2 Samuel 23

1 These are the last words of David: “The oracle of David son of Jesse, the oracle of the man raised on high, the one anointed by the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel:

David, the son of Jesse, was a man whom [God caused to] become great. He was appointed to become king by the God whom Jacob [worshiped]. He wrote beautiful songs for the Israeli people. This is the last song that he wrote:

2 The Spirit of the LORD spoke through me; His word was on my tongue.

“The Spirit of Yahweh tells me what to say; the message that I speak [MTY] comes from him.

3 The God of Israel spoke; the Rock of Israel said to me, ‘He who rules the people with justice, who rules in the fear of God,

God, the one whom we Israeli [people worship], has spoken; the one who protects us Israeli people said to me, ‘Kings who rule people justly have an awesome respect for me, God.

4 is like the light of the morning at sunrise of a cloudless dawn, the glistening after the rain on the sprouting grass of the earth.’

They are like the sun that shines at dawn and causes the grass to [sprout/sparkle] after the rain ends.’

5 Is not my house right with God? For He has established with me an everlasting covenant, ordered and secured in every part. Will He not bring about my full salvation and my every desire?

And truly, that is how God will surely bless my family [RHQ] because he made an agreement with me that will endure forever, an agreement in which he promises that no part of it will ever be changed. He will surely cause me to prosper [RHQ], and he will always help me, and that is all that I desire.

6 But the worthless are all like thorns raked aside, for they can never be gathered by hand.

But [he will get rid of] godless/evil people like [SIM] people throw away thorns that [injure people if they try to] pick them up with their hands.

7 The man who touches them must be armed with iron or with the shaft of a spear. The fire burns them to ashes in the place where they lie.”

Someone [who wants to get rid of thornbushes] does not grab them; he uses an iron [shovel] or a spear [to dig them out] and then he burns them completely.

8 These are the names of David’s mighty men: Josheb-basshebeth the Tahchemonite was chief of the Three. He wielded his spear against eight hundred men, whom he killed at one time.

These are the names of David’s three greatest warriors. The first was Esh-Baal, [whose other name was Jashobeam], from the Hachmon clan (OR, the son of Hachmon). He was the leader of the three men. One time he fought against 800 enemies and killed them all with his spear.

9 Next in command was Eleazar son of Dodo the Ahohite. As one of the three mighty men, he went with David to taunt the Philistines who had gathered for battle at Pas-dammim. The men of Israel retreated,

The second/next one of the three greatest warriors was Eleazar, who was the son of Dodo from the clan of Ahoh. One day he was with David when they defied/challenged the soldiers of Philistia who had gathered for the battle. The [other] Israeli soldiers retreated,

10 but Eleazar stood his ground and struck the Philistines until his hand grew weary and stuck to his sword. The LORD brought about a great victory that day. Then the troops returned to him, but only to plunder the dead.

but Eleazar stood there and fought the soldiers of Philistia until his arm became very tired, with the result that [his hand cramped and] he could not stop gripping his sword. Yahweh won a great victory on that day. And afterwards the [other] Israeli soldiers returned [to where Eleazar was], and stripped off the [armor from the men whom he had] killed.

11 And after him was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. When the Philistines had banded together near a field full of lentils, Israel’s troops fled from them.

The third one of the greatest warriors was Shammah, the son of Agee from [the clan/town of] Harar. One time the Philistia soldiers gathered at Lehi [town], where there was a field full of lentils/peas [that they wanted to steal]. The other Israeli soldiers ran away from the Philistia troops,

12 But Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field, defended it, and struck down the Philistines. So the LORD brought about a great victory.

but Shammah stood there in the field and did not let the Philistia soldiers [steal the crops], and killed them. Yahweh won a great victory on that day.

13 At harvest time, three of the thirty chief men went down to David at the cave of Adullam, while a company of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim.

Altogether there were 30 special warriors among David’s soldiers. Once, when it was almost time to harvest [the crops], three of those 30 men went down to Adullam Cave, where David was [staying]. A group of men from the Philistia army had set up their tents in Rephaim Valley [near Jerusalem].

14 At that time David was in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was at Bethlehem.

David [and his soldiers] were in the cave [because it was safe there], and [another] group of Philistia soldiers was occupying Bethlehem.

15 David longed for water and said, “Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!”

[One day] David very much wanted [some water] to drink, and said “I wish that someone would bring me some water from the well near the gate at Bethlehem!”

