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:

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 spoke by me. His word was on 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 said, the Rock of Israel spoke to me, 'One who rules over men righteously, who rules in the fear 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 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.'

They are like the sun that shines at dawn and causes the grass to [sprout/sparkle] after the rain ends.’

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.

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

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

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 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.

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 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.

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

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 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.

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

David [and his soldiers] were in the cave [because it was safe there], and [another] group of Philistia soldiers was occupying Bethlehem.

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."

[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 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.

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 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.

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 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.

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

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

Those are [some of] the things that Benaiah did. As a result, he became famous, like the three greatest warriors were.

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

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

[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 the Harodite,

Shammah and Elika, from [the] Harod [clan];

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

Helez, from Pelet [city]; Ira, the son of Ikkesh, from Tekoa [town];

27 Abiezer the Anathothite, Sibbekai the Hushathite,

Abiezer, from Anathoth [city]; Mebunnai [whose other name was Sibbecai], from Hushah’s [clan];

28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,

Zalmon [whose other name was Ilai], from Ahoh’s [clan]; Maharai, from Netophah [town];

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

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 a Pirathonite, Hiddai of Nahale Gaash.

Benaiah, from Pirathon [town]; Hiddai, from the valleys near Gaash [Mountain];

31 Abiel son of the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Bahurimite,

Abi-Albon, from the clan of Arabah; Azmaveth, from Bahurim [town];

32 Eliahba the Shaalbinite, Jashen the Gizonite,

Eliahba, from Shaalbon [town]; The sons of Jashen; Jonathan;

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

Shammah, from Harar [town/clan]; Ahiam the son of Sharar, from Harar [town/clan];

34 Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai the Maacathite, Eliam the son 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 son of Nathan, from the army of the Hagrites,

Igal, the son of Nathan, from Zobah [city]; Bani, from the tribe of Gad;

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

Zelek, from the Ammon people-group; Naharai, the man who carried Joab’s weapons, from Beeroth [town];

38 Ira the Jattirite, Gareb the Jattirite,

Ira and Gareb, from Jattir [town];

39 Uriah the Hethite: thirty-seven 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].