2 Samuel 23

1 Now these are the last words of David— David son of Jesse, the man who was highly honored, the one anointed by 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 Yahweh spoke by me, and 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 Israel spoke, the Rock of Israel said to me, 'The one who rules righteously over men, 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 He will be like the morning light when the sun rises, a morning without clouds, when the tender grass springs up from the earth through bright sunshine 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 Indeed, is my family not like this before God? Has he not made an everlasting covenant with me, ordered and sure in every way? Does he not increase my salvation and fulfill my every desire?

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 the worthless will all be like thorns to be thrown away, because they cannot be gathered by one's hands.

But the ungodly, they are as thorns thrust away, all of them, for they cannot be taken with the hand;

7 The man who touches them must use an iron tool or the shaft of a spear. They must be burned up where they lie.'”

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 David's mighty men: Jeshbaal the Hachmonite was the leader of the mighty men. He killed eight hundred men on one occasion.

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 son of Dodai the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men. He was with David when they taunted the Philistines who had gathered together to do battle, and when 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 Eleazar stood and fought the Philistines until his hand became weary and his hand stiffened to the grip of his sword. Yahweh brought about a great victory that day. The army returned after Eleazar, only to strip the bodies.

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 Shammah son of Agee, a Hararite. The Philistines gathered together where there was a field of lentils, and the army fled from them.

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 Shammah stood in the middle of the field and defended it. He killed the Philistines, and Yahweh brought about 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 Three of the thirty soldiers went down to David at harvest time, to the cave of Adullam. The army 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 At that time David was in his stronghold, a cave, while the Philistines had established at Bethlehem.

And David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Beth-lehem.

15 David was longing for water and said, “If only someone would give me water to drink from the well at Bethlehem, the well that 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 So these three mighty men broke through the army of the Philistines and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, the well at the gate. They took the water and brought it to David, but he refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out to Yahweh.

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 Then he said, “Yahweh, far be it from me, that I should do this. Should I drink the blood of men who have risked their lives?” So he refused to drink it. These things were done by the three mighty.

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 Abishai, brother of Joab and son of Zeruiah, was captain over the three. He once fought with his spear against three hundred men and killed them. He was often mentioned along with the three soldiers.

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 Was he not even more famous than the three? He was made their captain. However, his fame did not equal the fame of the three most famous soldiers.

He was most honourable of the three; therefore he was made their captain; howbeit he attained not unto the first three.

20 Benaiah from Kabzeel was the son of Jehoiada; he was a strong man who did mighty feats. He killed the two sons of Ariel of Moab. He also went down into a pit and killed a lion while it was snowing.

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 Then he killed a very large Egyptian man. The Egyptian had a spear in his hand, but Benaiah fought against him with only a staff. He seized the spear out of the Egyptian's hand and then 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 son of Jehoiada did these feats, and he was named alongside the three mighty men.

These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had a name among the three mighty men.

23 He was more highly regarded than the thirty soldiers in general, but he was not regarded quite as highly as the three mighty men. Yet David put him in charge of his bodyguard.

He was more honourable than the thirty, but he attained not to the first three. And David set him over his guard.

24 The thirty included the following men: Asahel brother of Joab, Elhanan 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 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 Heleb son of Baanah, the Netophathite, Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah of the Benjamites,

Heleb the son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin;

30 Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the valleys of Gaash.

Benaiah a Pirathonite, Hiddai of Nahale-gaash;

31 Abi-Albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,

Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite;

32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan son of Shammah the Hararite;

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

33 Ahiam son of Sharar the Hararite,

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

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

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

35 Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,

Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite;

36 Igal son of Nathan from Zobah, Bani from the tribe of Gad,

Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite;

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

Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armour-bearer to Joab the son of Zeruiah;

38 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,

Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite;

39 Uriah the Hittite—thirty-seven in all.

Uriah the Hittite. Thirty and seven in all.