2 Samuel 23

1 These also be the last wordes of Dauid, Dauid the sonne of Ishai saith, euen the man who was set vp on hie, the Anointed of the God of Iacob, and the sweete singer of Israel saith,

These are David's last words. The divine message of David son of Jesse, the divine message of the man made great by God, the one anointed by the God of Jacob, the wonderful psalm-writer of Israel:

2 The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his worde was in my tongue.

“The Spirit of the Lord spoke through me; my tongue gave his message.

3 The God of Israel spake to me, ye strength of Israel saide, Thou shalt beare rule ouer men, being iust, and ruling in the feare of God.

Israel's God spoke; Israel's Rock told me, ‘He who rules the people justly, he who rules respecting God,

4 Euen as the morning light when the sunne riseth, the morning, I say, without cloudes, so shall mine house be, and not as the grasse of the earth is by the bright raine.

is like the light of the morning sunrise on a cloudless dawn; like the shining of raindrops on the new grass growing from the earth.’

5 For so shall not mine house be with God: for he hath made with me an euerlasting couenant, perfite in all pointes, and sure: therefore all mine health and whole desire is, that he will not make it growe so.

Isn't this how my family is with God? For he has made an everlasting agreement with me, set out in detail and with every part guaranteed. He will make sure to save me and to give me all I want.

6 But the wicked shalbe euery one as thornes thrust away, because they can not be taken with handes.

But evil people are like thorns to be thrown aside; they can't be held in the hand.

7 But the man that shall touch them, must be defensed with yron, or with the shaft of a speare: and they shall be burnt with fire in the same place.

The only way to deal with them is to use an iron tool or the handle of a spear. They are completely burned up right where they are.”

8 These be the names of the mightie men whome Dauid had. He that sate in the seate of wisedome, being chiefe of the princes, was Adino of Ezni, he slewe eight hundreth at one time.

These are the names of the leading warriors who supported David: Josheb-Basshebeth, a Tahkemonite, leader of the Three. Using his spear, he once killed eight hundred men in a single battle.

9 And after him was Eleazar the sonne of Dodo, the sonne of Ahohi, one of the three worthies with Dauid, when they defied the Philistims gathered there to battel, when the men of Israel were gone vp.

After him came Eleazar, son of Dodai, the Ahohite, one of the Three leading warriors. He was with David when they defied the Philistines gathered for battle at Pas-dammin. The Israelites retreated,

10 He arose and smote the Philistims vntill his hande was wearie, and his hande claue vnto the sworde: and the Lord gaue great victorie the same day, and the people returned after him onely to spoyle.

but Eleazar took his stand and went on killing Philistines until his hand stuck to his sword. The Lord saved them by granting them a great victory. The Israelite army did return, but only to strip the dead.

11 After him was Shammah the sonne of Age the Hararite: for the Philistims assembled at a towne, where was a piece of a fielde full of lentils, and the people fled from the Philistims.

After him came Shammah, son of Agee, the Hararite. When the Philistines gathered at Lehi, in a field full of lentils, the Israelite army ran away from them,

12 But he stoode in the middes of the fielde, and defended it, and slewe the Philistims: so the Lord gaue great victorie.

but Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field, defending it and killing the Philistines. The Lord gave them a great victory.

13 Afterward three of the thirtie captaines went downe, and came to Dauid in the haruest time vnto the caue of Adullam, and the hoste of the Philistims pitched in the valley of Rephaim.

At harvest time, the Three, who were part of the Thirty leading warriors, went down to meet David when he was at the cave of Adullam. The Philistine army was camped in the valley of Rephaim.

14 And Dauid was then in an holde, and the garison of ye Philistims was then in Beth-lehem.

At the time David was in the stronghold, and the Philistine garrison was in Bethlehem.

15 And Dauid longed, and said, Oh, that one would giue me to drinke of the water of the well of Beth-lehem, which is by the gate.

David was feeling really thirsty, and he said, “If only someone could bring me a drink of water from the well beside the entrance gate to Bethlehem!”

16 The the three mightie brake into the host of the Philistims, and drew water out of the well of Beth-lehem that was by the gate, and tooke and brought it to Dauid, who woulde not drinke thereof, but powred it for an offring vnto ye Lord,

The Three leading warriors broke through the Philistine defenses, took some water from the well at Bethelehem's gate, and brought it back to David. But David refused to drink it, and poured it out as an offering to the Lord.

