 Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jeiel the sons of Hotham the Aroerite,
45 Jediael the son of Shimri, and Joha his brother, the Tizite,
46 Eliel the Mahavite, and Jeribai and Joshaviah the sons of Elnaam, and Ithmah the Moabite,
47 Eliel, Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.