2 Samuel 23
23
1 These are the last words of David. Now David, the son of Jesse, the man to whom it was appointed concerning the Christ of the God of Jacob, the preeminent psalmist of Israel said:
2 "The Spirit of the Lord has spoken through me, and his word was spoken through my tongue.
3 The God of Israel spoke to me, the Strong One of Israel spoke, the Ruler of men, the Just Ruler, in the fear of God,
4 like the first light of the morning as the sun is rising, when a morning without clouds glows red, and like plants springing forth from the earth after a rainfall.
5 But my house is not so great with God that he should undertake an eternal covenant with me, firm and fortified in all things. For he is the entirety of my salvation and the entirety of my will. And there is nothing of this which will not spring forth.
6 But all prevaricators shall be plucked out like thorns, yet they are not taken away by hands.
7 And if anyone wishes to touch them, he must be armed with iron and a wooden lance. And they shall be set ablaze and burned to nothing."
8 These are the names of the valiant of David. Sitting in the chair was the wisest leader among the three; he was like a very tender little worm in a tree, who killed eight hundred men in one attack.
9 After him, there was Eleazar, the son of his paternal uncle, an Ahohite, who was among the three valiant men who were with David when they chastised the Philistines, and they were gathered together in battle there.
10 And when the men of Israel had gone up, he himself stood fast and struck down the Philistines, until his hand grew weak and stiff with the sword. And the Lord wrought a great salvation on that day. And the people who had fled returned to take up the spoils of the slain.
11 And after him, there was Shammah, the son of Agee, from Hara. And the Philistines gathered together at an outpost. For a field full of lentils was in that place. And when the people had fled from the face of the Philistines,
12 he stood fast in the middle of the field, and it was protected by him. And he struck down the Philistines. And the Lord wrought a great salvation.
13 And moreover, before this, the three who were leaders among the thirty descended and went to David at harvest time, in the cave of Adullam. But the camp of the Philistines was positioned in the Valley of the giants.
14 And David was in a stronghold. Moreover, there was a garrison of the Philistines at that time in Bethlehem.
15 Then David desired, and he said, "If only someone would give me a drink of the water from the cistern, which is in Bethlehem beside the gate!"
16 Therefore, the three valiant men burst into the encampment of the Philistines, and they drew water from the cistern of Bethlehem, which was beside the gate. And they brought it to David. Yet he was not willing to drink; instead, he poured it out to the Lord,
17 saying: "May the Lord be gracious to me, so that I may not do this. Should I drink the blood of these men who have set out to the peril of their own lives?" Therefore, he was not willing to drink. These things were accomplished by these three robust men.
18 Also Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was first among the three. It was he who lifted up his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed. And he was renowned among the three,
19 and he was the noblest of the three, and he was their leader. But at first he did not attain to the three.
20 And Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, a very strong man of great deeds, was from Kabzeel. He slew the two lions of Moab, and he descended and slew a lion in the middle of a den, in the days of snow.
21 He also killed an Egyptian who had a spear in his hand, a man worthy to behold. And yet he had gone down to him with only a staff. And he forced the spear from the hand of the Egyptian, and he killed him with his own spear.
22 Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, accomplished these things.
23 And he was renowned among the three robust men, who were the most noble among the thirty. Yet truly, he did not attain to the three, until David made him his secret advisor.
24 Among the thirty were: Asahel, the brother of Joab, Elhanan, the son of his paternal uncle, from Bethlehem,
25 Shammah from Harod, Elika from Harod,
26 Helez from Palti, Ira, the son of Ikkesh, from Tekoa,
27 Abiezer from Anathoth, Mebunnai from Hushah,
28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,
29 Heleb, the son of Baanah, also himself a Netophathite, Ittai, the son of Ribai, from Gibeah, of the sons of Benjamin,
30 Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai from the Torrent Gaash,
31 Abialbon the Arbathite, Azmaveth from Beromi,
32 Eliahba from Shaalbon; the sons of Jashen, Jonathan,
33 Shammah from Orori, Ahiam, the son of Sharar, the Hararite,
34 Eliphelet, the son of Ahasbai, the son of Maacath, Eliam, the son of Ahithophel, the Gilonite,
35 Hezrai from Carmel, Paarai from Arbi,
36 Igal, the son of Nathan, from Zobah, Bani from Gad,
37 Zelek from Ammon, Naharai the Beerothite, the armor bearer of Joab, the son of Zeruiah,
38 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb also an Ithrite,
39 Uriah the Hittite: altogether thirty seven
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2 Samuel 23: CPDV
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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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Contemporary English Version, Second Edition (CEV®)
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