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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Sh'mu'el Bet (2 Sa) 23: CJB
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Learn More About Complete Jewish Bible2 Samuel 23
23
1These are David’s last words:
The voice of the son of Jesse,
the voice of the man God took to the top,
Whom the God of Jacob made king,
and Israel’s most popular singer!
2-7 God’s Spirit spoke through me,
his words took shape on my tongue.
The God of Israel spoke to me,
Israel’s Rock-Mountain said,
“Whoever governs fairly and well,
who rules in the Fear-of-God,
Is like first light at daybreak
without a cloud in the sky,
Like green grass carpeting earth,
glistening under fresh rain.”
And this is just how my regime has been,
for God guaranteed his covenant with me,
Spelled it out plainly
and kept every promised word—
My entire salvation,
my every desire.
But the devil’s henchmen are like thorns
culled and piled as trash;
Better not try to touch them;
keep your distance with a rake or hoe.
They’ll make a glorious bonfire!
* * *
8This is the listing of David’s top men.
Josheb-Basshebeth, the Tahkemonite. He was chief of the Three. He once put his spear to work against eight hundred—killed them all in a day.
9-10Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite was the next of the elite Three. He was with David when the Philistines poked fun at them at Pas Dammim. When the Philistines drew up for battle, Israel retreated. But Eleazar stood his ground and killed Philistines right and left until he was exhausted—but he never let go of his sword! A big win for God that day. The army then rejoined Eleazar, but all there was left to do was the cleanup.
11-12Shammah son of Agee the Hararite was the third of the Three. The Philistines had mustered for battle at Lehi, where there was a field full of lentils. Israel fled before the Philistines, but Shammah took his stand at the center of the field, successfully defended it, and routed the Philistines. Another great victory for God!
13-17One day during harvest, the Three parted from the Thirty and joined David at the Cave of Adullam. A squad of Philistines had set up camp in the Valley of Rephaim. While David was holed up in the Cave, the Philistines had their base camp in Bethlehem. David had a sudden craving and said, “Would I ever like a drink of water from the well at the gate of Bethlehem!” So the Three penetrated the Philistine lines, drew water from the well at the gate of Bethlehem, and brought it back to David. But David wouldn’t drink it; he poured it out as an offering to God, saying, “There is no way, God, that I’ll drink this! This isn’t mere water, it’s their life-blood—they risked their very lives to bring it!” So David refused to drink it.
This is the sort of thing that the Three did.
18-19Abishai brother of Joab and son of Zeruiah was the head of the Thirty. He once got credit for killing three hundred with his spear, but he was never named in the same breath as the Three. He was the most respected of the Thirty and was their captain, but never got included among the Three.
20-21Benaiah son of Jehoiada from Kabzeel was a vigorous man who accomplished a great deal. He once killed two lion cubs in Moab. Another time, on a snowy day, he climbed down into a pit and killed a lion. Another time he killed a formidable Egyptian. The Egyptian was armed with a spear and Benaiah went against him with nothing but a walking stick; he seized the spear from his grip and killed him with his own spear.
22-23These are the things that Benaiah son of Jehoiada is famous for. But neither did he ever get ranked with the Three. He was held in greatest respect among the Thirty, but he never got included with the Three. David put him in charge of his bodyguard.
The Thirty
24-39“The Thirty” consisted of:
Asahel brother of Joab;
Elhanan son of Dodo of Bethlehem;
Shammah the Harodite;
Elika the Harodite;
Helez the Paltite;
Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite;
Abiezer the Anathothite;
Sibbecai the Hushathite;
Zalmon the Ahohite;
Maharai the Netophathite;
Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite;
Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah of the Benjaminites;
Benaiah the Pirathonite;
Hiddai from the badlands of Gaash;
Abi-Albon the Arbathite;
Azmaveth the Barhumite;
Eliahba the Shaalbonite;
Jashen the Gizonite;
Jonathan son of Shammah the Hararite;
Ahiam son of Sharar the Urite;
Eliphelet son of Ahasbai the Maacathite;
Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite;
Hezro the Carmelite;
Paarai the Arbite;
Igal son of Nathan, commander of the army of Hagrites;
Zelek the Ammonite;
Naharai the Beerothite, weapon bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah;
Ira the Ithrite;
Gareb the Ithrite;
Uriah the Hittite.
Thirty-seven, all told.
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THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. All rights reserved. Used by permission of NavPress. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers.