II Samuel 23

¹These are the last words of David. Now David, the son of Jesse, the man to whom it was appointed concerning the Christ of the God of Jacob, the preeminent psalmist of Israel said:

²“The Spirit of the Lord has spoken through me, and his word was spoken through my tongue.

³The God of Israel spoke to me, the Strong One of Israel spoke, the Ruler of men, the Just Ruler, in the fear of God,

⁴like the first light of the morning as the sun is rising, when a morning without clouds glows red, and like plants springing forth from the earth after a rainfall.

⁵But my house is not so great with God that he should undertake an eternal covenant with me, firm and fortified in all things. For he is the entirety of my salvation and the entirety of my will. And there is nothing of this which will not spring forth.

⁶But all prevaricators shall be plucked out like thorns, yet they are not taken away by hands.

⁷And if anyone wishes to touch them, he must be armed with iron and a wooden lance. And they shall be set ablaze and burned to nothing.”

⁸These are the names of the valiant of David. Sitting in the chair was the wisest leader among the three; he was like a very tender little worm in a tree, who killed eight hundred men in one attack.

⁹After him, there was Eleazar, the son of his paternal uncle, an Ahohite, who was among the three valiant men who were with David when they chastised the Philistines, and they were gathered together in battle there.

¹⁰And when the men of Israel had gone up, he himself stood fast and struck down the Philistines, until his hand grew weak and stiff with the sword. And the Lord wrought a great salvation on that day. And the people who had fled returned to take up the spoils of the slain.

¹¹And after him, there was Shammah, the son of Agee, from Hara. And the Philistines gathered together at an outpost. For a field full of lentils was in that place. And when the people had fled from the face of the Philistines,

¹²he stood fast in the middle of the field, and it was protected by him. And he struck down the Philistines. And the Lord wrought a great salvation.

¹³And moreover, before this, the three who were leaders among the thirty descended and went to David at harvest time, in the cave of Adullam. But the camp of the Philistines was positioned in the Valley of the giants.

¹⁴And David was in a stronghold. Moreover, there was a garrison of the Philistines at that time in Bethlehem.

¹⁵Then David desired, and he said, “If only someone would give me a drink of the water from the cistern, which is in Bethlehem beside the gate!”

¹⁶Therefore, the three valiant men burst into the encampment of the Philistines, and they drew water from the cistern of Bethlehem, which was beside the gate. And they brought it to David. Yet he was not willing to drink; instead, he poured it out to the Lord,

¹⁷saying: “May the Lord be gracious to me, so that I may not do this. Should I drink the blood of these men who have set out to the peril of their own lives?” Therefore, he was not willing to drink. These things were accomplished by these three robust men.

¹⁸Also Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was first among the three. It was he who lifted up his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed. And he was renowned among the three,

¹⁹and he was the noblest of the three, and he was their leader. But at first he did not attain to the three.

²⁰And Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, a very strong man of great deeds, was from Kabzeel. He slew the two lions of Moab, and he descended and slew a lion in the middle of a den, in the days of snow.

²¹He also killed an Egyptian who had a spear in his hand, a man worthy to behold. And yet he had gone down to him with only a staff. And he forced the spear from the hand of the Egyptian, and he killed him with his own spear.

²²Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, accomplished these things.

²³And he was renowned among the three robust men, who were the most noble among the thirty. Yet truly, he did not attain to the three, until David made him his secret advisor.

²⁴Among the thirty were: Asahel, the brother of Joab, Elhanan, the son of his paternal uncle, from Bethlehem,

²⁵Shammah from Harod, Elika from Harod,

²⁶Helez from Palti, Ira, the son of Ikkesh, from Tekoa,

²⁷Abiezer from Anathoth, Mebunnai from Hushah,

²⁸Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,

²⁹Heleb, the son of Baanah, also himself a Netophathite, Ittai, the son of Ribai, from Gibeah, of the sons of Benjamin,

³⁰Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai from the Torrent Gaash,

³¹Abialbon the Arbathite, Azmaveth from Beromi,

³²Eliahba from Shaalbon; the sons of Jashen, Jonathan,

³³Shammah from Orori, Ahiam, the son of Sharar, the Hararite,

³⁴Eliphelet, the son of Ahasbai, the son of Maacath, Eliam, the son of Ahithophel, the Gilonite,

³⁵Hezrai from Carmel, Paarai from Arbi,

³⁶Igal, the son of Nathan, from Zobah, Bani from Gad,

³⁷Zelek from Ammon, Naharai the Beerothite, the armor bearer of Joab, the son of Zeruiah,

³⁸Ira the Ithrite, Gareb also an Ithrite,

³⁹Uriah the Hittite: altogether thirty seven

II Samuel 23

¹Now these are David's last words. David the son of Isai said: The man to whom it was appointed concerning the Christ of the God of Jacob, the excellent psalmist of Israel said:

²The spirit of the Lord hath spoken by me and his word by my tongue.

