1Here are David’s last words. He said, ‘I am David, the son of Jesse. God has given me a message. The Most High God has greatly honoured me. The God of Jacob anointed me as king. I am the hero of Israel’s songs.2‘The Spirit of the LORD spoke through me. I spoke his word with my tongue.3The God of Israel spoke. The Rock of Israel said to me, “A king must rule over people in a way that is right. He must have respect for God when he rules.4Then he will be like the light of morning at sunrise when there aren’t any clouds. He will be like the bright sun after rain that makes grass grow on the earth.”5‘Suppose my royal family was not right with God. Then he would not have made a covenant with me that will last for ever. Every part of it was well prepared and made secure. Then God would not have saved me completely or given me everything I longed for.6But evil people are like thorns that are thrown away. You can’t pick them up with your hands.7Even if you touch them, you must use an iron tool or a spear. Thorns are burned up right where they are.’
David’s mighty warriors
8Here are the names of David’s mighty warriors. Josheb-Basshebeth was chief of the three mighty warriors. He was a Tahkemonite. He used his spear against 800 men. He killed all of them at one time.9Next to him was Eleazar. He was one of the three mighty warriors. He was the son of Dodai, the Ahohite. Eleazar was with David at Pas Dammim. That’s where Israel’s army made fun of the Philistines who were gathered there for battle. Then the Israelites pulled back.10But Eleazar stayed right where he was. He struck down the Philistines until his hand grew tired. But he still held on to his sword. The LORD helped him win a great battle that day. The troops returned to Eleazar. They came back to him only to take what they wanted from the dead bodies.11Next to him was Shammah, the son of Agee. Shammah was a Hararite. The Philistines gathered together at a place where there was a field full of lentils. Israel’s troops ran away from the Philistines.12But Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field. He didn’t let the Philistines capture it. He struck them down. The LORD helped him win a great battle.13David was at the cave of Adullam. During harvest time, three of the 30 chief warriors came down to him there. A group of Philistines was camped in the Valley of Rephaim.14At that time David was in his usual place of safety. Some Philistine troops were stationed at Bethlehem.15David longed for a drink of water. He said, ‘I wish someone would get me water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem.’16So the three mighty warriors fought their way past the Philistine guards. They got some water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem. They took the water back to David. But David refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out as a drink offering to the LORD.17‘LORD, I would never drink that water!’ David said. ‘It stands for the blood of these men. They put their lives in danger by going to Bethlehem to get it.’ So David wouldn’t drink it. Those were some of the brave things the three mighty warriors did.18Abishai was chief over the three mighty warriors. He was the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah. He used his spear against 300 men. He killed all of them. So he became as famous as the three mighty warriors were.19In fact, he was even more honoured than the three mighty warriors. He became their commander. But he wasn’t included among them.20Benaiah was a great hero from Kabzeel. He was the son of Jehoiada. Benaiah did many brave things. He struck down two of Moab’s best warriors. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day. He killed a lion there.21And he struck down a huge Egyptian. The Egyptian was holding a spear. Benaiah went out to fight against him with a club. He grabbed the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand. Then he killed him with it.22Those were some of the brave things Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, did. He too was as famous as the three mighty warriors were.23He was honoured more than any of the thirty chief warriors. But he wasn’t included among the three mighty warriors. David put him in charge of his own personal guards.24Here is a list of David’s men who were among the thirty chief warriors. Asahel, the brother of Joab Elhanan, the son of Dodo, from Bethlehem25Shammah, the Harodite Elika, the Harodite26Helez, the Paltite Ira, the son of Ikkesh, from Tekoa27Abiezer from Anathoth Sibbekai, the Hushathite28Zalmon, the Ahohite Maharai from Netophah29Heled, the son of Baanah, from Netophah Ithai, the son of Ribai, from Gibeah in Benjamin30Benaiah from Pirathon Hiddai from the valleys of Gaash31Abi-Albon, the Arbathite Azmaveth, the Barhumite32Eliahba, the Shaalbonite the sons of Jashen Jonathan,33the son of Shammah, the Hararite Ahiam, the son of Sharar, the Hararite34Eliphelet, the son of Ahasbai, the Maakathite Eliam, the son of Ahithophel, from Giloh35Hezro from Carmel Paarai, the Arbite36Igal, the son of Nathan, from Zobah the son of Hagri37Zelek from Ammon Naharai from Beeroth, who carried the armour of Joab, the son of Zeruiah38Ira, the Ithrite Gareb, the Ithrite39and Uriah, the Hittite The total number of men was 37.
