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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2 Samuel 23: CEV
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Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
© 2006 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.
2 Samuel 23
23
The Last Words of David
1Now these are the last words of David:
The oracle of David, the son of Jesse,
the oracle of #[ch. 7:8, 9; Ps. 78:70, 71] the man who was raised on high,
# [See ch. 22:51 above] the anointed of the God of Jacob,
the sweet psalmist of Israel:#23:1 Or the favorite of the songs of Israel
2 # [2 Pet. 1:21] “The Spirit of the Lord speaks by me;
his word is on my tongue.
3The God of Israel has spoken;
# See ch. 22:2, 3, 32, 47 the Rock of Israel has said to me:
When one rules justly over men,
ruling #Ex. 18:21; 2 Chr. 19:7, 9in the fear of God,
4he #[Judg. 5:31; Prov. 4:18; Hos. 6:5]dawns on them like the morning light,
like the sun shining forth on a cloudless morning,
like rain#23:4 Hebrew from rain that makes grass to sprout from the earth.
5“For does not my house stand so with God?
# ch. 7:15, 16; Ps. 89:29; Isa. 55:3 For he has made with me an everlasting covenant,
ordered in all things and secure.
For will he not cause to prosper
all my help and my desire?
6But worthless men#23:6 Hebrew worthlessness are all like thorns that are thrown away,
for they cannot be taken with the hand;
7but the man who touches them
arms himself with iron and the shaft of a spear,
and they are utterly consumed with fire.”#23:7 Hebrew consumed with fire in the sitting
David’s Mighty Men
8 # For ver. 8-39, see 1 Chr. 11:11-47 These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: #[1 Chr. 27:2, 3]Josheb-basshebeth a Tahchemonite; he was chief of the three.#23:8 Or of the captains He wielded his spear#23:8 Compare 1 Chronicles 11:11; the meaning of the Hebrew expression is uncertain against eight hundred whom he killed at one time.
9And next to him among the three mighty men was Eleazar the son of #1 Chr. 27:4 Dodo, son of #ver. 28Ahohi. He was with David when they defied the Philistines who were gathered there for battle, and the men of Israel withdrew. 10He rose and struck down the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clung to the sword. And the Lord brought about a great victory that day, and the men returned after him only to strip the slain.
11And next to him was Shammah, the son of Agee the #ver. 33Hararite. The Philistines gathered together at Lehi,#23:11 Or gathered together as a camp where there was a plot of ground full of lentils, and the men fled from the Philistines. 12But he took his stand in the midst of the plot and defended it and struck down the Philistines, and the Lord worked a great victory.
13And three of the thirty chief men went down and came about harvest time to David at the #See 1 Sam. 22:1 cave of Adullam, when a band of Philistines was encamped #See ch. 5:18in the Valley of Rephaim. 14David was then #1 Sam. 22:4, 5 in the stronghold, and #[1 Sam. 13:23]the garrison of the Philistines was then at Bethlehem. 15And David said longingly, “Oh, that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem that is by the gate!” 16Then the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate and carried and brought it to David. But he would not drink of it. He poured it out to the Lord 17and said, “Far be it from me, O Lord, that I should do this. Shall I drink #[Lev. 17:10]the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives?” Therefore he would not drink it. These things the three mighty men did.
18Now Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the thirty.#23:18 Two Hebrew manuscripts, Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts three And he wielded his spear against three hundred men#23:18 Or slain ones and killed them and won a name beside the three. 19He was the most renowned of the thirty#23:19 Compare 1 Chronicles 11:21; Hebrew Was he the most renowned of the three? and became their commander, but he did not attain to #1 Chr. 11:21the three.
20And #ch. 8:18; 20:23 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was a valiant man#23:20 Or the son of Ishhai of #Josh. 15:21Kabzeel, a doer of great deeds. He struck down two ariels#23:20 The meaning of the word ariel is unknown of Moab. He also went down and struck down a lion in a pit on a day when snow had fallen. 21And he struck down an Egyptian, a handsome man. The Egyptian had a spear in his hand, but Benaiah went down to him with a staff and snatched the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear. 22These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and won a name beside the three mighty men. 23He was renowned among the thirty, but he did not attain to the three. And David set him over his bodyguard.
24 # ch. 2:18; 1 Chr. 27:7 Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, 25#[1 Chr. 11:27; 27:8]Shammah of Harod, Elika of Harod, 26Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh #See ch. 14:2of Tekoa, 27Abiezer #Josh. 21:18 of Anathoth, Mebunnai #ch. 21:18the Hushathite, 28Zalmon #ver. 9 the Ahohite, Maharai #2 Kgs. 25:23of Netophah, 29Heleb the son of Baanah #[See ver. 28 above] of Netophah, Ittai the son of Ribai of #Josh. 18:28; Judg. 19:14Gibeah of the people of Benjamin, 30Benaiah #Judg. 12:13, 15; 1 Chr. 27:14 of Pirathon, Hiddai of the brooks of #Josh. 24:30; Judg. 2:9Gaash, 31Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth of #[ch. 3:16]Bahurim, 32Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan, 33#ver. 11Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite, 34Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai #ch. 10:6, 8 of Maacah, #ch. 11:3 Eliam the son of #ch. 15:12Ahithophel the Gilonite, 35Hezro#23:35 Or Hezrai #Josh. 15:55of Carmel, Paarai the Arbite, 36Igal the son of Nathan #ch. 8:3of Zobah, Bani the Gadite, 37Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai #ch. 4:2of Beeroth, the armor-bearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah, 38#[ch. 20:26] Ira the #1 Chr. 2:53Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, 39#ch. 11:3, 6Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.
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