Bible in Basic English
And David took the strong tower for his living-place, so it was named the town of David.
And he took in hand the building of the town all round, starting from the Millo; and Joab put the rest of the town in order.
And David became greater and greater in power, because the Lord of armies was with him.
Now these are the chief of David's men of war who were his strong supporters in the kingdom, and, with all Israel, made him king, as the Lord had said about Israel.
This is the list of David's men of war: Ishbaal, the son of a Hachmonite, the chief of the three: he put to death three hundred at one time with his spear.
And after him was Eleazar, the son of Dodo the Ahohite, who was one of the three great fighters.
He was with David at Pas-dammim, where the Philistines had come together for the fight, near a bit of land full of barley; and the people went in flight before the Philistines.
And he took up his position in the middle of the bit of land, and kept back their attack, and overcame the Philistines; and the Lord gave a great salvation.
And three of the thirty went down to David, to the rock, into the strong place of Adullam; and the army of the Philistines had taken up their position in the valley of Rephaim.
At that time David had taken cover in the strong place, and an armed force of the Philistines was in Beth-lehem.
And David, moved by a strong desire, said, If only someone would give me a drink of the water from the water-hole of Beth-lehem by the doorway into the town!
So the three, forcing a way through the Philistine army, got water from the water-hole of Beth-lehem, by the doorway into the town, and took it back to David; but David would not take it, but made an offering of it, draining it out to the Lord,
Saying, By my God, far be it from me to do this! How may I take as drink the life-blood of these men who have put their lives in danger? so he did not take it. These things did the three great men of war.
And Abishai, the brother of Joab, was chief of the thirty, for he put to death three hundred with his spear, but he had not a name among the three.
Of the thirty, he was the noblest, and was made their captain, but he was not equal to the first three.
Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, a fighting-man of Kabzeel, had done great acts; he put to death two young lions going into their secret place; and he went down into a hole and put a lion to death in time of snow.
And he made an attack on an Egyptian, a very tall man about five cubits high, armed with a spear like a cloth-worker's rod; he went down to him with a stick, and pulling his spear out of the hand of the Egyptian, put him to death with that same spear.
These were the acts of Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, who had a great name among the thirty men of war.
He was honoured over the thirty, but he was not equal to the first three: and David put him over his servants.
And these were the great men of war: Asahel, the brother of Joab, Elhanan, the son of Dodo of Beth-lehem,
Shammoth the Harodite, Helez the Pelonite,
Ira, the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Anathothite,
Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite,
Maharai the Netophathite, Heled, the son of Baanah the Netophathite,
Ithai, the son of Ribai of Gibeah, of the children of Benjamin, Benaiah the Pirathonite,
Hurai of Nahale-gaash, Abiel the Arbathite,
Azmaveth of Bahurim, Eliahba the Shaalbonite,
The sons of Hashem 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, Mibhar, the son of Hagri,
Zelek the Ammonite, and Naharai the Berothite, the servant who had the care of the arms of Joab, the son of Zeruiah;
Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,
Uriah the Hittite, Zabad, the son of Ahlai,
Adina, the son of Shiza the Reubenite, a chief of the Reubenites, and thirty with him;
Hanan, the son of Maacah, and Joshaphat the Mithnite,
Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jeiel, the sons of Hotham the Aroerite,
Jediael, the son of Shimri, and Joha his brother, the Tizite,
Eliel the Mahavite, and Jeribai and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam, and Ithmah the Moabite,
Eliel and Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.
— 1 Chronicles 11:7-1964, Bible in Basic English
“David lived in the stronghold; therefore they called it the city of David. He built the city all around, from Millo even around; and Joab repaired the rest of the city. David grew greater and greater; for Yahweh of Armies was with him. 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 word of Yahweh concerning Israel. 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. After him was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, who was one of the three mighty men. 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. They stood in the midst of the plot, and defended it, and killed the Philistines; and Yahweh saved them by a great victory. 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. David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. David longed, and said, "Oh that one would give me water to drink of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!" The three broke through the army 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 Yahweh, and said, "My God forbid it 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. Abishai, the brother of Joab, he was chief of the three; for he lifted up his spear against three hundred and killed them, and had a name among the three. Of the three, he was more honorable than the two, and was made their captain: however he didn't attain to the [first] three. Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done mighty deeds, he killed the two [sons of] Ariel of Moab: he went down also and killed a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow. He killed 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 killed him with his own spear. These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had a name among the three mighty men. Behold, he was more honorable than the thirty, but he didn't attain to the [first] three: and David set him over his guard. Also the mighty men of the armies: Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Anathothite, Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, Heled the son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ithai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin, Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hurai of the brooks of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan the son of Shagee 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, Mibhar the son of Hagri, Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Berothite, the armor bearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah, Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, Uriah the Hittite, Zabad the son of Ahlai, Adina the son of Shiza the Reubenite, a chief of the Reubenites, and thirty with him, Hanan the son of Maacah, and Joshaphat the Mithnite, Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jeiel the sons of Hotham the Aroerite, Jediael the son of Shimri, and Joha his brother, the Tizite, Eliel the Mahavite, and Jeribai, and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam, and Ithmah the Moabite, Eliel, and Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.”
