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2 Samuel 21-24
New King James Version
2 Samuel 21-24
New King James Version
David Avenges the Gibeonites
21 Now there was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year; and David (A)inquired of the Lord. And the Lord answered, “It is because of Saul and his [a]bloodthirsty house, because he killed the Gibeonites.” 2 So the king called the Gibeonites and spoke to them. Now the Gibeonites were not of the children of Israel, but (B)of the remnant of the Amorites; the children of Israel had sworn protection to them, but Saul had sought to kill them (C)in his zeal for the children of Israel and Judah.
3 Therefore David said to the Gibeonites, “What shall I do for you? And with what shall I make atonement, that you may bless (D)the inheritance of the Lord?”
4 And the Gibeonites said to him, “We will have no silver or gold from Saul or from his house, nor shall you kill any man in Israel for us.”
So he said, “Whatever you say, I will do for you.”
5 Then they answered the king, “As for the man who consumed us and plotted against us, that we should be destroyed from remaining in any of the territories of Israel, 6 let seven men of his descendants be delivered (E)to us, and we will hang them before the Lord (F)in Gibeah of Saul, (G)whom the Lord chose.”
And the king said, “I will give them.”
7 But the king spared (H)Mephibosheth the son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of (I)the Lord’s oath that was between them, between David and Jonathan the son of Saul. 8 So the king took Armoni and Mephibosheth, the two sons of (J)Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, whom she bore to Saul, and the five sons of [b]Michal the daughter of Saul, whom she [c]brought up for Adriel the son of Barzillai the Meholathite; 9 and he delivered them into the hands of the Gibeonites, and they hanged them on the hill (K)before the Lord. So they fell, all seven together, and were put to death in the days of harvest, in the first days, in the beginning of barley harvest.
10 Now (L)Rizpah the daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it for herself on the rock, (M)from the beginning of harvest until the late rains poured on them from heaven. And she did not allow the birds of the air to rest on them by day nor the beasts of the field by night.
11 And David was told what Rizpah the daughter of Aiah, the concubine of Saul, had done. 12 Then David went and took the bones of Saul, and the bones of Jonathan his son, from the men of (N)Jabesh Gilead who had stolen them from the street of [d]Beth Shan, where the (O)Philistines had hung them up, after the Philistines had struck down Saul in Gilboa. 13 So he brought up the bones of Saul and the bones of Jonathan his son from there; and they gathered the bones of those who had been hanged. 14 They buried the bones of Saul and Jonathan his son in the country of Benjamin in (P)Zelah, in the tomb of Kish his father. So they performed all that the king commanded. And after that (Q)God heeded the prayer for the land.
Philistine Giants Destroyed(R)
15 When the Philistines were at war again with Israel, David and his servants with him went down and fought against the Philistines; and David grew faint. 16 Then Ishbi-Benob, who was one of the sons of [e]the (S)giant, the weight of whose bronze spear was three hundred shekels, who was bearing a new sword, thought he could kill David. 17 But (T)Abishai the son of Zeruiah came to his aid, and struck the Philistine and killed him. Then the men of David swore to him, saying, (U)“You shall go out no more with us to battle, lest you quench the (V)lamp of Israel.”
18 (W)Now it happened afterward that there was again a battle with the Philistines at Gob. Then (X)Sibbechai the Hushathite killed [f]Saph, who was one of the sons of [g]the giant. 19 Again there was war at Gob with the Philistines, where (Y)Elhanan the son of [h]Jaare-Oregim the Bethlehemite killed (Z)the brother of Goliath the Gittite, the shaft of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam.
20 Yet again (AA)there was war at Gath, where there was a man of great stature, who had six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot, twenty-four in number; and he also was born to [i]the giant. 21 So when he (AB)defied Israel, Jonathan the son of [j]Shimea, David’s brother, killed him.
22 (AC)These four were born to [k]the giant in Gath, and fell by the hand of David and by the hand of his servants.
Praise for God’s Deliverance(AD)
22 Then David (AE)spoke to the Lord the words of this song, on the day when the Lord had (AF)delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul. 2 And he (AG)said:
(AH)“The Lord is my rock and my (AI)fortress and my deliverer;
3 The God of my strength, (AJ)in whom I will trust;
My (AK)shield and the (AL)horn[l] of my salvation,
My (AM)stronghold and my (AN)refuge;
My Savior, You save me from violence.
4 I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised;
So shall I be saved from my enemies.
5 “When the waves of death surrounded me,
The floods of ungodliness [m]made me afraid.