2 Samuel 23
English Standard Version
The Last Words of David
1Now these are the last words of David: The oracle of David, the son of Jesse, the oracle of the man who was raised on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, the sweet psalmist of Israel:[1] (2Sa 7:8; 2Sa 22:51; Ps 78:70)2“The Spirit of the Lord speaks by me; his word is on my tongue. (2Pe 1:21)3The God of Israel has spoken; the Rock of Israel has said to me: When one rules justly over men, ruling in the fear of God, (Ex 18:21; 2Sa 22:2; 2Sa 22:32; 2Sa 22:47; 2Ch 19:7; 2Ch 19:9)4he dawns on them like the morning light, like the sun shining forth on a cloudless morning, like rain[2] that makes grass to sprout from the earth. (Jud 5:31; Pr 4:18; Ho 6:5)5“For does not my house stand so with God? 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? (2Sa 7:15; Ps 89:29; Isa 55:3)6But worthless men[3] 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.”[4]
David’s Mighty Men
8These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-basshebeth a Tahchemonite; he was chief of the three.[5] He wielded his spear[6] against eight hundred whom he killed at one time. (1Ch 11:11; 1Ch 27:2)9And next to him among the three mighty men was Eleazar the son of Dodo, son of Ahohi. He was with David when they defied the Philistines who were gathered there for battle, and the men of Israel withdrew. (2Sa 23:28; 1Ch 27:4)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 Hararite. The Philistines gathered together at Lehi,[7] where there was a plot of ground full of lentils, and the men fled from the Philistines. (2Sa 23:33)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 cave of Adullam, when a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. (1Sa 22:1; 2Sa 5:18)14David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then at Bethlehem. (1Sa 13:23; 1Sa 22:4)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 Lord17and said, “Far be it from me, O Lord, that I should do this. Shall I drink 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. (Le 17:10)18Now Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the thirty.[8] And he wielded his spear against three hundred men[9] and killed them and won a name beside the three.19He was the most renowned of the thirty[10] and became their commander, but he did not attain to the three. (1Ch 11:21)20And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was a valiant man[11] of Kabzeel, a doer of great deeds. He struck down two ariels[12] of Moab. He also went down and struck down a lion in a pit on a day when snow had fallen. (Jos 15:21; 2Sa 8:18; 2Sa 20:23)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.24Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, (2Sa 2:18; 1Ch 27:7)25Shammah of Harod, Elika of Harod, (1Ch 11:27; 1Ch 27:8)26Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh of Tekoa, (2Sa 14:2)27Abiezer of Anathoth, Mebunnai the Hushathite, (Jos 21:18; 2Sa 21:18)28Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai of Netophah, (2Sa 23:9; 2Ki 25:23)29Heleb the son of Baanah of Netophah, Ittai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the people of Benjamin, (Jos 18:28; Jud 19:14; 2Sa 23:28)30Benaiah of Pirathon, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash, (Jos 24:30; Jud 2:9; Jud 12:13; Jud 12:15; 1Ch 27:14)31Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth of Bahurim, (2Sa 3:16)32Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan,33Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite, (2Sa 23:11)34Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai of Maacah, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, (2Sa 10:6; 2Sa 10:8; 2Sa 11:3; 2Sa 15:12)35Hezro[13] of Carmel, Paarai the Arbite, (Jos 15:55)36Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite, (2Sa 8:3)37Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai of Beeroth, the armor-bearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah, (2Sa 4:2)38Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, (2Sa 20:26; 1Ch 2:53)39Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all. (2Sa 11:3; 2Sa 11:6)