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:

These are the last words of David. Now David, the son of Jesse, the man to whom it was appointed concerning the Christ of the God of Jacob, the preeminent psalmist of Israel said:

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

“The Spirit of the Lord has spoken through me, and his word was spoken through 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 spoke to me, the Strong One of Israel spoke, the Ruler of men, the Just Ruler, 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.'

like the first light of the morning as the sun is rising, when a morning without clouds glows red, and like plants springing forth from the earth after a rainfall.

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.

But my house is not so great with God that he should undertake an eternal covenant with me, firm and fortified in all things. For he is the entirety of my salvation and the entirety of my will. And there is nothing of this which will not spring forth.

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

But all prevaricators shall be plucked out like thorns, yet they are not taken away by 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."

And if anyone wishes to touch them, he must be armed with iron and a wooden lance. And they shall be set ablaze and burned to nothing.”

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 valiant of David. Sitting in the chair was the wisest leader among the three; he was like a very tender little worm in a tree, who killed eight hundred men in one attack.

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, there was Eleazar, the son of his paternal uncle, an Ahohite, who was among the three valiant men who were with David when they chastised the Philistines, and they were gathered together in battle there.

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

And when the men of Israel had gone up, he himself stood fast and struck down the Philistines, until his hand grew weak and stiff with the sword. And the Lord wrought a great salvation on that day. And the people who had fled returned to take up the spoils of 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, there was Shammah, the son of Agee, from Hara. And the Philistines gathered together at an outpost. For a field full of lentils was in that place. And when the people had fled from the face of the Philistines,

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

he stood fast in the middle of the field, and it was protected by him. And he struck down the Philistines. And the Lord wrought 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 moreover, before this, the three who were leaders among the thirty descended and went to David at harvest time, in the cave of Adullam. But the camp of the Philistines was positioned in the Valley of the giants.

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

And David was in a stronghold. Moreover, there was a garrison of the Philistines at that time in 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."

Then David desired, and he said, “If only someone would give me a drink of the water from the cistern, which is in Bethlehem beside the gate!”

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 YHWH.

Therefore, the three valiant men burst into the encampment of the Philistines, and they drew water from the cistern of Bethlehem, which was beside the gate. And they brought it to David. Yet he was not willing to drink; instead, he poured it out to the Lord,

17 He said, "Far be it from me, YHWH, 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.

saying: “May the Lord be gracious to me, so that I may not do this. Should I drink the blood of these men who have set out to the peril of their own lives?” Therefore, he was not willing to drink. These things were accomplished by these three robust 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.

Also Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was first among the three. It was he who lifted up his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed. And he was renowned among the three,

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

and he was the noblest of the three, and he was their leader. But at first he did not attain to the 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 very strong man of great deeds, was from Kabzeel. He slew the two lions of Moab, and he descended and slew a lion in the middle of a den, in the days 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.

He also killed an Egyptian who had a spear in his hand, a man worthy to behold. And yet he had gone down to him with only a staff. And he forced the spear from the hand of the Egyptian, and he killed him with his own spear.

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

Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, accomplished these things.

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

And he was renowned among the three robust men, who were the most noble among the thirty. Yet truly, he did not attain to the three, until David made him his secret advisor.

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

Among the thirty were: Asahel, the brother of Joab, Elhanan, the son of his paternal uncle, from Bethlehem,

25 Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,

Shammah from Harod, Elika from Harod,

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

Helez from Palti, Ira, the son of Ikkesh, from Tekoa,

27 Abiezer the Anathothite, Sibbekai the Hushathite,

Abiezer from Anathoth, Mebunnai from Hushah,

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,

Heleb, the son of Baanah, also himself a Netophathite, Ittai, the son of Ribai, from Gibeah, of the sons of Benjamin,

30 Benaiah a Pirathonite, Hiddai of Nahale Gaash.

Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai from the Torrent Gaash,

31 Abiel son of the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Bahurimite,

Abialbon the Arbathite, Azmaveth from Beromi,

32 Eliahba the Shaalbinite, Jashen the Gizonite,

Eliahba from Shaalbon; the sons of Jashen, Jonathan,

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

Shammah from Orori, 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 son of Maacath, Eliam, the son of Ahithophel, the Gilonite,

35 Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Archite,

Hezrai from Carmel, Paarai from Arbi,

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

Igal, the son of Nathan, from Zobah, Bani from Gad,

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

Zelek from Ammon, Naharai the Beerothite, the armor bearer of Joab, the son of Zeruiah,

38 Ira the Jattirite, Gareb the Jattirite,

Ira the Ithrite, Gareb also an Ithrite,

39 Uriah the Hethite: thirty-seven in all.

Uriah the Hittite: altogether thirty seven