David’s Mighty Men

10 (A)Now these are the heads of the mighty men whom David had, who remained faithful to him in his kingdom, together with all Israel, to make him king, (B)in accordance with the word of the Lord concerning Israel. 11 These constitute the list of David’s mighty men: (C)Jashobeam, the son of a Hachmonite, (D)the chief of the thirty; he wielded his spear against three hundred [a]whom he killed at one time.

12 After him was Eleazar the son of (E)Dodo, the Ahohite, who was [b]one of the three mighty men. 13 He was with David at [c]Pas-dammim (F)when the Philistines were gathered together there to battle, and there was a plot of land full of barley; and the people fled from the Philistines. 14 But they took their stand in the midst of the plot and defended it, and defeated the Philistines; and the Lord saved them with a great [d]victory.

15 Now three of the thirty chief men went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam, while (G)the army of the Philistines was camping in the Valley of Rephaim. 16 David was then in the stronghold, while (H)the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. 17 And David had a craving and said, “Oh that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!” 18 So the three broke through the camp of the Philistines and drew water from the well of Bethlehem which was by the gate, and took it and brought it to David; however, David would not drink it, but poured it out to the Lord; 19 and he said, “Far be it from me before my God that I would do this. Shall I drink the blood of these men who went [e]at the risk of their lives? For they brought it at the risk of their lives.” Therefore he would not drink it. The three mighty men did these things.

20 As for [f]Abshai the brother of Joab, he was chief of the [g]thirty, and he wielded his spear against three hundred [h]and killed them; and he had a name [i]as well as the [j]thirty. 21 Of the three in the second rank he was the most honored, and he became their commander; however, he did not attain the reputation of the first three.

22 (I)Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a warrior of Kabzeel, mighty in deeds, struck and killed the [k]two sons of Ariel of Moab. He also went down and struck and killed a lion inside a pit on a snowy day. 23 And he killed an Egyptian, a man of great stature [l]five cubits tall. Now in the Egyptian’s hand was (J)a spear like a weaver’s beam, but he went down to him with a club and snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear. 24 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did these things, and had a name [m]as well as the three mighty men. 25 Behold, he was honored among the thirty, but he did not attain the reputation of the first three; and David appointed him over his bodyguard.

26 Now the mighty men of the armies were Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, 27 [n]Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the [o]Pelonite, 28 Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Anathothite, 29 [p]Sibbecai the Hushathite, [q]Ilai the Ahohite, 30 Maharai the Netophathite, [r]Heled the son of Baanah the Netophathite, 31 Ithai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the sons of Benjamin, Benaiah the Pirathonite, 32 [s]Hurai of the brooks of Gaash, [t]Abiel the Arbathite, 33 Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite, 34 the sons of [u]Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan the son of Shagee the Hararite, 35 Ahiam the son of [v]Sacar the Hararite, [w]Eliphal the son of Ur, 36 Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite, 37 Hezro the Carmelite, [x]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 his brother Joha the Tizite, 46 Eliel the Mahavite, and Jeribai and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam, Ithmah the Moabite, 47 Eliel, Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 11:11 Lit slain ones
  2. 1 Chronicles 11:12 Lit among
  3. 1 Chronicles 11:13 In 1 Sam 17:1, Ephes-dammim
  4. 1 Chronicles 11:14 Or salvation
  5. 1 Chronicles 11:19 Lit with their souls
  6. 1 Chronicles 11:20 In 2 Sam 23:18, Abishai
  7. 1 Chronicles 11:20 As in Syriac; MT three
  8. 1 Chronicles 11:20 Lit slain ones
  9. 1 Chronicles 11:20 Lit among the
  10. 1 Chronicles 11:20 As in Syriac; MT three
  11. 1 Chronicles 11:22 Or two lion-like heroes of
  12. 1 Chronicles 11:23 About 7.5 ft. or 2.3 m
  13. 1 Chronicles 11:24 Lit among the
  14. 1 Chronicles 11:27 In 2 Sam 23:25, Shammah the Harodite
  15. 1 Chronicles 11:27 In 2 Sam 23:26, Paltite
  16. 1 Chronicles 11:29 In 2 Sam 23:27, Mebunnai
  17. 1 Chronicles 11:29 In 2 Sam 23:28, Zalmon
  18. 1 Chronicles 11:30 In 2 Sam 23:29, Heleb
  19. 1 Chronicles 11:32 In 2 Sam 23:30, Hiddai
  20. 1 Chronicles 11:32 In 2 Sam 23:31, Abi-albon
  21. 1 Chronicles 11:34 In 2 Sam 23:32, Jashen
  22. 1 Chronicles 11:35 In 2 Sam 23:33, Sharar
  23. 1 Chronicles 11:35 In 2 Sam 23:34, Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai
  24. 1 Chronicles 11:37 In 2 Sam 23:35, Paarai the Arbite

