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 [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,

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

2. The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word [was] in 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 said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men [must be] just, 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. And [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.

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. Although 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.

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

6. But [the sons] of Belial [shall be] all of them as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands:

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

7. But 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.

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 [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.

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 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:

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 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.

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 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.

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 stood in the midst of the ground, 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 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.

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

14. And David [was] then in an hold, and the garrison of the Philistines [was] then [in] 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 longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of 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. And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, 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.

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 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.

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. And 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.

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

19. Was he not most honourable of three? therefore he was their captain: howbeit he attained not unto the [first] 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 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:

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 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.

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

22. These [things] did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among 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 more honourable than the thirty, but he attained not to the [first] three. And David set him over his guard.

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

24. Asahel the brother of Joab [was] one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,

25. Shammah of Harod; Elika of Harod;

25. Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,

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

26. Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,

27. Abiezer of Anathoth; Sibbecai of Hushah;

27. Abiezer the Anethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,

28. Zalmon of Ahoh; Maharai of Netophah;

28. Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,

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

29. Heleb the son of Baanah, a Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai out of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin,

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

30. Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash,

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

31. Abialbon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,

32. Eliahba of Shaalbon; Jashen of Gimzo; Jonathan

32. Eliahba the Shaalbonite, of the sons of Jashen, Jonathan,

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

33. Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite,

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

34. Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,

35. Hezro of Carmel; Paarai of Arab;

35. Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai 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, Naharai the Beerothite, armourbearer to Joab the son of Zeruiah,

38. Ira of Jattir; Gareb of Jattir;

38. Ira an Ithrite, Gareb an Ithrite,

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

39. Uriah the Hittite: thirty and seven in all.