2 Samuel 23

David’s Final Words

1 These are the final words of David:
“The oracle of David son of Jesse,
the oracle of the man raised up as
the ruler chosen by the God of Jacob,t
Israel’s belovedt singer of songs:

2 The Lord’s spirit spoke through me;
his word was on my tongue.

3 The God of Israel spoke,
the protectort of Israel spoke to me.
The one who rules fairly among men,
the one who rules in the fear of God,

4 is like the light of morning when the sun comes up,
a morning in which there are no clouds.
He is like the brightness after rain
that produces grass from the earth.

5 My dynasty is approved by God,t
for he has made a perpetual covenant with me,
arranged in all its particulars and secured.
He always delivers me,
and brings all I desire to fruition.t

6 But evil people are like thorns –
all of them are tossed away,
for they cannot be held in the hand.

7 The one who touches them
must use an iron instrument
or the wooden shaft of a spear.
They are completely burned up right where they lie!”t

David’s Warriors

8 These are the names of David’s warriors:
Josheb-Basshebeth, a Tahkemonite, was head of the officers.t He killed eight hundred men with his spear in one battle.s9 Next in commandt was Eleazar son of Dodo,s the son of Ahohi. He was one of the three warriors who were with David when they defied the Philistines who were assembled there for battle. When the men of Israel retreated,t

10 he stood his groundt and fought the Philistines until his hand grew so tired that itt seemed stuck to his sword. The Lord gave a great victory on that day. When the army returned to him, the only thing left to do was to plunder the corpses.
11 Next in commandt was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. When the Philistines assembled at Lehi,t where there happened to be an area of a field that was full of lentils, the army retreated before the Philistines.

12 But he made a stand in the middle of that area. He defendedt it and defeated the Philistines; the Lord gave them a great victory.
13 At the time oft the harvest threes of the thirty leaders went down tot David at the cave of Adullam. A band of Philistines was camped in the valley of Rephaim.14 David was in the stronghold at the time, while a Philistine garrison was in Bethlehem.s15 David was thirsty and said, “How I wish someone would give me some water to drink from the cistern in Bethlehem near the gate!”16 So the three elite warriors broke through the Philistine forces and drew some water from the cistern in Bethlehem near the gate. They carried it back to David, but he refused to drink it. He poured it out as a drink offering to the Lord

17 and said, “O Lord, I will not do this!t It is equivalent to the blood of the men who risked their lives by going.”t So he refused to drink it. Such were the exploits of the three elite warriors.t
18 Abishai son of Zeruiah, the brother of Joab, was head of the three.s He killed three hundred men with his spear and gained fame among the three.t

19 Fromt the three he was given honor and he became their officer, even though he was not one of the three.
20 Benaiah son of Jehoida was a brave warriors from Kabzeel who performed great exploits. He struck down the two sons of Ariel of Moab.s He also went down and killed a lion in a cistern on a snowy day.21 He also killed an impressive-looking Egyptian.s The Egyptian wielded a spear, while Benaiah attackedt him with a club. He grabbed the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear.22 Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoida, who gained fame among the three elite warriors.

23 He received honor fromt the thirty warriors, though he was not one of the three elite warriors. David put him in charge of his bodyguard.
24 Included with the thirty were the following: Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem,s25 Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,26 Helez the Paltite, Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa,27 Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,29 Heleds son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin,30 Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai from the wadis of Gaash,31 Abi-Albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan33 son oft Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam son of Sharar the Hararite,34 Eliphelet son of Ahasbai the Maacathite, Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,35 Hezrais the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,36 Igal son of Nathan from Zobah, Bani the Gadite,37 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite (the armor-bearers of Joab son of Zeruiah),38 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite

39 and Uriah the Hittite. Altogether there were thirty-seven.

