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. David the son of Jesse said, and the man [who was] raised on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said,

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] on 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, He that ruleth over men [must be] just, ruling 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 [he shall be] as the light of the morning, [when] the sun riseth, [even] a morning without clouds; [as] the tender grass [springing] out of the earth by clear shining after rain.

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?

Although my house [is] not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all [things], and sure: for [this is] all my salvation, and all [my] desire, although he maketh [it] not 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 sons] of Belial [shall be] all of them as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands:

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] shall touch them must be fenced with iron and the staff of a spear; and they shall be utterly burned with fire in the [same] 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: The Tachmonite that sat in the seat, chief among 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 Ahohite, [one] of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines [that] were there assembled to battle, and the men of Israel had 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 arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand adhered to the sword: and the LORD wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to plunder.

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 Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were collected into a troop, where was a piece 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 ground, 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 chiefs went down, and came to David in the harvest time to the cave of Adullam: and the troop of the Philistines 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 a hold, 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 drink of the water 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: nevertheless he would not drink of it, but poured it out to 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: [is not this] the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did these 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 among three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred, [and] slew [them], and had the name among 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.

Was he not most honorable of three? therefore he was their captain: yet he attained not to 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 many acts, he slew two lion-like men 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 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 honorable 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 Anethothite, 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, a Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai out of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin,

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

Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of 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 Hararite,

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

Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, 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, armor-bearer to Joab the son of Zeruiah,

38 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,

Ira an Ithrite, Gareb an Ithrite,

39 Uriah the Hittite—thirty-seven in all.

Uriah the Hittite: thirty and seven in all.