1 Chronicles 11:10-47

David's Mighty Men

¹⁰ These are the chiefs of David's Mighty Men, the ones who linked arms with him as he took up his kingship, with all Israel joining in, helping him become king in just the way God had spoken regarding Israel. ¹¹ The list of David's Mighty Men: Jashobeam son of Hacmoni was chief of the Thirty. Singlehandedly he killed three hundred men, killed them all in one skirmish. ¹² Next was Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite, one of the Big Three of the Mighty Men. ¹³ He was with David at Pas Dammim, where the Philistines had mustered their troops for battle. It was an area where there was a field of barley. The army started to flee from the Philistines ¹⁴ and then took its stand right in that field - and turned the tide! They slaughtered the Philistines, God helping them - a huge victory. ¹⁵ The Big Three from the Thirty made a rocky descent to David at the Cave of Adullam while a company of Philistines was camped in the Valley of Rephaim. ¹⁶ David was holed up in the Cave while the Philistines were prepared for battle at Bethlehem. ¹⁷ David had a sudden craving: "What I wouldn't give for a drink of water from the well in Bethlehem, the one at the gate!" ¹⁸ The Three penetrated the Philistine camp, drew water from the well at the Bethlehem gate, shouldered it, and brought it to David. And then David wouldn't drink it! He poured it out as a sacred offering to God, ¹⁹ saying, "I'd rather be damned by God than drink this! It would be like drinking the lifeblood of these men - they risked their lives to bring it." So he refused to drink it. These are the kinds of things that the Big Three of the Mighty Men did. ²⁰ Abishai brother of Joab was the chief of the Thirty. Singlehandedly he fought three hundred men, and killed the lot, but he never made it into the circle of the Three. ²¹ He was highly honored by the Thirty - he was their chief - still, he didn't measure up to the Three. ²² Benaiah son of Jehoiada was a Mighty Man from Kabzeel with many exploits to his credit: he killed two famous Moabites; he climbed down into a pit and killed a lion on a snowy day; ²³ and he killed an Egyptian, a giant seven and a half feet tall. The Egyptian had a spear like a ship's boom but Benaiah went at him with a mere club, tore the spear from the Egyptian's hand, and killed him with it. ²⁴ These are some of the things Benaiah son of Jehoiada did. But he was never included with the Three. ²⁵ He was highly honored among the Thirty, but didn't measure up to the Three. David put him in charge of his personal bodyguard. ²⁶ The Mighty Men of the military were Asahel brother of Joab, Elhanan son of Dodo of Bethlehem, ²⁷ Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite, ²⁸ Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Anathothite, ²⁹ Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite, ³⁰ Maharai the Netophathite, Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite, ³¹ Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah of the Benjaminite, Benaiah the Pirathonite, 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 Sacar the Haranite, Eliphal son of Ur, ³⁶ Hepher the Mekerathite, Ahijah the Pelonite, ³⁷ Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai son of Ezbai, ³⁸ Joel 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 the Hittite, Zabad son of Ahlai, ⁴² Adina son of Shiza the Reubenite, the Reubenite chief of the Thirty, ⁴³ Hanan son of Maacah, Joshaphat the Mithnite, ⁴⁴ Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jeiel the sons of Hotham the Aroerite, ⁴⁵ Jediael son of Shimri, Joha the Tizite his brother, ⁴⁶ Eliel the Mahavite, Jeribai and Joshaviah the sons of Elnaam, Ithmah the Moabite, ⁴⁷ Eliel, Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.