17 And said, O Lord, be it farre from me, that I should doe this. Is not this the blood of the men that went in ieopardie of their liues? therefore he woulde not drinke it. These things did these three mightie men.

“Lord, never let me do this!” he said. “Isn't it like drinking the blood of these men who risked their lives?” So he did not drink it. This is just some of the things the Three leading warriors did.

18 And Abishai the brother of Ioab, the sonne of Zeruiah, was chiefe among the three, and he lifted vp his speare against three hundreth, and slewe them, and he had the name among the three.

Abishai, Joab's brother, was leader of the second Three. Using his spear, he once killed 300 men, and became famous among the Three.

19 For he was most excellent of the three, and was their captaine, but he attained not vnto the first three.

He was the most highly regarded of the Three and was their commander, though he was not one of the first Three.

20 And Benaiah the sonne of Iehoiada the sonne of a valiant man, which had done many actes, and was of Kabzeel, slewe two strong men of Moab: he went downe also, and slewe a lyon in the middes of a pit in the time of snowe.

Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, a strong warrior from Kabzeel, did many amazing things. He killed two sons of Ariel of Moab. He also went after a lion into a pit in the snow and killed it.

21 And he slewe an Egyptian a man of great stature, and the Egyptian had a speare in his hande: but he went downe to him with a staffe, and plucked the speare out of the Egyptians hand, and slewe him with his owne speare.

Another time he killed a huge Egyptian. The Egyptian had a spear in his hand but Benaiah attacked him with just a club. He grabbed the spear from the Egyptian's hand, and killed him with his own spear.

22 These things did Benaiah the sonne of Iehoiada, and had the name among the three worthies.

These were the kind of things Benaiah did that made him as famous as the Three leading warriors.

23 He was honourable among thirtie, but he atteined not to the first three: and Dauid made him of his counsell.

He was the most highly regarded of the Thirty, though he was not one of the Three. David put him in charge of his personal bodyguard.

24 Asahel the brother of Ioab was one of the thirtie: Elhanan the sonne of Dodo of Beth-lehem:

Included in the Thirty were: Asahel, Joab's brother; Elhanan, son of Dodo, from Bethlehem;

25 Shammah the Harodite: Elika ye Harodite:

Shammoth the Harorite; Elika the Harodite,

26 Helez the Paltite: Ira the sonne of Ikkesh the Tekoite:

Helez the Paltite; Ira, son of Ikkesh, from Tekoa;

27 Abiezer the Anethothite: Mebunnai the Husathite:

Abiezer from Anathoth; Mebunnai the Hushathite;

28 Zalmon an Ahohite: Maharai the Netophathite:

Zalmon the Ahohite; Maharai the Netophahite;

29 Heleb the sonne of Baanah a Netophathite: Ittai the sonne of Ribai of Gibeah of the children of Beniamin:

Heleb, son of Baanah the Netophahite; Ittai, son of Ribai from Gibeah of the Benjamites;

30 Benaiah the Pirathonite: Hiddai of the riuer of Gaash:

Benaiah the Pirathonite; Hiddai from the streams of Gaash;

31 Abi-albon the Arbathite: Azmaueth the Barhumite:

Abi-albon the Arbathite; Azmaveth the Baharumite;

32 Elihaba the Shaalbonite: of the sonnes of Iashen, Ionathan:

Eliahba the Shaalbonite; the sons of Jashem; Jonathan,

33 Shammah the Hararite: Ahiam the sonne of Sharar the Hamrite:

son of Shagee the Hararite; Ahiam, son of Sachar the Hararite;

34 Eliphelet the sonne of Ahasbai the sonne of Maachathi: Eliam the sonne of Ahithophel the Gilonite:

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

35 Hezrai the Carmelite: Paarai the Arbite:

Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,

36 Igal the sonne of Nathan of Zobah: Bani the Gadite:

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

37 Zelek the Ammonite: Naharai the Becrothite, the armour bearer of Ioab the sonne of Zeruiah:

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

38 Ira the Ithrite: Gareb the Ithrite:

Ira the Ithrite; Gareb the Ithrite;

39 Uriiah the Hittite, thirtie and seuen in all.

and Uriah the Hittite; a total of thirty-seven.