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Wednesday, April 22nd, 2026
the Third Week after Easter
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Read the Bible

Good News Translation

1 Chronicles 11:6

David said, "The first man to kill a Jebusite will be commander of the army!" Joab, whose mother was Zeruiah, led the attack and became commander.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Armies;   David;   Jerusalem;   Joab;   Promotion;   Zion;   Thompson Chain Reference - Joab;   Torrey's Topical Textbook - Armies of Israel, the;   Kings;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Rephaim;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Joab;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Jerusalem;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Jebus;   Jerusalem;   Joab;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Chronicles, Books of;   Gihon;   Joab;   Zion;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Chronicles, I;   Fortification and Siegecraft;   Ithrite, the;   Joab;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - David;   Jebus;   Jerusalem;   Joab;   Smith Bible Dictionary - War;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - David;   Fortification;   Joab;   Perez;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Adaiah;   Jebusites;   Joab;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
David said, “Whoever is the first to kill a Jebusite will become chief commander.” Joab son of Zeruiah went up first, so he became the chief.
Hebrew Names Version
David said, Whoever strikes the Yevusi first shall be chief and captain. Yo'av the son of Tzeru'yah went up first, and was made chief.
King James Version
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.
English Standard Version
David said, "Whoever strikes the Jebusites first shall be chief and commander." And Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first, so he became chief.
New Century Version
David had said, "The person who leads the attack against the Jebusites will become the commander over all my army." Joab son of Zeruiah led the attack, so he became the commander of the army.
New English Translation
David said, "Whoever attacks the Jebusites first will become commanding general!" So Joab son of Zeruiah attacked first and became commander.
Amplified Bible
Now David said, "Whoever strikes down a Jebusite first shall be chief and commander." Joab the son of Zeruiah [David's half sister] went up first, and so he was made chief.
New American Standard Bible
Now David had said, "Whoever is first to kill a Jebusite shall be chief and commander." Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first, so he became chief.
World English Bible
David said, Whoever strikes the Jebusites first shall be chief and captain. Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first, and was made chief.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And Dauid sayd, Whosoeuer smiteth the Iebusites first, shalbe the chiefe and captaine. So Ioab the sonne of Zeruiah went first vp, and was captaine.
Legacy Standard Bible
And David said, "Whoever strikes down a Jebusite first shall be chief and commander." Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first, so he became chief.
Berean Standard Bible
Now David had said, "Whoever is the first to strike down a Jebusite will become chief commander." And Joab son of Zeruiah went up first, and he became the chief.
Contemporary English Version
David had told his troops, "The first soldier to kill a Jebusite will become my army commander." And since Joab son of Zeruiah attacked first, he became commander.
Complete Jewish Bible
David said, "Whoever attacks the Y'vusi first will be commander-in-chief." Yo'av the son of Tz'ruyah attacked first and was made commander.
Darby Translation
And David said, Whoever smites the Jebusites first shall be chief and captain. And Joab the son of Zeruiah went first up, and was chief.
Easy-to-Read Version
David said, "The one who leads the attack on the Jebusites will become the commander over all my army." So Joab led the attack. He was Zeruiah's son. Joab became the commander of the army.
George Lamsa Translation
And David said, Whoever smites a Jebusite person first shall be chief and commander of the army. So Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first, and King David appointed him chief and commander of the army.
Lexham English Bible
Then David said, "Whoever strikes the Jebusites first will be chief and commander." And Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first and became chief.
Literal Translation
And David said, Whoever strikes the Jebusites first shall become head and commander. And Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first and became head.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And Dauid sayde: who so euer smyteth ye Iebusites first, shalbe a prynce & captayne. The Ioab ye sonne of Zeruia clymmed vp first, & was made captayne.
American Standard Version
And David said, Whosoever smiteth the Jebusites first shall be chief and captain. And Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first, and was made chief.
Bible in Basic English
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.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And Dauid sayde: Whosoeuer smyteth the Iebusites first, shalbe the principall captayne, and a lorde. So Ioab the sonne of Zaruia went first vp, and was made the chiefe captayne.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And David said: 'Whosoever smiteth the Jebusites first shall be chief and captain.' And Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first, and was made chief.
King James Version (1611)
And Dauid said, Whosoeuer smiteth the Iebusites first, shall be chiefe, and captaine. So Ioab the sonne of Zeruiah went first vp, and was chiefe.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And David said, Whoever first smites the Jebusite, even he shall be chief and captain. And Joab the son of Saruia went up first, and became chief.
English Revised Version
And David said, Whosoever smiteth the Jebusites first shall be chief and captain. And Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first, and was made chief.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and he seide, Ech man that `sleeth first Jebusei, schal be prince and duyk. Therfor Joab, sone of Saruye, stiede first, and was maad prince.
Update Bible Version
And David said, Whoever smites the Jebusites first shall be chief and captain. And Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first, and was made chief.
Webster's Bible Translation
And David said, Whoever smiteth the Jebusites first shall be chief and captain. So Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first, and was chief.
New King James Version
Now David said, "Whoever attacks the Jebusites first shall be chief and captain." And Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first, and became chief.
New Living Translation
David had said to his troops, "Whoever is first to attack the Jebusites will become the commander of my armies!" And Joab, the son of David's sister Zeruiah, was first to attack, so he became the commander of David's armies.
New Life Bible
Now David had said, "Whoever kills a Jebusite first will be captain and leader." Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first, so he became captain.
New Revised Standard
David had said, "Whoever attacks the Jebusites first shall be chief and commander." And Joab son of Zeruiah went up first, so he became chief.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
And David said, Whosoever smiteth the Jebusites, first, shall become a chief, and a ruler, - So then Joab son of Zeruiah, went up first, and became a chief.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And he said: Whosoever shall first strike the Jebusites, shall be the head and chief captain. And Joab the son of Sarvia went up first, and was made the general.
Revised Standard Version
David said, "Whoever shall smite the Jeb'usites first shall be chief and commander." And Jo'ab the son of Zeru'iah went up first, so he became chief.
Young's Literal Translation
And David saith, `Whoever smiteth the Jebusite first doth become head and prince;' and go up first doth Joab son of Zeruiah and becometh head.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Now David had said, "Whoever strikes down a Jebusite first shall be chief and commander." Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first, so he became chief.

