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:
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 Yahweh tells me what to say; the message that I speak [MTY] comes from him.
“The Spirit of the Lord spoke through me; my tongue gave his message.
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.
Israel's God spoke; Israel's Rock told me, ‘He who rules the people justly, he who rules respecting God,
4 They are like the sun that shines at dawn and causes the grass to [sprout/sparkle] after the rain ends.’
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 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.
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 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 evil people are like thorns to be thrown aside; they can't be held in 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.
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 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 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 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,
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 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.
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 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,
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 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 Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field, defending it and killing the Philistines. The Lord gave them 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].
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 David [and his soldiers] were in the cave [because it was safe there], and [another] group of Philistia soldiers was occupying Bethlehem.
At the time David was in the stronghold, and the Philistine garrison was in Bethlehem.
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!”
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 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.
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 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.
“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 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.
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 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 the most highly regarded of the Three and was their commander, though he was not one of 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.
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 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.
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 Those are [some of] the things that Benaiah did. As a result, he became famous, like the three greatest warriors were.
These were the kind of things Benaiah did that made him as famous as the Three leading warriors.
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 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 [These are the names of the great warriors]: Asahel, the brother of Joab; Elhanan, the son of Dodo, from Bethlehem;
Included in the Thirty were: Asahel, Joab's brother; Elhanan, son of Dodo, from Bethlehem;
25 Shammah and Elika, from [the] Harod [clan];
Shammoth the Harorite; Elika the Harodite,
26 Helez, from Pelet [city]; Ira, the son of Ikkesh, from Tekoa [town];
Helez the Paltite; Ira, son of Ikkesh, from Tekoa;
27 Abiezer, from Anathoth [city]; Mebunnai [whose other name was Sibbecai], from Hushah’s [clan];
Abiezer from Anathoth; Mebunnai the Hushathite;
28 Zalmon [whose other name was Ilai], from Ahoh’s [clan]; Maharai, from Netophah [town];
Zalmon the Ahohite; Maharai the Netophahite;
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, son of Baanah the Netophahite; Ittai, son of Ribai from Gibeah of the Benjamites;
30 Benaiah, from Pirathon [town]; Hiddai, from the valleys near Gaash [Mountain];
Benaiah the Pirathonite; Hiddai from the streams of Gaash;
31 Abi-Albon, from the clan of Arabah; Azmaveth, from Bahurim [town];
Abi-albon the Arbathite; Azmaveth the Baharumite;
32 Eliahba, from Shaalbon [town]; The sons of Jashen; Jonathan;
Eliahba the Shaalbonite; the sons of Jashem; Jonathan,
33 Shammah, from Harar [town/clan]; Ahiam the son of Sharar, from Harar [town/clan];
son of Shagee the Hararite; Ahiam, son of Sachar the Hararite;
34 Eliphelet, the son of Ahasbai, from Maacah [town]; Eliam, the son of Ahithophel, from Gilo [town];
Eliphelet, son of Ahasbai, son of the Maacathite, Eliam, son of Ahithophel, the Gilonite,
35 Hezro, from Carmel [city]; Paarai, from Arba [city];
Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,
36 Igal, the son of Nathan, from Zobah [city]; Bani, from the tribe of Gad;
Igal, 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, the armor-bearer of Joab, 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].
and Uriah the Hittite; a total of thirty-seven.