16 So the three mighty men broke through the Philistine camp, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem, and brought it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out to the LORD,

So his three greatest warriors forced their way through the camp of Philistia soldiers and drew some water from the well, and brought it to David. But he would not drink it. Instead, he poured it out [on the ground] as an offering to Yahweh.

17 saying, “Far be it from me, O LORD, to do this! Is this not the blood of the men who risked their lives?” So he refused to drink it. Such were the exploits of the three mighty men.

He said, “Yahweh, it would certainly not be right for me to drink this water! That would be like [RHQ] drinking the blood of these men who were willing/ready to die for me!” So he refused to drink it. That was one of the things that those three great warriors did.

18 Now Abishai, the brother of Joab and son of Zeruiah, was chief of the Three, and he lifted his spear against three hundred men, killed them, and won a name along with the Three.

Abishai, Joab’s [younger] brother, was the leader of the 30 [greatest warriors]. [One day] he fought against 300 men and killed them all with his spear. As a result, he also became famous.

19 Was he not more honored than the Three? And he became their commander, even though he was not included among the Three.

He was the most famous of the thirty greatest warriors, and he became their leader/commander, but he was not one of the three greatest warriors.

20 And Benaiah son of Jehoiada was a man of valor from Kabzeel, a man of many exploits. He struck down two champions of Moab, and on a snowy day he went down into a pit and killed a lion.

Jehoiada’s son Benaiah, from Kabzeel [town], also did great deeds. He killed two of the best warriors from the Moab people-group. Also, he went down into a pit on a day when snow was falling, and killed a lion there.

21 He also killed an Egyptian, a huge man. Although the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club, snatched the spear from his hand, and killed the Egyptian with his own spear.

He also killed a huge soldier from Egypt who carried a spear. Benaiah [had only] his club, but he attacked the giant with it. Then he snatched the spear from the man’s hand and killed him with his own spear.

22 These were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada, who won a name alongside the three mighty men.

Those are [some of] the things that Benaiah did. As a result, he became famous, like the three greatest warriors were.

23 He was most honored among the Thirty, but he did not become one of the Three. And David appointed him over his guard.

He was more honored than the other members of the group of thirty great warriors, but not as famous as the three greatest warriors. David appointed him to be the commander of his bodyguards.

24 Now these were members of the Thirty: Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan son of Dodo of Bethlehem,

[These are the names of the great warriors]: Asahel, the brother of Joab; Elhanan, the son of Dodo, from Bethlehem;

25 Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,

Shammah and Elika, from [the] Harod [clan];

26 Helez the Paltite, Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,

Helez, from Pelet [city]; Ira, the son of Ikkesh, from Tekoa [town];

27 Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,

Abiezer, from Anathoth [city]; Mebunnai [whose other name was Sibbecai], from Hushah’s [clan];

28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,

Zalmon [whose other name was Ilai], from Ahoh’s [clan]; Maharai, from Netophah [town];

29 Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai son of Ribai from Gibeah of the Benjamites,

Heleb, the son of Baanah, also from Netophah [town]; Ittai, the son of Ribai, from Gibeah [town] in [the land that belonged to] the tribe of Benjamin;

30 Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai from the brooks of Gaash,

Benaiah, from Pirathon [town]; Hiddai, from the valleys near Gaash [Mountain];

31 Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,

Abi-Albon, from the clan of Arabah; Azmaveth, from Bahurim [town];

32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan

Eliahba, from Shaalbon [town]; The sons of Jashen; Jonathan;

33 son of Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam son of Sharar the Hararite,

Shammah, from Harar [town/clan]; Ahiam the son of Sharar, from Harar [town/clan];

34 Eliphelet son of Ahasbai the Maacathite, Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,

Eliphelet, the son of Ahasbai, from Maacah [town]; Eliam, the son of Ahithophel, from Gilo [town];

35 Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,

Hezro, from Carmel [city]; Paarai, from Arba [city];

36 Igal son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite,

Igal, the son of Nathan, from Zobah [city]; Bani, from the tribe of Gad;

37 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, the armor-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah,

Zelek, from the Ammon people-group; Naharai, the man who carried Joab’s weapons, from Beeroth [town];

38 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,

Ira and Gareb, from Jattir [town];

39 and Uriah the Hittite. There were thirty-seven in all.

Uriah, [Bathsheba’s husband], from the Heth people-group. Altogether, there were 37 famous soldiers, [but some of them had died and their names were not included].