2 Samuel 23
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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2011 Common English Bible. All rights reserved.
2 Samuel 23
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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© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.