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,
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 spake by me, and his worde was in 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 spake to me, ye strength of Israel saide, Thou shalt beare rule ouer men, being iust, and ruling in the feare 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 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.
They are like the sun that shines at dawn and causes the grass to [sprout/sparkle] after the rain ends.’
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.
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 wicked shalbe euery one as thornes thrust away, because they can not be taken with handes.
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 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.
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 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 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 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.
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 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 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 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.
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 he stoode in the middes of the fielde, and defended it, and slewe the Philistims: so the Lord gaue great victorie.
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 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.
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 And Dauid was then in an holde, and the garison of ye Philistims was then in Beth-lehem.
David [and his soldiers] were in the cave [because it was safe there], and [another] group of Philistia soldiers was occupying 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.
[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 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,
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 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.
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 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 [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 For he was most excellent of the three, and was their captaine, but he attained not vnto the first 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 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.
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 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.
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 things did Benaiah the sonne of Iehoiada, and had the name among the three worthies.
Those are [some of] the things that Benaiah did. As a result, he became famous, like the three greatest warriors were.
23 He was honourable among thirtie, but he atteined not to the first three: and Dauid made him of his counsell.
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 Asahel the brother of Ioab was one of the thirtie: Elhanan the sonne of Dodo of Beth-lehem:
[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 ye Harodite:
Shammah and Elika, from [the] Harod [clan];
26 Helez the Paltite: Ira the sonne of Ikkesh the Tekoite:
Helez, from Pelet [city]; Ira, the son of Ikkesh, from Tekoa [town];
27 Abiezer the Anethothite: Mebunnai the Husathite:
Abiezer, from Anathoth [city]; Mebunnai [whose other name was Sibbecai], from Hushah’s [clan];
28 Zalmon an Ahohite: Maharai the Netophathite:
Zalmon [whose other name was Ilai], from Ahoh’s [clan]; Maharai, from Netophah [town];
29 Heleb the sonne of Baanah a Netophathite: Ittai the sonne of Ribai of Gibeah of the children of Beniamin:
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 of the riuer of Gaash:
Benaiah, from Pirathon [town]; Hiddai, from the valleys near Gaash [Mountain];
31 Abi-albon the Arbathite: Azmaueth the Barhumite:
Abi-Albon, from the clan of Arabah; Azmaveth, from Bahurim [town];
32 Elihaba the Shaalbonite: of the sonnes of Iashen, Ionathan:
Eliahba, from Shaalbon [town]; The sons of Jashen; Jonathan;
33 Shammah the Hararite: Ahiam the sonne of Sharar the Hamrite:
Shammah, from Harar [town/clan]; Ahiam the son of Sharar, from Harar [town/clan];
34 Eliphelet the sonne of Ahasbai the sonne of Maachathi: Eliam the sonne of Ahithophel the Gilonite:
Eliphelet, the son of Ahasbai, from Maacah [town]; Eliam, the son of Ahithophel, from Gilo [town];
35 Hezrai the Carmelite: Paarai the Arbite:
Hezro, from Carmel [city]; Paarai, from Arba [city];
36 Igal the sonne 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 Becrothite, the armour bearer of Ioab the sonne 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 Uriiah the Hittite, thirtie and seuen 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].
