2 Samuel, 23

1. These are the last words of David: Thus speaks David son of Jesse, thus speaks the man raised to eminence, the anointed of the God of Jacob, the singer of the songs of Israel:

1. Now 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:

2. The spirit of Yahweh speaks through me, his word is on my tongue;

2. "The Spirit of the LORD speaks by me, his word is upon my tongue.

3. the God of Jacob has spoken, the Rock of Israel has said to me: He whose rule is upright on earth, who rules in the fear of God,

3. The 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,

4. is like the morning light at sunrise (on a cloudless morning) making the grass of the earth sparkle after rain.

4. he dawns on them like the morning light, like the sun shining forth upon a cloudless morning, like rain that makes grass to sprout from the earth.

5. Yes, my House stands firm with God: he has made an eternal covenant with me, all in order, well assured; does he not bring to fruition my every victory and desire?

5. Yea, 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?

6. But men of Belial he rejects like thorns, for these are never taken up in the hand:

6. But godless men are all like thorns that are thrown away; for they cannot be taken with the hand;

7. no one touches them except with a pitchfork or spear-shaft, and then only to burn them to nothing!

7. but the man who touches them arms himself with iron and the shaft of a spear, and they are utterly consumed with fire."

8. These are the names of David's champions: Ishbaal the Hachmonite leader of the Three; it was he who brandished his spear over eight hundred men whom he had killed at one time.

8. These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-basshe'beth a Tah-che'monite; he was chief of the three; he wielded his spear against eight hundred whom he slew at one time.

9. Next, there was Eleazar son of Dodo, the Ahohite, one of the three champions. He was with David at Pas-Dammim when the Philistines mustered for battle there and the men of Israel had disbanded.

9. And next to him among the three mighty men was Elea'zar the son of Dodo, son of Aho'hi. He was with David when they defied the Philistines who were gathered there for battle, and the men of Israel withdrew.

10. But he stood his ground and cut down the Philistines until his hand was so stiff that he could not let go of the sword. Yahweh brought about a great victory that day, and the people rallied behind him, although only to plunder.

10. He rose and struck down the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand cleaved to the sword; and the LORD wrought a great victory that day; and the men returned after him only to strip the slain.

11. Next, there was Shamma son of Elah, the Hararite. The Philistines had mustered at Lehi. There was a field full of lentils there; the people fled from the Philistines,

11. And next to him was Shammah, the son of Agee the Har'arite. The Philistines gathered together at Lehi, where there was a plot of ground full of lentils; and the men fled from the Philistines.

12. but he took his stand in the middle of the field, held it, and cut down the Philistines; and Yahweh brought about a great victory.

12. But he took his stand in the midst of the plot, and defended it, and slew the Philistines; and the LORD wrought a great victory.

13. Three members of the Thirty went down at the beginning of the harvest and came to David at the Cave of Adullam while a company of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of the Rephaim.

13. And 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 Reph'aim.

14. David was then in the stronghold, and there was a Philistine garrison in Bethlehem.

14. David was then in the stronghold; and the garrison of the Philistines was then at Bethlehem.

15. Longingly David said, 'If only someone would fetch me a drink of water from the well that stands by the gate at Bethlehem!'

15. And David said longingly, "O that some one would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem which is by the gate!"

16. At this, the three champions, forcing their way through the Philistine camp, drew water from the well that stands by the gate of Bethlehem and, taking it away, presented it to David. He, however, would not drink any of it, but poured it out as a libation to Yahweh.

16. Then the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem which was by the gate, and took and brought it to David. But he would not drink of it; he poured it out to the LORD,

17. 'Yahweh preserve me', he said, 'from doing such a thing! This is the blood of men who went at risk of their lives.' That was why he would not drink. Such were the deeds of these three champions.

17. and 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 did the three mighty men.

18. Abishai, brother of Joab and son of Zeruiah, was leader of the Thirty. It was he who brandished his spear over three hundred men whom he had killed, winning himself a name among the Thirty.