6 The (AO)sorrows of Sheol surrounded me;
The snares of death confronted me.
7 In my distress (AP)I called upon the Lord,
And cried out to my God;
He (AQ)heard my voice from His temple,
And my cry entered His ears.
8 “Then (AR)the earth shook and trembled;
(AS)The foundations of [n]heaven quaked and were shaken,
Because He was angry.
9 Smoke went up from His nostrils,
And devouring (AT)fire from His mouth;
Coals were kindled by it.
10 He (AU)bowed the heavens also, and came down
With (AV)darkness under His feet.
11 He rode upon a cherub, and flew;
And He [o]was seen (AW)upon the wings of the wind.
12 He made (AX)darkness canopies around Him,
Dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.
13 From the brightness before Him
Coals of fire were kindled.
14 “The Lord (AY)thundered from heaven,
And the Most High uttered His voice.
15 He sent out (AZ)arrows and scattered them;
Lightning bolts, and He vanquished them.
16 Then the channels of the sea (BA)were seen,
The foundations of the world were uncovered,
At the (BB)rebuke of the Lord,
At the blast of the breath of His nostrils.
17 “He(BC) sent from above, He took me,
He drew me out of many waters.
18 He delivered me from my strong enemy,
From those who hated me;
For they were too strong for me.
19 They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
But the Lord was my (BD)support.
20 (BE)He also brought me out into a broad place;
He delivered me because He (BF)delighted in me.
21 “The(BG) Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness;
According to the (BH)cleanness of my hands
He has recompensed me.
22 For I have (BI)kept the ways of the Lord,
And have not wickedly departed from my God.
23 For all His (BJ)judgments were before me;
And as for His statutes, I did not depart from them.
24 I was also (BK)blameless before Him,
And I kept myself from my iniquity.
25 Therefore (BL)the Lord has [p]recompensed me according to my righteousness,
According to [q]my cleanness in His eyes.
26 “With (BM)the merciful You will show Yourself merciful;
With a blameless man You will show Yourself blameless;
27 With the pure You will show Yourself pure;
And (BN)with the devious You will show Yourself shrewd.
28 You will save the (BO)humble[r] people;
But Your eyes are on (BP)the haughty, that You may bring them down.
29 “For You are my (BQ)lamp, O Lord;
The Lord shall enlighten my darkness.
30 For by You I can run against a troop;
By my God I can leap over a (BR)wall.
31 As for God, (BS)His way is perfect;
(BT)The word of the Lord is proven;
He is a shield to all who trust in Him.
32 “For (BU)who is God, except the Lord?
And who is a rock, except our God?
33 [s]God is my (BV)strength and power,
And He (BW)makes [t]my way (BX)perfect.
34 He makes [u]my feet (BY)like the feet of deer,
And (BZ)sets me on my high places.
35 He teaches my hands [v]to make war,
So that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
36 “You have also given me the shield of Your salvation;
Your gentleness has made me great.
37 You (CA)enlarged my path under me;
So my feet did not slip.
38 “I have pursued my enemies and destroyed them;
Neither did I turn back again till they were destroyed.
39 And I have destroyed them and wounded them,
So that they could not rise;
They have fallen (CB)under my feet.
40 For You have (CC)armed me with strength for the battle;
You have [w]subdued under me (CD)those who rose against me.
41 You have also [x]given me the (CE)necks of my enemies,
So that I destroyed those who hated me.
42 They looked, but there was none to save;
Even (CF)to the Lord, but He did not answer them.
43 Then I beat them as fine (CG)as the dust of the earth;
I trod them (CH)like dirt in the streets,
And I [y]spread them out.
44 “You(CI) have also delivered me from the [z]strivings of my people;
You have kept me as the (CJ)head of the nations.
(CK)A people I have not known shall serve me.
45 The foreigners submit to me;
As soon as they hear, they obey me.
46 The foreigners fade away,
And [aa]come frightened (CL)from their hideouts.
47 “The Lord lives!
Blessed be my Rock!
Let God be exalted,
The (CM)Rock of my salvation!
48 It is God who avenges me,
And (CN)subdues the peoples under me;
49 He delivers me from my enemies.
You also lift me up above those who rise against me;
You have delivered me from the (CO)violent man.
50 Therefore I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among (CP)the Gentiles,
And sing praises to Your (CQ)name.
51 “He(CR) is the tower of salvation to His king,
And shows mercy to His (CS)anointed,
To David and (CT)his descendants forevermore.”
