II Samuel 23
23
David’s Last Words
1Now these are the last words of David.
Thus says David the son of Jesse;
Thus says #2 Sam. 7:12–16; Ps. 89:29the man raised up on high,
#2 Sam. 7:8, 9; Ps. 78:70, 71The anointed of the God of Jacob,
And the sweet psalmist of Israel:
2“The#1 Sam. 16:12, 13; Ps. 89:20 Spirit of the Lord spoke by me,
And His word was on my tongue.
3The God of Israel said,
#Matt. 22:43; (2 Pet. 1:21)The Rock of Israel spoke to me:
‘He who rules over men must be just,
Ruling #(Deut. 32:4)in the fear of God.
4And #Ex. 18:21; (Is. 11:1–5)he shall be like the light of the morning when the sun rises,
A morning without clouds,
Like the tender grass springing out of the earth,
By clear shining after rain.’
5“Although my house is not so with God,
#Ps. 89:36; Is. 60:1Yet He has made with me an everlasting covenant,
Ordered in all things and secure.
For this is all my salvation and all my desire;
Will He not make it increase?
6But the sons of rebellion shall all be as thorns thrust away,
Because they cannot be taken with hands.
7But the man who touches them
Must be armed with iron and the shaft of a spear,
And they shall be utterly burned with fire in their place.”
David’s Mighty Men
8These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-Basshebeth the Tachmonite, chief among the captains. He was called Adino the Eznite, because he had killed eight hundred men at one time. 9And after him was #2 Sam. 7:12; Ps. 89:29; Is. 55:3Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David when they defied the Philistines who were gathered there for battle, and the men of Israel had retreated. 10He arose and attacked the Philistines until his hand was #1 Chr. 11:12; 27:4weary, and his hand stuck to the sword. The Lord brought about a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to #Judg. 8:4plunder. 11And after him was #1 Sam. 30:24, 25Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. #1 Chr. 11:27The Philistines had gathered together into a troop where there was a piece of ground full of lentils. So the people fled from the Philistines. 12But he stationed himself in the middle of the field, defended it, and killed the Philistines. So the Lord brought about a great victory.
13Then #1 Chr. 11:13, 14three of the thirty chief men went down at harvest time and came to David at #1 Chr. 11:15the cave of Adullam. And the troop of Philistines encamped in #1 Sam. 22:1the Valley of Rephaim. 14David was then in #2 Sam. 5:18the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. 15And David said with longing, “Oh, that someone would give me a drink of the water from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!” 16So the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines, drew water from the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate, and took it and brought it to David. Nevertheless he would not drink it, but poured it out to the Lord. 17And he said, “Far be it from me, O Lord, that I should do this! Is this not #1 Sam. 22:4, 5the blood of the men who went in jeopardy of their lives?” Therefore he would not drink it.
These things were done by the three mighty men.
18Now #(Lev. 17:10)Abishai the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of another three. He lifted his spear against three hundred men, killed them, and won a name among these three. 19Was he not the most honored of three? Therefore he became their captain. However, he did not attain to the first three.
20Benaiah was the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man from #2 Sam. 21:17; 1 Chr. 11:20Kabzeel, who had done many deeds. #Josh. 15:21He had killed two lion-like heroes of Moab. He also had gone down and killed a lion in the midst of a pit on a snowy day. 21And he killed an Egyptian, a spectacular man. The Egyptian had a spear in his hand; so he went down to him with a staff, wrested the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with his own spear. 22These things Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did, and won a name among three mighty men. 23He was more honored than the thirty, but he did not attain to the first three. And David appointed him #Ex. 15:15over his guard.
24#2 Sam. 8:18; 20:23Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, 25#2 Sam. 2:18; 1 Chr. 27:7Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite, 26Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, 27Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, 28Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, 29Heleb the son of Baanah (the Netophathite), Ittai the son of Ribai from Gibeah of the children of Benjamin, 30Benaiah a Pirathonite, Hiddai from the brooks of #1 Chr. 11:27Gaash, 31Abi-Albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite, 32Eliahba the Shaalbonite (of the sons of Jashen), Jonathan, 33#Judg. 2:9Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite, 34Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the son of #2 Sam. 23:11Ahithophel the Gilonite, 35Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, 36Igal the son of Nathan of #2 Sam. 15:12Zobah, Bani the Gadite, 37Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite (armorbearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah), 38#2 Sam. 8:3Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, 39and #1 Chr. 2:53Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.
