Kings II 23

1 And these [are] the last words of David. Faithful [is] David the son of Jessae, and faithful the man whom the Lord raised up to be the anointed of the God of Jacob, and beautiful [are] the psalms of Israel.

Now these are David’s last words. David the son of Isai said: The man to whom it was appointed concerning the Christ of the God of Jacob, the excellent psalmist of Israel said:

2 The Spirit of the Lord spoke by me, and his word [was] upon my tongue.

The spirit of the Lord hath spoken by me and his word by my tongue.

3 The God of Israel says, A watchman out of Israel spoke to me a parable: I said amongst men, How will you strengthen the fear of the anointed?

The God of Israel said to me, the strong one of Israel spoke, the ruler of men, the just ruler in the fear of God.

4 And in the morning light of God, let the sun arise in the morning, from the light of which the Lord passed on, and as it were from the rain of the tender grass upon the earth.

As the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, shineth in the morning without clouds, and as the grass springeth out of the earth by rain.

5 For my house [is] not so with the Mighty One: for he has made an everlasting covenant with me, ready, guarded at every time; for all my salvation and all my desire [is], that the wicked should not flourish.

Neither is my house so great with God, that he should make with me an eternal covenant, firm in all things and assured. For he is all my salvation, and all my will: neither is there ought thereof that springeth not up.

6 All these [are] as a thorn thrust forth, for they shall not be taken with the hand,

But transgressors shall all of them be plucked up as thorns: which are not taken away with hands.

7 and a man shall not labour amongst them; and [one shall have] that which is fully armed with iron, and the staff of a spear, an he shall burn them with fire, and they shall be burnt in their shame.

And if a man will touch them, he must be armed with iron and with the staff of a lance: but they shall be set on fire and burnt to nothing.

8 These [are] the names of the mighty men of David: Jebosthe the Chananite is a captain of the third [part]: Adinon the Asonite, he drew his sword against eight hundred soldiers at once.

These are the names of the valiant men of David. Jesbaham sitting in the chair was the wisest chief among the three, he was like the most tender little worm of the wood, who killed eight hundred men at one onset.

9 And after him Eleanan the son of his uncle, son of Dudi who was amongst the three mighty men with David; and when he defied the Philistines they were gathered there to war, and the men of Israel went up.

After him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three valiant men that were with David when they defied the Philistines, and they were there gathered together to battle.

10 He arose an struck the Philistines, until his hand was weary, and his hand clave to the sword: and the Lord wrought a great salvation in that day, and the people rested behind him only to strip [the slain].

And when the men of Israel were gone away, he stood and smote the Philistines till his hand was weary, and grew stiff with the sword: and the Lord wrought a great victory that day: and the people that were fled away, returned to take spoils of them that were slain.

11 And after him Samaia the son of Asa the Arachite: and the Philistines were gathered to Theria; and there was there a portion of ground full of lentiles; and the people fled before the Philistines.

And after him was Semma the son of Age of Arari. And the Philistines were gathered together in a troop: for there was a field full of lentils. And when the people were fled from the face of the Philistines,

12 And he stood firm in the midst of the portion, and rescued it, and struck the Philistines; and the Lord wrought a great deliverance.

He stood in the midst of the field, and defended it, and defeated the Philistines: and the Lord gave a great victory.

13 And three out of the thirty went down, and came to Cason to David, to the cave of Odollam; and [there was] an army of the Philistines, and they encamped in the valley of Raphain.

Moreover also before this the three who were princes among the thirty, went down and came to David in the harvest time into the cave of Odollam: and the camp of the Philistines was in the valley of the giants.

14 And David [was] then in the strong hold, and the garrison of the Philistines [was] then in Bethleem.

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

15 And David longed, and said, Who will give me water to drink out of the well that is in Bethleem by the gate? now the band of the Philistines [was] then in Bethleem.

And David longed, and said: O that some man would get me a drink of the water out of the cistern, that is in Bethlehem, by the gate.

16 And the three mighty men broke through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well that was in Bethleem in the gate: and they took it, and brought it to David, and he would not drink it, but poured it out before the Lord.

