2 Samuel 23

1 Now these are the last words of David. David the son of Jesse says, the man who was raised on high says, the anointed of the God of Jacob, the sweet psalmist of Israel:

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 LORD’s Spirit spoke by me. His word was on my tongue.

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

3 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,

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 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.’

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 Isn’t my house 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. Won’t he make it grow?

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 all the ungodly will be as thorns to be thrust away, because they can’t be taken with the hand.

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

7 The man who touches them must be armed with iron and the staff of a spear. They will be utterly burned with fire in their place.”

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 the mighty men whom David had: Josheb Basshebeth a Tahchemonite, chief of the captains; he was called Adino the Eznite, who killed eight hundred at one time.

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 After him was Eleazar the son of Dodai the son of an Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David when they defied the Philistines who were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel had gone away.

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 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 plunder.

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 After him was Shammah the son of Agee a Hararite. The Philistines had gathered together into a troop where there was a plot of ground full of lentils; and the people fled from the Philistines.

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

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

13 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 encamped in the valley of Rephaim.

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

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

15 David said longingly, “Oh that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!”

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 The three mighty men 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.

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, “Be it far from me, LORD, that I should do this! Isn’t this the blood of the men who risked their lives to go?” Therefore he would not drink it. The three mighty men did these things.

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, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the three. He lifted up his spear against three hundred and killed them, and had a name among the three.

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 Wasn’t he most honorable of the three? Therefore he was made their captain. However he wasn’t included as one of the three.

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

20 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done mighty deeds, killed the two sons of Ariel of Moab. He also went down and killed a lion in the middle of a pit in a time of snow.

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 killed a huge Egyptian, 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 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 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did these things, and had a name among the three mighty men.

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

23 He was more honorable than the thirty, but he didn’t attain to the three. David set him over his guard.

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

24 Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty: Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,

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

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 son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,

27 Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,

Abiezer the Annethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,

28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,

Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,

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

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

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

Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash,

31 Abialbon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,

Abi-Albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,

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

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

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

Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam son of Sharar the Hararite,

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

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

35 Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,

Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,

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

Igal son of Nathan from Zobah, Bani the Gadite,

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

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

38 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,

Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,

39 and Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.

Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.