³The God of Israel said to me, the strong one of Israel spoke, the ruler of men, the just ruler in the fear of God.

⁴As the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, shineth in the morning without clouds, and as the grass springeth out of the earth by rain.

⁵Neither is my house so great with God, that he should make with me an eternal covenant, firm in all things and assured. For he is all my salvation, and all my will: neither is there ought thereof that springeth not up.

⁶But transgressors shall all of them be plucked up as thorns: which are not taken away with hands.

⁷And if a man will touch them, he must be armed with iron and with the staff of a lance: but they shall be set on fire and burnt to nothing.

⁸These are the names of the valiant men of David: Jesbaham sitting in the chair was the wisest chief among the three, he was like the most tender little worm of the wood, who killed eight hundred men at one onset.

⁹After him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three valiant men that were with David when they defied the Philistines, and they were there gathered together to battle.

¹⁰And when the men of Israel were gone away, he stood and smote the Philistines till his hand was weary, and grew stiff with the sword: and the Lord wrought a great victory that day: and the people that were fled away, returned to take spoils of them that were slain.

¹¹And after him was Semma the son of Age of Arari. And the Philistines were gathered together in a troop: for there was a field full of lentils. And when the people were fled from the face of the Philistines,

¹²He stood in the midst of the field, and defended it, and defeated the Philistines: and the Lord gave a great victory.

¹³Moreover also before this the three who were princes among the thirty, went down and came to David in the harvest time into the cave of Odollam: and the camp of the Philistines was in the valley of the giants.

¹⁴And David was then in a hold: and there was a garrison of the Philistines then in Bethlehem.

¹⁵And David longed, and said: O that some man would get me a drink of the water out of the cistern, that is in Bethlehem, by the gate.

¹⁶And the three valiant men broke through the camp of the Philistines, and drew water out of the cistern of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and brought it to David: but he would not drink, but offered it to the Lord,

¹⁷Saying: The Lord be merciful to me, that I may not do this: shall I drink the blood of these men that went, and the peril of their lives? therefore he would not drink. These things did these three mighty men.

¹⁸Abisai also the brother of Joab, the son of Sarvia, was chief among three: and he lifted up his spear against three hundred whom he slew, and he was renowned among the three,

¹⁹And the noblest of three, and was their chief, but to the three first he attained not.

²⁰And Banaias the son of Joiada a most valiant man, of great deeds, of Cabseel: he slew the two lions of Moab, and he went down, and slew a lion in the midst of a pit, in the time of snow.

²¹He also slew an Egyptian, a man worthy to be a sight, having a spear in his hand: but he went down to him with a rod, and forced the spear out of the hand of the Egyptian, and slew him with his own spear.

²²These things did Banaias the son of Joiada.

²³And he was renowned among the three valiant men, who were the most honourable among the thirty: but he attained not to the first three: and David made him of his privy council.

²⁴Asael the brother of Joab was one of the thirty, Elehanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem.

²⁵Semma of Harodi, Elica of Harodi,

²⁶Heles of Phalti, Hira the son of Acces of Thecua,

²⁷Abiezer of Anathoth, Mobonnai of Husati,

²⁸Selmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,

²⁹Heled the son of Baana, also a Netophathite, Ithai the son of Ribai of Gabaath of the children of Benjamin,

³⁰Banaia the Pharathonite, Heddai of the torrent Gaas,

³¹Abialbon the Arbathite, Azmaveth of Beromi,

³²Eliaba of Salaboni. The sons of Jassen, Jonathan,

³³Semma of Orori, Aliam the son of Sarar the Arorite,

³⁴Eliphelet the son of Aasbai the son of Machati, Eliam the son of Achitophel the Gelonite,

³⁵Hesrai of Carmel, Pharai of Arbi,

³⁶Igaal the son of Nathan of Soba, Bonni of Gadi,

³⁷Selec of Ammoni, Naharai the Berothite, armourbearer of Joab the son of Sarvia,

³⁸Ira the Jethrite, Gareb also a Jethrite;

³⁹Urias the Hethite, thirty and seven in all.