II Samuel 23 Comparison: King James Version vs Young's Literal Translation
II Samuel 23
1Now 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,
2The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.
3The 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.
4And 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.
5Although 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.
6But the sons of Belial shall be all of them as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands:
7But 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.
8These 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.
9And 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:
10He 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.
11And 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.
12But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the Lord wrought a great victory.
13And 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.
14And David was then in an hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Beth–lehem.
15And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Beth–lehem, which is by the gate!
16And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Beth–lehem, 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.
17And 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.
18And 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.
19Was he not most honourable of three? therefore he was their captain: howbeit he attained not unto the first three.
20And 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:
21And 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.
22These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among three mighty men.
23He was more honourable than the thirty, but he attained not to the first three. And David set him over his guard.
24Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Beth–lehem,
25Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,
26Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,
27Abiezer the Anethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,
28Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,
29Heleb the son of Baanah, a Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai out of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin,
30Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash,
31Abi–albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,
32Eliahba the Shaalbonite, of the sons of Jashen, Jonathan,
33Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite,
34Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,
35Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,
36Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite,
37Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armourbearer to Joab the son of Zeruiah,
38Ira an Ithrite, Gareb an Ithrite,
39Uriah the Hittite: thirty and seven in all.
II Samuel 23
1And these are the last words of David: `The affirmation of David son of JesseAnd the affirmation of the man raised upConcerning the Anointed of the God of Jacob, And the Sweetness of the Songs of Israel:
2The Spirit of Jehovah hath spoken by me, And His word is on my tongue.
3He saidthe God of Israelto me, He spakethe Rock of Israel: He who is ruling over man is righteous, He is ruling in the fear of God.
4And as the light of morning he riseth, A morning sunno clouds! By the shining, by the rain, Tender grass of the earth!
5Fornot so is my house with God; Fora covenant age-during He made with me, Arranged in all things, and kept; Forall my salvation, and all desire, ForHe hath not caused it to spring up.
6As to the worthlessAs a thorn driven away are all of them, Fornot by hand are they taken;
7And the man who cometh against them Is filled with iron and the staff of a spear, And with fire they are utterly burnt In the cessation.'
8These are the names of the mighty ones whom David hath: sitting in the seat is the Tachmonite, head of the captainshe is Adino, who hardened himself against eight hundredwounded at one time.
9And after him is Eleazar son of Dodo, son of Ahohi, of the three mighty men with David; in their exposing themselves among the Philistinesthey have been gathered there to battle, and the men of Israel go up
10he hath arisen, and smiteth among the Philistines till that his hand hath been weary, and his hand cleaveth unto the sword, and Jehovah worketh a great salvation on that day, and the people turn back after him only to strip off.
11And after him is Shammah son of Agee the Hararite, and the Philistines are gathered into a company, and there is there a portion of the field full of lentiles, and the people hath fled from the presence of the Philistines,
12and he stationeth himself in the midst of the portion, and delivereth it, and smiteth the Philistines, and Jehovah worketh a great salvation.
13And three of the thirty heads go down and come unto the harvest, unto David, unto the cave of Adullam, and the company of the Philistines are encamping in the valley of Rephaim,
14and David is then in a fortress, and the station of the Philistines is then in Beth-Lehem,
15and David longeth and saith, `Who doth give me a drink of the water of the well of Beth-Lehem, which is by the gate?'
16And the three mighty ones cleave through the camp of the Philistines, and draw water out of the well of Beth-Lehem, which is by the gate, and take it up, and bring in unto David; and he was not willing to drink it, and poureth it out to Jehovah,
17and saith, `Far be it from me, O Jehovah, to do this; is it the blood of the men who are going with their lives?' and he was not willing to drink it; these things did the three mighty ones.
18And Abishai brother of Joab, son of Zeruiah, he is head of three, and he is lifting up his spear against three hundredwounded, and he hath a name among three.
19Of the three is he not the honoured? and he becometh their head; and unto the first three he hath not come.
20And Benaiah son of Jehoiada (son of a man of valour, great in deeds from Kabzeel), he hath smitten two lion-like men of Moab, and he hath gone down and smitten the lion in the midst of the pit in a day of snow.
21And he hath smitten the Egyptian man, a man of appearance, and in the hand of the Egyptian is a spear, and he goeth down unto him with a rod, and taketh violently away the spear out of the hand of the Egyptian, and slayeth him with his own spear.
22These things hath Benaiah son of Jehoiada done, and hath a name among three mighty.
23Of the thirty he is honoured, and unto the three he came not; and David setteth him over his guard.
24Asahel brother of Joab is of the thirty; Elhanan son of Dodo of Beth-Lehem.
25Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,
26Helez the Paltite, Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,
27Abiezer the Annethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,
28Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,
29Heleb son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai son of Ribai from Gibeah of the sons of Benjamin,
30Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash,
31Abi-Albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,
32Eliahba the Shaalbonite, of the sons of Jashen, Jonathan,
33Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam son of Sharar the Hararite,
34Eliphelet son of Ahasbai, son of the Maachathite, Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,
35Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,
36Igal son of Nathan from Zobah, Bani the Gadite,
37Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, bearer of the weapons of Joab son of Zeruiah,
38Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,
39Uriah the Hittite; in all thirty and seven.
Understanding King James Version vs Young's Literal Translation in II Samuel 23
King James Version (KJV)
The classic 1611 English translation known for its majestic prose and literary influence. Ideal for traditional study and memorization thanks to its formal style. A foundational English Bible used for centuries.
Young's Literal Translation (YLT)
An extremely literal, word-for-word translation that preserves original verb tenses and phrasing. Best for close study and comparing structures from the source languages. The English can feel rigid, but it’s very useful for detailed analysis.
You are viewing a side-by-side comparison of II Samuel 23 in the King James Version and Young's Literal Translation. Comparing these two versions can help shed light on the nuances of the original text.
Key Comparison: II Samuel 23:16
"And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Beth–lehem, 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."
"And the three mighty ones cleave through the camp of the Philistines, and draw water out of the well of Beth-Lehem, which is by the gate, and take it up, and bring in unto David; and he was not willing to drink it, and poureth it out to Jehovah,"
