2 Samuel 23

David’s last words

1These are David’s last words:

This is the declaration of Jesse’s son David,

the declaration of a man raised high,

a man anointed by the God of Jacob,

a man favored by the strong one of Israel.#23.1 Or Israel’s favorite singer or the favorite of Israel’s songs

2The LORD’s spirit speaks through me;

his word is on my tongue.

3Israel’s God has spoken,

Israel’s rock said to me:

“Whoever rules rightly over people,

whoever rules in the fear of God,

4is like the light of sunrise

on a morning with no clouds,

like the bright gleam after the rain

that brings grass from the ground.”

5Yes, my house is this way with God!#23.5 Or Yes, my house is surely with God!

He has made an eternal covenant with me,

laid out and secure in every detail.

Yes, he provides every one of my victories

and brings my every desire to pass.

6But despicable people are like thorns,

all of them good for nothing,

because they can’t be carried by hand.

7No one can touch them,

except with iron bar or the shaft of a spear.

They must be burned up with fire right on the spot!

David’s warriors

8These are the names of David’s warriors: Jeshbaal#23.8 LXXL, OL; MT Josheb-bashebeth; cf 1 Chron 11:11 from Hachmon#23.8 See 1 Chron 11:11. was chief of the Three.#23.8 LXXL, Vulg; cf 1 Chron 11:11; MT chief of the officers He raised his spear#23.8 Cf 1 Chron 11:11; Heb uncertain against eight hundred, killing them on a single occasion.

9Next in command was Eleazar, Dodo’s son and Ahohi’s grandson. He was among the three warriors with David when they insulted the Philistines who had gathered there for battle. The Israelites retreated, 10but he stood his ground and fought the Philistines until his hand was weary and stuck to the sword. But the LORD accomplished a great victory that day. The troops then returned to Eleazar, but only to plunder the dead.

11Next in command was Agee’s son Shammah, who was from Harar. The Philistines had gathered at Lehi, where there was a plot of land full of lentils. The troops fled from the Philistines, 12but Shammah took a position in the middle of the plot, defended it, and struck down the Philistines. The LORD accomplished a great victory.

13At harvesttime, three of the thirty chiefs went down and joined David at the fortress#23.13 Or cave; cf 2 Sam 23:14 of Adullam, while a force of Philistines were camped in the Rephaim Valley. 14At that time, David was in the fortress, and a Philistine fort was in Bethlehem. 15David had a craving and said, “If only someone could give me a drink of water from the well by the gate in Bethlehem.” 16So the three warriors broke through the Philistine camp and drew water from the well by the gate in Bethlehem and brought it back to David. But he refused to drink it and poured it out to the LORD.

17“The LORD forbid that I should do that,” he said. “Isn’t this the blood of men who risked their lives?” So he refused to drink it.

These were the kinds of things the three warriors did.

18Now Zeruiah’s son Abishai, the brother of Joab, was chief of the Thirty.#23.18 Some Heb manuscripts, Syr; MT third or three He raised his spear against three hundred men, killed them, and made a name for himself along with the Three. 19He was the most famous of the Thirty.#23.19 Syr; cf 1 Chron 11:25; MT Wasn’t he the most famous of the Three? He became their commander, but he wasn’t among the Three.

20Jehoiada’s son Benaiah was a hero from Kabzeel who performed great deeds. He killed the two sons#23.20 LXX; MT lacks sons. of Ariel from Moab. He once went down into a pit and killed a lion on a snowy day. 21He also killed a giant#23.21 MT handsome; cf 1 Chron 11:23 Egyptian who had a spear in his hand. Benaiah went against him armed with a staff. He grabbed the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear. 22These were the kinds of things Jehoiada’s son Benaiah did. He made a name for himself along with the three warriors. 23He was famous among the Thirty, but he didn’t become one of the Three. David placed him in command of his own bodyguard.

24Among the Thirty were:

Asahel, Joab’s brother;

Elhanan, Dodo’s son from Bethlehem;

25Shammah from Harod;

Elika from Harod;

26Helez from Pelet;

Ira, Ikkesh’s son from Tekoa;

27Abiezer from Anathoth;

Mebunnai the Hushathite;

28Zalmon from Ahoh;

Maharai from Netophah;

29Heleb, Baanah’s son from Netophah;

Ittai, Ribai’s son from Gibeah in Benjamin;

30Benaiah from Pirathon;

Hiddai from the Gaash ravines;

31Abi-albon from the desert plain;

Azmaveth from Bahurim;

32Eliahba from Shaalbon;

Jashen the Gizonite;#23.32 Cf 1 Chron 11:34; MT Jashen’s sons

Jonathan, 33Shammah’s son#23.33 LXX; MT lacks son. from Harar;

Ahiam, Sharar’s son from Harar;

34Eliphelet, Ahasbai’s son from Maacah;

Eliam, Ahithophel’s son from Giloh;

35Hezro from Carmel;

Paarai from Erab;

36Igal, Nathan’s son from Zobah;

Bani the Gadite;

37Zelek the Ammonite;

Naharai from Beeroth, and the armor-bearer for Zeruiah’s son Joab;

38Ira from Ither;

Gaeb from Ither;

39and Uriah the Hittite—

thirty-seven in all.

