שמואל ב 23

1 וְאֵלֶּה דִּבְרֵי דָוִד הָאַחֲרֹנִים נְאֻם דָּוִד בֶּן־יִשַׁי וּנְאֻם הַגֶּבֶר הֻקַם עָל מְשִׁיחַ אֱלֹהֵי יַעֲקֹב וּנְעִים זְמִרוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

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:

2 רוּחַ יְהֹוָה דִּבֶּר־בִּי וּמִלָּתוֹ עַל־לְשׁוֹנִֽי׃

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

3 אָמַר אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לִי דִבֶּר צוּר יִשְׂרָאֵל מוֹשֵׁל בָּאָדָם צַדִּיק מוֹשֵׁל יִרְאַת אֱלֹהִֽים׃

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 וּכְאוֹר בֹּקֶר יִזְרַח־שָׁמֶשׁ בֹּקֶר לֹא עָבוֹת מִנֹּגַהּ מִמָּטָר דֶּשֶׁא מֵאָֽרֶץ׃

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 כִּי־לֹא־כֵן בֵּיתִי עִם־אֵל כִּי בְרִית עוֹלָם שָׂם לִי עֲרוּכָה בַכֹּל וּשְׁמֻרָה כִּֽי־כׇל־יִשְׁעִי וְכׇל־חֵפֶץ כִּי־לֹא יַצְמִֽיחַ׃

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?

6 וּבְלִיַּעַל כְּקוֹץ מֻנָד כֻּלָּהַם כִּי־לֹא בְיָד יִקָּֽחוּ׃

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

7 וְאִישׁ יִגַּע בָּהֶם יִמָּלֵא בַרְזֶל וְעֵץ חֲנִית וּבָאֵשׁ שָׂרוֹף יִשָּֽׂרְפוּ בַּשָּֽׁבֶת׃

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

8 אֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת הַגִּבֹּרִים אֲשֶׁר לְדָוִד יֹשֵׁב בַּשֶּׁבֶת תַּחְכְּמֹנִי ׀ רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁלִשִׁי הוּא עֲדִינוֹ (העצנו) [הָֽעֶצְנִי] עַל־שְׁמֹנֶה מֵאוֹת חָלָל בְּפַעַם (אחד) [אֶחָֽת]׃

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.

9 וְאַחֲרָו אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן־[דֹּדוֹ] (דדי) בֶּן־אֲחֹחִי בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה (גברים) [הַגִּבֹּרִים] עִם־דָּוִד בְּחָרְפָם בַּפְּלִשְׁתִּים נֶאֶסְפוּ־שָׁם לַמִּלְחָמָה וַֽיַּעֲלוּ אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

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.

10 הוּא קָם וַיַּךְ בַּפְּלִשְׁתִּים עַד ׀ כִּֽי־יָגְעָה יָדוֹ וַתִּדְבַּק יָדוֹ אֶל־הַחֶרֶב וַיַּעַשׂ יְהֹוָה תְּשׁוּעָה גְדוֹלָה בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא וְהָעָם יָשֻׁבוּ אַחֲרָיו אַךְ־לְפַשֵּֽׁט׃

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.

11 וְאַחֲרָיו שַׁמָּה בֶן־אָגֵא הָרָרִי וַיֵּאָסְפוּ פְלִשְׁתִּים לַחַיָּה וַתְּהִי־שָׁם חֶלְקַת הַשָּׂדֶה מְלֵאָה עֲדָשִׁים וְהָעָם נָס מִפְּנֵי פְלִשְׁתִּֽים׃

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.

12 וַיִּתְיַצֵּב בְּתוֹךְ־הַחֶלְקָה וַיַּצִּילֶהָ וַיַּךְ אֶת־פְּלִשְׁתִּים וַיַּעַשׂ יְהֹוָה תְּשׁוּעָה גְדוֹלָֽה׃

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

13 וַיֵּֽרְדוּ (שלשים) [שְׁלֹשָׁה] מֵהַשְּׁלֹשִׁים רֹאשׁ וַיָּבֹאוּ אֶל־קָצִיר אֶל־דָּוִד אֶל־מְעָרַת עֲדֻלָּם וְחַיַּת פְּלִשְׁתִּים חֹנָה בְּעֵמֶק רְפָאִֽים׃

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.

14 וְדָוִד אָז בַּמְּצוּדָה וּמַצַּב פְּלִשְׁתִּים אָז בֵּית לָֽחֶם׃

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

15 וַיִּתְאַוֶּה דָוִד וַיֹּאמַר מִי יַשְׁקֵנִי מַיִם מִבֹּאר בֵּֽית־לֶחֶם אֲשֶׁר בַּשָּֽׁעַר׃

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

16 וַיִּבְקְעוּ שְׁלֹשֶׁת הַגִּבֹּרִים בְּמַחֲנֵה פְלִשְׁתִּים וַיִּֽשְׁאֲבוּ־מַיִם מִבֹּאר בֵּֽית־לֶחֶם אֲשֶׁר בַּשַּׁעַר וַיִּשְׂאוּ וַיָּבִאוּ אֶל־דָּוִד וְלֹא אָבָה לִשְׁתּוֹתָם וַיַּסֵּךְ אֹתָם לַיהֹוָֽה׃

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.

