2 Samuel 23

1 Now these are the last words of David: David the son of Jesse saith, And the man who was raised up on high, The anointed of the God of Jacob, And the sweet psalmist of Israel saith,

Now these are David’s last words. David the son of Isai said: The man to whom it was appointed concerning the Christ of the God of Jacob, the excellent psalmist of Israel said:

2 The Spirit of Jehovah spoke by me, And his word was on my tongue.

The spirit of the Lord hath spoken by me and his word by my tongue.

3 The God of Israel said, The Rock of Israel spoke to me, The ruler among men shall be just, Ruling in the fear of God;

The God of Israel said to me, the strong one of Israel spoke, the ruler of men, the just ruler in the fear of God.

4 And [he shall be] as the light of the morning, [like] the rising of the sun, A morning without clouds; [When] from the sunshine, after rain, The green grass springeth from the earth.

As the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, shineth in the morning without clouds, and as the grass springeth out of the earth by rain.

5 Although my house be not so before God, Yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, Ordered in every way and sure; For [this is] all my salvation, and every desire, Although he make [it] not to grow.

Neither is my house so great with God, that he should make with me an eternal covenant, firm in all things and assured. For he is all my salvation, and all my will: neither is there ought thereof that springeth not up.

6 But [the sons] of Belial [are] all of them as thorns thrust away, Because they cannot be taken with hands;

But transgressors shall all of them be plucked up as thorns: which are not taken away with hands.

7 And the man that will touch them provideth himself with iron and the staff of a spear; And they shall be utterly burned with fire in [their] place.

And if a man will touch them, he must be armed with iron and with the staff of a lance: but they shall be set on fire and burnt to nothing.

8 These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Joseb-Bassebeth, Tachkemonite the chief of the captains: he was Adino the Eznite; he [fought] against eight hundred, slain [by him] at one time.

These are the names of the valiant men of David. Jesbaham sitting in the chair was the wisest chief among the three, he was like the most tender little worm of the wood, who killed eight hundred men at one onset.

9 And after him, Eleazar the son of Dodo the son of an Ahohite: he was one of the three mighty men with David, when they had defied the Philistines that were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone up.

After him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three valiant men that were with David when they defied the Philistines, and they were there gathered together to battle.

10 He arose and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave to the sword; and Jehovah wrought a great deliverance that day; and the people returned after him only to spoil.

And when the men of Israel were gone away, he stood and smote the Philistines till his hand was weary, and grew stiff with the sword: and the Lord wrought a great victory that day: and the people that were fled away, returned to take spoils of them that were slain.

11 And after him, Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite: the Philistines were gathered into a troop, and there was there a plot of ground full of lentils, and the people had fled before the Philistines;

And after him was Semma the son of Age of Arari. And the Philistines were gathered together in a troop: for there was a field full of lentils. And when the people were fled from the face of the Philistines,

12 and he stood in the midst of the plot and delivered it, and smote the Philistines, and Jehovah wrought a great deliverance.

He stood in the midst of the field, and defended it, and defeated the Philistines: and the Lord gave a great victory.

13 And three of the thirty chiefs went down, and came to David in the harvest time to the cave of Adullam, when the troop of the Philistines was encamped in the valley of Rephaim.

Moreover also before this the three who were princes among the thirty, went down and came to David in the harvest time into the cave of Odollam: and the camp of the Philistines was in the valley of the giants.

14 And David was then in the stronghold; and the Philistines' garrison was then at Bethlehem.

And David was then in a hold. and there was a garrison of the Philistines then in Bethlehem.

15 And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me to drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, which is in the gate!

And David longed, and said: O that some man would get me a drink of the water out of the cistern, that is in Bethlehem, by the gate.

16 And the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, which is in the gate, and took it, and brought it to David; however he would not drink of it, but poured it out to Jehovah.

And the three valiant men broke through the camp of the Philistines, and drew water out of the cistern of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and brought it to David: but he would not drink, but offered it to the Lord,

17 And he said, Be it far from me, Jehovah, that I should do this thing! is it not the blood of the men that went at the risk of their lives? Therefore he would not drink it. These things did the three mighty men.

Saying: The Lord be merciful to me, that I may not do this: shall I drink the blood of these men that went, and the peril of their lives? therefore he would not drink. These things did these three mighty men.

18 And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was the chief of three; and he brandished his spear against three hundred and slew them; and he had a name among the three.

Abisai also the brother of Joab, the son of Sarvia, was chief among three: and he lifted up his spear against three hundred whom he slew, and he was renowned among the three,

19 Was he not most honourable of three? and he was their captain; but he did not attain to the [first] three.

And the noblest of three, and was their chief, but to the three first he attained not.

20 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, son of a valiant man, great in exploits, of Kabzeel: he it was that smote two lions of Moab; and he went down and smote a lion in the midst of a pit on a snowy day.

And Banaias the son of Joiada a most valiant man, of great deeds, of Cabseel: he slew the two lions of Moab, and he went down, and slew a lion in the midst of a pit, in the time of snow.

21 He also smote the Egyptian, an imposing man: and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; and he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and slew him with his own spear.

He also slew an Egyptian, a man worthy to be a sight, having a spear in his hand: but he went down to him with a rod, and forced the spear out of the hand of the Egyptian, and slew him with his own spear.

22 These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he had a name among the three mighty men.

These things did Banaias the son of Joiada.

23 He was honoured above the thirty, but he did not attain to the [first] three. And David set him in his council.

And he was renowned among the three valiant men, who were the most honourable among the thirty: but he attained riot to the first three: and David made him of his privy council.

24 Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,

Asael the brother of Joab was one of the thirty, Elehanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem.

25 Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,

Semma of Harodi, Elica of Harodi,

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

Heles of Phalti, Hira the son of Acces of Thecua,

27 Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,

Abiezer of Anathoth, Mobonnai of Husati,

28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,

Selmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,

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

Heled the son of Baana, also a Netophathite, Ithai the son of Ribai of Gabaath of the children of Benjamin,

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

Banaia the Pharathonite, Heddai of the torrent Gaas,

31 Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,

Abialbon the Arbathite, Azmaveth of Beromi,

32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite, of the sons of Jashen, Jonathan,

Eliaba of Salaboni. The sons of Jassen, Jonathan,

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

Semma of Orori, Aliam the son of Sarar the Arorite,

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

Eliphelet the son of Aasbai the son of Machati, Eliam the son of Achitophel the Gelonite,

35 Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,

Hesrai of Carmel, Pharai of Arbi,

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

Igaal the son of Nathan of Soba, Bonni of Gadi,

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

Selec of Ammoni, Naharai the Berothite, armourbearer of Joab the son of Sarvia,

38 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,

Ira the Jethrite, Gareb also a Jethrite;

39 Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.

Urias the Hethite, thirty and seven in all.