2 Samuel 23
23
David’s Last Words
1These are the last words of David:
“Here is the declaration by David, son of Jesse—
the declaration by the man whom God raised up,#23:1 Dead Sea Scrolls, Greek; Masoretic Text “who was raised up high.”
whom the God of Jacob anointed,
the singer of Israel’s psalms:
2“The Spirit of the Lord spoke through me.
His words were on my tongue.
3The God of Israel spoke to them.
The rock of Israel told me,
‘The one who rules humans with justice rules with the fear of God.
4He is like the morning light as the sun rises,
like a morning without clouds,
like the brightness after a rainstorm.
The rain makes the grass grow from the earth.’
5“Truly, God considers my house to be that way,
because he has made a lasting promise #23:5 Or “covenant.” to me,
with every detail arranged and assured.
⌞He promised⌟ everything that helps me,
everything that pleases me.
Truly, he makes these things happen.
6“Worthless people are like thorns.
All of them are thrown away, because they cannot be picked by hand.
7A person who touches them uses iron ⌞tools⌟
or the shaft of a spear.
Fire #23:7 Or “The fire.” will burn them up completely wherever they are.”
David’s Three Fighting Men
(1 Chronicles 11:10–19)
8These are the names of David’s fighting men: Josheb Basshebeth from Tahkemon’s family was leader of the three. He used a spear #23:8 1 Chronicles 11:11. to kill 800 men on one occasion.
9Next in rank to him was Eleazar, another one of the three fighting men. He was the son of Dodo and grandson of Aho. Eleazar was with David at Pas Dammim #23:9 1 Chronicles 11:13; Masoretic Text “when [the Philistines] challenged.” when the Philistines gathered there for battle. When the soldiers from Israel retreated, 10he attacked and killed Philistines until his hand got tired and stuck to his sword. So the Lord won an impressive victory that day. The army returned to Eleazar, but they only returned to strip the dead.
11Next in rank to him was Shammah, the son of Agee from Harar. The Philistines had gathered at Lehi, where there was a field of ripe lentils. When the troops fled from the Philistines, 12he stood in the middle of the field and defended it by killing Philistines. So the Lord won an impressive victory.
13At harvest time three of the thirty leading men came to David at the cave of Adullam when a troop from the Philistine army was camping in the valley of Rephaim. 14While David was in the fortified camp, Philistine troops were at Bethlehem. 15When David became thirsty, he said, “I wish I could have a drink of water from the well at the city gate of Bethlehem.” 16So the three fighting men burst into the Philistine camp and drew water from the well. They brought it to David, but he refused to drink it. He poured it out ⌞as an offering⌟ to the Lord and said, 17“It’s unthinkable that I would do this, Lord. This is the blood of men who risked their lives!” So he refused to drink it.
These are the things which the three fighting men did.
David’s Thirty Fighting Men
(1 Chronicles 11:20–47)
18Joab’s brother Abishai, Zeruiah’s son, was the leader of the thirty. He used his spear to kill 300 men. He was as famous as the three 19and was honored more than they were. So he became their captain, but he didn’t become a member of the three.
20Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, was from Kabzeel and was a brave man who did many things. He killed two distinguished soldiers from Moab. He also went into a pit and killed a lion on the day it snowed. 21And he killed a handsome Egyptian. The Egyptian had a spear in his hand. Benaiah went to him with a club, grabbed the spear from him, and killed him with it. 22These are the things that Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, did. He was as famous as the three fighting men. 23He was honored more than the thirty, but he was not a member of the three. David put him in charge of his bodyguards.
24One of the thirty was Joab’s brother Asahel. ⌞The thirty leading men were⌟
Elhanan (son of Dodo) from Bethlehem,
25Shammah from Harod,
Elika from Harod,
26Helez the Paltite,
Ira (son of Ikkesh) from Tekoa,
27Abiezer from Anathoth,
Mebunnai (son of Hushai),
28Zalmon (descendant of Ahohi),
Maharai from Netophah,
29Heleb (son of Baanah) from Netophah,
Ittai (son of Ribai) from Gibeah in Benjamin,
30Benaiah from Pirathon,
Hiddai from the Gaash ravines,
31Abi Albon from Beth Arabah,
Azmaveth from Bahurim,
32Elihba from Shaalbon,
Bene Jashen,
33Jonathan (⌞son of⌟ Shammah the Hararite),
Ahiam (son of Sharar the Hararite),
34Eliphelet (son of Ahasbai and grandson of a man from Maacah),
Eliam (son of Ahithophel) from Gilo,
35Hezrai from Carmel,
Paarai from Arabah,
36Igal (son of Nathan) from Zobah,
Bani from the tribe of Gad,
37Zelek from Ammon,
Naharai from Beeroth, armorbearer for Zeruiah’s son Joab,
38Ira (descendant of Ithra),
Gareb (descendant of Ithra),
39Uriah the Hittite—
37 in all.
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GOD'S WORD® Translation ©1995, 2003, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2020 by God's Word to the Nations Mission Society. All rights reserved.
2 Samuel 23
23
David's Last Words
1Now these be the last words of David.
David the son of Jesse said,
And the man who was raised up on high,
The anointed of the God of Jacob,
And the sweet psalmist of Israel, said,
2The Spirit of the LORD spake by me,
And his word was in my tongue.
3The God of Israel said,
The Rock of Israel spake to me,
He that ruleth over men must be just,
Ruling in the fear of God.
4And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth,
Even a morning without clouds;
As the tender grass springing out of the earth
By clear shining after rain.
5Although my house be not so with God;
Yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant,
Ordered in all things, and sure:
For this is all my salvation, and all my desire,
Although he make it not to grow.
6But the sons of Belial shall be all of them as thorns thrust away,
Because they cannot be taken with hands:
7But the man that shall touch them
Must be fenced with iron and the staff of a spear;
And they shall be utterly burned with fire in the same place.
His Mighty Men
8These be the names of the mighty men whom David had: the Tachmonite that sat in the seat, chief among the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite: he lift up his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time.
9And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines that were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away: 10he arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword: and the LORD wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to spoil.
11And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentiles: and the people fled from the Philistines. 12But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the LORD wrought a great victory.
13And three of the thirty chief went down, and came to David in the harvest time unto the cave of Adullam: and the troop of the Philistines pitched in the valley of Rephaim. 14And David was then in an hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Beth-lehem. 15And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Beth-lehem, which is by the gate! 16And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Beth-lehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the LORD. 17And he said, Be it far from me, O LORD, that I should do this: is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men.
18And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief among three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred, and slew them, and had the name among three. 19Was he not most honourable of three? therefore he was their captain: howbeit he attained not unto the first three. 20And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man, of Kabzeel, who had done many acts, he slew two lionlike men of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow: 21and he slew an Egyptian, a goodly man: and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and slew him with his own spear. 22These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among three mighty men. 23He was more honourable than the thirty, but he attained not to the first three. And David set him over his guard.
24Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Beth-lehem, 25Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite, 26Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, 27Abiezer the Anethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, 28Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, 29Heleb the son of Baanah, a Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai out of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin, 30Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash, 31Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite, 32Eliahba the Shaalbonite, of the sons of Jashen, Jonathan, 33Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite, 34Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, 35Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, 36Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite, 37Zelek the Ammonite, Nahari the Beerothite, armourbearer to Joab the son of Zeruiah, 38Ira an Ithrite, Gareb an Ithrite, 39Uriah the Hittite: thirty and seven in all.
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