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.
Shmuel Bais 23
23
1Now these be the last devarim of Dovid. Dovid Ben Yishai said, the gever (man) who was raised up above, the Moshiach Elohei Ya'akov, and the singer of zemirot (songs) of Yisroel, said,
2The Ruach Hashem spoke by me, and His word was on my leshon.
3The Elohei Yisroel said, the Tzur Yisroel spoke to me, He that ruleth over adam, Tzaddik, ruling in the yirat Elohim.
4And He shall be as the ohr of the boker, when the shemesh riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender deshe (grass) springing out of ha'aretz by clear shining after matar (rain).
5Is not my Bais so with G-d? Yet He hath made with me a Brit Olam, ordered in all things, and sure; for this is all my salvation, and all my chefetz (desire), will He not make it spring forth (tzemach)?#23:5 See Zech 3:8; 6:11-12
6But the Bnei Beliyaal#23:6 rebellious shall be all of them as kotz (thorns) thrust away, because they cannot be gathered with hands;
7But the one that shall touch them must be armed with barzel (iron) and the staff of a khanit (spear); and they shall be utterly burned with eish where they are.
8These be the shmot of the gibborim whom Dovid had; Yoshev Bashevet Tachkemoni, chief among the Three; the same was Adino the Etzni; he killed eight hundred, in one encounter.
9And after him was El'azar Ben Dodo the Achochi, one of the three gibborim with Dovid, when they defied the Pelishtim that were there gathered together to milchamah, and the Ish Yisroel were gone away;
10He arose, and struck the Pelishtim until his yad was weary, and his yad had devekyus unto the cherev; and Hashem wrought a teshuah gedolah (great victory) that day; and the people returned after him only to plunder.
11And after him was Shammah Ben Agee the Harari. And the Pelishtim were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentils; and the people fled from the Pelishtim.
12But he stood in the midst of the allotted ground, and defended it, and slaughtered the Pelishtim; and Hashem wrought a teshuah gedolah.
13And three of the thirty chief men went down, and came to Dovid in the time of katzir unto the cave of Adullam; and the troop of the Pelishtim encamped in the Emek Repha'im.
14And Dovid was then in the matzadah, and the garrison of the Pelishtim was then in Beit-Lechem.
15And Dovid longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the mayim of the well of Beit-Lechem, which is by the sha'ar!
16And the three gibborim broke through the machaneh of the Pelishtim, and drew mayim out of the well of Beit-Lechem, that was by the sha'ar, and took it, and brought it to Dovid; nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto Hashem.
17And he said, Chalilah! (be it far from me), Hashem, that I should do this! Is not this the dahm of the anashim that went in jeopardy of their nafshot? Therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three gibborim,
18And Avishai, the brother of Yoav Ben Tzeruyah, was chief among three. And he lifted up his khanit (spear) against three hundred, and slaughtered them, and had the shem among the Three.
19Was he not most honored of the Three? Therefore he was their sar; howbeit he attained not unto the first three.
20And Benayah Ben Yehoyada was a ben chayil, of Kavtze'el, who had done many deeds: he slaughtered two lionlike men of Moav; he went down also and slaughtered an aryeh in the midst of a pit on a snowy day;
21And he slaughtered an Egyptian, a goodly man; and the Egyptian had a khanit (spear) in his yad; but he went down to him with a shevet (club), and plucked the khanit out of the Egyptianʼs yad, and slaughtered him with his own khanit.
22These things did Benayah Ben Yehoyada, and had the shem among three gibborim.
23He was more honored than the Shloshim, but he attained not to the first Three. And Dovid set him over his bodyguard.
24Asahel the brother of Yoav was one of the thirty; Elchanan Ben Dodo of Beit-Lechem,
25Shammah the Harodi, Elika the Charodi,
26Cheletz the Palti, Ira Ben Ikkesh the Tekoi,
27Avi'ezer the Anetoti, Mevunai the Chushati,
28Tzalmon the Achochi, Maharai the Netophati,
29Chelev Ben Ba'anah, a Netophati, Ittai Ben Rivai out of Giv'ah of the Bnei Binyamin,
30Benayah the Pir'athoni, Hiddai of the ravines of Ga'ash,
31Avi-Alvon the Arvati, Azmavet the Barchumi,
32Elyachba the Sha'alboni, of the Bnei Yashen, Yehonatan,
33Shammah the Harari, Achiam Ben Sharar the Arari,
34Eliphelet Ben Achasbai son of the Ma'akhati, Eli'am Ben Achitophel the Giloni,
35Chetzrai the Karmeli, Pa'arai the Arbi,
36Yigal Ben Natan of Tzovah, Bani the Gadi,
37Tzelek the Ammoni, Nachrai the Be'eroti, armorbearer to Yoav Ben Tzeruyah,
38Ira a Yitri, Garev a Yitri,
39Uriyah the Chitti; 37 in all.
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