The kingdom
David's Mighty Men and the Three Brave Ones
This chapter introduces David's brave men, with special focus on the three heroes who broke through the Philistine camp to fetch water from the well at Bethlehem's gate for David, who poured it out as an offering to the Lord. Benaiah distinguished himself by killing a lion in a pit on a snowy day and an Egyptian giant with his own spear.
1 Chronicles 11,10-47
10These are the chiefs of David's mighty men, who together with all Israel gave his kingship strong support to make him king, as the LORD had promised concerning Israel.
וְאֵ֨לֶּה רָאשֵׁ֤י הַגִּבּוֹרִים֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר לְדָוִ֔יד הַמִּתְחַזְּקִ֨ים עִמּ֧וֹ בְמַלְכוּת֛וֹ עִם־כָּל־יִשְׂרָאֵ֖ל לְהַמְלִיכ֑וֹ כִּדְבַ֥ר יְהוָ֖ה עַל־יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃ ס
11This is the list of David's mighty men: Jashobeam son of Hachmoni, chief of the officers. He wielded his spear against three hundred men, killing them in a single encounter.
וְאֵ֛לֶּה מִסְפַּ֥ר הַגִּבֹּרִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר לְדָוִ֑יד יָשָׁבְעָ֣ם בֶּן־חַכְמוֹנִ֗י רֹ֚אשׁ *השלושים **הַשָּׁ֣לִישִׁ֔ים הֽוּא־עוֹרֵ֧ר אֶת־חֲנִית֛וֹ עַל־שְׁלֹשׁ־מֵא֥וֹת חָלָ֖ל בְּפַ֥עַם אֶחָֽת׃
12Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men.
וְאַחֲרָ֛יו אֶלְעָזָ֥ר בֶּן־דּוֹד֖וֹ הָאֲחוֹחִ֑י ה֖וּא בִּשְׁלוֹשָׁ֥ה הַגִּבֹּרִֽים׃
13He was with David at Pas Dammim when the Philistines gathered there for battle. There was a plot of ground full of barley, and the troops fled before the Philistines.
הֽוּא־הָיָ֨ה עִם־דָּוִ֜יד בַּפַּ֣ס דַּמִּ֗ים וְהַפְּלִשְׁתִּים֙ נֶאֱסְפוּ־שָׁ֣ם לַמִּלְחָמָ֔ה וַתְּהִ֛י חֶלְקַ֥ת הַשָּׂדֶ֖ה מְלֵאָ֣ה שְׂעוֹרִ֑ים וְהָעָ֥ם נָ֖סוּ מִפְּנֵ֥י פְלִשְׁתִּֽים׃
14But they took their stand in the middle of the field, defended it, and struck the Philistines down; and the LORD brought about a great victory.
וַיִּֽתְיַצְּב֤וּ בְתוֹךְ־הַחֶלְקָה֙ וַיַּצִּיל֔וּהָ וַיַּכּ֖וּ אֶת־פְּלִשְׁתִּ֑ים וַיּ֥וֹשַׁע יְהוָ֖ה תְּשׁוּעָ֥ה גְדוֹלָֽה׃
15Three of the thirty chiefs went down to David at the rock, to the cave of Adullam, while a Philistine army was camped in the Valley of Rephaim.
וַיֵּרְד֡וּ שְֽׁלוֹשָׁה֩ מִן־הַשְּׁלוֹשִׁ֨ים רֹ֤אשׁ עַל־הַצֻּר֙ אֶל־דָּוִ֔יד אֶל־מְעָרַ֖ת עֲדֻלָּ֑ם וּמַחֲנֵ֣ה פְלִשְׁתִּ֔ים חֹנָ֖ה בְּעֵ֥מֶק רְפָאִֽים׃
16At that time David was in the stronghold, and a Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem.
וְדָוִ֖יד אָ֣ז בַּמְּצוּדָ֑ה וּנְצִ֣יב פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים אָ֖ז בְּבֵ֥ית לָֽחֶם׃
17David was seized with longing and said, "If only someone would give me a drink of water from the well by the gate of Bethlehem!"
*ויתאו **וַיִּתְאָ֥יו דָּוִ֖יד וַיֹּאמַ֑ר מִ֚י יַשְׁקֵ֣נִי מַ֔יִם מִבּ֥וֹר בֵּֽית־לֶ֖חֶם אֲשֶׁ֥ר בַּשָּֽׁעַר׃
18So the three broke through the Philistine camp, drew water from the well by the gate of Bethlehem, and carried it back to David. But David refused to drink it; instead he poured it out to the LORD.
וַיִּבְקְע֨וּ הַשְּׁלֹשָׁ֜ה בְּמַחֲנֵ֣ה פְלִשְׁתִּ֗ים וַיִּֽשְׁאֲבוּ־מַ֙יִם֙ מִבּ֤וֹר בֵּֽית־לֶ֙חֶם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּשַּׁ֔עַר וַיִּשְׂא֖וּ וַיָּבִ֣אוּ אֶל־דָּוִ֑יד וְלֹֽא־אָבָ֤ה דָוִיד֙ לִשְׁתּוֹתָ֔ם וַיְנַסֵּ֥ךְ אֹתָ֖ם לַיהוָֽה׃
19"God forbid that I should do such a thing!" he said. "Shall I drink the blood of these men who went at the risk of their lives? For they brought it at the risk of their lives." And he would not drink it. Such were the deeds of the three mighty men.
