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 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 spoke by me. His word was on my tongue.

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

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,

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

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 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.

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

But evil people are like thorns to be thrown aside; they can't be held 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."

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 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 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 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 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 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.

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 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 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 plot, and defended it, and killed the Philistines; and YHWH worked 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 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.

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

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

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 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.

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 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.

“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 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 brother, was leader of the second Three. Using his spear, he once killed 300 men, and became famous 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.

He was the most highly regarded of the Three and was their commander, though he was not one of 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.

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 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.

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

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

23 He was more honored than the Thirty, but he did not attain to the Three. 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 from Bethlehem,

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 Anathothite, Sibbekai the Hushathite,

Abiezer from Anathoth; Mebunnai the Hushathite;

28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,

Zalmon the Ahohite; Maharai the Netophahite;

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

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

30 Benaiah a Pirathonite, Hiddai of Nahale Gaash.

Benaiah the Pirathonite; Hiddai from the streams of Gaash;

31 Abiel son of the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Bahurimite,

Abi-albon the Arbathite; Azmaveth the Baharumite;

32 Eliahba the Shaalbinite, Jashen the Gizonite,

Eliahba the Shaalbonite; the sons of Jashem; Jonathan,

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

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

34 Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai the Maacathite, 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 Archite,

Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,

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

Igal, 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, the armor-bearer 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.

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