2 Samuel 23

1Now these are the last words of David, the utterance of David son of Jesse, the utterance of the man raised on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob and the sweet singer of Israel:

2“The Ruach Adonai has spoken through me and His word is on my tongue.

3The God of Israel has said, the Rock of Israel has spoken to me, ‘He who rules over men righteously, he who rules in the fear of God—

4he is like the light of the morning when the sun rises, a cloudless morning of glistening as grass springs from the earth.’

5Is it not true that my house is with God? For He made an everlasting covenant with me, ordered and secured in all things. Will He not make all my salvation and every desire come to fruition?

6But the worthless, all of them will be thrust aside like thorns, for they cannot be picked up by hand.

7But the man who touches them must be armed with iron and the shaft of a spear. They must be completely burned up with fire on the spot.”

David’s Mighty Men

8These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-basshebeth a Tahchemonite, chief of the captains—he wielded his spear against 800 and slew them in one encounter.

9Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodo son of an Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David when they defied the Philistines who were gathered there to battle. The men of Israel retreated,

10but he stood his ground and struck down the Philistines until his hand became weary and stuck to the sword. So Adonai brought about a great victory that day, and the people returned after him only to strip the slain.

11Next to him was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. Now the Philistines were assembled in formation where there was a plot of ground full of lentils, and the people fled from the Philistines.

12But he took his stand in the midst of the plot and defended it, and struck down the Philistines—so Adonai brought about a great victory.

13Once the three of the thirty chiefs went down and came to David at the cave of Adullam during the harvest, while a troop of Philistines was camping in the Valley of Rephaim.

14David was then in the stronghold, while the garrison of the Philistines was in Bethlehem.

15David said longingly, ‘“Who would get me water to drink from the well which is by the gate in Bethlehem?’”

16So the three mighty men broke through the Philistine lines, drew water from the well of Bethlehem by the gate, took it and brought it to David. However, he would not drink it but poured it out to Adonai

17and he said, “‘Far be it from me, Adonai, that I should do this—the blood of the men who went in jeopardy of their lives?’” So he would not drink it. These things the three mighty men did.

18Now Abishai, the brother of Joab, son of Zeruiah, was chief of the Thirty. Once he wielded his spear against 300 and killed them—he had a reputation among the Three.

19He was the most honored of the Thirty, so he was made their commander; however, he did not become one of the Three.

20Then there was Benaiah son of Jehoiada, son of a valiant man from Kabzeel, who had done mighty deeds. He killed the two from Ariel of Moab. Once, on a snowy day, he went down and killed a lion in the midst of a pit.

21He also killed an Egyptian—an impressive man—the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, but Benaiah went down to him with a staff, snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with his own spear.

22These sort of things Benaiah son of Jehoiada did, so that he had a name as famous as that of the Three mighty men.

23He was most honorable among the Thirty, but he attained not to the first Three. So David set him over his guard.

24Asahel brother of Joab was one of the Thirty, also Elhanan son of Dodo of Bethlehem,

25Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,

26Helez the Paltite, Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,

27Aviezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,

28Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,

29Heleb son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai son of Ribai of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin,

30Benaiah a Pirathonite, Hiddai from the wadis of Gaash,

31Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmavet the Barhumite,

32Eliahba the Shaalbonite of the sons of Jashen, Jonathan,

33Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam son of Sharar the Ararite,

34Eliphelet son of Ahasbai son of the Maacathite, Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,

35Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,

36Igal son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite,

37Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armor-bearer to Joab son of Zeruiah,

38Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,

39and Uriah the Hittite—37 in all.

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2 Samuel 23: TLV

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2 Samuel 23

David's Last Words

1These are the last words of David the son of Jesse.

The God of Jacob chose David

and made him a great king.

The Mighty God of Israel

loved him.#23.1 The Mighty … him: Or “He wrote Israel's favorite songs.”

When God told him to speak,

David said:

2The Spirit of the Lord

has told me what to say.

3Our Mighty Rock,#23.3 Mighty Rock: See the note at 22.2.

the God of Jacob, told me,

“A ruler who obeys God

and does right

4is like the sunrise

on a cloudless day,

or like rain that sparkles

on the grass.”#23.4 sparkles … grass: Or “makes the grass grow.”

5I have ruled this way,

and God will never break

his promise to me.

God's promise is complete

and unchanging;

he will always help me

and give me what I hope for.

6But evil people are pulled up

like thornbushes.

They are not dug up by hand,

7but with a sharp spear

and are burned on the spot.