וַיֹּ֡אמֶר חָלִילָה֩ לִּ֨י מֵאֱלֹהַ֜י מֵעֲשׂ֣וֹת זֹ֗את הֲדַ֣ם הָאֲנָשִׁים֩ הָאֵ֨לֶּה אֶשְׁתֶּ֤ה בְנַפְשׁוֹתָם֙ כִּ֣י בְנַפְשׁוֹתָ֣ם הֱבִיא֔וּם וְלֹ֥א אָבָ֖ה לִשְׁתּוֹתָ֑ם אֵ֣לֶּה עָשׂ֔וּ שְׁלֹ֖שֶׁת הַגִּבּוֹרִֽים׃
20Abishai the brother of Joab was chief of the three. He wielded his spear against three hundred men and killed them, and he won a name alongside the three.
וְאַבְשַׁ֣י אֲחִֽי־יוֹאָ֗ב ה֤וּא הָיָה֙ רֹ֣אשׁ הַשְּׁלוֹשָׁ֔ה וְהוּא֙ עוֹרֵ֣ר אֶת־חֲנִית֔וֹ עַל־שְׁלֹ֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת חָלָ֑ל *ולא־**וְלוֹ־שֵׁ֖ם בַּשְּׁלוֹשָֽׁה׃
21Of the second group of three he was the most honored, and he became their commander, though he never equaled the first three.
מִן־הַשְּׁלוֹשָׁ֤ה בַשְּׁנַ֙יִם֙ נִכְבָּ֔ד וַיְהִ֥י לָהֶ֖ם לְשָׂ֑ר וְעַד־הַשְּׁלוֹשָׁ֖ה לֹֽא־בָֽא׃ ס
22Benaiah son of Jehoiada was a valiant fighter from Kabzeel, a man of many exploits. He struck down the two mightiest warriors of Moab, and on a snowy day he went down into a pit and killed a lion.
בְּנָיָ֨ה בֶן־יְהוֹיָדָ֧ע בֶּן־אִֽישׁ־חַ֛יִל רַב־פְּעָלִ֖ים מִֽן־קַבְצְאֵ֑ל ה֣וּא הִכָּ֗ה אֵ֣ת שְׁנֵ֤י אֲרִיאֵל֙ מוֹאָ֔ב וְ֠הוּא יָרַ֞ד וְהִכָּ֧ה אֶֽת־הָאֲרִ֛י בְּת֥וֹךְ הַבּ֖וֹר בְּי֥וֹם הַשָּֽׁלֶג׃
23He also struck down an Egyptian, a man about seven and a half feet tall. The Egyptian had a spear like a weaver's beam in his hand, but Benaiah went against him with a club. He wrenched the spear out of the Egyptian's hand and killed him with that very spear.
וְהֽוּא־הִכָּה֩ אֶת־הָאִ֨ישׁ הַמִּצְרִ֜י אִ֥ישׁ מִדָּ֣ה ׀ חָמֵ֣שׁ בָּאַמָּ֗ה וּבְיַ֨ד הַמִּצְרִ֤י חֲנִית֙ כִּמְנ֣וֹר אֹרְגִ֔ים וַיֵּ֥רֶד אֵלָ֖יו בַּשָּׁ֑בֶט וַיִּגְזֹ֤ל אֶֽת־הַחֲנִית֙ מִיַּ֣ד הַמִּצְרִ֔י וַיַּהַרְגֵ֖הוּ בַּחֲנִיתֽוֹ׃
24Such were the deeds of Benaiah son of Jehoiada; he too won a name alongside the three mighty men.
אֵ֣לֶּה עָשָׂ֔ה בְּנָיָ֖הוּ בֶּן־יְהוֹיָדָ֑ע וְלוֹ־שֵׁ֖ם בִּשְׁלוֹשָׁ֥ה הַגִּבֹּרִֽים׃
25He was held in greater honor than any of the thirty, but he was not counted among the three. And David put him in charge of his bodyguard.
