2 Samuel Chapter 23 Back Next{23:1} Now these are the last words of
David. David the son of
Jesse says, the man who was raised on high says, the
anointed of the God of
Jacob, the sweet psalmist of
Israel:
{23:2} "The Spirit of Yahweh spoke by me. His word was on my tongue.
{23:3} The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spoke to me, 'One who rules over men righteously, who rules in the fear of God,
{23:4} shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun rises, a morning without
clouds, when the tender
grass springs out of the
earth, through clear shining after rain.'
{23:5} Most certainly my house is not so with God, yet he has made with me an everlasting
covenant, ordered in all things, and sure, for it is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he doesn't make it grow.
{23:6} But all of the ungodly shall be as thorns to be thrust away, because they can't be taken with the hand,
{23:7} But the man who touches them must be armed with
iron and the staff of a spear. They shall be utterly burned with
fire in their place."
{23:8} 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, against eight hundred slain at one time.
{23:9} After him was
Eleazar the son of
Dodai the son of an
Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines who were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away.
{23:10} He arose, and struck the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand froze to the sword; and Yahweh worked a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to take spoil.
{23:11} After him was Shammah the son of
Agee a Hararite. The Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where there was a plot of ground full of lentils; and the people fled from the Philistines.
{23:12} But he stood in the midst of the plot, and defended it, and killed the Philistines; and Yahweh worked a great victory.
{23:13} Three of the thirty chief men went down, and came to David in the
harvest time to the
cave of
Adullam; and the troop of the Philistines was
encamped in the valley of Rephaim.
{23:14} David was then in the stronghold; and the
garrison of the Philistines was then in
Bethlehem.
{23:15} David longed, and said, "Oh that one would give me water to
drink of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the
gate!"
{23:16} The three mighty men broke through the
army of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: but he would not drink of it, but poured it out to Yahweh.
{23:17} He said, "Be it far from me, Yahweh, that I should do this! Isn't it the
blood of the men who went in jeopardy of their lives?" Therefore he would not drink it. The three mighty men did these things.
{23:18}
Abishai, the
brother of
Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was
chief of the three. He lifted up his spear against three hundred and killed them, and had a name among the three.
{23:19} Wasn't he most honorable of the three? therefore he was made their captain: however he didn't attain to the three.
{23:20}
Benaiah the son of
Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of
Kabzeel, who had done mighty deeds, he killed the two sons of
Ariel of Moab: he went down also and killed a
lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow.
{23:21} He killed 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 killed him with his own spear.
{23:22} Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did these things, and had a name among the three mighty men.
{23:23} He was more honorable than the thirty, but he didn't attain to the three. David set him over his guard.
{23:24}
Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty;
Elhanan the son of
Dodo of Bethlehem,
{23:25} Shammah the
Harodite,
Elika the Harodite,
{23:26}
Helez the Paltite,
Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,
{23:27}
Abiezer the Anathothite,
Mebunnai the Hushathite,
{23:28} Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,
{23:29}
Heleb the son of
Baanah the Netophathite,
Ittai the son of Ribai of
Gibeah of the children of
Benjamin,
{23:30} Benaiah a Pirathonite,
Hiddai of the
brooks of
Gaash.
{23:31} Abialbon the
Arbathite,
Azmaveth the Barhumite,
{23:32} Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of
Jashen,
Jonathan,
{23:33} Shammah the Hararite,
Ahiam the son of Sharar the Ararite,
{23:34}
Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maacathite,
Eliam the son of
Ahithophel the Gilonite,
{23:35}
Hezro the
Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,
{23:36}
Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah,
Bani the
Gadite,
{23:37} Zelek the
Ammonite, Naharai the
Beerothite,
armor bearers to Joab the son of Zeruiah,
{23:38} Ira the
Ithrite,
Gareb the Ithrite,
{23:39} Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.
2 Samuel Chapter 23 Back Next