1These are the last words of David:
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. 9Next 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, 10he 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. 11Next 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, 12he stood his ground in the field, saved it and defeated them. So the LORD again brought about a great victory.
13Three 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. 14At that time David was in the stronghold and a Philistine garrison held Bethlehem. 15One 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!' 16At 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 17and 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.
18Abishai 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. 19Some think he even surpassed the rest of the thirty in reputation, and he became their captain, but he did not rival the three. 20Benaiah 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. 21It 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. 22Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada, famous among the heroic thirty . 23He was more famous than the rest of the thirty, but he did not rival the three. David appointed him to his household.
24Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty, and Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem; 25Shammah from Harod, and Elika from Harod; 26Helez from Beth-pelet , and Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa; 27Abiezer from Anathoth, and Mebunnai from Hushah; 28Zalmon the Ahohite, and Maharai from Netophah; 29Heled son of Baanah from Netophah, and Ittai son of Ribai from Gibeah of Benjamin; 30Benaiah from Pirathon, and Hiddai from the ravines of Gaash; 31Abi-albon from Beth-arabah , and Azmoth from Bahurim ; 32Eliahba from Shaalbon, and Hashem the Gizonite; Jonathan 33son of Shammah the Hararite, and Ahiam son of Sharar the Hararite ; 34Eliphelet son of Ahasbai son of the Maacathite, and Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite; 35Hezrai from Carmel, and Paarai the Arbite; 36Igal son of Nathan from Zobah, and Bani the Gadite; 37Zelek the Ammonite, and Naharai from Beeroth, armour-bearer to Joab son of Zeruiah; 38Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, and 39Uriah the Hittite: there were thirty-seven in all.
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