And the three valiant men broke through the camp of the Philistines, and drew water out of the cistern of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and brought it to David: but he would not drink, but offered it to the Lord,

17 And he said, O Lord, forbid that I should do this, that I should drink of the blood of the men who went at [the risk of] their lives: and he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men.

Saying: The Lord be merciful to me, that I may not do this: shall I drink the blood of these men that went, and the peril of their lives? therefore he would not drink. These things did these three mighty men.

18 And Abessa the brother of Joab the son of Saruia, he [was] chief amongst the three, and he lifted up his spear against three hundred whom he killed; and he had a name amongst three.

Abisai also the brother of Joab, the son of Sarvia, was chief among three: and he lifted up his spear against three hundred whom he slew, and he was renowned among the three,

19 Of those three [he was] most honourable, and he became a chief over them, but he reached not to the [first] three.

And the noblest of three, and was their chief, but to the three first he attained not.

20 And Banaeas the son of Jodae, he was abundant in [mighty] deeds, from Cabeseel, and he struck the two sons of Ariel of Moab: and he went down and struck a lion in the midst of a pit on a snowy day.

And Banaias the son of Joiada a most valiant man, of great deeds, of Cabseel: he slew the two lions of Moab, and he went down, and slew a lion in the midst of a pit, in the time of snow.

21 He struck an Egyptian, a wonderful man, and in the hand of the Egyptian [was] a spear as the side of a ladder; and he went down to him with a staff, and snatched the spear from the Egyptian's hand, and killed him with his own spear.

He also slew an Egyptian, a man worthy to be a sight, having a spear in his hand: but he went down to him with a rod, and forced the spear out of the hand of the Egyptian, and slew him with his own spear.

22 These things did Banaeas the son of Jodae, and he had a name amongst the three mighty men.

These things did Banaias the son of Joiada.

23 He was honourable amongst the [second] three, but he reached not to the [first] three: and David made him his reporter. And these [are] the names of King David's mighty men.

And he was renowned among the three valiant men, who were the most honourable among the thirty: but he attained riot to the first three: and David made him of his privy council.

24 Asael Joab's brother; he [was] amongst the thirty. Eleanan son of Dudi his uncle in Bethleem.

Asael the brother of Joab was one of the thirty, Elehanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem.

25 Saema the Rudaean.

Semma of Harodi, Elica of Harodi,

26 Selles the Kelothite: Iras the son of Isca the Thecoite.

Heles of Phalti, Hira the son of Acces of Thecua,

27 Abiezer the Anothite, of the sons of the Anothite.

Abiezer of Anathoth, Mobonnai of Husati,

28 Ellon the Aoite; Noere the Netophatite.

Selmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,

29 Esthai the son of Riba of Gabaeth, son of Benjamin the Ephrathite; Asmoth the Bardiamite; Emasu the Salabonite:

Heled the son of Baana, also a Netophathite, Ithai the son of Ribai of Gabaath of the children of Benjamin,

30 Adroi of the brooks.

Banaia the Pharathonite, Heddai of the torrent Gaas,

31 Gadabiel son of the Arabothaeite.

Abialbon the Arbathite, Azmaveth of Beromi,

32 the sons of Asan, Jonathan;

Eliaba of Salaboni. The sons of Jassen, Jonathan,

33 Samnan the Arodite; Amnan the son of Arai the Saraurite.

Semma of Orori, Aliam the son of Sarar the Arorite,

34 Aliphaleth the son of Asbites, the son of the Machachachite; Eliab the son of Achitophel the Gelonite.

Eliphelet the son of Aasbai the son of Machati, Eliam the son of Achitophel the Gelonite,

35 Asarai the Carmelite the son of Uraeoerchi.

Hesrai of Carmel, Pharai of Arbi,

36 Gaal the son of Nathana. The son of much valour, [the son] of Galaaddi. Elie the Ammanite.

Igaal the son of Nathan of Soba, Bonni of Gadi,

37 Gelore the Bethorite, armour-bearer to Joab, son of Saruia.

Selec of Ammoni, Naharai the Berothite, armourbearer of Joab the son of Sarvia,

38 Iras the Ethirite. Gerab the Ethenite.

Ira the Jethrite, Gareb also a Jethrite;

39 Urias the Chettite: thirty-seven in all.

Urias the Hethite, thirty and seven in all.