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.
Sh'mu'el Bet (2 Sa) 23
23
1Here are David’s last words:
“This is the speech of David the son of Yishai,
the speech of the man who has been raised up,
the one anointed by the God of Ya‘akov,
the sweet singer of Isra’el.
2“The Spirit of Adonai spoke through me,
his word was on my tongue.
3The God of Isra’el spoke;
the Rock of Isra’el said to me,
‘A ruler over people must be upright,
ruling in the fear of God;
4like the morning light at sunrise
on a cloudless day
that makes the grass on the earth
sparkle after a rain.’
5“For my house stands firm with God —
he made an everlasting covenant with me.
It is in order, fully assured,
that he will bring to full growth
all my salvation and every desire.
6“But the ungodly are like thorn bushes
to be pushed aside, every one of them.
They cannot be taken in one’s hand;
7To touch them one uses pitchfork or spear-shaft,
and then only to burn them where they lie.”
8Following are the names of David’s warrior-heroes:
Yoshev-Bashevet the Tach’kmoni, chief of the three, also known as ‘Adino the ‘Etzni; he is the one who came against 800 men, whom he killed in a single encounter.
9After him was El‘azar the son of Dodo the son of Achochi, one of the three warriors with David when they put their lives in jeopardy against the P’lishtim who were there assembled for battle, while the men of Isra’el had gone away. 10He stood firm and attacked the P’lishtim until his hand went into spasm, so that he couldn’t let go of his sword. Adonai accomplished a great victory that day; but the people didn’t return until he had finished, and then only to plunder the bodies of the dead.
11After him was Shammah the son of Age the Harari. The P’lishtim had assembled at Lechi, where there was a plot of ground full of lentils; and the people fled from the P’lishtim. 12But he stood in the middle of the plot and defended it, killing the P’lishtim; and Adonai brought about a great victory.
13During harvest season three of the thirty leaders went down and came to David at the cave of ‘Adulam when a company of P’lishtim had set up camp in the Refa’im Valley. 14At that time David was in the fortress, and the garrison of the P’lishtim was in Beit-Lechem. 15David had a craving and said, “I wish someone could give me water to drink from the well by the gate of Beit-Lechem!” 16The three warrior-heroes broke through the army of the P’lishtim, drew water from the well by the gate of Beit-Lechem, took it and brought it to David. But he wouldn’t drink it. Instead, he poured it out to Adonai 17and said, “Adonai! Heaven forbid that I should do such a thing! Am I to drink the blood of men who went and put their lives in jeopardy?”— and he would not consent to drink it. These are the things the three warrior-heroes did. 18Avishai the brother of Yo’av, the son of Tz’ruyah, was chief of these three. He raised his spear against 300 men and killed them; thus he had a reputation even among the three. 19He had the most honor of these three and was therefore made their leader; however, he did not achieve the status of the first three.
20B’nayah the son of Y’hoyada, the son of a valiant man of Kavtze’el, was a man of many exploits. He struck down two lion-hearted men of Mo’av. One day when it was snowing, he went down into a pit and killed a lion. 21Here is how he killed an Egyptian, a man of intimidating appearance: the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, and he went down to him with only a stick, seized the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear. 22These are things that B’nayah the son of Y’hoyada did that earned him a name among the three warrior-heroes. 23He had more honor than the thirty, but he did not achieve the status of the first three. David put him in command of his personal guard.
24‘Asah’el the brother of Yo’av was one of the thirty,
Elchanan the son of Dodo of Beit-Lechem,
25Shammah the Harodi,
Elika the Harodi,
26Heletz the Palti,
‘Ira son of ‘Ikesh from T’koa,
27Avi‘ezer from ‘Anatot,
M’vunai the Hushati,
28Tzalmon the Achochi,
Mahrai the N’tofati,
29Helev the son of Ba‘anah the N’tofati,
Ittai the son of Rivai from Giv‘ah, of the people of Binyamin,
30B’nayahu from Pir‘aton,
Hiddai from the vadis of Ga‘ash,
31Avi-‘Alvon the ‘Arvati,
‘Azmavet the Barchumi,
32Elyachba the Sha‘alvoni, of the sons of Yashen,
Y’honatan,
33Shammah the Harari,
Achi’am the son of Sharar the Arari,
34Elifelet the son of Achasbai the son of the Ma‘akhati,
Eli‘am the son of Achitofel from Giloh,
35Hetzrai from Karmel,
Pa‘arai the Arbi,
36Yig’al the son of Natan of Tzovah,
Bani the Gadi,
37Tzelek the ‘Amoni,
Nachrai the Be’eroti, armor-bearer for Yo’av the son of Tz’ruyah,
38‘Ira the Yitri,
Garev the Yitri, and
39Uriyah the Hitti —
thirty-seven in all.
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