1 Chronicles chapter 11

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David becomes king. He conquers Jerusalem. His mighty men.

 

 

DAVID BECOMES KING

 

VERSE 1. Then all Israel gathered themselves to David to Hebron, saying, “Behold, we are your bone and your flesh.

 

VERSE 2. In times past, even when Saul was king, it was you who led out and brought in Israel. The LORD your God said to you, ‘You shall be shepherd of my people Israel, and you shall be prince over my people Israel.’ ”

The LORD your God said to you. The nation recognizes that David’s kingship is a matter of divine appointment.

You shall be shepherd. The nation asks David to be their ruler.

 

VERSE 3. So all the elders of Israel came to the king to Hebron; and David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the LORD. They anointed David king over Israel, according to the LORD’s word by Samuel.

David made a covenant with them. That is, he made a “compact” with the elders.

It probably consisted of an oath of loyalty to the requirements of the Law of Moses.

 

DAVID CONQUERS JERUSALEM

 

VERSE 4. David and all Israel went to Jerusalem (also called Jebus); and the Jebusites, the inhabitants of the land, were there.

 

VERSE 5. The inhabitants of Jebus said to David, “You will not come in here!” Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion. The same is David’s city.

the stronghold of Zion. That is, Jerusalem.

The same is David’s city. David renames the city for himself.

 

VERSE 6. David had said, “Whoever strikes the Jebusites first shall be chief and captain.” Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first, and was made chief.

David wants somebody to step up and take the initiative.

In our own faith-lives, how can we step up and take some initiative?

 

VERSE 7. David lived in the stronghold; therefore they called it David’s city.

 

VERSE 8. He built the city all around, from Millo even around; and Joab repaired the rest of the city.

 

VERSE 9. David grew greater and greater, for the LORD of Hosts was with him.

David is growing in power. Rapidly. But that was not due to himself. Rather, it was God who was giving the power to him.

Some people are given more power than others. That might be their unique pathway to glorify God.

Other people, to fulfill their God-given destiny, don’t need as much power. By not receiving as much power, they are not less-than.

 

DAVID’S MIGHTY MEN

 

VERSE 10. Now these are the chief of the mighty men whom David had, who showed themselves strong with him in his kingdom, together with all Israel, to make him king, according to the LORD’s word concerning Israel.

the mighty men. They are 30 loyal men of valor. They are a key part of David’s success in battle.

 

VERSE 11. This is the number of the mighty men whom David had: Jashobeam, the son of a Hachmonite, the chief of the thirty; he lifted up his spear against three hundred and killed them at one time.

Jashobeam. He is one of David’s three mighty men:

In the future, David will appoint him to a leadership position in the military:

1 Chronicles 27:2. Over the first division for the first month was Jashobeam the son of Zabdiel. In his division were twenty-four thousand.

 

VERSE 12. After him was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, who was one of the three mighty men.

Eleazar. He is one of David’s three mighty men:

In the future, David will appoint him to a leadership position in the military:

1 Chronicles 27:4. Over the division of the second month was Dodai the Ahohite and his division, and Mikloth the ruler; and in his division were twenty-four thousand.

 

VERSE 13. He was with David at Pasdammim, and there the Philistines were gathered together to battle, where there was a plot of ground full of barley; and the people fled from before the Philistines.

 

VERSE 14. They stood in the middle of the plot, defended it, and killed the Philistines; and the LORD saved them by a great victory.

 

VERSE 15. Three of the thirty chief men went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam; and the army of the Philistines were encamped in the valley of Rephaim.

 

VERSE 16. David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was in Bethlehem at that time.

 

VERSE 17. David longed, and said, “Oh, that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!”

the well of Bethlehem. David wanted a drink from the cistern.

 

VERSE 18. The three broke through the army of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate, took it, and brought it to David; but David would not drink any of it, but poured it out to the LORD,

This is an extraordinary accomplishment. It required heroic commitment to David, as well as heroic courage, as well as the highest skills in combat.

The three broke through. They fought their way to the cistern.

drew water out of the well of Bethlehem. They got water from the cistern.

brought it to David. They deliver the water to David.

