2 Samuel 23

1And these are the last words of David: — 'The affirmation of David son of Jesse — And the affirmation of the man raised up — Concerning 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 said — the God of Israel — to me, He spake — the 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 sun — no clouds! By the shining, by the rain, Tender grass of the earth!

5For — not so is my house with God; For — a covenant age-during He made with me, Arranged in all things, and kept; For — all my salvation, and all desire, For — He hath not caused it to spring up.

6As to the worthless — As a thorn driven away are all of them, For — not 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 captains — he is Adino, who hardened himself against eight hundred — wounded 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 Philistines — they 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 hundred — wounded, 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.