2 Samuel 23

1 Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said,

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 Yhwh spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.

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

3 The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.

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

4 And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain.

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 Although my house be not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow.

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 sons of Belial shall be all of them as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands:

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 fenced with iron and the staff of a spear; and they shall be utterly burned 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 mighty men whom David had: The Tachmonite that sat in the seat, chief among the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite: he lift up his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew 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 son of Dodo the Ahohite, 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 were gone away:

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 Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword: And Yhwh wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to spoil.

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 And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentiles: and the people fled from the Philistines.

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 stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: And Yhwh wrought a great victory.

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 And three of the thirty chief went down, and came to David in the harvest time unto the cave of Adullam: and the troop of the Philistines 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 David was then in an hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Beth–lehem.

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

15 And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink 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 And the three mighty men brake through the army of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Beth–lehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto Yhwh.

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 he said, Be it far from me, O Yhwh, that I should do this: is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty 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 Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief among three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred, and slew them, and had the name among 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 Was he not most honourable of three? therefore he was their captain: howbeit he attained not unto 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 son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man, of Kabzeel, who had done many acts, he slew two lionlike men of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow:

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 slew an Egyptian, a goodly man: and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but 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.

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 son of Jehoiada, and had the name among three mighty men.

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

23 He was more honourable than the thirty, but he attained not to the first three. And David set him over his guard.

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 Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son 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 the Harodite,

Shammoth the Harorite; Elika the Harodite,

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

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

27 Abiezer the Anethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,

Abiezer from Anathoth; Mebunnai the Hushathite;

28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,

Zalmon the Ahohite; Maharai the Netophahite;

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

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

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

Benaiah the Pirathonite; Hiddai from the streams of Gaash;

31 Abi–albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,

Abi-albon the Arbathite; Azmaveth the Baharumite;

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

Eliahba the Shaalbonite; the sons of Jashem; Jonathan,

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

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

34 Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the son 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 son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite,

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

37 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armourbearer to Joab the son of Zeruiah,

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

38 Ira an Ithrite, Gareb an Ithrite,

Ira the Ithrite; Gareb the Ithrite;

39 Uriah the Hittite: thirty and seven in all.

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