David … poured it out. David dumps the water on the ground.

 

VERSE 19. and said, “My God forbid me, that I should do this! Shall I drink the blood of these men who have put their lives in jeopardy?” For they risked their lives to bring it. Therefore he would not drink it. The three mighty men did these things.

 

VERSE 20. Abishai, the brother of Joab, was chief of the three; for he lifted up his spear against three hundred and killed them, and had a name among the three.

Abishai, the brother of Joab. He is one of the two:

  1. Abishai the brother of Joab (verse 20)
  2. Benaiah son of Jehoiada (verse 22)

 

VERSE 21. Of the three, he was more honorable than the two, and was made their captain; however he wasn’t included in the three.

 

VERSE 22. Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done mighty deeds, killed the two sons of Ariel of Moab. He also went down and killed a lion in the middle of a pit on a snowy day.

Benaiah the son of Jehoiada. He is one of the two:

  1. Abishai the brother of Joab (verse 20)
  2. Benaiah son of Jehoiada (verse 22)

In the future, David will appoint him to a leadership position in the military:

1 Chronicles 27:5. The third captain of the army for the third month was Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada the chief priest. In his division were twenty-four thousand.

 

VERSE 23. He killed an Egyptian, a man of great stature, five cubits high. In the Egyptian’s hand was a spear like a weaver’s beam; and he went down to him with a staff, plucked the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with his own spear.

five cubits high. A cubit is the length from the tip of the middle finger to the elbow on a man’s arm, or about 18 inches or 46 centimeters.

Therefore this Egyptian was about 7′-6″ tall, or 2.28 meters tall.

 

VERSE 24. Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did these things and had a name among the three mighty men.

 

VERSE 25. Behold, he was more honorable than the thirty, but he didn’t attain to the three; and David set him over his guard.

 

VERSE 26. The mighty men of the armies also include Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,

This verse begins the third list of heroes:

  1. Ashael the brother of Joab
  2. Elhanan the son of Dodo
  3. Shammah the Harodite
  4. Elika the Harodite
  5. Helez the Paltite
  6. Ira son of Ikkesh
  7. Abiezer from Ahohite
  8. Mebunnai the Hushathite
  9. Zalmon the Ahohite
  10. Maharai the Netophathite
  11. Heled (Heleb) son of Baanah
  12. Ithai son of Rib
  13. Benaiah the Pirathonite
  14. Hiddai from … Gaash
  15. Abi-Albon the Arbathite
  16. Azmaveth the Barhumite
  17. Eliahba the Shaalbonite
  18. The sons of Jashen
  19. Jonathan, son of Shammah the Hararite
  20. Shammah, based on the above name
  21. Ahiam son of Sharar the Hararite
  22. Eliphelet son of Abishai
  23. Eliam son of Ahithophel
  24. Hezro the Carmelite
  25. Paarari the Arbite
  26. Igal son of Nathan
  27. The son of Hagri
  28. Zelek the Ammonite
  29. Nahari the Beerothite
  30. Ira the Ithrite
  31. Gareb the Ithrite
  32. Uriah the Hittite

 

VERSE 27. Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite,

 

VERSE 28. Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Anathothite,

 

VERSE 29. Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite,

 

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

 

VERSE 31. Ithai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin, Benaiah the Pirathonite,

 

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

 

VERSE 33. Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite,

 

VERSE 34. the sons of Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan the son of Shagee the Hararite,

 

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

 

VERSE 36. Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite,

 

VERSE 37. Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai the son of Ezbai,

 

VERSE 38. Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar the son of Hagri,

 

VERSE 39. Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Berothite (the armor bearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah),

 

VERSE 40. Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,

 

VERSE 41. Uriah the Hittite, Zabad the son of Ahlai,

 

VERSE 42. Adina the son of Shiza the Reubenite (a chief of the Reubenites), and thirty with him,

 

VERSE 43. Hanan the son of Maacah, Joshaphat the Mithnite,

 

VERSE 44. Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jeiel the sons of Hotham the Aroerite,

 

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

 

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

 

VERSE 47. Eliel, Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.

 

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1 CHRONICLES

CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29

RESOURCES: Summary, Outline, Memorize

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