- These also are the chief of the mighty men whom David had, who strengthened themselves with him in his kingdom, and with all Israel, to make him king according to the word of the Lord concerning Israel. And this is the number of the mighty men whom David had: Jashobeam, a Hachmonite, the chief of the captains; he lifted up his spear against three hundred slain by him at one time. And after him was Eleazar, the son of Dodo the Ahohite, who was one of the three mighty men. He was with David at Pasdammim, and there the Philistines were gathered together to battle, where was a parcel of ground full of barley, and the people fled from before the Philistines. And they set themselves in the middle of that parcel, and delivered it, and slew the Philistines; and the Lord saved them by a great deliverance.
- Now three of the thirty captains went down to the rock, to David, into the cave of Adullam, and the host of the Philistines encamped in the valley of Rephaim. And David was then in the hold, and the Philistines’ garrison was then at Bethlehem. And David longed, and said, Oh, that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem that is at the gate. And the three broke through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate, and took it and brought it to David. But David would not drink of it, but poured it out to the Lord and said, My God forbid it of me, that I should do this thing. Shall I drink the blood of these men that have put their lives in jeopardy? For with the jeopardy of their lives they brought it. Therefore he would not drink it.
- These things did these three mightiest.
- And Abishai, the brother of Joab, he was chief of the three; for lifting up his spear against three hundred, he slew them, and had a name among the three. Of the three, he was more honorable than the two, for he was their captain; nevertheless, he attained not to the first three.
- Benaiah the son of Jehoiada — the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel who had done many acts — he slew two lion-like men of Moab. Also, he went down and slew a lion in a pit in a snowy day. And he slew an Egyptian, a man of great stature, five cubits high; and in the Egyptian’s hand was a spear like a weaver’s beam. And he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and slew him with his own spear. These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among the three mighty men. Behold, he was honorable among the thirty, but attained not to the first three; and David set him over his guard.
- Also, the valiant men of the armies were: Asahel the brother of Joab; Elhanan, the son of Dodo of Bethlehem; Shammoth the Harorite; Helez the Pelonite; Ira, the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite; Abiezer the Anathothite; Sibbecai the Hushathite; Ilai the Ahohite; Maharai the Netophathite; Heled, the son of Baanah the Netophathite; Ithai, the son of Ribai of Gibeah that pertained to the children of Benjamin; Benaiah the Pirathonite; Hurai of the brooks of Gaash; Abiel the Arbathite; Azmaveth the Baharumite; Eliahba the Shaalbonite; the sons of Hashem the Gizonite; Jonathan, the son of Shagee the Hararite; Ahiam, the son of Sacar the Hararite; Eliphal the son of Ur; Hepher the Mecherathite; Ahijah the Pelonite; Hezro the Carmelite; Naarai the son of Ezbai; Joel the brother of Nathan; Mibhar the son of Hagri; Zelek the Ammonite; Naharai the Beerothite, the armor-bearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah; Ira the Ithrite; Gareb the Ithrite; Uriah the Hittite; Zabad the son of Ahlai; Adina the son of Shiza the Reubenite — a captain of the Reubenites, and thirty with him; Hanan the son of Maacah; and Joshaphat the Mithnite; Uzzia the Ashterathite; Shama and Jeiel, the sons of Hotham the Aroerite; Jediael the son of Shimri, and Joha his brother, the Tizite; Eliel the Mahavite; and Jeribai and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam; and Ithmah the Moabite; Eliel; and Obed; and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.
- Now these are they that came to David, to Ziklag, while he yet kept himself close because of Saul the son of Kish; and they were among the mighty men, helpers of the war; they were armed with bows, and could use both the right hand and the left in hurling stones and shooting arrows out of a bow, even of Saul’s brethren of Benjamin: the chief was Ahiezer, then Joash, the sons of Shemaah the Gibeathite; and Jeziel and Pelet, the sons of Azmaveth; and Berachah; and Jehu the Anathothite; and Ishmaiah the Gibeonite — a mighty man among the thirty, and over the thirty; and Jeremiah, and Jahaziel, and Johanan, and Jozabad the Gederathite, Eluzai, and Jerimoth, and Bealiah, and Shemariah, and Shephatiah the Haruphite; Elkanah, and Isshiah, and Azarel, and Joezer, and Jashobeam the Korahites; and Joelah and Zebadiah, the sons of Jeroham of Gedor.
