2 Samuel 23

1 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,

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 the LORD spoke by me, and his word was on my tongue.

"The Spirit of the LORD spoke by me. His word was on my tongue.

3 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.

The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spoke to me, 'One who rules over men righteously, who rules in the fear of God,

4 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.

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 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.

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 the worthless, all of them shall be as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands:

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 that shall touch them must be armed with iron and the staff of a spear; and they shall be utterly burned with fire in the same place.

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 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.

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 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 gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel had gone away:

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 smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clung to the sword: and the LORD wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to strip the slain.

He arose, and struck the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand froze to the sword; and the LORD worked a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to take spoil.

11 And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentiles: and the people fled from the Philistines.

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 ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the LORD wrought a great victory.

But he stood in the midst of the plot, and defended it, and killed the Philistines; and the LORD worked a great victory.

13 And three of the thirty leaders 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.

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 And David was then in a strong hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem.

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

15 And David longed, and said, O that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!

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 And the three mighty men broke through the host 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: nevertheless he would not drink of it, but poured it out to the LORD.

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 the LORD.

17 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.

He said, "Far be it from me, LORD, 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 chief among three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred, and slew them, and had the name among three.

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 Was he not most honourable of three? therefore he was their captain: yet he attained not to the first three.

He was the most illustrious of the Thirty, and he became their leader. However he did not attain to the Three.

20 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man, of Kabzeel, who had done many deeds, he slew two lionlike men of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow:

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 And he slew an Egyptian, a handsome 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.

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

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

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

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 of Bethlehem,

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

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 the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,

27 Abiezer the Anethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,

Abiezer the Anathothite, Sibbekai the Hushathite,

28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,

Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,

29 Heleb the son of Baanah, a Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai out of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin,

Heled the son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the people of Benjamin,

30 Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash,

Benaiah a Pirathonite, Hiddai of Nahale Gaash.

31 Abialbon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,

Abiel son of the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Bahurimite,

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

Eliahba the Shaalbinite, Jashen the Gizonite,

33 Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite,

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

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

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

35 Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,

Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,

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

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

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

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

38 Ira an Ithrite, Gareb an Ithrite,

Ira the Jattirite, Gareb the Jattirite,

39 Uriah the Hittite: thirty and seven in all.

Uriah the Hethite: thirty-seven in all.