Definition: 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.

Explanation: Okay, let’s break down this passage from 1 Chronicles 11:6. It's a really important verse about leadership and how God sees things. Here's what it means in simpler terms: The Basic Idea: This verse describes a situation where David made a very serious decision – he was going to be the leader of his army, and he did so with a specific, somewhat demanding condition. Let’s unpack it piece by piece: “David said…” : This tells us we're looking at what David was thinking or doing. “…Whosoever smiteth the Jebusites first shall be chief…” : This is where it gets a little tricky. "Jebusites" are Hebrew names for gods – essentially, deities. “Smite” means to attack or defeat. So, this part of the verse suggests that whoever attacks or defeats these gods first will be considered the leader. "...and captain." : This is a bit vague, but it implies he’ll be given a very important and powerful role. So, what does this really mean? It's a warning about how David treated the gods. He was being incredibly disrespectful and demanding towards them. He was treating them as if they were enemies and expected to obey him without question. The Context – Why is this important? This passage comes before the story of Saul, who later became king. It’s a significant warning about the dangers of idolatry (worshiping other gods instead of God). It highlights that how you worship and treat those who are higher up in your hierarchy matters. David's actions were seen as a sign of his pride and disregard for God, which ultimately led to trouble. In short: This verse warns us against being arrogant or disrespectful towards the gods, because it can lead to serious consequences – possibly even being punished by God. --- Do you want me to explain any part of this verse in more detail? For example, would you like to know: More about the Jebusites? What kind of leadership was David doing?