2 Samuel 23

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:

Now these are the last words of David: The saying of David the son of Jesse, and the saying of the man raised on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet singer of Israel:

2 “The Spirit of Yahweh tells me what to say; the message that I speak [MTY] comes from him.

The spirit of the LORD spoke by me, and His word was upon my tongue.

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.

The God of Israel said, The Rock of Israel spoke to me: 'Ruler over men shall be the righteous, even he that ruleth in the fear of God,

4 They are like the sun that shines at dawn and causes the grass to [sprout/sparkle] after the rain ends.’

And as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, a morning without clouds; when through clear shining after rain, the tender grass springeth out of the earth.'

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.

For is not my house established with God? for an everlasting covenant He hath made with me, ordered in all things, and sure; for all my salvation, and all my desire, will he not make it to grow?

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.

But the ungodly, they are as thorns thrust away, all of them, for they cannot be taken with the hand;

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.

But the man that toucheth them must be armed with iron and the staff of a spear; and they shall be utterly burned with fire in their place.

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.

These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-basshebeth a Tahchemonite, chief of the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite; he lifted up his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time.

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,

And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the son of an Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they jeoparded their lives against the Philistines that were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away;

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.

he stood firm, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand did cleave unto the sword; and the LORD wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to strip the slain.

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,

And after him was Shammah the son of Age the Ararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a plot of ground full of lentils; and the people fled from the Philistines.

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.

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

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].

And three of the thirty chief went down, and came to David in the harvest time unto the cave of Adullam; and the troop of the Philistines were encamped in the valley of Rephaim.

14 David [and his soldiers] were in the cave [because it was safe there], and [another] group of Philistia soldiers was occupying Bethlehem.

And David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Beth-lehem.

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!”

And David longed, and said: 'Oh that one would give me water to drink of the well of Beth-lehem, which is by the gate!'

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.

And the three mighty men broke through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Beth-lehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David; but he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the LORD.

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.

And he said: 'Be it far from me, O LORD, that I should do this; shall I drink the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives?' therefore he would not drink it. These things did the three mighty men.

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.

And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred and slew them, and had a name among the three.

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.

He was most honourable of the three; therefore he was made their captain; howbeit he attained not unto the first three.

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.

And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done mighty deeds, he smote the two altar-hearths of Moab; he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow;

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.

and he slew an Egyptian, a goodly 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.

22 Those are [some of] the things that Benaiah did. As a result, he became famous, like the three greatest warriors were.

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

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.

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

24 [These are the names of the great warriors]: Asahel, the brother of Joab; Elhanan, the son of Dodo, from Bethlehem;

Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Beth-lehem;

25 Shammah and Elika, from [the] Harod [clan];

Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite;

26 Helez, from Pelet [city]; Ira, the son of Ikkesh, from Tekoa [town];

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

27 Abiezer, from Anathoth [city]; Mebunnai [whose other name was Sibbecai], from Hushah’s [clan];

Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite;

28 Zalmon [whose other name was Ilai], from Ahoh’s [clan]; Maharai, from Netophah [town];

Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite;

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;

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

30 Benaiah, from Pirathon [town]; Hiddai, from the valleys near Gaash [Mountain];

Benaiah a Pirathonite, Hiddai of Nahale-gaash;

31 Abi-Albon, from the clan of Arabah; Azmaveth, from Bahurim [town];

Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite;

32 Eliahba, from Shaalbon [town]; The sons of Jashen; Jonathan;

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

33 Shammah, from Harar [town/clan]; Ahiam the son of Sharar, from Harar [town/clan];

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

34 Eliphelet, the son of Ahasbai, from Maacah [town]; Eliam, the son of Ahithophel, from Gilo [town];

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

35 Hezro, from Carmel [city]; Paarai, from Arba [city];

Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite;

36 Igal, the son of Nathan, from Zobah [city]; Bani, from the tribe of Gad;

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

37 Zelek, from the Ammon people-group; Naharai, the man who carried Joab’s weapons, from Beeroth [town];

Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armour-bearer to Joab the son of Zeruiah;

38 Ira and Gareb, from Jattir [town];

Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite;

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].

Uriah the Hittite. Thirty and seven in all.