2 Samuel 23

1 Now these are the last words of David. David the son of Jesse says, the man whom God raised up, the anointed of the God of Jacob, the sweet psalmist of Israel:

Now these are the last words of David. David, the son of Jesse, says, the man who was lifted up on high, the man on whom the God of Jacob put the holy oil, the loved one of Israel's songs, says:

2 "The Spirit of Jehovah spoke by me. His word was on my tongue.

The spirit of the Lord had voice through me, his word was on my tongue.

3 The God of Jacob said, the Rock of Israel spoke to me, 'One who rules over men righteously, who rules in the fear of God,

The God of Israel said, the word of the Rock of Israel came to me: When an upright king is ruling over men, when he is ruling in the fear of God,

4 shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun rises, a morning without clouds, when the tender grass springs out of the earth, through clear shining after rain.'

It is as the light of the morning, when the sun comes up, a morning without clouds; making young grass come to life from the earth.

5 Most certainly my house is not so with God, yet he has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure, for it is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he doesn't make it grow.

For is not my house so with God? For he has made with me an eternal agreement, ordered in all things and certain: as for all my salvation and all my desire, will he not give it increase?

6 But all of the ungodly shall be as thorns to be thrust away, because they can't be taken with the hand,

But the evil-doers, all of them, will be like thorns to be pushed away, because they may not be gripped in the hand:

7 But the man who touches them must be armed with iron and the staff of a spear. They shall be utterly burned with fire in their place."

But anyone touching them has to be armed with iron and the rod of a spear; and they will be burned with fire, every one of them.

8 These are the names of the warriors whom David had: Jeshbaal the son of Hachmoni, leader of the Three. He wielded his spear against eight hundred whom he killed at one time.

These are the names of David's men of war: Ishbaal the Hachmonite, chief of the three; his axe was lifted up against eight hundred put to death at one time.

9 After him was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, one of the Three warriors. He was with David in Pas Dammim when they defied the Philistines who were gathered there for battle, and the men of Israel had retreated.

After him was Eleazar, the son of Dodai the Ahohite, one of the three great fighters, who was with David in Pas-dammim when the Philistines came together there for the fight; and when the men of Israel had gone in flight,

10 He arose, and struck the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand froze to the sword; and Jehovah worked a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to take spoil.

He was with David and went on fighting the Philistines till his hand became tired and stiff from gripping his sword: and that day the Lord gave a great salvation, and the people came back after him only to take the goods of the Philistines.

11 After him was Shamma the son of Agee the Hararite. The Philistines were gathered together at Lehi, where there was a plot of ground full of lentils; and the people fled from the Philistines.

After him was Shammah, the son of Ela the Hararite. And the Philistines came together in Lehi, where there was a bit of land full of seed; and the people went in flight from the Philistines.

12 But he stood in the midst of the plot, and defended it, and killed the Philistines; and Jehovah worked a great victory.

But he kept his place in the middle of the bit of land, and kept back their attack and overcame the Philistines: and the Lord gave a great salvation.

13 And three of the Thirty chief men went down, and came to David in the harvest time to the cave of Adullam; and the troop of the Philistines was camped in the Valley of Rephaim.

And three of the thirty went down at the start of the grain-cutting, and they came to David at the strong place of Adullam; and the band of Philistines had taken up their position in the valley of Rephaim.

14 David was then in the stronghold; and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem.

And at that time David had taken cover in the strong place, and an armed force of the Philistines was in Beth-lehem.

15 And David had a craving and said, "Oh that one would give me water to drink of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate."

And David, moved by a strong desire, said, If only someone would give me a drink of water from the water-hole of Beth-lehem, by the doorway into the town!

16 The Three warriors broke through the army of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: but he would not drink of it, but poured it out to Jehovah.

And the three men, forcing their way through the Philistine army, got water from the water-hole of Beth-lehem, by the doorway into the town, and took it back to David: but he would not take it, but, draining it out, made an offering of it to the Lord.

17 He said, "Far be it from me, Jehovah, that I should do this. Shall I drink the blood of the men who went in jeopardy of their lives?" Therefore he would not drink it. The Three warriors did these things.

And he said, Far be it from me, O Lord, to do this; how may I take as my drink the life-blood of men who have put their lives in danger? So he would not take it. These things did the three great men of war.

18 And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was leader of the Thirty. And he wielded his spear against three hundred and killed them, and had a name beside the Three.

And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the thirty. He put to death three hundred with his spear, and he got for himself a name among the thirty.

19 He was the most illustrious of the Thirty, and he became their leader. However he did not attain to the Three.

Was he not the noblest of the thirty? so he was made their captain: but he was not equal to the first three.

20 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was a valiant man of Kabzeel, who performed great deeds. He killed the two sons of Ariel of Moab. He also went down and killed a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow.

And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, a fighting man of Kabzeel, had done great acts; he put to death the two sons of Ariel of Moab: he went down into a hole and put a lion to death in time of snow:

21 He killed an Egyptian, a man of great stature. And the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff, and grabbed the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and killed him with his own spear.

And he made an attack on an Egyptian, a tall man: and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a stick, and pulling the spear out of the hands of the Egyptian, put him to death with that same spear.

22 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did these things, and had a name among the Three warriors.

These were the acts of Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, who had a great name among the thirty men of war.

23 He was more honored than the Thirty, but he did not attain to the Three. David set him over his guard.

He was honoured over the rest of the thirty, but he was not equal to the first three. And David put him over the fighting men who kept him safe.

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

Asahel, the brother of Joab, was one of the thirty; and Elhanan, the son of Dodai, of Beth-lehem,

25 Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,

Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,

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

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

27 Abiezer the Anathothite, Sibbekai the Hushathite,

Abiezer the Anathothite, Sibbecai the Hushathite,

28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,

Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,

29 Heled the son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the people of Benjamin,

Heldai, the son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai, the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin,

30 Benaiah a Pirathonite, Hiddai of Nahale Gaash.

Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the valleys of Gaash,

31 Abiel son of the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Bahurimite,

Abiel the Arbathite, Azmaveth of Bahurim,

32 Eliahba the Shaalbinite, Jashen the Gizonite,

Eliahba the Shaalbonite, Jashen the Gunite,

33 Jonathan son of Shamma the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sakar the Hararite,

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

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

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

35 Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Archite,

Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Archite,

36 Igal the son of Nathan, from the army of the Hagrites,

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

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

Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, who had the care of the arms of Joab, son of Zeruiah,

38 Ira the Jattirite, Gareb the Jattirite,

Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,

39 Uriah the Hethite: thirty-seven in all.

Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in number.