Then David and all Israel went to Jerusalem (which is Jebus); and the Jebusites, the people of the land, were there.
And the people of Jebus said to David, You will not come in here. But still, David took the strong place of Zion, which is the town of David.
And David said, The first to overcome the Jebusites will be chief and captain. And Joab, the son of Zeruiah, went up first, and became chief.
And David took the strong tower for his living-place, so it was named the town of David.
And he took in hand the building of the town all round, starting from the Millo; and Joab put the rest of the town in order.
And David became greater and greater in power, because the Lord of armies was with him.
Now these are the chief of David's men of war who were his strong supporters in the kingdom, and, with all Israel, made him king, as the Lord had said about Israel.
This is the list of David's men of war: Ishbaal, the son of a Hachmonite, the chief of the three: he put to death three hundred at one time with his spear.
And after him was Eleazar, the son of Dodo the Ahohite, who was one of the three great fighters.
He was with David at Pas-dammim, where the Philistines had come together for the fight, near a bit of land full of barley; and the people went in flight before the Philistines.
And he took up his position in the middle of the bit of land, and kept back their attack, and overcame the Philistines; and the Lord gave a great salvation.
And three of the thirty went down to David, to the rock, into the strong place of Adullam; and the army of the Philistines had taken up their position in the valley of Rephaim.
At that time David had taken cover in the strong place, and an armed force of the Philistines was in Beth-lehem.
And David, moved by a strong desire, said, If only someone would give me a drink of the water from the water-hole of Beth-lehem by the doorway into the town!
So the three, forcing a way through the Philistine army, got water from the water-hole of Beth-lehem, by the doorway into the town, and took it back to David; but David would not take it, but made an offering of it, draining it out to the Lord,
Saying, By my God, far be it from me to do this! How may I take as drink the life-blood of these men who have put their lives in danger? so he did not take it. These things did the three great men of war.
And Abishai, the brother of Joab, was chief of the thirty, for he put to death three hundred with his spear, but he had not a name among the three.
Of the thirty, he was the noblest, and was made their captain, but he was not equal to the first three.
Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, a fighting-man of Kabzeel, had done great acts; he put to death two young lions going into their secret place; and he went down into a hole and put a lion to death in time of snow.
And he made an attack on an Egyptian, a very tall man about five cubits high, armed with a spear like a cloth-worker's rod; he went down to him with a stick, and pulling his spear out of the hand of the Egyptian, put him to death with that same spear.
These were the acts of Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, who had a great name among the thirty men of war.
He was honoured over the thirty, but he was not equal to the first three: and David put him over his servants.
And these were the great men of war: Asahel, the brother of Joab, Elhanan, the son of Dodo of Beth-lehem,
Shammoth the Harodite, Helez the Pelonite,
Ira, the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Anathothite,
Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite,
Maharai the Netophathite, Heled, the son of Baanah the Netophathite,
Ithai, the son of Ribai of Gibeah, of the children of Benjamin, Benaiah the Pirathonite,
Hurai of Nahale-gaash, Abiel the Arbathite,
Azmaveth of Bahurim, Eliahba the Shaalbonite,
The sons of Hashem 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, Mibhar, the son of Hagri,
Zelek the Ammonite, and Naharai the Berothite, the servant who had the care of the arms of Joab, the son of Zeruiah;
Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,
Uriah the Hittite, Zabad, the son of Ahlai,
Adina, the son of Shiza the Reubenite, a chief of the Reubenites, and thirty with him;
Hanan, the son of Maacah, and Joshaphat the Mithnite,
Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jeiel, the sons of Hotham the Aroerite,
Jediael, the son of Shimri, and Joha his brother, the Tizite,
Eliel the Mahavite, and Jeribai and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam, and Ithmah the Moabite,
Eliel and Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.