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,

Now these are the last words of David— David son of Jesse, the man who was highly honored, the one anointed by the God of Jacob, the sweet psalmist of Israel.

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

“The Spirit of Yahweh spoke by me, and his word was on my tongue.

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.

The God of Israel spoke, the Rock of Israel said to me, 'The one who rules righteously over men, who rules in the fear of 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.

He will be like the morning light when the sun rises, a morning without clouds, when the tender grass springs up from the earth through bright sunshine after rain.

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.

Indeed, is my family not like this before God? Has he not made an everlasting covenant with me, ordered and sure in every way? Does he not increase my salvation and fulfill my every desire?

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

But the worthless will all be like thorns to be thrown away, because they cannot be gathered by one's 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.

The man who touches them must use an iron tool or the shaft of a spear. They must be burned up where they lie.'”

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 mighty men: Jeshbaal the Hachmonite was the leader of the mighty men. He killed eight hundred men on one occasion.

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 was Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men. He was with David when they taunted the Philistines who had gathered together to do battle, and when the men of Israel had 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.

Eleazar stood and fought the Philistines until his hand became weary and his hand stiffened to the grip of his sword. Yahweh brought about a great victory that day. The army returned after Eleazar, only to strip the bodies.

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 was Shammah son of Agee, a Hararite. The Philistines gathered together where there was a field of lentils, and the army fled 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 stood in the middle of the field and defended it. He killed the Philistines, and Yahweh brought about 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.

Three of the thirty soldiers went down to David at harvest time, to the cave of Adullam. The army of the Philistines 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 that time David was in his stronghold, a cave, while the Philistines had established at 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 longing for water and said, “If only someone would give me water to drink from the well at Bethlehem, the well that is by the gate!”

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 these three mighty men broke through the army of the Philistines and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, the well at the gate. They took the water and brought it to David, but he refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out 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.

Then he said, “Yahweh, far be it from me, that I should do this. Should I drink the blood of men who have risked their lives?” So he refused to drink it. These things were done by the three mighty.

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, brother of Joab and son of Zeruiah, was captain over the three. He once fought with his spear against three hundred men and killed them. He was often mentioned along with the three soldiers.

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

Was he not even more famous than the three? He was made their captain. However, his fame did not equal the fame of the three most famous soldiers.

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 from Kabzeel was the son of Jehoiada; he was a strong man who did mighty feats. He killed the two sons of Ariel of Moab. He also went down into a pit and killed a lion while it was snowing.

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.

Then he killed a very large Egyptian man. The Egyptian had a spear in his hand, but Benaiah fought against him with only a staff. He seized the spear out of the Egyptian's hand and then killed him with his own spear.

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

Benaiah son of Jehoiada did these feats, and he was named alongside the three mighty men.

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

He was more highly regarded than the thirty soldiers in general, but he was not regarded quite as highly as the three mighty men. Yet David put him in charge of his bodyguard.

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

The thirty included the following men: Asahel brother of Joab, Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem,

25 Shammah the Harodite: Elika ye Harodite:

Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,

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

Helez the Paltite, Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,

27 Abiezer the Anethothite: Mebunnai the Husathite:

Abiezer the Anathothite, Sibbekai the Hushathite,

28 Zalmon an Ahohite: Maharai the Netophathite:

Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite;

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 Netophathite, Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah of the Benjamites,

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

Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the valleys of Gaash.

31 Abi-albon the Arbathite: Azmaueth the Barhumite:

Abi-Albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,

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

Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan son of Shammah the Hararite;

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

Ahiam son of Sharar the Hararite,

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

Eliphelet son of Ahasbai the Maakathite, 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 from Zobah, Bani from the tribe of Gad,

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

Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armor bearer to 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.

Uriah the Hittite—thirty-seven in all.