The Three Warriors

(1 Chronicles 11.10-19)

8These are the names of David's warriors:

Ishbosheth#23.8 Ishbosheth: Hebrew “Josheb Bashebeth,” which seems to be another spelling of Ishbosheth. See the note at 2.8, although this is a different Ishbosheth. the son of Hachmon#23.8 the son of Hachmon: Or “the Tahchemonite” (see 1 Chronicles 11.11). was the leader of the Three Warriors.#23.8 the Three Warriors: The most honored group of warriors. They may have been part of the Thirty Warriors. “Three” and “thirty” are spelled almost the same in Hebrew, so there is some confusion in the manuscripts as to which group is being talked about in some places in the following lists. In one battle, he killed 800 men with his spear.#23.8 with … spear: One possible meaning for the difficult Hebrew text (see 1 Chronicles 11.11).

9The next one of the Three Warriors was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite. One time when the Philistines were at war with Israel, he and David dared the Philistines to fight them. Every one of the Israelite soldiers turned and ran, 10except Eleazar. He killed Philistines until his hand was cramped, and he couldn't let go of his sword. When Eleazar finished, all the Israelite troops had to do was come back and take the enemies' weapons and armor. The Lord gave Israel a great victory that day.

11Next was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. One time the Philistines brought their army together to destroy a crop of peas growing in a field near Lehi. The rest of Israel's soldiers ran away from the Philistines, 12but Shammah stood in the middle of the field and killed the Philistines. The crops were saved, and the Lord gave Israel a great victory.

13One year at harvest time, the Three Warriors#23.13 the Three Warriors: Or “three warriors.” Hebrew “three of the thirty most important.” went to meet David at Adullam Cave.#23.13 Adullam Cave: This may have happened during the time that David was an outlaw (see 1 Samuel 22.1-6). The Philistine army had set up camp in Rephaim Valley 14and had taken over Bethlehem. David was in his fortress, 15and he was very thirsty. He said, “I wish I had a drink from the well by the gate at Bethlehem.”

16The Three Warriors#23.16 the Three Warriors: Or “three warriors.” sneaked into the Philistine camp and got some water from the well near Bethlehem's gate. But after they brought the water back to David, he refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out as a sacrifice 17and said to the Lord, “I can't drink this water! It's like the blood of these men who risked their lives to get it for me.”

The Three Warriors did these brave deeds.

The Thirty Warriors

(1 Chronicles 11.20-47)

18Joab's brother Abishai was the leader of the Thirty Warriors,#23.18 the Thirty Warriors: The second most honored group of warriors. They may have also been officers in the army (see the note at 23.8). and in one battle he killed 300 men with his spear. He was as famous as the Three Warriors 19and certainly just as famous as the rest of the Thirty Warriors. He was the commander of the Thirty Warriors, but he still did not become one of the Three Warriors.

20Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was a brave man from Kabzeel who did some amazing things. He killed two of Moab's best fighters,#23.20 Moab's best fighters: Or “big lions in Moab;” one ancient translation “sons of Ariel from Moab.” and on a snowy day he went down into a pit and killed a lion. 21Another time, he killed an Egyptian, as big as a giant.#23.21 Egyptian … giant: First Chronicles 11.23; in this verse the Hebrew text has “good-looking Egyptian.” The Egyptian was armed with a spear, but Benaiah only had a club. Benaiah grabbed the spear from the Egyptian and killed him with it. 22-23Benaiah did these things. He never became one of the Three Warriors, but he was just as famous as they were and certainly just as famous as the rest of the Thirty Warriors. David made him the leader of his bodyguard.

24-39Some of the Thirty Warriors were:

Asahel the brother of Joab

Elhanan the son of Dodo from Bethlehem

Shammah from Harod

Elika from Harod

Helez the Paltite

Ira the son of Ikkesh from Tekoa

Abiezer from Anathoth

Mebunnai#23.24-39 Mebunnai: Or “Sibbecai” (see 1 Chronicles 11.26-47). the Hushathite

Zalmon the Ahohite

Maharai from Netophah

Heleb the son of Baanah from Netophah

Ittai the son of Ribai from Gibeah of the tribe of Benjamin

Benaiah from Pirathon

Hiddai from the streams on Mount Gaash

Abialbon from Beth-Arabah

Azmaveth from Bahurim#23.24-39 Bahurim: Or “Barhum.”

Eliahba from Shaalbon

Jashen#23.24-39 Jashen: Hebrew “sons of Jashen.”

Jonathan the son of Shammah the Hararite#23.24-39 Jonathan … Hararite: Some manuscripts of one ancient translation (see 1 Chronicles 11.26-47). In the Hebrew text Jonathan and Shammah are separate members of the list.

Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite

Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai from Maacah

Eliam the son of Ahithophel from Gilo

Hezro from Carmel

Paarai the Arbite

Igal the son of Nathan from Zobah

Bani the Gadite

Zelek from Ammon

Naharai from Beeroth, who carried the weapons of Joab the son of Zeruiah

Ira the Ithrite

Gareb the Ithrite

Uriah the Hittite

There were 37 in all.

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