2 Samuel 23

1 David, the son of Jesse, was a man whom [God caused to] become great. He was appointed to become king by the God whom Jacob [worshiped]. He wrote beautiful songs for the Israeli people. This is the last song that he wrote:

And these [are] the last words of David: “A declaration of David son of Jesse, And a declaration 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 Yahweh tells me what to say; the message that I speak [MTY] comes from him.

The Spirit of YHWH has spoken by me, And His word [is] on my tongue.

3 God, the one whom we Israeli [people worship], has spoken; the one who protects us Israeli people said to me, ‘Kings who rule people justly have an awesome respect for me, God.

He said—the God of Israel—to me, He spoke—the Rock of Israel: He who is ruling over man [is] righteous, He is ruling in the fear of God.

4 They are like the sun that shines at dawn and causes the grass to [sprout/sparkle] after the rain ends.’

And he rises as the light of morning, A morning sun [with] no clouds! By the shining, by the rain, Tender grass of the earth!

5 And truly, that is how God will surely bless my family [RHQ] because he made an agreement with me that will endure forever, an agreement in which he promises that no part of it will ever be changed. He will surely cause me to prosper [RHQ], and he will always help me, and that is all that I desire.

For though my house [is] not so with God; So He made a perpetual covenant with me, Arranged in all things, and kept; For all my salvation, and all desire, For He has not caused [it] to spring up.

6 But [he will get rid of] godless/evil people like [SIM] people throw away thorns that [injure people if they try to] pick them up with their hands.

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

7 Someone [who wants to get rid of thornbushes] does not grab them; he uses an iron [shovel] or a spear [to dig them out] and then he burns them completely.

And the man who comes against them Is filled with iron and the staff of a spear, And they are utterly burned with fire In the cessation.”

8 These are the names of David’s three greatest warriors. The first was Esh-Baal, [whose other name was Jashobeam], from the Hachmon clan (OR, the son of Hachmon). He was the leader of the three men. One time he fought against 800 enemies and killed them all with his spear.

These [are] the names of the mighty ones whom David has: 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 The second/next one of the three greatest warriors was Eleazar, who was the son of Dodo from the clan of Ahoh. One day he was with David when they defied/challenged the soldiers of Philistia who had gathered for the battle. The [other] Israeli soldiers 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 but Eleazar stood there and fought the soldiers of Philistia until his arm became very tired, with the result that [his hand cramped and] he could not stop gripping his sword. Yahweh won a great victory on that day. And afterwards the [other] Israeli soldiers returned [to where Eleazar was], and stripped off the [armor from the men whom he had] killed.

he has arisen, and strikes among the Philistines until his hand has been weary, and his hand cleaves to the sword, and YHWH works a great salvation on that day, and the people turn back after him only to strip off.

11 The third one of the greatest warriors was Shammah, the son of Agee from [the clan/town of] Harar. One time the Philistia soldiers gathered at Lehi [town], where there was a field full of lentils/peas [that they wanted to steal]. The other Israeli soldiers ran away from the Philistia troops,

And after him [is] Shammah son of Agee the Hararite, and the Philistines are gathered into a company, and there is a portion of the field full of lentils there, and the people have fled from the presence of the Philistines,

12 but Shammah stood there in the field and did not let the Philistia soldiers [steal the crops], and killed them. Yahweh won a great victory on that day.

and he stations himself in the midst of the portion, and delivers it, and strikes the Philistines, and YHWH works a great salvation.

13 Altogether there were 30 special warriors among David’s soldiers. Once, when it was almost time to harvest [the crops], three of those 30 men went down to Adullam Cave, where David was [staying]. A group of men from the Philistia army had set up their tents in Rephaim Valley [near Jerusalem].

And three of the thirty heads go down and come to the harvest, to David, to the cave of Adullam, and the company of the Philistines are encamping in the Valley of Rephaim,

14 David [and his soldiers] were in the cave [because it was safe there], and [another] group of Philistia soldiers was occupying Bethlehem.

and David [is] then in a fortress, and the station of the Philistines [is] then in Beth-Lehem,

15 [One day] David very much wanted [some water] to drink, and said “I wish that someone would bring me some water from the well near the gate at Bethlehem!”

and David longs and says, “Who gives me a drink of the water of the well of Beth-Lehem, which [is] by the gate?”