David’s Mighty Warriors(A)

10 These were the chiefs of David’s mighty warriors—they, together with all Israel,(B) gave his kingship strong support to extend it over the whole land, as the Lord had promised(C) 11 this is the list of David’s mighty warriors:(D)

Jashobeam,[a] a Hakmonite, was chief of the officers[b]; he raised his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed in one encounter.

12 Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite, one of the three mighty warriors. 13 He was with David at Pas Dammim when the Philistines gathered there for battle. At a place where there was a field full of barley, the troops fled from the Philistines. 14 But they took their stand in the middle of the field. They defended it and struck the Philistines down, and the Lord brought about a great victory.(E)

15 Three of the thirty chiefs came down to David to the rock at the cave of Adullam, while a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley(F) of Rephaim. 16 At that time David was in the stronghold,(G) and the Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem. 17 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 So the Three broke through the Philistine lines, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem and carried it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured(H) it out to the Lord. 19 “God forbid that I should do this!” he said. “Should I drink the blood of these men who went at the risk of their lives?” Because they risked their lives to bring it back, David would not drink it.

Such were the exploits of the three mighty warriors.

20 Abishai(I) the brother of Joab was chief of the Three. He raised his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed, and so he became as famous as the Three. 21 He was doubly honored above the Three and became their commander, even though he was not included among them.

22 Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant fighter from Kabzeel,(J) performed great exploits. He struck down Moab’s two mightiest warriors. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion.(K) 23 And he struck down an Egyptian who was five cubits[c] tall. Although the Egyptian had a spear like a weaver’s rod(L) in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club. He snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear. 24 Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada; he too was as famous as the three mighty warriors. 25 He was held in greater honor than any of the Thirty, but he was not included among the Three. And David put him in charge of his bodyguard.

26 The mighty warriors were:

Asahel(M) the brother of Joab,

Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem,

27 Shammoth(N) the Harorite,

Helez the Pelonite,

28 Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa,

Abiezer(O) from Anathoth,

29 Sibbekai(P) the Hushathite,

Ilai the Ahohite,

30 Maharai the Netophathite,

Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite,

31 Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin,

Benaiah(Q) the Pirathonite,(R)

32 Hurai from the ravines of Gaash,

Abiel the Arbathite,

33 Azmaveth the Baharumite,

Eliahba the Shaalbonite,

34 the sons of Hashem the Gizonite,

Jonathan son of Shagee the Hararite,

35 Ahiam son of Sakar the Hararite,

Eliphal son of Ur,

36 Hepher the Mekerathite,

Ahijah the Pelonite,

37 Hezro the Carmelite,

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,

40 Ira the Ithrite,

Gareb the Ithrite,

41 Uriah(S) the Hittite,

Zabad(T) son of Ahlai,

42 Adina son of Shiza the Reubenite, who was chief of the Reubenites, and the thirty with him,

43 Hanan son of Maakah,

Joshaphat the Mithnite,

44 Uzzia the Ashterathite,(U)

Shama and Jeiel the sons of Hotham the Aroerite,

45 Jediael son of Shimri,

his brother Joha the Tizite,

46 Eliel the Mahavite,

Jeribai and Joshaviah the sons of Elnaam,

Ithmah the Moabite,

47 Eliel, Obed and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.

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Footnotes

  1. 1 Chronicles 11:11 Possibly a variant of Jashob-Baal
  2. 1 Chronicles 11:11 Or Thirty; some Septuagint manuscripts Three (see also 2 Samuel 23:8)
  3. 1 Chronicles 11:23 That is, about 7 feet 6 inches or about 2.3 meters