- And of the Gadites, there separated themselves unto David, into the hold, to the wilderness, men of might and men of war, fit for the battle, that could handle shield and buckler, whose faces were like the faces of lions, and were as swift as the roes upon the mountains. Ezer the first, Obadiah the second, Eliab the third, Mishmannah the fourth, Jeremiah the fifth, Attai the sixth, Eliel the seventh, Johanan the eighth, Elzabad the ninth, Jeremiah the tenth, Machbannai the eleventh. These were of the sons of Gad, captains of the host. One of the least was over a hundred, and the greatest over a thousand. These are they that went over Jordan in the first month, when it had overflowed all his banks; and they put to flight all them of the valleys, both toward the east and toward the west.
- And there came of the children of Benjamin and Judah to the hold, unto David. And David went out to meet them, and answered and said unto them, If you have come peaceably unto me to help me, my heart shall be knit unto you; but if you have come to betray me to my enemies, seeing there is no wrong in my hands, the God of our fathers look thereon and rebuke it.
- Then the spirit came upon Amasai, who was chief of the captains, and he said, We are yours, David, and on your side, you son of Jesse. Peace, peace be unto you, and peace be to your helpers, for your God helps you. Then David received them and made them captains of the band.
- And there fell some of Manasseh to David when he came with the Philistines against Saul to battle — but they helped them not, for the lords of the Philistines, upon advisement, sent him away, saying, He will fall to his master Saul, to the jeopardy of our heads. As he went to Ziklag, there fell to him of Manasseh: Adnah, and Jozabad, and Jediael, and Michael, and Jozabad, and Elihu, and Zillethai — captains of the thousands that were of Manasseh. And they helped David against the band of the rovers, for they were all mighty men of valor and were captains in the host. For at that time, day by day, there came to David to help him until it was a great host, like the host of God.
- And these are the numbers of the bands that were ready, armed to the war, and came to David, to Hebron, to turn the kingdom of Saul to him, according to the word of the Lord: the children of Judah that bore shield and spear were six thousand eight hundred, ready, armed to the war. Of the children of Simeon, mighty men of valor for the war — seven thousand one hundred. Of the children of Levi — four thousand six hundred; and Jehoiada was the leader of the Aaronites, and with him were three thousand seven hundred, and Zadok, a young man mighty of valor (and of his father’s house — twenty-two captains). And of the children of Benjamin, the kindred of Saul — three thousand; for hitherto, the greatest part of them had kept the charge of the house of Saul. And of the children of Ephraim — twenty thousand eight hundred mighty men of valor, famous throughout the house of their fathers. And of the half-tribe of Manasseh — eighteen thousand, who were expressed by name to come and make David king. And of the children of Issachar, who were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do, the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their commandment. Of Zebulun, such as went forth to battle, expert in war, with all instruments of war — fifty thousand who could keep rank; they were not of double heart. And of Naphtali — a thousand captains; and with them, with shield and spear — thirty-seven thousand. And of the Danites, expert in war — twenty-eight thousand six hundred. And of Asher, such as went forth to battle, expert in war — forty thousand. And on the other side of Jordan, of the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and of the half-tribe of Manasseh, with all manner of instruments of war for the battle — a hundred twenty thousand.
- All these men of war that could keep rank came with a perfect heart to Hebron, to make David king over all Israel; and all the rest also of Israel were of one heart to make David king. And there they were with David three days, eating and drinking, for their brethren had prepared for them. Moreover, they that were near them — even unto Issachar, and Zebulun, and Naphtali — brought bread on asses, and on camels, and on mules, and on oxen; and meat, meal, cakes of figs, and bunches of raisins, and wine, and oil, and oxen, and sheep abundantly; for there was joy in Israel.
Chapter 7