| 23 | 2 Samuel | ||
| 1 | These are the last words of David:
the very word of the man whom the High God raised up, the anointed prince of the God of Jacob and the singer of Israel's psalms: | David's last words. 2Sm.23.1-7 | |
| 2 | the spirit of the LORD has spoken through me, and his word is on my lips. | ||
| 3 | The God of Israel spoke, the Rock of Israel spoke of me: 'He who rules men in justice, who rules in the fear of God, | ||
| 4 | is like the light of morning at sunrise, a morning that is cloudless after rain and makes the grass sparkle from the earth.' | ||
| 5 | Surely, surely my house is true to God; for he has made a pact with me for all time, its terms spelled out and faithfully kept, my whole salvation, all my delight. | ||
| 6 | But the ungodly put forth no shoots, they are all like briars tossed aside; none dare put out his hand to pick then up, | ||
| 7 | none touch them but with tool of iron or of wood; they are fit only for burning in the fire . | ||
| 8 | THESE ARE THE NAMES OF DAVID'S HEROES. First came Ishbosheth the Hachmonite , chief of the three; it was he who brandished his spear over eight hundred dead, all slain at one tine. | David's famous soldiers. 2Sm.23.8-39 | |
| 9 | Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodo the Ahohite , one of the heroic three. He was with David at Pas-dammim where the Philistines had gathered for battle. When the Israelites fell back, | ||
| 10 | he stood his ground and rained blows on the Philistines until, from sheer weariness, his hand stuck fast to his sword; and so the LORD brought about a great victory that day. Afterwards the people rallied behind him, but it was only to strip the dead. | ||
| 11 | Next to him was Shammah son of Agee a Hararite. The Philistines had gathered at Lehi, where there was a field with a fine crop of lentils; and, when the Philistines put the people to flight, | ||
| 12 | he stood his ground in the field, saved it and defeated them. So the LORD again brought about a great victory. | ||
| 13 | Three of the thirty went down towards the beginning of harvest to join David at the cave of Adullam, while a band of Philistines was encamped in the Vale of Rephaim. | ||
| 14 | At that time David was in the stronghold and a Philistine garrison held Bethlehem. | ||
| 15 | One day a longing came over David, and he exclaimed, 'If only I could have a drink of water from the well by the gate of Bethlehem!' | ||
| 16 | At this the heroic three made their way through the Philistine lines and drew water from the well by the gate of Bethlehem and brought it to David. But David refused to drink it; he poured it out to the LORD | ||
| 17 | and said, 'God forbid that I should do such a thing! Can I drink the blood of these men who risked their lives for it?' So he would not drink it. Such were the exploits of the heroic three. | ||
| 18 | Abishai the brother of Joab son of Zeruiah was chief of the thirty. He once brandished his spear over three hundred dead, and he was famous among the thirty. | ||
| 19 | Some think he even surpassed the rest of the thirty in reputation, and he became their captain, but he did not rival the three. | ||
| 20 | Benaiah son of Jehoiada, from Kabzeel, was a hero of many exploits. It was he who smote the two champions of Moab, and who went down into a pit and killed a lion on a snowy day. | ||
| 21 | It was he who also killed the Egyptian, a man of striking appearance armed with a spear: he went to meet him with a club, snatched the spear out of the Egyptian's hand and killed him with his own weapon. | ||
| 22 | Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada, famous among the heroic thirty . | ||
| 23 | He was more famous than the rest of the thirty, but he did not rival the three. David appointed him to his household. | ||
| 24 | Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty, and Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem; | ||
| 25 | Shammah from Harod, and Elika from Harod; | ||
| 26 | Helez from Beth-pelet , and Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa; | ||
| 27 | Abiezer from Anathoth, and Mebunnai from Hushah; | ||
| 28 | Zalmon the Ahohite, and Maharai from Netophah; | ||
| 29 | Heled son of Baanah from Netophah, and Ittai son of Ribai from Gibeah of Benjamin; | ||
| 30 | Benaiah from Pirathon, and Hiddai from the ravines of Gaash; | ||
| 31 | Abi-albon from Beth-arabah , and Azmoth from Bahurim ; | ||
| 32 | Eliahba from Shaalbon, and Hashem the Gizonite; Jonathan | ||
| 33 | son of Shammah the Hararite, and Ahiam son of Sharar the Hararite ; | ||
| 34 | Eliphelet son of Ahasbai son of the Maacathite, and Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite; | ||
| 35 | Hezrai from Carmel, and Paarai the Arbite; | ||
| 36 | Igal son of Nathan from Zobah, and Bani the Gadite; | ||
| 37 | Zelek the Ammonite, and Naharai from Beeroth, armour-bearer to Joab son of Zeruiah; | ||
| 38 | Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, and | ||
| 39 | Uriah the Hittite: there were thirty-seven in all. | ||
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