Contextual Overview

1 All the people of Israel went to David at Hebron and said to him, "We are your own flesh and blood. 2 In the past, even when Saul was still our king, you led the people of Israel in battle, and the Lord your God promised you that you would lead his people and be their ruler." 3 So all the leaders of Israel came to King David at Hebron. He made a sacred alliance with them, they anointed him, and he became king of Israel, just as the Lord had promised through Samuel. 4 King David and all the Israelites went and attacked the city of Jerusalem. It was then known as Jebus, and the Jebusites, the original inhabitants of the land, were still living there. 5 The Jebusites told David he would never get inside the city, but David captured their fortress of Zion, and it became known as "David's City." 6 David said, "The first man to kill a Jebusite will be commander of the army!" Joab, whose mother was Zeruiah, led the attack and became commander. 7 Because David went to live in the fortress, it came to be called "David's City." 8 He rebuilt the city, starting at the place where land was filled in on the east side of the hill, and Joab restored the rest of the city. 9 David grew stronger and stronger, because the Lord Almighty was with him.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Whosoever: Joshua 15:16, Joshua 15:17, 1 Samuel 17:25

chief: Heb. head

Joab: 2 Samuel 2:18, 2 Samuel 3:27, 2 Samuel 8:16, 2 Samuel 20:23

Reciprocal: 2 Samuel 5:8 - he shall be 1 Chronicles 18:15 - Joab 1 Chronicles 19:8 - Joab 1 Chronicles 27:34 - the general Esther 6:3 - What honour Psalms 60:9 - Who

Cross-References

Genesis 3:22
Then the Lord God said, "Now these human beings have become like one of us and have knowledge of what is good and what is bad. They must not be allowed to take fruit from the tree that gives life, eat it, and live forever."
Genesis 6:5
When the Lord saw how wicked everyone on earth was and how evil their thoughts were all the time,
Genesis 8:21
The odor of the sacrifice pleased the Lord , and he said to himself, "Never again will I put the earth under a curse because of what people do; I know that from the time they are young their thoughts are evil. Never again will I destroy all living beings, as I have done this time.
Genesis 9:19
These three sons of Noah were the ancestors of all the people on earth.
Genesis 11:1
At first, the people of the whole world had only one language and used the same words.
Genesis 11:4
They said, "Now let's build a city with a tower that reaches the sky, so that we can make a name for ourselves and not be scattered all over the earth."
Judges 10:14
Go and cry out to the gods you have chosen. Let them rescue you when you get in trouble."
1 Kings 18:27
At noon Elijah started making fun of them: "Pray louder! He is a god! Maybe he is day-dreaming or relieving himself, or perhaps he's gone off on a trip! Or maybe he's sleeping, and you've got to wake him up!"
Ecclesiastes 11:9
Young people, enjoy your youth. Be happy while you are still young. Do what you want to do, and follow your heart's desire. But remember that God is going to judge you for whatever you do.
Luke 1:51
He has stretched out his mighty arm and scattered the proud with all their plans.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

:-

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

The narrative here given fills out a manifest defect in 2 Samuel 5:8 where something has evidently dropped out of the text.

The prowess of Joab on this occasion, and the part which he took in the building of the city of David 1 Chronicles 11:8, are known to us only from this passage of Chronicles.


 
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