מִן־הַשְּׁלוֹשִׁ֗ים הִנּ֤וֹ נִכְבָּד֙ ה֔וּא וְאֶל־הַשְּׁלוֹשָׁ֖ה לֹא־בָ֑א וַיְשִׂימֵ֥הוּ דָוִ֖יד עַל־מִשְׁמַעְתּֽוֹ׃ ס
26The mighty warriors were: Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem,
וְגִבּוֹרֵ֖י הַחֲיָלִ֑ים עֲשָׂה־אֵל֙ אֲחִ֣י יוֹאָ֔ב אֶלְחָנָ֥ן בֶּן־דּוֹד֖וֹ מִבֵּ֥ית לָֽחֶם׃ ס
27Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite,
שַׁמּוֹת֙ הַהֲרוֹרִ֔י חֶ֖לֶץ הַפְּלוֹנִֽי׃ ס
28Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa, Abiezer from Anathoth,
עִירָ֤א בֶן־עִקֵּשׁ֙ הַתְּקוֹעִ֔י אֲבִיעֶ֖זֶר הָעֲנְּתוֹתִֽי׃ ס
29Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite,
סִבְּכַי֙ הַחֻ֣שָׁתִ֔י עִילַ֖י הָאֲחוֹחִֽי׃ ס
30Maharai the Netophathite, Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite,
מַהְרַי֙ הַנְּטֹ֣פָתִ֔י חֵ֥לֶד בֶּֽן־בַּֽעֲנָ֖ה הַנְּטוֹפָתִֽי׃ ס
31Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah of the Benjaminites, Benaiah the Pirathonite,
אִיתַ֣י בֶּן־רִיבַ֗י מִגִּבְעַת֙ בְּנֵ֣י בִנְיָמִ֔ן ס בְּנָיָ֖ה הַפִּרְעָתֹנִֽי׃
32Hurai from the ravines of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite,
חוּרַי֙ מִנַּ֣חֲלֵי גָ֔עַשׁ ס אֲבִיאֵ֖ל הָעַרְבָתִֽי׃ ס
33Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite,
עַזְמָ֙וֶת֙ הַבַּ֣חֲרוּמִ֔י אֶלְיַחְבָּ֖א הַשַּׁעַלְבֹנִֽי׃ ס
34the sons of Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan son of Shagee the Hararite,
בְּנֵ֗י הָשֵׁם֙ הַגִּ֣זוֹנִ֔י יוֹנָתָ֥ן בֶּן־שָׁגֵ֖ה הַהֲרָרִֽי׃ ס
35Ahiam son of Sachar the Hararite, Eliphal son of Ur,
אֲחִיאָ֧ם בֶּן־שָׂכָ֛ר הַהֲרָרִ֖י אֱלִיפַ֥ל בֶּן־אֽוּר׃ ס
36Hepher the Mekerathite, Ahijah the Pelonite,
חֵ֚פֶר הַמְּכֵ֣רָתִ֔י אֲחִיָּ֖ה הַפְּלֹנִֽי׃ ס
37Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai son of Ezbai,
חֶצְרוֹ֙ הַֽכַּרְמְלִ֔י נַעֲרַ֖י בֶּן־אֶזְבָּֽי׃ ס
38Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar son of Hagri,
יוֹאֵל֙ אֲחִ֣י נָתָ֔ן מִבְחָ֖ר בֶּן־הַגְרִֽי׃ ס
39Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Berothite, the armor-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah,
צֶ֖לֶק הָעַמּוֹנִ֑י נַחְרַי֙ הַבֵּ֣רֹתִ֔י נֹשֵׂ֕א כְּלֵ֖י יוֹאָ֥ב בֶּן־צְרוּיָֽה׃ ס
40Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,
עִירָא֙ הַיִּתְרִ֔י גָּרֵ֖ב הַיִּתְרִֽי׃ ס
41Uriah the Hittite, Zabad son of Ahlai,
אֽוּרִיָּה֙ הַחִתִּ֔י זָבָ֖ד בֶּן־אַחְלָֽי׃ ס
42Adina son of Shiza the Reubenite, chief of the Reubenites, and thirty with him,
עֲדִינָ֨א בֶן־שִׁיזָ֜א הָרֽאוּבֵנִ֗י רֹ֛אשׁ לָרֽאוּבֵנִ֖י וְעָלָ֥יו שְׁלוֹשִֽׁים׃ ס
43Hanan son of Maacah, Joshaphat the Mithnite,
חָנָן֙ בֶּֽן־מַעֲכָ֔ה וְיוֹשָׁפָ֖ט הַמִּתְנִֽי׃ ס
44Uzziah the Ashterathite, Shama and Jeiel the sons of Hotham the Aroerite,
עֻזִיָּ֖א הָעֲשְׁתְּרָתִ֑י שָׁמָע֙ *ויעואל **וִֽיעִיאֵ֔ל ס בְּנֵ֖י חוֹתָ֥ם הָעֲרֹעֵרִֽי׃ ס
45Jediael son of Shimri, and Joha his brother, the Tizite,
יְדִֽיעֲאֵל֙ בֶּן־שִׁמְרִ֔י וְיֹחָ֥א אָחִ֖יו הַתִּיצִֽי׃ ס
46Eliel the Mahavite, Jeribai and Joshaviah the sons of Elnaam, Ithmah the Moabite,
אֱלִיאֵל֙ הַֽמַּחֲוִ֔ים וִירִיבַ֥י וְיוֹשַׁוְיָ֖ה בְּנֵ֣י אֶלְנָ֑עַם וְיִתְמָ֖ה הַמּוֹאָבִֽי׃
47Eliel, Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.
אֱלִיאֵ֣ל וְעוֹבֵ֔ד וְיַעֲשִׂיאֵ֖ל הַמְּצֹבָיָֽה׃ פ