2 Samuel 23
1 And these [are] the last words of David: — 'The affirmation of David son of Jesse — And the affirmation of the man raised up — Concerning the Anointed of the God of Jacob, And the Sweetness of the Songs of Israel:
These are David's last words. The divine message of David son of Jesse, the divine message of the man made great by God, the one anointed by the God of Jacob, the wonderful psalm-writer of Israel:
2 The Spirit of Jehovah hath spoken by me, And His word [is] on my tongue.
“The Spirit of the Lord spoke through me; my tongue gave his message.
3 He said — the God of Israel — to me, He spake — the Rock of Israel: He who is ruling over man [is] righteous, He is ruling in the fear of God.
Israel's God spoke; Israel's Rock told me, ‘He who rules the people justly, he who rules respecting God,
4 And as the light of morning he riseth, A morning sun — no clouds! By the shining, by the rain, Tender grass of the earth!
is like the light of the morning sunrise on a cloudless dawn; like the shining of raindrops on the new grass growing from the earth.’
5 For — not so [is] my house with God; For — a covenant age-during He made with me, Arranged in all things, and kept; For — all my salvation, and all desire, For — He hath not caused [it] to spring up.
Isn't this how my family is with God? For he has made an everlasting agreement with me, set out in detail and with every part guaranteed. He will make sure to save me and to give me all I want.
6 As to the worthless — As a thorn driven away [are] all of them, For — not by hand are they taken;
But evil people are like thorns to be thrown aside; they can't be held in the hand.
7 And the man who cometh against them Is filled with iron and the staff of a spear, And with fire they are utterly burnt In the cessation.'
The only way to deal with them is to use an iron tool or the handle of a spear. They are completely burned up right where they are.”
8 These [are] the names of the mighty ones whom David hath: sitting in the seat [is] the Tachmonite, head of the captains — he [is] Adino, who hardened himself against eight hundred — wounded at one time.
These are the names of the leading warriors who supported David: Josheb-Basshebeth, a Tahkemonite, leader of the Three. Using his spear, he once killed eight hundred men in a single battle.
9 And after him [is] Eleazar son of Dodo, son of Ahohi, of the three mighty men with David; in their exposing themselves among the Philistines — they have been gathered there to battle, and the men of Israel go up —
After him came Eleazar, son of Dodai, the Ahohite, one of the Three leading warriors. He was with David when they defied the Philistines gathered for battle at Pas-dammin. The Israelites retreated,
10 he hath arisen, and smiteth among the Philistines till that his hand hath been weary, and his hand cleaveth unto the sword, and Jehovah worketh a great salvation on that day, and the people turn back after him only to strip off.
but Eleazar took his stand and went on killing Philistines until his hand stuck to his sword. The Lord saved them by granting them a great victory. The Israelite army did return, but only to strip the dead.
11 And after him [is] Shammah son of Agee the Hararite, and the Philistines are gathered into a company, and there is there a portion of the field full of lentiles, and the people hath fled from the presence of the Philistines,
After him came Shammah, son of Agee, the Hararite. When the Philistines gathered at Lehi, in a field full of lentils, the Israelite army ran away from them,
12 and he stationeth himself in the midst of the portion, and delivereth it, and smiteth the Philistines, and Jehovah worketh a great salvation.
but Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field, defending it and killing the Philistines. The Lord gave them a great victory.
13 And three of the thirty heads go down and come unto the harvest, unto David, unto the cave of Adullam, and the company of the Philistines are encamping in the valley of Rephaim,
At harvest time, the Three, who were part of the Thirty leading warriors, went down to meet David when he was at the cave of Adullam. The Philistine army was camped in the valley of Rephaim.
14 and David [is] then in a fortress, and the station of the Philistines [is] then in Beth-Lehem,
At the time David was in the stronghold, and the Philistine garrison was in Bethlehem.
15 and David longeth and saith, 'Who doth give me a drink of the water of the well of Beth-Lehem, which [is] by the gate?'
David was feeling really thirsty, and he said, “If only someone could bring me a drink of water from the well beside the entrance gate to Bethlehem!”
