1 Chronicles 11

1 Then all Israel gathered themselves to David in Hebron, saying: We are thy bone, and thy flesh.

2 Yesterday also, and the day before when Saul was king, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: for the Lord thy God said to thee: Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be ruler over them.

3 So all the ancients of Israel came to the king to Hebron, and David made a covenant with them before the Lord: and they anointed him king over Israel according to the word of the Lord which he spoke in the hand of Samuel.

4 And David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, which is Jebus, where the Jebusites were the inhabitants of the land.

5 And the inhabitants of Jebus said to David: Thou shalt not come in here. But David took the castle of Sion, which is the city of David.

6 And he said: Whosoever shall first strike the Jebusites, shall be the head and chief captain. And Joab the son of Sarvia went up first, and was made the general.

7 And David dwelt in the castle, and therefore it was called the city of David,

8 And he built the city round about from Mello all round, and Joab built the rest of the city.

9 And David went on growing and increasing, and the Lord of hosts was with him.

10 These are the chief of the valiant man of David, who helped him to be made king over all Israel, according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke to Israel.

11 And this is the number of the heroes of David: Jesbaam the son of Hachamoni the chief among the thirty: he lifted up his spear against three hundred wounded by him at one time.

12 And after him was Eleazar his uncle’s son the Ahohite, who was one of the three mighties.

13 He was with David in Phesdomim, when the Philistines were gathered to that place to battle: and the field of that country was full of barley, and the people fled from before the Philistines.

14 But these men stood in the midst of the field, and defended it: and they slew the Philistines, and the Lord gave a great deliverance to his people.

15 And three of the thirty captains went down to the rock, wherein David was, to the cave of Odollam, when the Philistines encamped in the valley of Raphaim.

16 And David was in a hold, and the garrison of the Philistines in Bethlehem.

17 And David longed, and said: O that some man would give me water of the cistern of Bethlehem, which is in the gate.

18 And these three broke through the midst of the camp of the Philistines, and drew water out of the cistern of Bethlehem, which was in the gate, and brought it to David to drink: and he would not drink of it, but rather offered it to the Lord,

19 Saying: God forbid that I should do this in the sight of my God, and should drink the blood of these men: for with the danger of their lives they have brought me the water. And therefore he would not drink. These things did the three most valiant.

20 And Abisai the brother of Joab, he was chief of three, and he lifted up his spear against three hundred whom he slew, and he was renowned among the three,

21 And illustrious among the second three, and their captain: but yet he attained not to the first three.

22 Banaias the son of Joiada a most valiant man, of Cabseel, who had done many acts: he slew the two ariels of Moab: and he went down, and killed a lion in the midst of a pit in the time of snow.

23 And he slew an Egyptian, whose stature was of five cubits, and who had a spear like a weaver’s beam: and he went down to him with a staff, and plucked away the spear, that he held in his hand, and slew him with his own spear.

24 These things did Banaias the son of Joiada, who was renowned among the three valiant ones,

25 And the first among the thirty, but yet to the three he attained not: and David made him of his council.

26 Moreover the most valiant men of the army, were Asahel brother of Joab, and Elchanan the son of his uncle of Bethlehem,

27 Sammoth an Arorite, Helles a Phalonite,

28 Ira the son of Acces a Thecuite, Abiezer an Anathothite,

29 Sobbochai a Husathite, Ilai an Ahohite,

30 Maharai a Netophathite, Heled the son of Baana a Netophathite,

31 Ethai the son of Ribai of Gabaath of the sons of Benjamin, Banai a Pharathonite,

32 Hurai of the torrent Gaas, Abiel an Arbathite, Azmoth a Bauramite, Eliaba a Salabonite,

33 The sons of Assem a Gezonite, Jonathan the son of Sage an Ararite,

34 Ahiam the son of Sachar an Ararite,

35 Eliphal the son of Ur,

36 Hepher a Mecherathite, Ahia a Phelonite,

37 Hesro a Carmelite, Naarai the son of Azbai,

38 Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibahar the son of Agarai.

