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:

2 "The Spirit of YHWH spoke by me. His word was 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,

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.'

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.

6 But all of the ungodly shall be as thorns to be thrust away, because they can't 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."

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

19 He was the most illustrious of the Thirty, and he became their leader. However 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.

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.

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

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

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

25 Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,

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

27 Abiezer the Anathothite, Sibbekai the Hushathite,

28 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,

30 Benaiah a Pirathonite, Hiddai of Nahale Gaash.

31 Abiel son of the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Bahurimite,

32 Eliahba the Shaalbinite, Jashen the Gizonite,

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

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

35 Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Archite,

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

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

38 Ira the Jattirite, Gareb the Jattirite,

39 Uriah the Hethite: thirty-seven in all.