Currently Selected:
II Samuel 23: NKJV
Highlight
Share
Copy
![None](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimageproxy.youversionapi.com%2F58%2Fhttps%3A%2F%2Fweb-assets.youversion.com%2Fapp-icons%2Fen.png&w=128&q=75)
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
The Holy Bible, New King James Version, Copyright © 1982 Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.
2 Kings 23
23
1Now these are David's last words. David the son of Isai said: The man to whom it was appointed concerning the Christ of the God of Jacob, the excellent psalmist of Israel said:
2The spirit of the Lord hath spoken by me: and his word by my tongue.
3The God of Israel said to me, the strong one of Israel spoke, the ruler of men, the just ruler in the fear of God.
4As the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, shineth in the morning without clouds; and as the grass springeth out of the earth by rain.
5Neither is my house so great with God, that he should make with me an eternal covenant, firm in all things and assured. For he is all my salvation, and all my will: neither is there ought thereof that springeth not up.
6But transgressors shall all of them be plucked up as thorns: which are not taken away with hands.
7And if a man will touch them, he must be armed with iron and with the staff of a lance: but they shall be set on fire and burnt to nothing.
8These are the names of the valiant men of David. Jesbaham sitting in the chair was the wisest chief among the three: he was like the most tender little worm of the wood; who killed eight hundred men at one onset.
9After him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three valiant men that were with David when they defied the Philistines, and they were there gathered together to battle.
10And when the men of Israel were gone away, he stood and smote the Philistines till his hand was weary, and grew stiff with the sword. And the Lord wrought a great victory that day: and the people that were fled away returned to take spoils of them that were slain.
11And after him was Semma the son of Age of Arari. And the Philistines were gathered together in a troop: for there was a field full of lentils. And when the people were fled from the face of the Philistines,
12He stood in the midst of the field, and defended it, and defeated the Philistines. And the Lord gave a great victory.
13Moreover also before this the three who were princes among the thirty went down and came to David in the harvest time into the cave of Odollam: and the camp of the Philistines was in the valley of the giants.
14And David was then in a hold: and there was a garrison of the Philistines then in Bethlehem.
15And David longed, and said: O that some man would get me a drink of the water out of the cistern, that is in Bethlehem, by the gate!
16And the three valiant men broke through the camp of the Philistines, and drew water out of the cistern of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and brought it to David. But he would not drink, but offered it to the Lord,
17Saying: The Lord be merciful to me, that I may not do this. Shall I drink the blood of these men that went, and the peril of their lives? Therefore he would not drink. These things did these three mighty men.
18Abisai also, the brother of Joab the son of Sarvia, was chief among three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred whom he slew. And he was renowned among the three,
19And the noblest of three, and was their chief: but to the three first he attained not.
20And Banaias the son of Joiada a most valiant man, of great deeds, of Cabseel. He slew the two lions of Moab: and he went down, and slew a lion in the midst of a pit, in the time of snow.
21He also slew an Egyptian, a man worthy to be a sight, having a spear in his hand: but he went down to him with a rod, and forced the spear out of the hand of the Egyptian, and slew him with his own spear.
22These things did Banaias the son of Joiada.
23And he was renowned among the three valiant men, who were the most honourable among the thirty: but he attained not to the first three. And David made him of his privy council.
24Asael the brother of Joab was one of the thirty, Elehanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem.
25Semma of Harodi, Elica of Harodi,
26Heles of Phalti, Hira the son of Acces of Thecua,
27Abiezer of Anathoth, Mobonnai of Husati,
28Selmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,
29Heled the son of Baana, also a Netophathite, Ithai the son of Ribai of Gabaath of the children of Benjamin,
30Banaia the Pharathonite, Heddai of the torrent Gaas,
31Abialbon the Arbathite, Azmaveth of Beromi,
32Eliaba of Salaboni, the sons of Jassen, Jonathan,
33Semma of Orori, Aliam the son of Sarar the Arorite,
34Eliphelet the son of Aasbai the son of Machati, Eliam the son of Achitophel the Gelonite,
35Hesrai of Carmel, Pharai of Arbi,
36Igaal the son of Nathan of Soba, Bonni of Gadi,
37Selec of Ammoni, Naharai the Berothite, armourbearer of Joab the son of Sarvia,
38Ira the Jethrite, Gareb also a Jethrite,
39Urias the Hethite: thirty and seven in all.
Currently Selected:
:
Highlight
Share
Copy
![None](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimageproxy.youversionapi.com%2F58%2Fhttps%3A%2F%2Fweb-assets.youversion.com%2Fapp-icons%2Fen.png&w=128&q=75)
Want to have your highlights saved across all your devices? Sign up or sign in
An historical text maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society.