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: — 'The affirmation of David son of Jesse — And the affirmation of the man raised up — Concerning the Anointed of the God of Jacob, And the Sweetness of the Songs of Israel:

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

The Spirit of Jehovah hath spoken by me, And His word [is] on 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,

He said — the God of Israel — to me, He spake — the Rock of Israel: He who is ruling over man [is] righteous, He is ruling 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 morning he riseth, A morning sun — no clouds! By the shining, by the rain, Tender grass 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 — not so [is] my house with God; For — a covenant age-during He made with me, Arranged in all things, and kept; For — all my salvation, and all desire, For — He hath not caused [it] to spring up.

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

As to the worthless — As a thorn driven away [are] all of them, For — not by hand are they taken;

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 the man who cometh against them Is filled with iron and the staff of a spear, And with fire they are utterly burnt In the cessation.'

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 ones whom David hath: sitting in the seat [is] the Tachmonite, head of the captains — he [is] Adino, who hardened himself against eight hundred — wounded 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 [is] Eleazar son of Dodo, son of Ahohi, of the three mighty men with David; in their exposing themselves among the Philistines — they have been gathered there to battle, and the men of Israel go up —

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 hath arisen, and smiteth among the Philistines till that his hand hath been weary, and his hand cleaveth unto the sword, and Jehovah worketh a great salvation on that day, and the people turn back after him only to strip off.

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 [is] Shammah son of Agee the Hararite, and the Philistines are gathered into a company, and there is there a portion of the field full of lentiles, and the people hath fled from the presence 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.

and he stationeth himself in the midst of the portion, and delivereth it, and smiteth the Philistines, and Jehovah worketh 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 three of the thirty heads go down and come unto the harvest, unto David, unto the cave of Adullam, and the company of the Philistines are encamping in the valley of Rephaim,

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

and David [is] then in a fortress, and the station of the Philistines [is] 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 longeth and saith, 'Who doth give me a drink of the water 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 ones cleave through the camp of the Philistines, and draw water out of the well of Beth-Lehem, which [is] by the gate, and take [it] up, and bring in unto David; and he was not willing to drink it, and poureth it out to Jehovah,

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 saith, 'Far be it from me, O Jehovah, to do this; is it the blood of the men who are going with their lives?' and he was not willing to drink it; these [things] did the three mighty ones.

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 brother of Joab, son of Zeruiah, he [is] head of three, and he is lifting up his spear against three hundred — wounded, and he hath 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 the three is he not the honoured? and he becometh their head; and unto the [first] three he hath not come.

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 son of Jehoiada (son of a man of valour, great in deeds from Kabzeel), he hath smitten two lion-like men of Moab, and he hath gone down and smitten the lion in the midst of the pit in a day 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 hath smitten the Egyptian man, a man of appearance, and in the hand of the Egyptian [is] a spear, and he goeth down unto him with a rod, and taketh violently away the spear out of the hand of the Egyptian, and slayeth him with his own spear.

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

These [things] hath Benaiah son of Jehoiada done, and hath a name among three mighty.

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

Of the thirty he is honoured, and unto the three he came not; and David setteth him over his guard.

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

Asahel brother of Joab [is] of the thirty; Elhanan 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 son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,

27 Abiezer the Anathothite, Sibbekai the Hushathite,

Abiezer the Annethothite, 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 son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai son of Ribai from Gibeah of the sons of Benjamin,

30 Benaiah a Pirathonite, Hiddai of Nahale Gaash.

Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of 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 son of Sharar the Hararite,

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

Eliphelet son of Ahasbai, son of the Maachathite, Eliam 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 son of Nathan from 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, bearer of the weapons 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.

Uriah the Hittite; in all thirty and seven.