2 Samuel 23

¹ And these are the last words of David. Thus saith David the son of Jesse, and thus saith the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet singer of Israel:

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

³ Thus said the God of Israel, concerning me spoke the Rock of Israel, That I should be ruler over men, be righteous, ruling in the fear of God;

⁴ And as in the light of morning the sun riseth, in a morning without clouds, with more than the brightness reflected by rain on the herbs that spring from the earth.

⁵ Truly is not so my house with God? since he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, firm in all, and sure? yea, will he not cause to grow all my salvation, and all my desire?

⁶ But the godless are all of them as waving thorns, which cannot be taken in the hand;

⁷ But the man that will touch them must protect his hand with iron and the staff of a spear: and they will be utterly burnt with fire in the dwelling.

⁸ These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Yosheb–bashebeth, the Thachkemonite, the chief among the captains,––the same as ‘Adino the ‘Eznite,––because of eight hundred slain at one time.

⁹ And after him was El’azar the son of Dodo, the son of Achochi, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines that were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel had withdrawn themselves;

¹⁰ He then arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand did cleave unto the sword: and the Lord wrought a great victory on that day; and the people returned after him only to strip the slain.

¹¹ And after him was Shammah the son of Age the Hararite. The Philistines were gathered together into a troop, and there was a piece of ground full of lentiles; and the people had fled from the Philistines;

¹² But he placed himself in the midst of the ground, and delivered it, and smote the Philistines: and the Lord wrought a great victory.

¹³ And these three, the chiefs of the thirty, went down, and came to David at harvest–time unto the cave of ‘Adullam: and the troop of the Philistines was encamped in the valley of Rephaim.

¹⁴ And David was then in the strong–hold, and an outpost of the Philistines was then in Beth–lechem.

¹⁵ And David longed, and said, Oh that one would bring me water to drink out of the well at Beth–lechem, which is by the gate!

¹⁶ And the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines; and drew water out of the well of Beth–lechem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David; but he would not drink thereof, and poured it out unto the Lord.

¹⁷ And he said, Far be it from me, O Lord, that I should do this: is not this the blood of the men that went at the risk of their life? and thus he would not drink it. These things did the three mighty men.

¹⁸ And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruyah, was the chief of these three; and he lifted up his spear against three hundred slain, and had a name among the three.

¹⁹ Although he was the most honored of the three, wherefore he became their captain: he nevertheless attained not unto the three in prowess.

²⁰ And Benayahu the son of Yehoyada’, the son of a valiant man, great in many acts of Kabzeel; he it was that smote the two lion–like heroes of Moab; he also went down and slew a lion in the midst of a pit on a day when it snowed;

²¹ And he slew an Egyptian, a man of good appearance; and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff, and he snatched the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and slew him with his own spear.

²² These things did Benayahu the son of Yehoyada’, and he had a name among the three mighty men.

²³ He was more honored than the thirty; but he attained not to these three. And David appointed him in his private council.

²⁴ ‘Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elchanan the son of Dodo of Beth–lechem,

²⁵ Shammah the Charodite, Elika the Charodite,

²⁶ Chelez the Paltite, ‘Ira the son of ‘Ikkesh the Teko’ite,

²⁷ Abi’ezer the ‘Anethothite, Mebunnai the Chushathite,

²⁸ Zalmon the Achochite, Maharai the Netophathite,

²⁹ Cheleb the son of Ba’anah, the Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai of Gib’ah of the children of Benjamin,

³⁰ Benayahu the Pir’athonite, Hiddai of Nachale–Ga’ash,

³¹ Abi–’albon the ‘Arbathite, ‘Azmaveth the Barchumite,

³² Elyachba the Sha’albonite, Bne–yashen, Jonathan,

³³ Shammah the Hararite, Achiam the son of Sharar the Ararite,

³⁴ Eliphelet the son of Achasbai, the son of the Ma’achathite, Eli’am the son of Achithophel the Gilonite,

³⁵ Chezrai, the Carmelite, Pa’arai the Arbite,

³⁶ Yigal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite,

³⁷ Zelek the ‘Ammonite, Nacharai the Beerothite, the armor–bearer of Joab the son of Zeruyah,

³⁸ ‘Ira the Yithrite, Gareb the Yithrite,

³⁹ Uriyah the Hittite: in all thirty and seven.