16 So his three greatest warriors forced their way through the camp of Philistia soldiers and drew some water from the well, and brought it to David. But he would not drink it. Instead, he poured it out [on the ground] as an offering to Yahweh.

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 [it] to David; and he was not willing to drink it, and pours it out to YHWH,

17 He said, “Yahweh, it would certainly not be right for me to drink this water! That would be like [RHQ] drinking the blood of these men who were willing/ready to die for me!” So he refused to drink it. That was one of the things that those three great warriors did.

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

18 Abishai, Joab’s [younger] brother, was the leader of the 30 [greatest warriors]. [One day] he fought against 300 men and killed them all with his spear. As a result, he also became famous.

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 has a name among three.

19 He was the most famous of the thirty greatest warriors, and he became their leader/commander, but he was not one of the three greatest warriors.

Is he not the honored of the three? And he becomes their head; and he has not come to the [first] three.

20 Jehoiada’s son Benaiah, from Kabzeel [town], also did great deeds. He killed two of the best warriors from the Moab people-group. Also, he went down into a pit on a day when snow was falling, and killed a lion there.

And Benaiah son of Jehoiada (son of a man of valor, great in deeds from Kabzeel), has struck two lion-like men of Moab, and he has gone down and struck the lion in the midst of the pit in a day of snow.

21 He also killed a huge soldier from Egypt who carried a spear. Benaiah [had only] his club, but he attacked the giant with it. Then he snatched the spear from the man’s hand and killed him with his own spear.

And he has struck the Egyptian man, a man of appearance, and a spear [is] in the hand of the Egyptian, and he goes down to him with a rod, and takes the spear violently away out of the hand of the Egyptian, and slays him with his own spear.

22 Those are [some of] the things that Benaiah did. As a result, he became famous, like the three greatest warriors were.

Benaiah son of Jehoiada has done these [things], and has a name among the three mighty ones.

23 He was more honored than the other members of the group of thirty great warriors, but not as famous as the three greatest warriors. David appointed him to be the commander of his bodyguards.

He is honored more than the thirty, but he did not come to the three; and David sets him over his guard.

24 [These are the names of the great warriors]: Asahel, the brother of Joab; Elhanan, the son of Dodo, from Bethlehem;

Asahel brother of Joab [is] of the thirty; Elhanan son of Dodo of Beth-Lehem,

25 Shammah and Elika, from [the] Harod [clan];

Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,

26 Helez, from Pelet [city]; Ira, the son of Ikkesh, from Tekoa [town];

Helez the Paltite, Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,

27 Abiezer, from Anathoth [city]; Mebunnai [whose other name was Sibbecai], from Hushah’s [clan];

Abiezer the Annethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,

28 Zalmon [whose other name was Ilai], from Ahoh’s [clan]; Maharai, from Netophah [town];

Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,

29 Heleb, the son of Baanah, also from Netophah [town]; Ittai, the son of Ribai, from Gibeah [town] in [the land that belonged to] the tribe of Benjamin;

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

30 Benaiah, from Pirathon [town]; Hiddai, from the valleys near Gaash [Mountain];

Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash,

31 Abi-Albon, from the clan of Arabah; Azmaveth, from Bahurim [town];

Abi-Albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,

32 Eliahba, from Shaalbon [town]; The sons of Jashen; Jonathan;

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

33 Shammah, from Harar [town/clan]; Ahiam the son of Sharar, from Harar [town/clan];

Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam son of Sharar the Hararite,

34 Eliphelet, the son of Ahasbai, from Maacah [town]; Eliam, the son of Ahithophel, from Gilo [town];

Eliphelet son of Ahasbai, son of the Maachathite, Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,

35 Hezro, from Carmel [city]; Paarai, from Arba [city];

Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,

36 Igal, the son of Nathan, from Zobah [city]; Bani, from the tribe of Gad;

Igal son of Nathan from Zobah, Bani the Gadite,

37 Zelek, from the Ammon people-group; Naharai, the man who carried Joab’s weapons, from Beeroth [town];

Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, bearer of the weapons of Joab son of Zeruiah,

38 Ira and Gareb, from Jattir [town];

Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,

39 Uriah, [Bathsheba’s husband], from the Heth people-group. Altogether, there were 37 famous soldiers, [but some of them had died and their names were not included].

Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.