16 And the three mighty ones cleave through the camp of the Philistines, and draw water out of the well of Beth-Lehem, which [is] by the gate, and take [it] up, and bring in unto David; and he was not willing to drink it, and poureth it out to Jehovah,
The Three leading warriors broke through the Philistine defenses, took some water from the well at Bethelehem's gate, and brought it back to David. But David refused to drink it, and poured it out as an offering to the Lord.
17 and saith, 'Far be it from me, O Jehovah, to do this; is it the blood of the men who are going with their lives?' and he was not willing to drink it; these [things] did the three mighty ones.
“Lord, never let me do this!” he said. “Isn't it like drinking the blood of these men who risked their lives?” So he did not drink it. This is just some of the things the Three leading warriors did.
18 And Abishai brother of Joab, son of Zeruiah, he [is] head of three, and he is lifting up his spear against three hundred — wounded, and he hath a name among three.
Abishai, Joab's brother, was leader of the second Three. Using his spear, he once killed 300 men, and became famous among the Three.
19 Of the three is he not the honoured? and he becometh their head; and unto the [first] three he hath not come.
He was the most highly regarded of the Three and was their commander, though he was not one of the first Three.
20 And Benaiah son of Jehoiada (son of a man of valour, great in deeds from Kabzeel), he hath smitten two lion-like men of Moab, and he hath gone down and smitten the lion in the midst of the pit in a day of snow.
Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, a strong warrior from Kabzeel, did many amazing things. He killed two sons of Ariel of Moab. He also went after a lion into a pit in the snow and killed it.
21 And he hath smitten the Egyptian man, a man of appearance, and in the hand of the Egyptian [is] a spear, and he goeth down unto him with a rod, and taketh violently away the spear out of the hand of the Egyptian, and slayeth him with his own spear.
Another time he killed a huge Egyptian. The Egyptian had a spear in his hand but Benaiah attacked him with just a club. He grabbed the spear from the Egyptian's hand, and killed him with his own spear.
22 These [things] hath Benaiah son of Jehoiada done, and hath a name among three mighty.
These were the kind of things Benaiah did that made him as famous as the Three leading warriors.
23 Of the thirty he is honoured, and unto the three he came not; and David setteth him over his guard.
He was the most highly regarded of the Thirty, though he was not one of the Three. David put him in charge of his personal bodyguard.
24 Asahel brother of Joab [is] of the thirty; Elhanan son of Dodo of Beth-Lehem.
Included in the Thirty were: Asahel, Joab's brother; Elhanan, son of Dodo, from Bethlehem;
25 Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,
Shammoth the Harorite; Elika the Harodite,
26 Helez the Paltite, Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,
Helez the Paltite; Ira, son of Ikkesh, from Tekoa;
27 Abiezer the Annethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,
Abiezer from Anathoth; Mebunnai the Hushathite;
28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,
Zalmon the Ahohite; Maharai the Netophahite;
29 Heleb son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai son of Ribai from Gibeah of the sons of Benjamin,
Heleb, son of Baanah the Netophahite; Ittai, son of Ribai from Gibeah of the Benjamites;
30 Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash,
Benaiah the Pirathonite; Hiddai from the streams of Gaash;
31 Abi-Albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,
Abi-albon the Arbathite; Azmaveth the Baharumite;
32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite, [of] the sons of Jashen, Jonathan,
Eliahba the Shaalbonite; the sons of Jashem; Jonathan,
33 Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam son of Sharar the Hararite,
son of Shagee the Hararite; Ahiam, son of Sachar the Hararite;
34 Eliphelet son of Ahasbai, son of the Maachathite, Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,
Eliphelet, son of Ahasbai, son of the Maacathite, Eliam, son of Ahithophel, the Gilonite,
35 Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,
Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,
36 Igal son of Nathan from Zobah, Bani the Gadite,
Igal, son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite,
37 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, bearer of the weapons of Joab son of Zeruiah,
Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, the armor-bearer of Joab, son of Zeruiah,
38 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,
Ira the Ithrite; Gareb the Ithrite;
39 Uriah the Hittite; in all thirty and seven.
and Uriah the Hittite; a total of thirty-seven.