39 Selec an Ammonite, Naharai a Berothite, the armourbearer of Joab the son of Sarvia.

40 Ira a Jethrite, Gareb a Jethrite,

41 Urias a Hethite, Zabad the son of Oholi,

42 Adina the son of Siza a Rubenite the prince of the Rubenites, and thirty with him:

43 Hanan the son of Maacha, and Josaphat a Mathanite,

44 Ozia an Astarothite, Samma, and Jehiel the sons of Hotham an Arorite,

45 Jedihel the son of Zamri, and Joha his brother a Thosaite,

46 Eliel a Mahumite, and Jeribai, and Josaia the sons of Elnaim, and Jethma a Moabite, Eliel,

47 (11:46) and Obed, and Jasiel of Masobia.

1 Chronicles 11 Commentary

Chapter 11

David raised to the throne. (1-9) A list of David's mighty men. (10-47)

Verses 1-9 David was brought to possess the throne of Israel after he had reigned seven years in Hebron, over Judah only. God's counsels will be fulfilled at last, whatever difficulties lie in the way. The way to be truly great, is to be really useful, to devote all our talents to the Lord.

Verses 10-47 An account is given of David's worthies, the great men who served him. Yet David reckoned his success, not as from the mighty men that were with him, but from the mighty God, whose presence is all in all. In strengthening him, they strengthened themselves and their own interest, for his advancement was theirs. We shall gain by what we do in our places for the support of the kingdom of the Son of David; and those that are faithful to Him, shall find their names registered much more to their honour, than these are in the records of fame.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO 1 CHRONICLES 11

This chapter treats of David's being anointed king by all Israel, 1Ch 11:1-3, which agrees with 2Sa 5:1-3 \\See Gill on "2Sa 5:1"\\ \\See Gill on "2Sa 5:2"\\ \\See Gill on "2Sa 5:3"\\ and of his taking Jerusalem from the Jebusites, 1Ch 11:4-9 the account of which we have 2Sa 5:6-10. \\See Gill on "2Sa 5:6"\\ \\See Gill on "2Sa 5:7"\\ \\See Gill on "2Sa 5:8"\\ \\See Gill on "2Sa 5:9"\\ \\See Gill on "2Sa 5:10"\\ only here we are told, that it was Joab that smote the Jebusites first, and so was made chief captain according to David's promise; and that he also repaired the rest of the city David built round about; perhaps the fortifications demolished in taking it, 1Ch 11:6,8 or rather, as others give the sense, he "saved alive" {b} those that remained in the city, after he had slain the lame and the blind; though a learned {c} writer conjectures it should be read, "and Joab hyhy was made rv the governor of the city"; and the Targum is,

``Joab governed the rest of the city.''

And then follows an account of David's mighty men and worthies, 1Ch 11:10-41 of whom see the notes on \\See Gill on "2Sa 23:8"\\ \\See Gill on "2Sa 23:9"\\ \\See Gill on "2Sa 23:10"\\ \\See Gill on "2Sa 23:11"\\ \\See Gill on "2Sa 23:12"\\ \\See Gill on "2Sa 23:13"\\ \\See Gill on "2Sa 23:14"\\ \\See Gill on "2Sa 23:15"\\ \\See Gill on "2Sa 23:16"\\ \\See Gill on "2Sa 23:17"\\ \\See Gill on "2Sa 23:18"\\ \\See Gill on "2Sa 23:19"\\ \\See Gill on "2Sa 23:20"\\ \\See Gill on "2Sa 23:21"\\ \\See Gill on "2Sa 23:22"\\ \\See Gill on "2Sa 23:23"\\ \\See Gill on "2Sa 23:24"\\ \\See Gill on "2Sa 23:25"\\ \\See Gill on "2Sa 23:26"\\ \\See Gill on "2Sa 23:27"\\ \\See Gill on "2Sa 23:28"\\ \\See Gill on "2Sa 23:29"\\ \\See Gill on "2Sa 23:30"\\ \\See Gill on "2Sa 23:31"\\ \\See Gill on "2Sa 23:32"\\ \\See Gill on "2Sa 23:33"\\ \\See Gill on "2Sa 23:34"\\ \\See Gill on "2Sa 23:35"\\ \\See Gill on "2Sa 23:36"\\ \\See Gill on "2Sa 23:37"\\ \\See Gill on "2Sa 23:38"\\ \\See Gill on "2Sa 23:39"\\ and others are added here, 1Ch 11:42-47 of whom we know no more than their names.

{b} rav ta hyxy "vivas conservavit urbis reliquias", Junius & Tremellius; Strigelius in Poli Synops. in loc. {c} Dr. Kennicot's State of the Hebrew Text, dissert. 1. p. 54. 18633-941231-2014-1Ch11.2