1 Chronicles

Retells some stories from Samuel and Kings, focusing on King David and the importance of worship.

Chapter 11

1 Then all Israel gathered themselves to David unto Hebron, saying, Behold, we are thy bone and thy flesh.

*Then, everyone in Israel came to David in Hebron, telling him, "We see that you are like family to us."

2 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, Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be ruler over my people Israel.

*In the past, when King Saul ruled, you were the one who led and brought back Israel. The Lord your God told you that you would take care of his people Israel and rule over them.

3 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.

*So, all the older people in Israel went to King David in Hebron. There, he promised them things and they made him their leader, just like God said through Samuel.

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

*David and everyone in Israel traveled to Jerusalem, a city also called Jebus. The Jebusites lived there, and they were the original people living in that area.

5 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.

*The people of Jebus told David, "You can't come here." But David still captured the fortress of Zion, which is also known as the city of David.

6 And David said, Whosoever smiteth the Jebusites first shall be chief and captain. So Joab the son of Zeruiah went first up, and was chief.

*David said, "Whoever defeats the Jebusites first will become the leader." Joab, son of Zeruiah, went first and became the leader.

7 And David dwelt in the castle; therefore they called it the city of David.

*David lived in the fortress, so they named it the city of David.

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

*He constructed the town all around, starting from Millo to the end; then Joab fixed the remaining parts of the city.

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

*So David became stronger and stronger because the powerful God was by his side.

10 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.

*These were the top strong warriors who supported David in his kingdom, along with all Israel, to help make him king as the Lord had said about Israel.

11 And this is the number of the mighty men whom David had; Jashobeam, an Hachmonite, the chief of the captains: he lifted up his spear against three hundred slain by him at one time.

*This verse says that David had strong warriors, and one named Jashobeam was their leader. He was from a place called Hachmon and was in charge of all the captains. He once fought bravely and killed 300 enemies with his spear at one time.

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

*After that, Eleazar, son of Dodo from Ahoh, a strong and powerful man, became the next one. He was among the three strongest people.

13 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.

*David and his friend were at Pasdammim when the Philistines gathered for a fight. There, they found a field with lots of barley. People ran away when the Philistines attacked.

14 And they set themselves in the midst of that parcel, and delivered it, and slew the Philistines; and the LORD saved them by a great deliverance.

*They positioned themselves in the center of the area, handed over the package, defeated the Philistines, and God rescued them with a powerful saving act.

15 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.

*Three of the 30 leaders went with David to a cave called Adullam. Meanwhile, the large Philistine army camped in a valley named Rephaim.

16 And David was then in the hold, and the Philistines’ garrison was then at Bethlehem.

*At that time, David was in the fortress, while the Philistine soldiers were stationed in Bethlehem.

17 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!

*David wanted some water from the well in Bethlehem near the gate, so he said, "Please let me drink water from that well."

18 And the three brake 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,

*The three of them broke through the Philistine army, got water from the Bethlehem well near the gate, and brought it to David. However, David didn't drink it; instead, he poured it out as a offering to God.

19 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.

*He said, "I can't do this! Should I drink their blood when they risked their lives? They put themselves in danger to do this. So, he didn't drink it. These powerful men did these actions.

20 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.

*And Abishai, Joab's brother, led the three main groups. He was known for using his spear to defeat 300 people. His fame made him stand out among the three groups.

21 Of the three, he was more honourable than the two; for he was their captain: howbeit he attained not to the first three.

*Out of the three, he was more respected than the other two because he was their leader; but he didn't reach the top three.

22 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done many acts; he slew two lionlike men of Moab: also he went down and slew a lion in a pit in a snowy day.

*Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, was a brave man from Kabzeel. He did many great things. He killed two strong men from Moab. He also bravely fought and killed a lion in a deep hole on a very cold snowy day.

23 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.

*He killed an tall Egyptian, who was five cubits tall. The Egyptian had a big spear like a weaver's rod. He took the spear from the Egyptian using a stick and pulled it out of his hand. Then he killed the Egyptian using his own spear.

24 These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among the three mighties.

*Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, did these great deeds and was known as one of the three strongest warriors.

25 Behold, he was honourable among the thirty, but attained not to the first three: and David set him over his guard.

*Look, he was respected among the thirty, but didn't reach the top three: and David made him leader of his guards.

26 Also the valiant men of the armies were, Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,

*Additionally, brave soldiers included Asahel, Joab's brother, and Elhanan, son of Dodo from Bethlehem.

27 Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite,

*Shammoth from Haror and Helez from Pelon.

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

*Ira, son of Ikkesh from Tekoa, and Abiezer from Anathoth,

29 Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite,

*Sibbecai from Hushah and Ilai from Ahohi,

30 Maharai the Netophathite, Heled the son of Baanah the Netophathite,

*Maharai, a man from Netopha, and his son Heled, son of Baanah, also from Netopha.

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

*Ithai, son of Ribai from Gibeah, belonging to the tribe of Benjamin, and Benaiah, the Pirathonite.

32 Hurai of the brooks of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite,

*Hurai from the streams of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite, (Note: The translation tries to maintain the original names and places while simplifying the sentence structure.)

33 Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite,

*Azmaveth from Baharum and Eliahba from Shaalbon.

34 The sons of Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan the son of Shage the Hararite,

*The children of Hashem from Gizon, and Jonathan, son of Shage from Harar.

35 Ahiam the son of Sacar the Hararite, Eliphal the son of Ur,

*Ahiam, son of Sacar from Harar, and Eliphal, son of Ur.

36 Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite,

*Hepher from the family of Mecherath and Ahijah from the family of Pelon.

37 Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai the son of Ezbai,

*Hezro from Carmel and Naarai, son of Ezbai.

38 Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar the son of Haggeri,

*Joel is Nathan's brother, Mibhar is Haggeri's son.

39 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Berothite, the armourbearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah,

*Zelek from Ammon and Naharai from Berothi were helpers of Joab, son of Zeruiah, who carried his armor.

40 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,

*Ira from Ithrite land, Gareb from Ithrite land,

41 Uriah the Hittite, Zabad the son of Ahlai,

*Uriah was a Hittite, Zabad was the son of Ahlai.

42 Adina the son of Shiza the Reubenite, a captain of the Reubenites, and thirty with him,

*Adina, son of Shiza, a leader of the Reubenites, had 30 people with him.

43 Hanan the son of Maachah, and Joshaphat the Mithnite,

*Hanan, son of Maachah, and Joshaphat, a Mithnite.

44 Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jehiel the sons of Hothan the Aroerite,

*Uzziah from Ashterath, along with Shama and Jehiel, who were the sons of Hothan from Aroer.

45 Jediael the son of Shimri, and Joha his brother, the Tizite,

*Jediael, son of Shimri, and his brother Joha, from the tribe of Tizite.

46 Eliel the Mahavite, and Jeribai, and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam, and Ithmah the Moabite,

*Eliel the Mahavite, Jeribai, and Joshaviah were sons of Elnaam. Also, there was Ithmah, who was a Moabite.

47 Eliel, and Obed, and Jasiel the Mesobaite.

*Eliel, Obed, and Jasiel were people from Mesoba.

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