2 Samuel 23

1 Now these are the last words of David. David, the son of Jesse, says, the man who was lifted up on high, the man on whom the God of Jacob put the holy oil, the loved one of Israel's songs, says:

And these are the last words of David. Thus saith David the son of Jesse, and thus saith the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet singer of Israel:

2 The spirit of the Lord had voice through me, his word was on my tongue.

The Spirit of the Lord spoke through me, and his word was upon my tongue.

3 The God of Israel said, the word of the Rock of Israel came to me: When an upright king is ruling over men, when he is ruling in the fear of God,

[Thus] said the God of Israel, concerning me spoke the Rock of Israel, That [I should be] ruler over men, be righteous, ruling in the fear of God;

4 It is as the light of the morning, when the sun comes up, a morning without clouds; making young grass come to life from the earth.

And as in the light of morning the sun riseth, in a morning without clouds, with more than the brightness [reflected] by rain on the herbs that spring from the earth.

5 For is not my house so with God? For he has made with me an eternal agreement, ordered in all things and certain: as for all my salvation and all my desire, will he not give it increase?

Truly is not so my house with God? since he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, firm in all, and sure? yea, will he not cause to grow all my salvation, and all my desire?

6 But the evil-doers, all of them, will be like thorns to be pushed away, because they may not be gripped in the hand:

But the godless are all of them as waving thorns, which cannot be taken in the hand;

7 But anyone touching them has to be armed with iron and the rod of a spear; and they will be burned with fire, every one of them.

But the man that will touch them must protect his hand with iron and the staff of a spear: and they will be utterly burnt with fire in the dwelling.

8 These are the names of David's men of war: Ishbaal the Hachmonite, chief of the three; his axe was lifted up against eight hundred put to death at one time.

These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Yosheb-bashebeth, the Thachkemonite, the chief among the captains, —the same as 'Adino the 'Eznite, —because of eight hundred slain at one time.

9 After him was Eleazar, the son of Dodai the Ahohite, one of the three great fighters, who was with David in Pas-dammim when the Philistines came together there for the fight; and when the men of Israel had gone in flight,

And after him was El'azar the son of Dodo, the son of Achochi, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines that were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel had withdrawn themselves;

10 He was with David and went on fighting the Philistines till his hand became tired and stiff from gripping his sword: and that day the Lord gave a great salvation, and the people came back after him only to take the goods of the Philistines.

He then arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand did cleave unto the sword: and the Lord wrought a great victory on that day; and the people returned after him only to strip [the slain].

11 After him was Shammah, the son of Ela the Hararite. And the Philistines came together in Lehi, where there was a bit of land full of seed; and the people went in flight from the Philistines.

And after him was Shammah the son of Age the Hararite. The Philistines were gathered together into a troop, and there was a piece of ground full of lentiles; and the people had fled from the Philistines;

12 But he kept his place in the middle of the bit of land, and kept back their attack and overcame the Philistines: and the Lord gave a great salvation.

But he placed himself in the midst of the ground, and delivered it, and smote the Philistines: and the Lord wrought a great victory.

13 And three of the thirty went down at the start of the grain-cutting, and they came to David at the strong place of Adullam; and the band of Philistines had taken up their position in the valley of Rephaim.

And these three, the chiefs of the thirty, went down, and came to David at harvest-time unto the cave of 'Adullam: and the troop of the Philistines was encamped in the valley of Rephaim.

14 And at that time David had taken cover in the strong place, and an armed force of the Philistines was in Beth-lehem.

And David was then in the strong-hold, and an outpost of the Philistines was then in Beth-lechem.

15 And David, moved by a strong desire, said, If only someone would give me a drink of water from the water-hole of Beth-lehem, by the doorway into the town!

And David longed, and said, Oh that one would bring me water to drink out of the well at Beth-lechem, which is by the gate!

16 And the three men, forcing their 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 he would not take it, but, draining it out, made an offering of it to the Lord.

And the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines; and drew water out of the well of Beth-lechem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David; but he would not drink thereof, and poured it out unto the Lord.

17 And he said, Far be it from me, O Lord, to do this; how may I take as my drink the life-blood of men who have put their lives in danger? So he would not take it. These things did the three great men of war.

And he said, Far be it from me, O Lord, that I should do this: [is not this] the blood of the men that went at the risk of their life? and thus he would not drink it. These things did the three mighty men.

18 And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the thirty. He put to death three hundred with his spear, and he got for himself a name among the thirty.

And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruyah, was the chief of these three; and he lifted up his spear against three hundred slain, and had a name among the three.

19 Was he not the noblest of the thirty? so he was made their captain: but he was not equal to the first three.

Although he was the most honored of the three, wherefore he became their captain: he nevertheless attained not unto the three [in prowess].

20 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, a fighting man of Kabzeel, had done great acts; he put to death the two sons of Ariel of Moab: he went down into a hole and put a lion to death in time of snow:

And Benayahu the son of Yehoyada', the son of a valiant man, great in many acts of Kabzeel; he it was that smote the two lion-like heroes of Moab; he also went down and slew a lion in the midst of a pit on a day when it snowed;

21 And he made an attack on an Egyptian, a tall man: and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a stick, and pulling the spear out of the hands of the Egyptian, put him to death with that same spear.

And he slew an Egyptian, a man of good appearance; and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff, and he snatched the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and slew him with his own spear.

22 These were the acts of Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, who had a great name among the thirty men of war.

These things did Benayahu the son of Yehoyada', and he had a name among the three mighty men.

23 He was honoured over the rest of the thirty, but he was not equal to the first three. And David put him over the fighting men who kept him safe.

He was more honored than the thirty; but he attained not to these three. And David appointed him in his private council.

24 Asahel, the brother of Joab, was one of the thirty; and Elhanan, the son of Dodai, of Beth-lehem,

'Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elchanan the son of Dodo of Beth-lechem,

25 Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,

Shammah the Charodite, Elika the Charodite,

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

Chelez the Paltite, 'Ira the son of 'Ikkesh the Teko'ite,

27 Abiezer the Anathothite, Sibbecai the Hushathite,

Abi'ezer the 'Anethothite, Mebunnai the Chushathite,

28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,

Zalmon the Achochite, Maharai the Netophathite,

29 Heldai, the son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai, the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin,

Cheleb the son of Ba'anah, the Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai of Gib'ah of the children of Benjamin,

30 Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the valleys of Gaash,

Benayahu the Pir'athonite, Hiddai of Nachale-Ga'ash,

31 Abiel the Arbathite, Azmaveth of Bahurim,

Abi-'albon the 'Arbathite, 'Azmaveth the Barchumite,

32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite, Jashen the Gunite,

Elyachba the Sha'albonite, Bne-yashen, Jonathan,

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

Shammah the Hararite, Achiam the son of Sharar the Ararite,

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

Eliphelet the son of Achasbai, the son of the Ma'achathite, Eli'am the son of Achithophel the Gilonite,

35 Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Archite,

Chezrai, the Carmelite, Pa'arai the Arbite,

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

Yigal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite,

37 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, who had the care of the arms of Joab, son of Zeruiah,

Zelek the 'Ammonite, Nacharai the Beerothite, the armor-bearer of Joab the son of Zeruyah,

38 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,

'Ira the Yithrite, Gareb the Yithrite,

39 Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in number.

Uriyah the Hittite: in all thirty and seven.