2 Samuel 23
23
David’s Last Words
1These are the last words of David:
The declaration of David son of Jesse,#Lk 3:32
the declaration of the man raised on high,#23:1 Or raised up by the high God
the one anointed by the God of Jacob.#1Sm 16:12–13; Ps 89:20
This is the most delightful of Israel’s songs.
2The Spirit of the Lord spoke through me,
his word was on my tongue.#Mt 22:43; 2Pt 1:21
3The God of Israel spoke;
the Rock of Israel said to me,
“The one who rules the people with justice,
who rules in the fear of God,#Ps 72:1–3; Is 11:1–5
4is like the morning light when the sun rises
on a cloudless morning,
the glisten of rain on sprouting grass.”
5Is it not true my house is with God?
For he has established a permanent covenant#Gn 9:16; 17:7,19; 1Ch 16:17; Ps 105:10 with me,
ordered and secured in every detail.#2Sm 7:12–16; Ps 89:29; Is 55:3
Will he not bring about
my whole salvation and my every desire?
6But all the wicked are like thorns raked aside;
they can never be picked up by hand.
7The man who touches them
must be armed with iron and the shaft of a spear.
They will be completely burned up on the spot.
Exploits of David’s Warriors
8These are the names of David’s warriors:#1Ch 11:11–47
Josheb-basshebeth the Tahchemonite was chief of the officers.#23:8 Some Hb mss, LXX read Three He wielded his spear#23:8 Some Hb mss; other Hb mss, LXX read He was Adino the Eznite against eight hundred men that he killed at one time.
9After him, Eleazar son of Dodo son of an Ahohite was among the three warriors with David when they defied the Philistines. The men of Israel retreated in the place they had gathered for battle, 10but Eleazar stood his ground and attacked the Philistines until his hand was tired and stuck to his sword. The Lord brought about a great victory that day. Then the troops came back to him, but only to plunder the dead.
11After him was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. The Philistines had assembled in formation where there was a field full of lentils. The troops fled from the Philistines, 12but Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field, defended it, and struck down the Philistines. So the Lord brought about a great victory.
13Three of the thirty leading warriors went down at harvest time and came to David at the cave of Adullam,#1Sm 22:1 while a company of Philistines was camping in Rephaim Valley. 14At that time David was in the stronghold,#1Sm 22:4–5 and a Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem. 15David was extremely thirsty#23:15 Lit And David craved and said, “If only someone would bring me water to drink from the well at the city gate of Bethlehem!” 16So three of the warriors broke through the Philistine camp and drew water from the well at the gate of Bethlehem. They brought it back to David, but he refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out to the Lord. 17David said, “Lord, I would never do such a thing! Is this not the blood of men who risked their lives?” So he refused to drink it. Such were the exploits of the three warriors.
18Abishai, Joab’s brother and son of Zeruiah,#1Sm 26:3–6 was leader of the Three.#23:18 Some Hb mss, Syr read the Thirty He wielded his spear against three hundred men and killed them, gaining a reputation among the Three. 19Was he not more honored than the Three? He became their commander even though he did not become one of the Three.#1Ch 11:21
20Benaiah son of Jehoiada#2Sm 8:18; 20:23 was the son of a brave man from Kabzeel, a man of many exploits. Benaiah killed two sons#23:20 LXX; MT omits sons of Ariel#23:20 Or two warriors of Moab, and he went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion. 21He also killed an Egyptian, an impressive man. Even though the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, Benaiah went down to him with a staff, snatched the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and then killed him with his own spear. 22These were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada, who had a reputation among the three warriors. 23He was the most honored of the Thirty, but he did not become one of the Three. David put him in charge of his bodyguard.
24Among the Thirty were
Joab’s brother Asahel,#2Sm 2:18–23; 1Ch 27:7
Elhanan son of Dodo of Bethlehem,
25Shammah the Harodite,
Elika the Harodite,
26Helez the Paltite,
Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,
27Abiezer the Anathothite,
Mebunnai the Hushathite,
28Zalmon the Ahohite,
Maharai the Netophathite,
29Heleb son of Baanah the Netophathite,
Ittai son of Ribai from Gibeah of the Benjaminites,
30Benaiah the Pirathonite,
Hiddai from the wadis of Gaash,#23:30 Or from Nahale-gaash
31Abi-albon the Arbathite,
Azmaveth the Barhumite,
32Eliahba the Shaalbonite,
the sons of Jashen,
Jonathan son of#23:32 Some LXX mss; MT omits son of; 1Ch 11:34 33Shammah the Hararite,
Ahiam son of Sharar the Hararite,
34Eliphelet son of Ahasbai son of the Maacathite,
Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,#2Sm 15:12
35Hezro the Carmelite,
Paarai the Arbite,
36Igal son of Nathan from Zobah,
Bani the Gadite,
37Zelek the Ammonite,
Naharai the Beerothite, the armor-bearer for Joab son of Zeruiah,
38Ira the Ithrite,
Gareb the Ithrite,
39and Uriah#Mt 1:6 the Hethite.#2Sm 11:3–26
There were thirty-seven in all.
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2 Samuel 23: CSB
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© 2017 Holman Bible Publishers
2 Samuel 23
23
1Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse saith, and the man who was raised on high saith, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel: 2The spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was upon my tongue. 3The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me: One that ruleth over men righteously, that ruleth in the fear of God, 4He shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, a morning without clouds; when the tender grass springeth out of the earth, through clear shining after rain. 5Verily my house is not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for it is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he maketh it not to grow. 6But the ungodly shall be all of them as thorns to be thrust away, for they cannot be taken with the hand: 7But the man that toucheth them must be armed with iron and the staff of a spear; and they shall be utterly burned with fire in their place.
8These be the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-basshebeth a Tahchemonite, chief of the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite, against eight hundred slain at one time. 9And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodai the son of an Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines that were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away: 10He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword: and the LORD wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to spoil. 11And after him was Shammah the son of Agce a Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a plot of ground full of lentils; and the people fled from the Philistines. 12But he stood in the midst of the plot, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the LORD wrought a great victory. 13And three of the thirty chief went down, and came to David in the harvest time unto the cave of Adullam; and the troop of the Philistines were encamped in the valley of Rephaim. 14And David was then in the hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Beth-lehem. 15And David longed and said, Oh that one would give me water to drink of the well of Beth-lehem which is by the gate! 16And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Beth-lehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: but he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the LORD. 17And he said, Be it far from me, O LORD, that I should do this: shall I drink the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did the three mighty men. 18And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred and slew them, and had a name among the three. 19Was he not most honourable of the three? therefore he was made their captain: howbeit he attained not unto the first three. 20And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done mighty deeds, he slew the two sons of Ariel of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow: 21And he slew an Egyptian, a goodly man: and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and slew him with his own spear. 22These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had a name among the three mighty men. 23He was more honourable than the thirty, but he attained not to the first three. And David set him over his guard. 24Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Beth-lehem; 25Shammah 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 of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin; 30Benaiah a Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash; 31Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite; 32Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan; 33Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Ararite; 34Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maacathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite; 35Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite; 36Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite; 37Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armourbearers to Joab the son of Zeruiah; 38Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite; 39Uriah the Hittite: thirty and seven in all.
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historical text maintained by the British and Foreign Bible Society