שמואל ב 23
| ואלה דברי דוד האחרנים נאם דוד בן ישי ונאם הגבר הקם על משיח אלהי יעקב ונעים זמרות ישראל׃ | 1 |
David, the son of Jesse, was a man whom [God caused to] become great. He was appointed to become king by the God whom Jacob [worshiped]. He wrote beautiful songs for the Israeli people. This is the last song that he wrote:
| רוח יהוה דבר בי ומלתו על לשוני׃ | 2 |
“The Spirit of Yahweh tells me what to say; the message that I speak [MTY] comes from him.
| אמר אלהי ישראל לי דבר צור ישראל מושל באדם צדיק מושל יראת אלהים׃ | 3 |
God, the one whom we Israeli [people worship], has spoken; the one who protects us Israeli people said to me, ‘Kings who rule people justly have an awesome respect for me, God.
| וכאור בקר יזרח שמש בקר לא עבות מנגה ממטר דשא מארץ׃ | 4 |
They are like the sun that shines at dawn and causes the grass to [sprout/sparkle] after the rain ends.’
| כי לא כן ביתי עם אל כי ברית עולם שם לי ערוכה בכל ושמרה כי כל ישעי וכל חפץ כי לא יצמיח׃ | 5 |
And truly, that is how God will surely bless my family [RHQ] because he made an agreement with me that will endure forever, an agreement in which he promises that no part of it will ever be changed. He will surely cause me to prosper [RHQ], and he will always help me, and that is all that I desire.
| ובליעל כקוץ מנד כלהם כי לא ביד יקחו׃ | 6 |
But [he will get rid of] godless/evil people like [SIM] people throw away thorns that [injure people if they try to] pick them up with their hands.
| ואיש יגע בהם ימלא ברזל ועץ חנית ובאש שרוף ישרפו בשבת׃ | 7 |
Someone [who wants to get rid of thornbushes] does not grab them; he uses an iron [shovel] or a spear [to dig them out] and then he burns them completely.
| אלה שמות הגברים אשר לדוד ישב בשבת תחכמני ראש השלשי הוא עדינו העצנו על שמנה מאות חלל בפעם אחד׃ | 8 |
These are the names of David’s three greatest warriors. The first was Esh-Baal, [whose other name was Jashobeam], from the Hachmon clan (OR, the son of Hachmon). He was the leader of the three men. One time he fought against 800 enemies and killed them all with his spear.
| ואחרו אלעזר בן דדי בן אחחי בשלשה גברים עם דוד בחרפם בפלשתים נאספו שם למלחמה ויעלו איש ישראל׃ | 9 |
The second/next one of the three greatest warriors was Eleazar, who was the son of Dodo from the clan of Ahoh. One day he was with David when they defied/challenged the soldiers of Philistia who had gathered for the battle. The [other] Israeli soldiers retreated,
| הוא קם ויך בפלשתים עד כי יגעה ידו ותדבק ידו אל החרב ויעש יהוה תשועה גדולה ביום ההוא והעם ישבו אחריו אך לפשט׃ | 10 |
but Eleazar stood there and fought the soldiers of Philistia until his arm became very tired, with the result that [his hand cramped and] he could not stop gripping his sword. Yahweh won a great victory on that day. And afterwards the [other] Israeli soldiers returned [to where Eleazar was], and stripped off the [armor from the men whom he had] killed.
| ואחריו שמא בן אגא הררי ויאספו פלשתים לחיה ותהי שם חלקת השדה מלאה עדשים והעם נס מפני פלשתים׃ | 11 |
The third one of the greatest warriors was Shammah, the son of Agee from [the clan/town of] Harar. One time the Philistia soldiers gathered at Lehi [town], where there was a field full of lentils/peas [that they wanted to steal]. The other Israeli soldiers ran away from the Philistia troops,
| ויתיצב בתוך החלקה ויצילה ויך את פלשתים ויעש יהוה תשועה גדולה׃ | 12 |
but Shammah stood there in the field and did not let the Philistia soldiers [steal the crops], and killed them. Yahweh won a great victory on that day.
| וירדו שלשים מהשלשים ראש ויבאו אל קציר אל דוד אל מערת עדלם וחית פלשתים חנה בעמק רפאים׃ | 13 |
Altogether there were 30 special warriors among David’s soldiers. Once, when it was almost time to harvest [the crops], three of those 30 men went down to Adullam Cave, where David was [staying]. A group of men from the Philistia army had set up their tents in Rephaim Valley [near Jerusalem].
| ודוד אז במצודה ומצב פלשתים אז בית לחם׃ | 14 |
David [and his soldiers] were in the cave [because it was safe there], and [another] group of Philistia soldiers was occupying Bethlehem.
| ויתאוה דוד ויאמר מי ישקני מים מבאר בית לחם אשר בשער׃ | 15 |
[One day] David very much wanted [some water] to drink, and said “I wish that someone would bring me some water from the well near the gate at Bethlehem!”
| ויבקעו שלשת הגברים במחנה פלשתים וישאבו מים מבאר בית לחם אשר בשער וישאו ויבאו אל דוד ולא אבה לשתותם ויסך אתם ליהוה׃ | 16 |
So his three greatest warriors forced their way through the camp of Philistia soldiers and drew some water from the well, and brought it to David. But he would not drink it. Instead, he poured it out [on the ground] as an offering to Yahweh.
| ויאמר חלילה לי יהוה מעשתי זאת הדם האנשים ההלכים בנפשותם ולא אבה לשתותם אלה עשו שלשת הגברים׃ | 17 |
He said, “Yahweh, it would certainly not be right for me to drink this water! That would be like [RHQ] drinking the blood of these men who were willing/ready to die for me!” So he refused to drink it. That was one of the things that those three great warriors did.
| ואבישי אחי יואב בן צרויה הוא ראש השלשי והוא עורר את חניתו על שלש מאות חלל ולו שם בשלשה׃ | 18 |
Abishai, Joab’s [younger] brother, was the leader of the 30 [greatest warriors]. [One day] he fought against 300 men and killed them all with his spear. As a result, he also became famous.
| מן השלשה הכי נכבד ויהי להם לשר ועד השלשה לא בא׃ | 19 |
He was the most famous of the thirty greatest warriors, and he became their leader/commander, but he was not one of the three greatest warriors.
| ובניהו בן יהוידע בן איש חי רב פעלים מקבצאל הוא הכה את שני אראל מואב והוא ירד והכה את האריה בתוך הבאר ביום השלג׃ | 20 |
Jehoiada’s son Benaiah, from Kabzeel [town], also did great deeds. He killed two of the best warriors from the Moab people-group. Also, he went down into a pit on a day when snow was falling, and killed a lion there.
| והוא הכה את איש מצרי אשר מראה וביד המצרי חנית וירד אליו בשבט ויגזל את החנית מיד המצרי ויהרגהו בחניתו׃ | 21 |
He also killed a huge soldier from Egypt who carried a spear. Benaiah [had only] his club, but he attacked the giant with it. Then he snatched the spear from the man’s hand and killed him with his own spear.
| אלה עשה בניהו בן יהוידע ולו שם בשלשה הגברים׃ | 22 |
Those are [some of] the things that Benaiah did. As a result, he became famous, like the three greatest warriors were.
| מן השלשים נכבד ואל השלשה לא בא וישמהו דוד אל משמעתו׃ | 23 |
He was more honored than the other members of the group of thirty great warriors, but not as famous as the three greatest warriors. David appointed him to be the commander of his bodyguards.
| עשה אל אחי יואב בשלשים אלחנן בן דדו בית לחם׃ | 24 |
[These are the names of the great warriors]: Asahel, the brother of Joab; Elhanan, the son of Dodo, from Bethlehem;
| שמה החרדי אליקא החרדי׃ | 25 |
Shammah and Elika, from [the] Harod [clan];
| חלץ הפלטי עירא בן עקש התקועי׃ | 26 |
Helez, from Pelet [city]; Ira, the son of Ikkesh, from Tekoa [town];
| אביעזר הענתתי מבני החשתי׃ | 27 |
Abiezer, from Anathoth [city]; Mebunnai [whose other name was Sibbecai], from Hushah’s [clan];
| צלמון האחחי מהרי הנטפתי׃ | 28 |
Zalmon [whose other name was Ilai], from Ahoh’s [clan]; Maharai, from Netophah [town];
| חלב בן בענה הנטפתי אתי בן ריבי מגבעת בני בנימן׃ | 29 |
Heleb, the son of Baanah, also from Netophah [town]; Ittai, the son of Ribai, from Gibeah [town] in [the land that belonged to] the tribe of Benjamin;
| בניהו פרעתני הדי מנחלי געש׃ | 30 |
Benaiah, from Pirathon [town]; Hiddai, from the valleys near Gaash [Mountain];
| אבי עלבון הערבתי עזמות הברחמי׃ | 31 |
Abi-Albon, from the clan of Arabah; Azmaveth, from Bahurim [town];
| אליחבא השעלבני בני ישן יהונתן׃ | 32 |
Eliahba, from Shaalbon [town]; The sons of Jashen; Jonathan;
| שמה ההררי אחיאם בן שרר האררי׃ | 33 |
Shammah, from Harar [town/clan]; Ahiam the son of Sharar, from Harar [town/clan];
| אליפלט בן אחסבי בן המעכתי אליעם בן אחיתפל הגלני׃ | 34 |
Eliphelet, the son of Ahasbai, from Maacah [town]; Eliam, the son of Ahithophel, from Gilo [town];
| חצרו הכרמלי פערי הארבי׃ | 35 |
Hezro, from Carmel [city]; Paarai, from Arba [city];
| יגאל בן נתן מצבה בני הגדי׃ | 36 |
Igal, the son of Nathan, from Zobah [city]; Bani, from the tribe of Gad;
| צלק העמני נחרי הבארתי נשאי כלי יואב בן צריה׃ | 37 |
Zelek, from the Ammon people-group; Naharai, the man who carried Joab’s weapons, from Beeroth [town];
| עירא היתרי גרב היתרי׃ | 38 |
Ira and Gareb, from Jattir [town];
| אוריה החתי כל שלשים ושבעה׃ | 39 |
Uriah, [Bathsheba’s husband], from the Heth people-group. Altogether, there were 37 famous soldiers, [but some of them had died and their names were not included].