2 Samuel 23

David's Last Words

1 David son of Jesse was the man whom God made great, whom the God of Jacob chose to be king, and who was the composer of beautiful songs for Israel. These are David's last words:

2 The spirit of the LORD speaks through me;
his message is on my lips.
3 The God of Israel has spoken;
the protector of Israel said to me:
“The king who rules with justice,
who rules in obedience to God,
4 is like the sun shining on a cloudless dawn,
the sun that makes the grass sparkle after rain.”
5 And that is how God will bless my descendants,
because he has made an eternal covenant with me,
an agreement that will not be broken,
a promise that will not be changed.
That is all I desire;
that will be my victory,
and God will surely bring it about.
6 But godless people are like thorns that are thrown away;
no one can touch them barehanded.
7 You must use an iron tool or a spear;
they will be burned completely.t

David's Famous Soldiers

8 These are the names of David's famous soldiers: the first was Josheb Basshebeth from Tachemon, who was the leader of “The Three”;t he fought with his speart against eight hundred men and killed them all in one battle.
9 The second of the famous three was Eleazar son of Dodo, of the clan of Ahoh. One day he and David challenged the Philistines who had gathered for battle. The Israelites fell back,

10 but he stood his ground and fought the Philistines until his hand was so cramped that he could not let go of his sword. The LORD won a great victory that day. After it was over, the Israelites returned to where Eleazar was and stripped the armor from the dead.
11 The third of the famous three was Shammah son of Agee from Harar. The Philistines had gathered at Lehi, where there was a field of peas. The Israelites fled from the Philistines,

12 but Shammah stood his ground in the field, defended it, and killed the Philistines. The LORD won a great victory that day.
13 Near the beginning of harvest timet three of “The Thirty” went down to Adullam Cave, where David was, while a band of Philistines was camping in Rephaim Valley. 14 At that time David was on a fortified hill, and a group of Philistines had occupied Bethlehem. 15 David grew homesick and said, “How I wish someone would bring me a drink of water from the well by the gate at Bethlehem!” 16 The three famous soldiers forced their way through the Philistine camp, drew some water from the well, and brought it back to David. But he would not drink it; instead he poured it out as an offering to the LORD

17 and said, “LORD, I could never drink this! It would be like drinking the blood of these men who risked their lives!” So he refused to drink it. Those were the brave deeds of the three famous soldiers.
18 Joab's brother Abishai (their mother was Zeruiah) was the leader of “The Famous Thirty.” He fought with his spear against three hundred men and killed them, and became famous among “The Thirty.”t

19 He was the most famous of “The Thirty”t and became their leader, but he was not as famous as “The Three.”
20 Benaiah son of Jehoiada from Kabzeel was another famous soldier; he did many brave deeds, including killing two great Moabite warriors. He once went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion. 21 He also killed an Egyptian, a huge man who was armed with a spear. Benaiah attacked him with his club, snatched the spear from the Egyptian's hand, and killed him with it. 22 Those were the brave deeds of Benaiah, who was one of “The Thirty.”t

23 He was outstanding among them, but was not as famous as “The Three.” David put him in charge of his bodyguard.

24-39 Other members of “The Thirty” included:
Asahel, Joab's brother
Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem
Shammah and Elika from Harod
Helez from Pelet
Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa
Abiezer from Anathoth
Mebunnai from Hushah
Zalmon from Ahoh
Maharai from Netophah
Heleb son of Baanah from Netophah
Ittai son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin
Benaiah from Pirathon
Hiddai from the valleys near Gaash
Abialbon from Arabah
Azmaveth from Bahurim
Eliahba from Shaalbon
The sons of Jashen
Jonathan
Shammah from Harar
Ahiam son of Sharar from Harar
Eliphelet son of Ahasbai from Maacah
Eliam son of Ahithophel from Gilo
Hezro from Carmel
Paarai from Arab
Igal son of Nathan from Zobah
Bani from Gad
Zelek from Ammon
Naharai from Beeroth, Joab's armorbearer
Ira and Gareb from Jattir
Uriah the Hittite.

There were thirty-seven famous soldiers in all.