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2 Samuel 23: CEB

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2 Samuel 23

David’s Last Words

1These are the last words of David:

“The inspired utterance of David son of Jesse,

the utterance of the man exalted by the Most High,

the man anointed by the God of Jacob,

the hero of Israel’s songs:

2“The Spirit of the Lord spoke through me;

his word was on my tongue.

3The God of Israel spoke,

the Rock of Israel said to me:

‘When one rules over people in righteousness,

when he rules in the fear of God,

4he is like the light of morning at sunrise

on a cloudless morning,

like the brightness after rain

that brings grass from the earth.’

5“If my house were not right with God,

surely he would not have made with me an everlasting covenant,

arranged and secured in every part;

surely he would not bring to fruition my salvation

and grant me my every desire.

6But evil men are all to be cast aside like thorns,

which are not gathered with the hand.

7Whoever touches thorns

uses a tool of iron or the shaft of a spear;

they are burned up where they lie.”

David’s Mighty Warriors

8These are the names of David’s mighty warriors:

Josheb-Basshebeth,#23:8 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts suggest Ish-Bosheth, that is, Esh-Baal (see also 1 Chron. 11:11 Jashobeam). a Tahkemonite,#23:8 Probably a variant of Hakmonite (see 1 Chron. 11:11) was chief of the Three; he raised his spear against eight hundred men, whom he killed#23:8 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:11); Hebrew and other Septuagint manuscripts Three; it was Adino the Eznite who killed eight hundred men in one encounter.

9Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite. As one of the three mighty warriors, he was with David when they taunted the Philistines gathered at Pas Dammim#23:9 See 1 Chron. 11:13; Hebrew gathered there. for battle. Then the Israelites retreated, 10but Eleazar stood his ground and struck down the Philistines till his hand grew tired and froze to the sword. The Lord brought about a great victory that day. The troops returned to Eleazar, but only to strip the dead.

11Next to him was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. When the Philistines banded together at a place where there was a field full of lentils, Israel’s troops fled from them. 12But Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field. He defended it and struck the Philistines down, and the Lord brought about a great victory.

13During harvest time, three of the thirty chief warriors came down to David at the cave of Adullam, while a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. 14At that time David was in the stronghold, and the Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem. 15David longed for water and said, “Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!” 16So the three mighty warriors broke through the Philistine lines, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem and carried it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out before the Lord. 17“Far be it from me, Lord, to do this!” he said. “Is it not the blood of men who went at the risk of their lives?” And David would not drink it.

Such were the exploits of the three mighty warriors.

18Abishai the brother of Joab son of Zeruiah was chief of the Three.#23:18 Most Hebrew manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:20); two Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac Thirty He raised his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed, and so he became as famous as the Three. 19Was he not held in greater honor than the Three? He became their commander, even though he was not included among them.

20Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant fighter from Kabzeel, performed great exploits. He struck down Moab’s two mightiest warriors. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion. 21And he struck down a huge Egyptian. Although the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club. He snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear. 22Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada; he too was as famous as the three mighty warriors. 23He was held in greater honor than any of the Thirty, but he was not included among the Three. And David put him in charge of his bodyguard.

24Among the Thirty were:

Asahel the 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 from Anathoth,

Sibbekai#23:27 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 21:18; 1 Chron. 11:29); Hebrew Mebunnai the Hushathite,

28Zalmon the Ahohite,

Maharai the Netophathite,

29Heled#23:29 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Vulgate (see also 1 Chron. 11:30); most Hebrew manuscripts Heleb son of Baanah the Netophathite,

Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin,

30Benaiah the Pirathonite,

Hiddai#23:30 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:32) Hurai from the ravines of Gaash,

31Abi-Albon the Arbathite,

Azmaveth the Barhumite,

32Eliahba the Shaalbonite,

the sons of Jashen,

Jonathan 33son of#23:33 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:34); Hebrew does not have son of. Shammah the Hararite,

Ahiam son of Sharar#23:33 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:35) Sakar the Hararite,

34Eliphelet son of Ahasbai the Maakathite,

Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,

35Hezro the Carmelite,

Paarai the Arbite,

36Igal son of Nathan from Zobah,

the son of Hagri,#23:36 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:38); Hebrew Haggadi

37Zelek the Ammonite,

Naharai the Beerothite, the armor-bearer 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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