2 Samuel 23
23
David’s Last Words
1These are the last words of David.
This is the message of David son of Jesse.
The man made great by the Most High God speaks.
He is the appointed king of the God of Jacob;
he is the sweet singer of Israel:
2“The Lord’s Spirit spoke through me,
and his word was on my tongue.
3The God of Israel spoke;
the Rock of Israel said to me:
‘Whoever rules fairly over people,
who rules with respect for God,
4is like the morning light at dawn,
like a morning without clouds.
He is like sunshine after a rain
that makes the grass sprout from the ground.’
5“This is how God has cared for my family.
God made a lasting agreement with me,
right and sure in every way.
He will accomplish my salvation
and satisfy all my desires.
6“But all evil people will be thrown away like thorns
that cannot be held in a hand.
7No one can touch them
except with a tool of iron or wood.
They will be thrown in the fire and burned where they lie.”
David’s Army
8These are the names of David’s warriors:
Josheb-Basshebeth, the Tahkemonite, was head of the Three. He killed eight hundred men at one time.
9Next was Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite. Eleazar was one of the three soldiers who were with David when they challenged the Philistines. The Philistines were gathered for battle, and the Israelites drew back. 10But Eleazar stayed where he was and fought the Philistines until he was so tired his hand stuck to his sword. The Lord gave a great victory for the Israelites that day. The troops came back after Eleazar had won the battle, but only to take weapons and armor from the enemy.
11Next there was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. The Philistines came together to fight in a vegetable field. Israel’s troops ran away from the Philistines, 12but Shammah stood in the middle of the field and fought for it and killed the Philistines. And the Lord gave a great victory.
13Once, three of the Thirty, David’s chief soldiers, came down to him at the cave of Adullam during harvest. The Philistine army had camped in the Valley of Rephaim. 14At that time David was in the stronghold, and some of the Philistines were in Bethlehem.
15David had a strong desire for some water. He said, “Oh, I wish someone would get me water from the well near the city gate of Bethlehem!” 16So the three warriors broke through the Philistine army and took water from the well near the city gate of Bethlehem. Then they brought it to David, but he refused to drink it. He poured it out before the Lord, 17saying, “May the Lord keep me from drinking this water! It would be like drinking the blood of the men who risked their lives!” So David refused to drink it. These were the brave things that the three warriors did.
18Abishai, brother of Joab son of Zeruiah, was captain of the Three. Abishai fought three hundred soldiers with his spear and killed them. He became as famous as the Three 19and was more honored than the Three. He became their commander even though he was not one of them.
20Benaiah son of Jehoiada was a brave fighter from Kabzeel who did mighty things. He killed two of the best warriors from Moab. He also went down into a pit and killed a lion on a snowy day. 21Benaiah killed a large Egyptian who had a spear in his hand. Benaiah had a club, but he grabbed the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear. 22These were the things Benaiah son of Jehoiada did. He was as famous as the Three. 23He received more honor than the Thirty, but he did not become a member of the Three. David made him leader of his bodyguards.
The Thirty Chief Soldiers
24The following men were among the Thirty:
Asahel brother of Joab;
Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem;
25Shammah the Harodite;
Elika the Harodite;
26Helez the Paltite;
Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa;
27Abiezer the Anathothite;
Mebunnai the Hushathite;
28Zalmon the Ahohite;
Maharai the Netophathite;
29Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite;
Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin;
30Benaiah the Pirathonite;
Hiddai from the ravines of Gaash;
31Abi-Albon the Arbathite;
Azmaveth the Barhumite;
32Eliahba the Shaalbonite;
the sons of Jashen;
Jonathan 33son of Shammah the Hararite;
Ahiam son of Sharar the Hararite;
34Eliphelet son of Ahasbai the Maacathite;
Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite;
35Hezro the Carmelite;
Paarai the Arbite;
36Igal son of Nathan of Zobah;
the son of Hagri;
37Zelek the Ammonite;
Naharai the Beerothite, who carried the armor of Joab son of Zeruiah;
38Ira the Ithrite;
Gareb the Ithrite,
39and Uriah the Hittite.
There were thirty-seven in all.
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The Holy Bible, New Century Version, Copyright © 2005 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.
2 Samuel 23
23
2 Samuel 23
1¶ Now these are the last words of David. David, the son of Jesse, said, and the man who was raised up high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet cantor of Israel, said,
2(The Spirit of the Lord has spoken by me, and his word has been in my tongue.
3The God of Israel dictated unto me, the strong One of Israel spoke): He that rules over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.
4And as the light of the morning when the sun rises, of a morning shining forth without clouds, as the shining forth through light rain upon the tender grass of the earth:
5shall not my house be so with God, although all my saving health and my desire shall not be produced yet? For he has made an everlasting covenant with me, ordered in all things, and it shall be kept;
6but those of Belial shall all be as thorns to be chased away, whom no one takes with the hand;
7but the one that desires to touch them must be armed with iron and the staff of a spear, and they are completely burned with fire in their place.
8¶ These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: he that sat in the seat of wisdom, chief among the three: Adino, the Eznite, who on one occasion slew eight hundred enemies.
9And after him was Eleazar, the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men who were with David, when they defied the Philistines that were there gathered together to battle, and those of Israel were gone away.
10He arose and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword; and the Lord wrought a great salvation that day, and the people returned after him only to spoil.
11And after him was Shammah, the son of Agee, the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a community, where was an inheritance of land full of lentils, and the people had fled before the Philistines.
12But he stood in the midst of the inheritance and defended it and slew the Philistines, and the Lord wrought a great salvation.
13 These three, who were of the thirty chief, went down and came to David in the harvest time unto the cave of Adullam, and the camp of the Philistines was pitched in the valley of Rephaim.
14And David was then in the fortress, and the garrison of the Philistines was in Bethlehem.
15And David longed and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!
16Then these three mighty men broke through the camp 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; nevertheless, he would not drink of it, but poured it out unto the Lord, saying,
17Be it far from me, O Lord, that I should do this; is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? And he would not drink it. These three mighty men did this.
18And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred and slew them and had a name among the three.
19He was the most honourable of the three and captain among them; however, he did not attain unto the first three.
20 Then, Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done many acts, slew two lions of Moab; he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow.
21He also slew an Egyptian, a man of great stature, 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 slew him with his own spear.
22These things did Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, and had a name among the three mighty men.
23He had more honour than the thirty, but he did not attain to the first three. And David put him in his council.
24Asahel, the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan, the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,
25Shammah of Harodi, Elika of Harodi,
26Helez of Palti, Ira, the son of Ikkesh of Tekoah,
27Abiezer of Anethoth, Mebunnai of Hushath,
28Zalmon of Ahoh, Maharai of Netophath,
29Heleb, the son of Baanah of Netophath, Ittai, the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the sons of Benjamin,
30Benaiah, the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash,
31Abialbon of Arbath, Azmaveth of Barhum,
32Eliahba of Shaalbon, Jonathan of the sons of Jashen,
33Shammah of Harar, Ahiam, the son of Sharar of Harar,
34Eliphelet, the son of Ahasbai, the son of Maachath, Eliam, the son of Ahithophel of Gilon,
35Hezrai of Carmel, Paarai of Arbi,
36Igal, the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani of Gadi,
37Zelek of Ammon, Naharai of Beeroth, armourbearer to Joab, the son of Zeruiah,
38Ira of Ithri, Gareb of Ithri,
39Uriah, the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.
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The Jubilee Bible 2000 (JUB) by Ransom Press International