1 Chronicles 11

THen all Israel i. e. All the Tribes of Israel, as it is expressed, 2 Sam. 5. 1. i. e. their Elders, as it is here said v. 3. and Officers, and a great multitude of the Souldiers and People. gathered themselves to David unto Hebron, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh.

And moreover, in time past, even when Saul was king, thou wast he that leddest out, and broughtest in Israel: and the LORD thy God said unto thee Or, concerning thee: for it is apparent that they knew of it; and therefore many of them opposed David hitherto against their own Consciences., Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be ruler over my people Israel.

Therefore came all the elders of Israel to the king to Hebron, and David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the LORD, and they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of the LORD by Samuel.

And David and all Israel went out to Jerusalem Of this and the three following Verses see the Notes on 2 Sam. 5. 6, &c., which is Jebus, where the Jebusites were, the inhabitants of the land.

And the inhabitants of Jebus said to David, Thou shalt not come hither. Nevertheless David took the castle of Zion, which is the city of David.

And David said, whosoever smiteth the Jebusite first, shall be chief and captain. So Joab the son of Zerujah went first up, and was chief Before this he was one of Davids Chief Captains, 2 Sam. 3. 22. 23. and General of the Forces of Iudah; but now he is made Captain-General of all the Forces of Israel and Iudah..

And David dwelt in the castle: therefore they called it, The city of David.

And he built the city round about: even from Millo round about: and Joab repaired the rest of the city.

So David waxed greater and greater: for the LORD of hosts was with him.

These also are the chief of the mighty men whom David had, (who strengthened themselves with him in his kingdom Who helped him with all their Might to settle him in his Kingdom., and with all Israel In conjunction with all those Loyal Israelites who joyned with David; of whom see the next Chapter., 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 an Hachmonite Called the Tachmonite and Adino the Eznite, 2 Sam. 23. 8. the chief of the captains: he lift up his spear against three hundred, slain by him Towit by his own Hand, 500 more being slain by others then joyning with him, who pursued the Victory that he alone got, and in the Pursuit slew 500, both which Sums make up the 800 numbred 2 Sam. 23. 8. the slaughter of all which is justly ascribed to him, because it was the Effect of his Valour. But concerning that and other differences about these Persons or Things see my Notes on 2 Sam. 23. at one time.

And after him was Eleazer the son of Dodo the Ahohite, who was one of the three mighties.

He was with David at Pasdammim, and there the Philistins were gathered together to battel, where was a parcel of ground full of barley, and the people fled from before the Philistins.

And they set themselves in the midst of that parcel, and delivered it, and slew the Philistins, 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 Philistins encamped in the valley of Rephaim.

And David was then in the hold, and the Philistins garison was then at Beth-lehem.

And David longed and said, O that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Beth-lehem, that is at the gate.

And the three brake through the host of the Philistins, 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 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 Heb. these three mighties, to wit, last mentioned, whereof one was Abishai, v. 20. For the Acts of two of the first three are here passed over being recorded 2 Sam. 23..

And Abishai the brother of Joab, he was chief of the three: for lifting up his spear against three hundred, he slew them He vanquished them all and slew a great number of them; though it be not said that he slew them all at one time, as it is said of Iashobeam above v. 11., and had a name among the three.

Of the three he was more honourable than the two, for he was their captain, howbeit he attained not unto the first three He did not equal them in Valiant Exploits..

Benajah the son of Jehojada, 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 Egyptians hand was a spear like a weavers beam, and he went down to him with a staff, and pluckt the spear out of the Egyptians hand, and slew him with his own spear.

These things did Benajah the son of Jehojada, and had the name Or, had a name, i. e. was greatly reputed: For though he did not equal Abishai, one of these three, as appears by v. 20, 21. yet he did excel the third of them, and all the thirty here following. among the three mighties.

Behold, he was honourable among the thirty, but attained not to the first three; and David set him over his guard Heb. his hearing or obedience, i. e. those that were always ready to hear and obey or execute his Commands, to wit, the Guards of his Body..

Also the valiant men of the armies, were Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Beth-lehem:

Shammoth the Hararite, Helez, the Pelonite,

Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Antothite,

Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite,

Mahari the Netophathite, Heled the son of Baanah the Netophathite,

Ithai the son of Ribai of Gibeah, that pertained to the children of Benjamin, Benajah the Pirathonite,

Hurai of the brooks Or, of the valleys, i. e. of one of them: the Plural Number for the Singular: so called because he was born or bred there. of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite,

Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite,

The sons of Hashem Or, or Iashem, to wit, Ionathan here following, and Shammah here omitted, but expressed, 2 Sam. 23. 32, 33. the Gizonite, Jonathan the son of Shage 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 h, Mibhar the son of Haggeri, q Either 1. the same who is called Iaal the son of Nathan of Zobah, being possibly his brother by Birth and Nature, and called his Son by adoption or right of succession to his Estate: or called his brother at large for his near Kinsman, and his son for his Nephe...: Or 2. Another, who, upon the death of the former, was put in his stead.

Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Berothite, the armour-bearer of Joab the son of Zerujah,

Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,

Uriah the Hittite The last of that Catalogue in 2 Sam. 23. 39. But here some others are added to the Number, because though they were not of the Thirty, yet they were Men of great Valour and Renown amongst Davids Commanders., Zabad the son of Ahlai,

Adina the son of Shiza, the Reubenite, a captain of the Reubenites, and thirty Thirty Captains who were under him as their Colonel. with him.

Hanan the son of Maacah, and Joshaphat the Mithnite,

Uzziah the Ashterathite, Shama and Jehiel the sons of Hothan the Aroerite So called possibly because his Station and Quarters were upon the River Aroer beyond Iordan, being placed there for the Defence of those Parts,,

Jediael the son of Shimri, and Joha his brother, the Tirzite,

Eliel the Mahavite, and Jerimai, and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam, and Ithmah the Moabite So called either because he was by Birth a Moabite, though now proselyted to the True Religion: or from some Eminent Service done by him against the Moabites, as among the Romans Scipio was called A... atick and African, because of his great Atchievements and Victories over those Parts and People.

Eliel, and Obed, and Jaasiel the Mesobaite.