Kings II 23

1 And these [are] the last words of David. Faithful [is] David the son of Jessae, and faithful the man whom the Lord raised up to be the anointed of the God of Jacob, and beautiful [are] the psalms of Israel.

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 spoke by me, and his word [was] upon my tongue.

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

3 The God of Israel says, A watchman out of Israel spoke to me a parable: I said amongst men, How will you strengthen the fear of the anointed?

[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 And in the morning light of God, let the sun arise in the morning, from the light of which the Lord passed on, and as it were from the rain of the tender grass upon 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 my house [is] not so with the Mighty One: for he has made an everlasting covenant with me, ready, guarded at every time; for all my salvation and all my desire [is], that the wicked should not flourish.

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 All these [are] as a thorn thrust forth, for they shall not be taken with the hand,

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

7 and a man shall not labour amongst them; and [one shall have] that which is fully armed with iron, and the staff of a spear, an he shall burn them with fire, and they shall be burnt in their shame.

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 the mighty men of David: Jebosthe the Chananite is a captain of the third [part]: Adinon the Asonite, he drew his sword against eight hundred soldiers at once.

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 And after him Eleanan the son of his uncle, son of Dudi who was amongst the three mighty men with David; and when he defied the Philistines they were gathered there to war, and the men of Israel went up.

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 arose an struck the Philistines, until his hand was weary, and his hand clave to the sword: and the Lord wrought a great salvation in that day, and the people rested behind him only to strip [the slain].

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 And after him Samaia the son of Asa the Arachite: and the Philistines were gathered to Theria; and there was there a portion of ground full of lentiles; and the people fled before 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 And he stood firm in the midst of the portion, and rescued it, and struck the Philistines; and the Lord wrought a great deliverance.

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 out of the thirty went down, and came to Cason to David, to the cave of Odollam; and [there was] an army of the Philistines, and they encamped in the valley of Raphain.

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 David [was] then in the strong hold, and the garrison of the Philistines [was] then in Bethleem.

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

15 And David longed, and said, Who will give me water to drink out of the well that is in Bethleem by the gate? now the band of the Philistines [was] then in Bethleem.

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 mighty men broke through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well that was in Bethleem in the gate: and they took it, and brought it to David, and he would not drink it, but poured it out before 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, O Lord, forbid that I should do this, that I should drink of the blood of the men who went at [the risk of] their lives: and he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men.

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 Abessa the brother of Joab the son of Saruia, he [was] chief amongst the three, and he lifted up his spear against three hundred whom he killed; and he had a name amongst three.

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 Of those three [he was] most honourable, and he became a chief over them, but he reached not 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 Banaeas the son of Jodae, he was abundant in [mighty] deeds, from Cabeseel, and he struck the two sons of Ariel of Moab: and he went down and struck a lion in the midst of a pit on a snowy day.

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 He struck an Egyptian, a wonderful man, and in the hand of the Egyptian [was] a spear as the side of a ladder; and he went down to him with a staff, and snatched the spear from the Egyptian's hand, and killed him with his own 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 things did Banaeas the son of Jodae, and he had a name amongst the three mighty men.

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

23 He was honourable amongst the [second] three, but he reached not to the [first] three: and David made him his reporter. And these [are] the names of King David's mighty men.

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

24 Asael Joab's brother; he [was] amongst the thirty. Eleanan son of Dudi his uncle in Bethleem.

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

25 Saema the Rudaean.

Shammah the Charodite, Elika the Charodite,

26 Selles the Kelothite: Iras the son of Isca the Thecoite.

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

27 Abiezer the Anothite, of the sons of the Anothite.

Abi'ezer the 'Anethothite, Mebunnai the Chushathite,

28 Ellon the Aoite; Noere the Netophatite.

Zalmon the Achochite, Maharai the Netophathite,

29 Esthai the son of Riba of Gabaeth, son of Benjamin the Ephrathite; Asmoth the Bardiamite; Emasu the Salabonite:

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

30 Adroi of the brooks.

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

31 Gadabiel son of the Arabothaeite.

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

32 the sons of Asan, Jonathan;

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

33 Samnan the Arodite; Amnan the son of Arai the Saraurite.

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

34 Aliphaleth the son of Asbites, the son of the Machachachite; Eliab the son of Achitophel the Gelonite.

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

35 Asarai the Carmelite the son of Uraeoerchi.

Chezrai, the Carmelite, Pa'arai the Arbite,

36 Gaal the son of Nathana. The son of much valour, [the son] of Galaaddi. Elie the Ammanite.

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

37 Gelore the Bethorite, armour-bearer to Joab, son of Saruia.

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

38 Iras the Ethirite. Gerab the Ethenite.

'Ira the Yithrite, Gareb the Yithrite,

39 Urias the Chettite: thirty-seven in all.

Uriyah the Hittite: in all thirty and seven.