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: The saying of David the son of Jesse, and the saying of the man raised on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet singer of Israel:

2 "The Spirit of YHWH 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 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 Rock of Israel spoke to me: 'Ruler over men shall be the righteous, even he that ruleth 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.'

And as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, a morning without clouds; when through clear shining after rain, the tender grass springeth out of 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 established with God? for an everlasting covenant He hath made with me, ordered in all things, and sure; for all my salvation, and all my desire, will he not make it to grow?

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 ungodly, they are as thorns thrust away, all of them, for they cannot 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."

But the man that toucheth them must be armed with iron and the staff of a spear; and they shall be utterly burned with fire in their place.

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 whom David had: Josheb-basshebeth a Tahchemonite, chief of the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite; he lifted up his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew 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.

And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the son of an Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they jeoparded their lives against the Philistines that were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away;

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.

he stood firm, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand did cleave unto the sword; and the LORD wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after 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 was Shammah the son of Age the Ararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a plot of ground full of lentils; and the people fled from 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.

But he stood in the midst of the plot, and defended it, and slew the Philistines; and the LORD wrought 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.

And three of the thirty chief went down, and came to David in the harvest time unto the cave of Adullam; and the troop of the Philistines were encamped in the valley of Rephaim.

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

And David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then 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 longed, and said: 'Oh that one would give me water to drink of the well of Beth-lehem, which is by 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.

And the three mighty men broke through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Beth-lehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David; but he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto 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.

And he said: 'Be it far from me, O LORD, that I should do this; shall I drink the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives?' therefore he would not drink it. These things did the 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 Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred and slew them, and had a name 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 most honourable of the three; therefore he was made their captain; howbeit he attained not unto 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, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done mighty deeds, he smote the two altar-hearths of Moab; he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit 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 slew an Egyptian, a goodly man; and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of 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 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and 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 more honourable than the thirty, but he attained not to the first three. And David set him over his guard.

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; Elhanan the son of Dodo 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, Mebunnai 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,

Heleb 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 a Pirathonite, Hiddai of Nahale-gaash;

31 Abiel son of the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Bahurimite,

Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite;

32 Eliahba the Shaalbinite, Jashen the Gizonite,

Eliahba the Shaalbonite, of the sons of Jashen, Jonathan;

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

Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Ararite;

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

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

35 Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Archite,

Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite;

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, armour-bearer to Joab the 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 and seven in all.