1 Chronicles
Chapter 11
David, King of Israel
All the people of Israel went to David at Hebron and said: “Look, we are your flesh and blood.
Even when Saul was our king, you led Israel in battle; and the Lord your God said to you, ‘You are the man who shall be the shepherd of my people Israel and shall be ruler over them.’”
So all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and David made a Covenant with them at Hebron in the presence of the Lord, and he became king of Israel, just as the Lord had promised through Samuel.
Conquest of Jerusalem
David, with all the Israelites, attacked Jerusalem (that is to say, Jebus); there lived the Jebusites.
They said to David: “You will not get in here.” But David captured the fortress of Zion, and it became the city of David.
David said: “The first man to attack the Jebusites shall become leader and commander of the army.” Joab, son of Zeruiah, attacked first and became commander.
David went to live in the fortress, and because of this, it was called the City of David.
He then built a wall around the city, the Millo, and the surrounding wall, while Joab restored the rest of the city.
David grew greater and greater, and the Lord Sabaoth was with him.
These are the famous warriors of David, those who, during his rule, struggled with him and with all Israel to make him king as the Lord had promised.
This is the list of David’s warriors: Ishbaal the Hachmonite, leader of the three; one day, he wielded his battle-ax against three hundred whom he killed at one time.
After him was Eleazar, son of Dodo, the Ahohite, one of the three champions.
He was with David at Pas-dammim, where the Philistines had gathered to attack. There was a field full of barley there. When the Israelites began to flee,
Eleazar took a stand in the middle of the field, defended it, and fought the Philistines. So, the Lord brought about a great victory.
The Thirty leading soldiers went down to David at the rock near the Cave of Adullam while a company of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of the Rephaim.
David was then on a fortified hill, and a group of Philistines had occupied Bethlehem.
David sighed: “Oh, if someone would fetch me a drink of water from the well by the gate of Bethlehem!”
At this, the Three, forcing their way through the Philistine camp, drew water from the well by the gate of Bethlehem and, bringing it away, presented it to David. But David would drink none of it and pour it out as an offering to the Lord. He said:
“God keeps me from doing this! Am I to drink the blood of these men? For at the risk of their lives, they brought it.” And so he would not drink it. Such were the deeds of The Three.
Abishai, Joab’s brother, was the leader of the Thirty. He fought with his spear against three hundred, whom he killed, winning himself a name among The Thirty.
He was the most famous of The Thirty and became their captain, but he was not as renowned as The Three.
Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, a hero from Kabzeel, did many brave deeds; he killed the two Ariels of Moab. One snowy day, he went down and killed a lion in a pit.
He also killed an Egyptian, a huge man, seven and a half feet tall. The Egyptian had a gigantic spear in his hand, but Benaiah attacked him with a club, snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand, and killed the man with it.
Such were the deeds of Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, winning him a name among the thirty leading soldiers.
He was famous among The Thirty, but not as famous as The Three. David put him in command of his bodyguard.
The other valiant warriors were Asahel, the brother of Joab; Elhanan, son of Dodo, from Bethlehem.
Shammoth from Harod, Helez the Pelonite.
Ira, son of Ikkesh, from Tekoa; Abiezer from Anathoth.
Sibbecai, from Hushah; Ilai from Ahoh.
Maharai from Netophah; Heled son of Baanah, from Netophah.
Ithai the son of Ribai, from Gibeah of Benjamin; Benaiah from Pirathon.
Hurai from the valleys near Gaash; Abiel from Beth-arabah.
Azmaveth from Bahurim; Eliahba from Shaalbon.
Jashen the Gunite; Jonathan, son of Shagee, from Harar.
Ahiam, son of Sachar, from Harar; Eliphelet, son of Ur.
Ahasbai, from Beth-maacah; Ahijah, from Gilo.
Hezro from Carmel; Naarai, son of Ezbai.
Joel, the brother of Nathan, from Rehob, the Gadite.
Zelek the Ammonite; Naharai from Beeroth, armor-bearer to Joab son of Zeruiah.
Ira from Jattir; Gareb from Jattir.
Uriah the Hittite; Zabad son of Ahlai.
Adina, son of Shiza (a leading member of the tribe of Reuben, with his group of thirty soldiers).
Hanan, son of Maacah; Joshaphat the Mithnite.
Uzzia from Ashteroth; Shama and Jeiel, sons of Hotham the Aroerite.
Jediael the son of Shimri, and Joha his brother, the Tizite.
Eliel the Mahavite; Jeribai and Joshaviah, sons of Elnaam; Ithmah the Moabite.
Eliel, Obed, and Jaasiel from Zoba.
Commentaries
The Beginnings of the Kingdom.
After Saul’s death at the hands of the Philistines, the Chronicler describes David’s rise to power. Chapters 11 and beyond form a section focused on portraying David as king of “all Israel.” All the material comes from the Second Book of Samuel. However, the Chronicler has reworked it for readers familiar with David’s story, guiding them toward a new understanding of the same narrative.
David, King of Israel – Conquest of Jerusalem.
David emerges as the king of all Israel, without mentioning his earlier seven-year reign in Hebron. The Chronicler’s primary goal is to portray a unified and cohesive Israel centered around David. The conquest of Jerusalem is the first event of his reign, linking David’s selection to the choice of the capital. The list of David’s supporters (11:10-47) is taken from 2 Samuel 23:8-39.