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:

And these [are] the last words of David. Faithful [is] David the son of Jessae, and faithful the man whom the Lord raised up to be the anointed of the God of Jacob, and beautiful [are] the psalms of Israel.

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

The Spirit of the Lord spoke by me, and his word [was] upon my tongue.

3 The God of Israel 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 says, A watchman out of Israel spoke to me a parable: I said among men, How will ye strengthen the fear of the anointed?

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.'

And in the morning light of God, let the sun arise in the morning, from the light of which the Lord passed on, and as it were from the rain of the tender grass upon 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 my house [is] not so with the Mighty One: for he has made an everlasting covenant with me, ready, guarded at every time; for all my salvation and all my desire [is], that the wicked should not flourish.

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

All these [are] as a thorn thrust forth, for they shall not be taken with 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."

and a man shall not labour among them; and [one shall have] that which is fully armed with iron, and the staff of a spear, an he shall burn them with fire, and they shall be burnt in their shame.

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 the mighty men of David: Jebosthe the Chananite is a captain of the third [part]: Adinon the Asonite, he drew his sword against eight hundred soldiers at once.

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.

And after him Eleanan the son of his uncle, son of Dudi who was among the three mighty men with David; and when he defied the Philistines they were gathered there to war, and the men of Israel went up.

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

He arose an smote the Philistines, until his hand was weary, and his hand clave to the sword: and the Lord wrought a great salvation in that day, and the people rested behind him only to strip [the slain].

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.

And after him Samaia the son of Asa the Arachite: and the Philistines were gathered to Theria; and there was there a portion of ground full of lentiles; and the people fled before the Philistines.

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

And he stood firm in the midst of the portion, and rescued it, and smote the Philistines; and the Lord wrought a great deliverance.

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 out of the thirty went down, and came to Cason to David, to the cave of Odollam; and [there was] an army of the Philistines, and they encamped in the valley of Raphain.

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

And David [was] then in the strong hold, and the garrison of the Philistines [was] then in Bethleem.

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 longed, and said, Who will give me water to drink out of the well that is in Bethleem by the gate? now the band of the Philistines [was] then in Bethleem.

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 the LORD.

And the three mighty men broke through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well that was in Bethleem in the gate: and they took it, and brought it to David, and he would not drink it, but poured it out before the Lord.

17 He said, "Far be it from me, LORD, 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, O Lord, forbid that I should do this, that I should drink of the blood of the men who went at [the risk of] their lives: and he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men.

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 Abessa the brother of Joab the son of Saruia, he [was] chief among the three, and he lifted up his spear against three hundred whom he slew; and he had a name among three.

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

Of those three [he was] most honourable, and he became a chief over them, but he reached not 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 Banaeas the son of Jodae, he was abundant in [mighty] deeds, from Cabeseel, and he smote the two sons of Ariel of Moab: and he went down and smote a lion in the midst of a pit on a snowy day.

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.

He smote an Egyptian, a wonderful man, and in the hand of the Egyptian [was] a spear as the side of a ladder; and he went down to him with a staff, and snatched the spear from the Egyptian's hand, and slew him with his own spear.

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

These things did Banaeas the son of Jodae, and he had a name among the three mighty men.

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

He was honourable among the [second] three, but he reached not to the [first] three: and David made him his reporter. And these [are] the names of King David's mighty men.

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

Asael Joab's brother; he [was] among the thirty. Eleanan son of Dudi his uncle in Bethleem.

25 Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,

Saema the Rudaean.

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

Selles the Kelothite: Iras the son of Isca the Thecoite.

27 Abiezer the Anathothite, Sibbekai the Hushathite,

Abiezer the Anothite, of the sons of the Anothite.

28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,

Ellon the Aoite; Noere the Netophatite.

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

Esthai the son of Riba of Gabaeth, son of Benjamin the Ephrathite; Asmoth the Bardiamite; Emasu the Salabonite:

30 Benaiah a Pirathonite, Hiddai of Nahale Gaash.

Adroi of the brooks.

31 Abiel son of the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Bahurimite,

Gadabiel son of the Arabothaeite.

32 Eliahba the Shaalbinite, Jashen the Gizonite,

the sons of Asan, Jonathan;

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

Samnan the Arodite; Amnan the son of Arai the Saraurite.

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

Aliphaleth the son of Asbites, the son of the Machachachite; Eliab the son of Achitophel the Gelonite.

35 Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,

Asarai the Carmelite the son of Uraeoerchi.

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

Gaal the son of Nathana. The son of much valour, [the son] of Galaaddi. Elie the Ammanite.

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

Gelore the Bethorite, armour-bearer to Joab, son of Saruia.

38 Ira the Jattirite, Gareb the Jattirite,

Iras the Ethirite. Gerab the Ethenite.

39 Uriah the Hethite: thirty-seven in all.

Urias the Chettite: thirty-seven in all.