1 Chronicles 11
Lutheran reading notes
In 1 Chronicles chapter 11, the account continues the story of genealogies and the reign of David with temple focus. Lutheran interpretation frequently highlights how these events reveal both human sinfulness and God’s faithful promises. The chapter demonstrates the tension between human failure and God’s ongoing grace working through history.
1
Then all Israel gathered themselves to David unto Hebron, saying, Behold, we {are} thy bone and thy flesh.
1 Chronicles 11:1 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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 time...: Heb. both yesterday and the third day} {feed: or, rule}
1 Chronicles 11:2 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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. {by: Heb. by the hand of}
1 Chronicles 11:3 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
4
And David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, which {is} Jebus; where the Jebusites {were}, the inhabitants of the land.
1 Chronicles 11:4 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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.
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. {chief: Heb. head}
1 Chronicles 11:6 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
7
And David dwelt in the castle; therefore they called it the city of David. {it: that is, Zion}
1 Chronicles 11:7 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
8
And he built the city round about, even from Millo round about: and Joab repaired the rest of the city. {repaired: Heb. revived}
1 Chronicles 11:8 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
9
So David waxed greater and greater: for the LORD of hosts {was} with him. {waxed...: Heb. went in going and increasing}
1 Chronicles 11:9 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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. {strengthened...: or, held strongly with him}
1 Chronicles 11:10 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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. {an Hachmonite: or, son of Hachmoni}
1 Chronicles 11:11 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
12
And after him {was} Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, who {was one} of the three mighties.
1 Chronicles 11:12 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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. {Pasdammim: also called, Ephesdammim}
1 Chronicles 11:13 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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. {set...: or, stood} {deliverance: or, salvation}
1 Chronicles 11:14 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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...: or, three captains over the thirty}
1 Chronicles 11:15 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
16
And David {was} then in the hold, and the Philistines' garrison {was} then at Bethlehem.
1 Chronicles 11:16 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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!
1 Chronicles 11:17 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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,
1 Chronicles 11:18 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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. {that have...: Heb. with their lives?}
1 Chronicles 11:19 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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.
1 Chronicles 11:20 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
21
Of the three, he was more honourable than the two; for he was their captain: howbeit he attained not to the {first} three.
1 Chronicles 11:21 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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. {who had...: Heb. great of deeds}
1 Chronicles 11:22 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
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. {great...: Heb. measure}
1 Chronicles 11:23 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
24
These {things} did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among the three mighties.
1 Chronicles 11:24 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
25
Behold, he was honourable among the thirty, but attained not to the {first} three: and David set him over his guard.
1 Chronicles 11:25 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
26
Also the valiant men of the armies {were}, Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,
1 Chronicles 11:26 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
27
Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite, {Shammoth: or, Shammah} {Harorite: or, Harodite} {Pelonite: or, Paltite}
1 Chronicles 11:27 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
28
Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Antothite,
1 Chronicles 11:28 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
29
Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite, {Sibbecai: or, Mebunnai} {Ilai: or, Zalmon}
1 Chronicles 11:29 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
30
Maharai the Netophathite, Heled the son of Baanah the Netophathite, {Heled: or, Heleb}
1 Chronicles 11:30 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
31
Ithai the son of Ribai of Gibeah, {that pertained} to the children of Benjamin, Benaiah the Pirathonite,
1 Chronicles 11:31 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
32
Hurai of the brooks of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite, {Hurai: or, Hiddai} {Abiel: or, Abialbon}
1 Chronicles 11:32 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
33
Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite,
1 Chronicles 11:33 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
34
The sons of Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan the son of Shage the Hararite, {Hashem: or, Jashen}
1 Chronicles 11:34 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
35
Ahiam the son of Sacar the Hararite, Eliphal the son of Ur, {Sacar: or, Sharar} {Eliphal: or, Eliphelet} {Ur: or, Ahasbai}
1 Chronicles 11:35 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
36
Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite,
1 Chronicles 11:36 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
37
Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai the son of Ezbai, {Hezro: or Hezrai} {Naarai: or Paarai the Arbite}
1 Chronicles 11:37 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
38
Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar the son of Haggeri, {the son...: or, the Haggerite}
1 Chronicles 11:38 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
39
Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Berothite, the armourbearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah,
1 Chronicles 11:39 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
40
Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,
1 Chronicles 11:40 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
41
Uriah the Hittite, Zabad the son of Ahlai,
42
Adina the son of Shiza the Reubenite, a captain of the Reubenites, and thirty with him,
1 Chronicles 11:42 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
43
Hanan the son of Maachah, and Joshaphat the Mithnite,
1 Chronicles 11:43 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
44
Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jehiel the sons of Hothan the Aroerite,
1 Chronicles 11:44 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
45
Jediael the son of Shimri, and Joha his brother, the Tizite, {son...: or, Shimrite}
1 Chronicles 11:45 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
46
Eliel the Mahavite, and Jeribai, and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam, and Ithmah the Moabite,
1 Chronicles 11:46 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.
47
Eliel, and Obed, and Jasiel the Mesobaite.
1 Chronicles 11:47 highlights covenant history and god’s providence with emphasis on law, gospel, grace, and faith.