18. Now Abi'shai, the brother of Jo'ab, the son of Zeru'iah, was chief of the thirty. And he wielded his spear against three hundred men and slew them, and won a name beside the three.

19. He was a most illustrious member of the Thirty and became their captain, but he was not equal to the Three.

19. He was the most renowned of the thirty, and became their commander; but he did not attain to the three.

20. Benaiah of Kabzeel was the son of Jehoiada and hero of many exploits. He it was who slaughtered two formidable Moabites and, one snowy day, climbed down and slaughtered the lion in the storage-well.

20. And Benai'ah the son of Jehoi'ada was a valiant man of Kabzeel, a doer of great deeds; he smote two ariels of Moab. He also went down and slew a lion in a pit on a day when snow had fallen.

21. He also slaughtered an Egyptian of great stature. The Egyptian was armed with a spear, but he took him on with a staff, tore the spear from the Egyptian's hand and killed the man with it.

21. And he slew an Egyptian, a handsome man. The Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but Benai'ah went down to him with a staff, and snatched the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and slew him with his own spear.

22. Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada, winning him a name among the thirty champions.

22. These things did Benai'ah the son of Jehoi'ada, and won a name beside the three mighty men.

23. He was a most illustrious member of the Thirty, but he was not equal to the Three. David put him in command of his bodyguard.

23. He was renowned among the thirty, but he did not attain to the three. And David set him over his bodyguard.

24. Asahel brother of Joab was one of the Thirty; Elhanan son of Dodo, of Bethlehem;

24. As'ahel the brother of Jo'ab was one of the thirty; Elha'nan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,

25. Shammah of Harod; Elika of Harod;

25. Shammah of Harod, Eli'ka of Harod,

26. Helez of Beth-Pelet; Ira son of Ikkesh, of Tekoa;

26. Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh of Teko'a,

27. Abiezer of Anathoth; Sibbecai of Hushah;

27. Abi-e'zer, of An'athoth, Mebun'nai the Hu'shathite,

28. Zalmon of Ahoh; Maharai of Netophah;

28. Zalmon the Aho'hite, Ma'harai of Netoph'ah,

29. Heled son of Baanah, of Netophah; Ittai son of Ribai, of Gibeah in Benjamin;

29. Heleb the son of Ba'anah of Netoph'ah, It'tai the son of Ri'bai of Gib'e-ah of the Benjaminites,

30. Benaiah of Pirathon; Hiddai of the Torrents of Gaash;

30. Benai'ah of Pira'thon, Hid'dai of the brooks of Ga'ash,

31. Abibaal of Beth-ha-Arabah; Azmaveth of Bahurim;

31. Abi-al'bon the Ar'bathite, Az'maveth of Bahu'rim,

32. Eliahba of Shaalbon; Jashen of Gimzo; Jonathan

32. Eli'ahba of Sha-al'bon, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan,

33. son of Shammah, of Harar; Ahiam son of Sharar, of Harar;

33. Shammah the Har'arite, Ahi'am the son of Sharar the Har'arite,

34. Eliphelet son of Ahasbai, of Beth-Maacah; Eliam son of Ahithophel, of Gilo;

34. Eliph'elet the son of Ahas'bai of Ma'acah, Eli'am the son of Ahith'ophel of Gilo,

35. Hezro of Carmel; Paarai of Arab;

35. Hezro of Carmel, Pa'arai the Arbite,

36. Igal son of Nathan, of Zobah; Bani the Gadite;

36. Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite,

37. Zelek the Ammonite; Naharai of Beeroth squire to Joab, son of Zeruiah;

37. Zelek the Ammonite, Na'harai of Be-er'oth, the armor-bearer of Jo'ab the son of Zeru'iah,

38. Ira of Jattir; Gareb of Jattir;

38. Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,

39. Uriah the Hittite- thirty-seven in all.

39. Uri'ah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.