17 וַיֹּאמֶר חָלִילָה לִּי יְהֹוָה מֵעֲשֹׂתִי זֹאת הֲדַם הָאֲנָשִׁים הַהֹלְכִים בְּנַפְשׁוֹתָם וְלֹא אָבָה לִשְׁתּוֹתָם אֵלֶּה עָשׂוּ שְׁלֹשֶׁת הַגִּבֹּרִֽים׃

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.

18 וַֽאֲבִישַׁי אֲחִי ׀ יוֹאָב בֶּן־צְרוּיָה הוּא רֹאשׁ (השלשי) [הַשְּׁלֹשָׁה] וְהוּא עוֹרֵר אֶת־חֲנִיתוֹ עַל־שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת חָלָל וְלוֹ־שֵׁם בַּשְּׁלֹשָֽׁה׃

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 amongst the three.

19 מִן־הַשְּׁלֹשָׁה הֲכִי נִכְבָּד וַיְהִי לָהֶם לְשָׂר וְעַד־הַשְּׁלֹשָׁה לֹא־בָֽא׃

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

20 וּבְנָיָהוּ בֶן־יְהוֹיָדָע בֶּן־אִֽישׁ־[חַיִל] (חי) רַב־פְּעָלִים מִֽקַּבְצְאֵל הוּא הִכָּה אֵת שְׁנֵי אֲרִאֵל מוֹאָב וְהוּא יָרַד וְהִכָּה אֶֽת־[הָאֲרִי] (האריה) בְּתוֹךְ הַבֹּאר בְּיוֹם הַשָּֽׁלֶג׃

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.

21 וְהוּא־הִכָּה אֶת־אִישׁ מִצְרִי (אשר) [אִישׁ] מַרְאֶה וּבְיַד הַמִּצְרִי חֲנִית וַיֵּרֶד אֵלָיו בַּשָּׁבֶט וַיִּגְזֹל אֶֽת־הַחֲנִית מִיַּד הַמִּצְרִי וַיַּהַרְגֵהוּ בַּחֲנִיתֽוֹ׃

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.

22 אֵלֶּה עָשָׂה בְּנָיָהוּ בֶּן־יְהוֹיָדָע וְלוֹ־שֵׁם בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה הַגִּבֹּרִֽים׃

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

23 מִן־הַשְּׁלֹשִׁים נִכְבָּד וְאֶל־הַשְּׁלֹשָׁה לֹא־בָא וַיְשִׂמֵהוּ דָוִד אֶל־מִשְׁמַעְתּֽוֹ׃

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

24 עֲשָׂהאֵל אֲחִֽי־יוֹאָב בַּשְּׁלֹשִׁים אֶלְחָנָן בֶּן־דֹּדוֹ בֵּית לָֽחֶם׃

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

25 שַׁמָּה הַחֲרֹדִי אֱלִיקָא הַחֲרֹדִֽי׃

Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,

26 חֶלֶץ הַפַּלְטִי עִירָא בֶן־עִקֵּשׁ הַתְּקוֹעִֽי׃

Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,

27 אֲבִיעֶזֶר הָעַנְּתֹתִי מְבֻנַּי הַחֻשָׁתִֽי׃

Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,

28 צַלְמוֹן הָאֲחֹחִי מַהְרַי הַנְּטֹפָתִֽי׃

Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,

29 חֵלֶב בֶּֽן־בַּעֲנָה הַנְּטֹפָתִי אִתַּי בֶּן־רִיבַי מִגִּבְעַת בְּנֵי בִנְיָמִֽן׃

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

30 בְּנָיָהוּ פִּרְעָתֹנִי הִדַּי מִנַּחֲלֵי גָֽעַשׁ׃

Benaiah a Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash.

31 אֲבִֽי־עַלְבוֹן הָעַרְבָתִי עַזְמָוֶת הַבַּרְחֻמִֽי׃

Abialbon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,

32 אֶלְיַחְבָּא הַשַּׁעַלְבֹנִי בְּנֵי יָשֵׁן יְהוֹנָתָֽן׃

Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan,

33 שַׁמָּה הַהֲרָרִי אֲחִיאָם בֶּן־שָׁרָר הָארָרִֽי׃

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

34 אֱלִיפֶלֶט בֶּן־אֲחַסְבַּי בֶּן־הַמַּעֲכָתִי אֱלִיעָם בֶּן־אֲחִיתֹפֶל הַגִּלֹנִֽי׃

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

35 (חצרו) [חֶצְרַי] הַֽכַּרְמְלִי פַּעֲרַי הָאַרְבִּֽי׃

Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,

36 יִגְאָל בֶּן־נָתָן מִצֹּבָה בָּנִי הַגָּדִֽי׃

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

37 צֶלֶק הָעַמֹּנִי נַחְרַי הַבְּאֵרֹתִי (נשאי) [נֹשֵׂא] כְּלֵי יוֹאָב בֶּן־צְרֻיָֽה׃

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

38 עִירָא הַיִּתְרִי גָּרֵב הַיִּתְרִֽי׃

Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,

39 אוּרִיָּה הַחִתִּי כֹּל שְׁלֹשִׁים וְשִׁבְעָֽה׃

and Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.