2 Samuel 23
1 Now these are the last words of David— David son of Jesse, the man who was highly honored, the one anointed by the God of Jacob, the sweet psalmist of Israel.
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.
2 “The Spirit of Yahweh spoke by me, and his word was on my tongue.
The Spirit of the Lord spoke by me, and his word [was] upon my tongue.
3 The God of Israel spoke, the Rock of Israel said to me, 'The one who rules righteously over men, who rules in the fear of God.
The God of Israel says, A watchman out of Israel spoke to me a parable: I said among men, How will ye strengthen the fear of the anointed?
4 He will be like the morning light when the sun rises, a morning without clouds, when the tender grass springs up from the earth through bright sunshine after rain.
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.
5 Indeed, is my family not like this before God? Has he not made an everlasting covenant with me, ordered and sure in every way? Does he not increase my salvation and fulfill my every desire?
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.
6 But the worthless will all be like thorns to be thrown away, because they cannot be gathered by one's hands.
All these [are] as a thorn thrust forth, for they shall not be taken with the hand,
7 The man who touches them must use an iron tool or the shaft of a spear. They must be burned up where they lie.'”
and a man shall not labour among 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.
8 These are the names of David's mighty men: Jeshbaal the Hachmonite was the leader of the mighty men. He killed eight hundred men on one occasion.
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.
9 After him was Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men. He was with David when they taunted the Philistines who had gathered together to do battle, and when the men of Israel had retreated.
And after him Eleanan the son of his uncle, son of Dudi who was among 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.
10 Eleazar stood and fought the Philistines until his hand became weary and his hand stiffened to the grip of his sword. Yahweh brought about a great victory that day. The army returned after Eleazar, only to strip the bodies.
He arose an smote 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].
11 After him was Shammah son of Agee, a Hararite. The Philistines gathered together where there was a field of lentils, and the army fled from them.
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.
12 But Shammah stood in the middle of the field and defended it. He killed the Philistines, and Yahweh brought about a great victory.
And he stood firm in the midst of the portion, and rescued it, and smote the Philistines; and the Lord wrought a great deliverance.
13 Three of the thirty soldiers went down to David at harvest time, to the cave of Adullam. The army of the Philistines was camped in the Valley of Rephaim.
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.
14 At that time David was in his stronghold, a cave, while the Philistines had established at Bethlehem.
And David [was] then in the strong hold, and the garrison of the Philistines [was] then in Bethleem.
15 David was longing for water and said, “If only someone would give me water to drink from the well at Bethlehem, the well that is by the gate!”
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.
16 So these three mighty men broke through the army of the Philistines and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, the well at the gate. They took the water and brought it to David, but he refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out to Yahweh.
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.
17 Then he said, “Yahweh, far be it from me, that I should do this. Should I drink the blood of men who have risked their lives?” So he refused to drink it. These things were done by the three mighty.
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.
18 Abishai, brother of Joab and son of Zeruiah, was captain over the three. He once fought with his spear against three hundred men and killed them. He was often mentioned along with the three soldiers.
And Abessa the brother of Joab the son of Saruia, he [was] chief among the three, and he lifted up his spear against three hundred whom he slew; and he had a name among three.
19 Was he not even more famous than the three? He was made their captain. However, his fame did not equal the fame of the three most famous soldiers.
Of those three [he was] most honourable, and he became a chief over them, but he reached not to the [first] three.
20 Benaiah from Kabzeel was the son of Jehoiada; he was a strong man who did mighty feats. He killed the two sons of Ariel of Moab. He also went down into a pit and killed a lion while it was snowing.
And Banaeas the son of Jodae, he was abundant in [mighty] deeds, from Cabeseel, and he smote the two sons of Ariel of Moab: and he went down and smote a lion in the midst of a pit on a snowy day.
21 Then he killed a very large Egyptian man. The Egyptian had a spear in his hand, but Benaiah fought against him with only a staff. He seized the spear out of the Egyptian's hand and then killed him with his own spear.
He smote 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 slew him with his own spear.
22 Benaiah son of Jehoiada did these feats, and he was named alongside the three mighty men.
These things did Banaeas the son of Jodae, and he had a name among the three mighty men.
23 He was more highly regarded than the thirty soldiers in general, but he was not regarded quite as highly as the three mighty men. Yet David put him in charge of his bodyguard.
He was honourable among 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.
24 The thirty included the following men: Asahel brother of Joab, Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem,
Asael Joab's brother; he [was] among the thirty. Eleanan son of Dudi his uncle in Bethleem.
25 Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,
Saema the Rudaean.
26 Helez the Paltite, Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,
Selles the Kelothite: Iras the son of Isca the Thecoite.
27 Abiezer the Anathothite, Sibbekai the Hushathite,
Abiezer the Anothite, of the sons of the Anothite.
28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite;
Ellon the Aoite; Noere the Netophatite.
29 Heleb son of Baanah, the Netophathite, Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah of the Benjamites,
Esthai the son of Riba of Gabaeth, son of Benjamin the Ephrathite; Asmoth the Bardiamite; Emasu the Salabonite:
30 Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the valleys of Gaash.
Adroi of the brooks.
31 Abi-Albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,
Gadabiel son of the Arabothaeite.
32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan son of Shammah the Hararite;
the sons of Asan, Jonathan;
33 Ahiam son of Sharar the Hararite,
Samnan the Arodite; Amnan the son of Arai the Saraurite.
34 Eliphelet son of Ahasbai the Maakathite, Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,
Aliphaleth the son of Asbites, the son of the Machachachite; Eliab the son of Achitophel the Gelonite.
35 Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,
Asarai the Carmelite the son of Uraeoerchi.
36 Igal son of Nathan from Zobah, Bani from the tribe of Gad,
Gaal the son of Nathana. The son of much valour, [the son] of Galaaddi. Elie the Ammanite.
37 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armor bearer to Joab son of Zeruiah,
Gelore the Bethorite, armour-bearer to Joab, son of Saruia.
38 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,
Iras the Ethirite. Gerab the Ethenite.
39 Uriah the Hittite—thirty-seven in all.
Urias the Chettite: thirty-seven in all.
