9. David grew more and more powerful because Adonai-Tzva’ot was with him.
10. Now these were chiefs of David’s mighty men, who strongly supported him in his kingdom, together with all Israel to make him king, according to the word of Adonai, over Israel.
11. This is the list of David’s mighty men: Jashobeam the son of Hachmoni, was the chief of the 30; he wielded his spear against 300 and slew them all at one time.
12. After him was Eleazar son of Dodo the Ahohite, who was one of the three mighty men.
13. He was with David at Pas Dammim, when the Philistines assembled there for battle. There was a plot of ground full of barley where the army retreated from before the Philistines,
14. but they took a stand in the middle of the plot; they defended it and struck down the Philistines. Adonai delivered a great victory.
15. Three of the 30 leaders went down to David at the rock at the cave of Adullam, while a band of the Philistines was encamped in the valley of Rephaim.
16. At that time, David was in the stronghold, while the garrison of the Philistines was in Bethlehem.
17. David had a craving and said, “If only someone would give me water to drink from the cistern by the gate in Bethlehem!”
18. So the three broke through the Philistine camp and drew water from the cistern by the gate in Bethlehem and carried it back to David. But David refused to drink it. He poured it out to Adonai
19. and said: “Far be it for me that I should do this before my God! Can I drink the blood of these men who risked their lives?”—for they brought it at the risk of their lives and he would not drink it. Such were the exploits of the Three mighty men.
20. Abishai, Joab’s brother, was chief of the Three. He once wielded his spear against 300 and slew them. Thus he won a name among the Three.
21. Of the Three, he was more highly esteemed than the other two and became their commander, even though he was not one of the three.
22. Beniah son of Jehoiada was a valiant man from Kabzeel who had done mighty deeds. He killed the two sons of Ariel of Moab, and went down and killed a lion inside a pit on a snowy day.