2 Samuel 23

The Last Words of David

1 These are the last words of David:
“The oracle of David son of Jesse,
the oracle of the man exalted by the Most High,
the man anointed by the God of Jacob,
Israel's singer of songs:

2 “The Spirit of the Lord spoke through me;
his word was on my tongue.

3 The God of Israel spoke,
the Rock of Israel said to me:
‘When one rules over men in righteousness,
when he rules in the fear of God,

4 he is like the light of morning at sunrise
on a cloudless morning,
like the brightness after rain
that brings the grass from the earth.’

5 “Is not my house right with God?
Has he not made with me an everlasting covenant,
arranged and secured in every part?
Will he not bring to fruition my salvation
and grant me my every desire?

6 But evil men are all to be cast aside like thorns,
which are not gathered with the hand.

7 Whoever touches thorns
uses a tool of iron or the shaft of a spear;
they are burned up where they lie.”

David's Mighty Men

8 These are the names of David's mighty men:
Josheb-Basshebeth, a Tahkemonite, was chief of the Three; he raised his spear against eight hundred men, whom he killed in one encounter.
9 Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite. As one of the three mighty men, he was with David when they taunted the Philistines gathered at Pas Dammim for battle. Then the men of Israel retreated,

10 but he stood his ground and struck down the Philistines till his hand grew tired and froze to the sword. The Lord brought about a great victory that day. The troops returned to Eleazar, but only to strip the dead.
11 Next to him was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. When the Philistines banded together at a place where there was a field full of lentils, Israel's troops fled from them.

12 But Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field. He defended it and struck the Philistines down, and the Lord brought about a great victory.
13 During harvest time, three of the thirty chief men came down to David at the cave of Adullam, while a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim.14 At that time David was in the stronghold, and the Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem.15 David longed for water and said, “Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!”16 So the three mighty men broke through the Philistine lines, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem and carried it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out before the Lord.

17 “Far be it from me, O Lord, to do this!” he said. “Is it not the blood of men who went at the risk of their lives?” And David would not drink it.
Such were the exploits of the three mighty men.
18 Abishai the brother of Joab son of Zeruiah was chief of the Three. He raised his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed, and so he became as famous as the Three.

19 Was he not held in greater honor than the Three? He became their commander, even though he was not included among them.
20 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was a valiant fighter from Kabzeel, who performed great exploits. He struck down two of Moab's best men. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion.21 And he struck down a huge Egyptian. Although the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club. He snatched the spear from the Egyptian's hand and killed him with his own spear.22 Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada; he too was as famous as the three mighty men.

23 He was held in greater honor than any of the Thirty, but he was not included among the Three. And David put him in charge of his bodyguard.

24 Among the Thirty were:
Asahel the brother of Joab,
Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem,

25 Shammah the Harodite,
Elika the Harodite,

26 Helez the Paltite,
Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa,

27 Abiezer from Anathoth,
Mebunnai the Hushathite,

28 Zalmon the Ahohite,
Maharai the Netophathite,

29 Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite,
Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin,

30 Benaiah the Pirathonite,
Hiddai from the ravines of Gaash,

31 Abi-Albon the Arbathite,
Azmaveth the Barhumite,

32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite,
the sons of Jashen,
Jonathan

33 son of Shammah the Hararite,
Ahiam son of Sharar the Hararite,

34 Eliphelet son of Ahasbai the Maacathite,
Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,

35 Hezro the Carmelite,
Paarai the Arbite,

36 Igal son of Nathan from Zobah,
the son of Hagri,

37 Zelek the Ammonite,
Naharai the Beerothite, the armor-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah,

38 Ira the Ithrite,
Gareb the Ithrite

39 and Uriah the Hittite.
There were thirty-seven in all.

