These be the names of the mighty men that were about David: Josheb of Shebeth the Tahchemonite, first of three, otherwise called Adino the Eznite, which slew eight hundred at one time.

And next to him, Eleazar the son of Dodi the son of Ahohi, one of the three principal that were with David, which - when they defied the Philistines that were there gathered together in battle, and the men of Israel were gone up -

After him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite, which - when the Philistines were gathered together in Lehi, where was a parcel of land full of rice, and the people were fled for fear of the Philistines -

stood in the midst of the said ground, and defended it and slew the Philistines. And the LORD gave him a great victory.

And these three of the thirty of the lords went down and came to David in the harvest time unto the cave Adullam. And the Host of the Philistines had pitched in the valley of Giants.

And David was then in a hold. And the soldiers of the Philistines were then in Bethlehem.

And David longed and said, "Oh, that I had of the water that is in the well in the gate of Bethlehem for to drink."

And anon the three mighty brake through the Host of the Philistines and fetched water out of the well of Bethlehem that was in the gate, and took and brought it to David: Nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but offered it unto the LORD

and said, "The LORD forbid that I should do so! Should I drink the blood of men that were in jeopardy of their lives?" And so he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men.

Then Abishai the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah: he was a captain over the three, and he lifted up his spear against three hundred and slew them, and was named with the three.

Then Benaiah the son of Jehoiada the son of a lusty man valiant in acts of Kabzeel, he slew two lions of Moab. He went down and slew a lion in a pit in time of snow.

And he slew an Egyptian, a goodly man, which had a spear in his hand. And Benaiah went down to him with a staff and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand and slew him with his own spear.

Such things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada and was the noblest of thirty: But not like to any of the three in facts of war.

And David made him of his counsel.

Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty. Then Elhanan, the son of Dodo of Bethlehem;

Helez the Paltite; Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite;

Abiezer of Anathoth; Mebunnai the Hushathite;

Heleb the son of Baanah an Netophathite; Ittai the son of Ribai of Gibeah, a city of the children of Benjamin;

Benaiah the Pirathonite; Hiddai of the river of Gaash;

Eliahba a Shaalbonite; Of the sons of Jashen, Jonathan;

Shammah the Hararite; Ahiam the son of Sharar an Hararite;

Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai the son of a Maachathite; Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite;

Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah; Bani the Gadite;

Zelec an Ammonite; Naharai a Beerothite, the Harness bearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah;

And forthwith the king said to Joab the captain of his Host, "Go abroad, I pray thee, throughout all the tribes of Israel, even from Dan to Beersheba, and number the people that I may know the number of them."

And Joab said unto the king, "I beseech that the LORD thy God make the people as many more as they be: yea and a hundred times so many more, and that the eyes of my lord the king may see them. But how is it that my lord the king hath a lust in this thing?"

Notwithstanding, the king's words prevailed against Joab and against all the captains of the Host. Then Joab and the captains of the Host went out from the king, to view the people of Israel.

And they passed over Jordan and pitched in Aroer on the right side of the city that lieth in the midst of the valley of Gad and so forth to Jazer.

And then they went to Gilead and to the nether land of Hodshi, and from thence to Dan-Jaan, and about to Sidon,

and came to the strong town of Tyre, and to all the cities of the Hivites and of the Cananites, and then went out to the South of Judah even to Beersheba.

And so when they had been abroad throughout all the land they returned to Jerusalem again at the end of nine months and twenty days.

And then Joab delivered up the reckoning of the number of the people unto the king. And there were found in Israel nine hundred thousand men of might that drew swords. And the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.

And David's heart smote him after that he had numbered the people. And he said unto the LORD, "I have sinned exceedingly in that I have done. And now LORD take away the trespass of thy servant: for I have done foolishly."

And when David was up in a morning, the word of the LORD came unto the prophet Gad, David's seer, saying,

"Go and say unto David, 'Thus sayeth the LORD: I offer thee three things, choose which of them I shall do to thee.'"

Then said David unto Gad, "I am in a marvelous strait. But let me fall I pray thee, into the hands of the LORD, for much is his mercy, and let me not fall into the hands of men.

And the LORD sent a pestilence in Israel from the morning unto the end of the time appointed. And there died of the people between Dan and Beersheba seventy thousand men.

And when the Angel stretched out his hand unto Jerusalem to have destroyed it, the LORD had compassion to do that evil, and said to the Angel that destroyed the people, "It is sufficient: let thine hand cease." And the Angel was at the threshing place of Araunah the Jebusite.

And Gad came the same day to David and said unto him, "Go up and rear an altar unto the LORD in the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite."

And David according to the saying of Gad went up as the LORD commanded.

and said, "Wherefore is my lord the king come to his servant?" And David said, "To buy the threshing floor of thee, for to make an altar unto the LORD that the plague may cease from the people."

And Araunah said unto the king, "Let my lord the king take and offer what seemeth him good in his eyes: Behold, oxen for sacrifice, and sleds and the other instruments of the oxen for wood."

But the king said unto Araunah, "Not so, but I will buy it of thee at a price, and will not offer sacrifice unto the LORD my God that shall cost me nought." And so David bought the threshing floor, and the oxen for fifty sicles of silver.