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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2 Samuel 23: NCV
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The Holy Bible, New Century Version, Copyright © 2005 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.
2 Samuel 23
23
1And these [are] the last words of David: — ‘The affirmation of David son of Jesse — And the affirmation of the man raised up — Concerning the Anointed of the God of Jacob, And the Sweetness of the Songs of Israel:
2The Spirit of Jehovah hath spoken by me, And His word [is] on my tongue.
3He said — the God of Israel — to me, He spake — the Rock of Israel: He who is ruling over man [is] righteous, He is ruling in the fear of God.
4And as the light of morning he riseth, A morning sun — no clouds! By the shining, by the rain, Tender grass of the earth!
5For — not so [is] my house with God; For — a covenant age-during He made with me, Arranged in all things, and kept; For — all my salvation, and all desire, For — He hath not caused [it] to spring up.
6As to the worthless — As a thorn driven away [are] all of them, For — not by hand are they taken;
7And the man who cometh against them Is filled with iron and the staff of a spear, And with fire they are utterly burnt In the cessation.’
8These [are] the names of the mighty ones whom David hath: sitting in the seat [is] the Tachmonite, head of the captains — he [is] Adino, who hardened himself against eight hundred — wounded at one time.
9And after him [is] Eleazar son of Dodo, son of Ahohi, of the three mighty men with David; in their exposing themselves among the Philistines — they have been gathered there to battle, and the men of Israel go up —
10he hath arisen, and smiteth among the Philistines till that his hand hath been weary, and his hand cleaveth unto the sword, and Jehovah worketh a great salvation on that day, and the people turn back after him only to strip off.
11And after him [is] Shammah son of Agee the Hararite, and the Philistines are gathered into a company, and there is there a portion of the field full of lentiles, and the people hath fled from the presence of the Philistines,
12and he stationeth himself in the midst of the portion, and delivereth it, and smiteth the Philistines, and Jehovah worketh a great salvation.
13And three of the thirty heads go down and come unto the harvest, unto David, unto the cave of Adullam, and the company of the Philistines are encamping in the valley of Rephaim,
14and David [is] then in a fortress, and the station of the Philistines [is] then in Beth-Lehem,
15and David longeth and saith, ‘Who doth give me a drink of the water of the well of Beth-Lehem, which [is] by the gate?’
16And the three mighty ones cleave through the camp of the Philistines, and draw water out of the well of Beth-Lehem, which [is] by the gate, and take [it] up, and bring in unto David; and he was not willing to drink it, and poureth it out to Jehovah,
17and saith, ‘Far be it from me, O Jehovah, to do this; is it the blood of the men who are going with their lives?’ and he was not willing to drink it; these [things] did the three mighty ones.
18And Abishai brother of Joab, son of Zeruiah, he [is] head of three, and he is lifting up his spear against three hundred — wounded, and he hath a name among three.
19Of the three is he not the honoured? and he becometh their head; and unto the [first] three he hath not come.
20And Benaiah son of Jehoiada (son of a man of valour, great in deeds from Kabzeel), he hath smitten two lion-like men of Moab, and he hath gone down and smitten the lion in the midst of the pit in a day of snow.
21And he hath smitten the Egyptian man, a man of appearance, and in the hand of the Egyptian [is] a spear, and he goeth down unto him with a rod, and taketh violently away the spear out of the hand of the Egyptian, and slayeth him with his own spear.
22These [things] hath Benaiah son of Jehoiada done, and hath a name among three mighty.
23Of the thirty he is honoured, and unto the three he came not; and David setteth him over his guard.
24Asahel brother of Joab [is] of the thirty; Elhanan son of Dodo of Beth-Lehem.
25Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,
26Helez the Paltite, Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,
27Abiezer the Annethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,
28Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,
29Heleb son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai son of Ribai from Gibeah of the sons of Benjamin,
30Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash,
31Abi-Albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,
32Eliahba the Shaalbonite, [of] the sons of Jashen, Jonathan,
33Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam son of Sharar the Hararite,
34Eliphelet son of Ahasbai, son of the Maachathite, Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,
35Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,
36Igal son of Nathan from Zobah, Bani the Gadite,
37Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, bearer of the weapons of Joab son of Zeruiah,
38Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,
39Uriah the Hittite; in all thirty and seven.
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