2 SAMUEL 23

David's Last Words

1 These are the last words
of David the son of Jesse.
The God of Jacob chose David
and made him a great king.
The Mighty God of Israel
loved him.t
When God told him to speak,
David said:

2 The Spirit of the [Lord]
has told me what to say.

3 Our Mighty Rock, t
the God of Jacob, told me,
“A ruler who obeys God
and does right

4 is like the sunrise
on a cloudless day,
or like rain that sparkles
on the grass.”t

5 I have ruled this way,
and God will never break
his promise to me.
God's promise is complete
and unchanging;
he will always help me
and give me what I hope for.

6 But evil people are pulled up
like thornbushes.
They are not dug up by hand,

7 but with a sharp spear
and are burned on the spot.

The Three Warriors

(1 Chronicles 11.10-19)

8 These are the names of David's warriors:
Ishboshetht the son of Hachmont was the leader of the Three Warriors.t In one battle, he killed 800 men with his spear.t
9 The next one of the Three Warriors was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite. One time when the Philistines were at war with Israel, he and David dared the Philistines to fight them. Every one of the Israelite soldiers turned and ran,

10 except Eleazar. He killed Philistines until his hand was cramped, and he couldn't let go of his sword. When Eleazar finished, all the Israelite troops had to do was come back and take the enemies' weapons and armor. The [Lord] gave Israel a great victory that day.
11 Next was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. One time the Philistines brought their army together to destroy a crop of peas growing in a field near Lehi. The rest of Israel's soldiers ran away from the Philistines,

12 but Shammah stood in the middle of the field and killed the Philistines. The crops were saved, and the [Lord] gave Israel a great victory.
13 One year at harvest time, the Three Warriorst went to meet David at Adullam Cave.t The Philistine army had set up camp in Rephaim Valley 14 and had taken over Bethlehem. David was in his fortress,

15 and he was very thirsty. He said, “I wish I had a drink from the well by the gate at Bethlehem.”
16 The Three Warriorst sneaked into the Philistine camp and got some water from the well near Bethlehem's gate. But after they brought the water back to David, he refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out as a sacrifice

17 and said to the [Lord], “I can't drink this water! It's like the blood of these men who risked their lives to get it for me.”
The Three Warriors did these brave deeds.

The Thirty Warriors

(1 Chronicles 11.20-47)

19 and certainly just as famous as the rest of the Thirty Warriors. He was the commander of the Thirty Warriors, but he still did not become one of the Three Warriors.
20 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was a brave man from Kabzeel who did some amazing things. He killed two of Moab's best fighters, t and on a snowy day he went down into a pit and killed a lion. 21 Another time, he killed an Egyptian, as big as a giant.t The Egyptian was armed with a spear, but Benaiah only had a club. Benaiah grabbed the spear from the Egyptian and killed him with it.

22-23 Benaiah did these things. He never became one of the Three Warriors, but he was just as famous as they were and certainly just as famous as the rest of the Thirty Warriors. David made him the leader of his bodyguard.

24-39 Some of the Thirty Warriors were:
Asahel the brother of Joab
Elhanan the son of Dodo from Bethlehem
Shammah from Harod
Elika from Harod
Helez the Paltite
Ira the son of Ikkesh from Tekoa
Abiezer from Anathoth
Mebunnait the Hushathite
Zalmon the Ahohite
Maharai from Netophah
Heleb the son of Baanah from Netophah
Ittai the son of Ribai from Gibeah of the tribe of Benjamin
Benaiah from Pirathon
Hiddai from the streams on Mount Gaash
Abialbon from Beth-Arabah
Azmaveth from Bahurimt
Eliahba from Shaalbon
Jashent
Jonathan the son of Shammah the Hararitet
Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite
Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai from Maacah
Eliam the son of Ahithophel from Gilo
Hezro from Carmel
Paarai the Arbite
Igal the son of Nathan from Zobah
Bani the Gadite
Zelek from Ammon
Naharai from Beeroth, who carried the weapons of Joab the son of Zeruiah
Ira the Ithrite
Gareb the Ithrite
Uriah the Hittite
There were 37 in all.