David’s Last Words
23 Now these are the last words of David.
Thus says David the son of Jesse;
Thus says (CU)the man raised up on high,
(CV)The anointed of the God of Jacob,
And the sweet psalmist of Israel:
2 “The(CW) Spirit of the Lord spoke by me,
And His word was on my tongue.
3 The God of Israel said,
(CX)The Rock of Israel spoke to me:
‘He who rules over men must be just,
Ruling (CY)in the fear of God.
4 And (CZ)he shall be like the light of the morning when the sun rises,
A morning without clouds,
Like the tender grass springing out of the earth,
By clear shining after rain.’
5 “Although my house is not so with God,
(DA)Yet He has made with me an everlasting covenant,
Ordered in all things and secure.
For this is all my salvation and all my desire;
Will He not make it increase?
6 But the sons of rebellion shall all be as thorns thrust away,
Because they cannot be taken with hands.
7 But the man who touches them
Must be [ab]armed with iron and the shaft of a spear,
And they shall be utterly burned with fire in their place.”
David’s Mighty Men(DB)
8 These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: [ac]Josheb-Basshebeth the Tachmonite, chief among [ad]the captains. He was called Adino the Eznite, because he had killed eight hundred men at one time. 9 And after him was (DC)Eleazar the son of [ae]Dodo, the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David when they defied the Philistines who were gathered there for battle, and the men of Israel had retreated. 10 He arose and attacked the Philistines until his hand was (DD)weary, and his hand stuck to the sword. The Lord brought about a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to (DE)plunder. 11 And after him was (DF)Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. (DG)The Philistines had gathered together into a troop where there was a piece of ground full of lentils. So the people fled from the Philistines. 12 But he stationed himself in the middle of the field, defended it, and killed the Philistines. So the Lord brought about a great victory.
13 Then (DH)three of the thirty chief men went down at harvest time and came to David at (DI)the cave of Adullam. And the troop of Philistines encamped in (DJ)the Valley of Rephaim. 14 David was then in (DK)the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. 15 And David said with longing, “Oh, that someone would give me a drink of the water from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!” 16 So the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines, drew water from the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate, and took it and brought it to David. Nevertheless he would not drink it, but poured it out to the Lord. 17 And he said, “Far be it from me, O Lord, that I should do this! Is this not (DL)the blood of the men who went in jeopardy of their lives?” Therefore he would not drink it.
These things were done by the three mighty men.
18 Now (DM)Abishai the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of [af]another three. He lifted his spear against three hundred men, killed them, and won a name among these three. 19 Was he not the most honored of three? Therefore he became their captain. However, he did not attain to the first three.
20 Benaiah was the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man from (DN)Kabzeel, [ag]who had done many deeds. (DO)He had killed two lion-like heroes of Moab. He also had gone down and killed a lion in the midst of a pit on a snowy day. 21 And he killed an Egyptian, [ah]a spectacular man. The Egyptian had a spear in his hand; so he went down to him with a staff, wrested the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with his own spear. 22 These things Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did, and won a name among three mighty men. 23 He was more honored than the thirty, but he did not attain to the first three. And David appointed him (DP)over his guard.
24 (DQ)Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, 25 (DR)Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite, 26 Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, 27 Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, 28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, 29 Heleb the son of Baanah (the Netophathite), Ittai the son of Ribai from Gibeah of the children of Benjamin, 30 Benaiah a Pirathonite, Hiddai from the brooks of (DS)Gaash, 31 Abi-Albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite, 32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite (of the sons of Jashen), Jonathan, 33 (DT)Shammah the [ai]Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite, 34 Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the son of (DU)Ahithophel the Gilonite, 35 [aj]Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, 36 Igal the son of Nathan of (DV)Zobah, Bani the Gadite, 37 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite (armorbearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah), 38 (DW)Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, 39 and (DX)Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.
David’s Census of Israel and Judah(DY)
24 Again (DZ)the anger of the Lord was aroused against Israel, and He moved David against them to say, (EA)“Go, [ak]number Israel and Judah.”
2 So the king said to Joab the commander of the army who was with him, “Now go throughout all the tribes of Israel, (EB)from Dan to Beersheba, and count the people, that (EC)I may know the number of the people.”
3 And Joab said to the king, “Now may the Lord your God (ED)add to the people a hundred times more than there are, and may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king desire this thing?” 4 Nevertheless the king’s word [al]prevailed against Joab and against the captains of the army. Therefore Joab and the captains of the army went out from the presence of the king to count the people of Israel.
5 And they crossed over the Jordan and camped in (EE)Aroer, on the right side of the town which is in the midst of the ravine of Gad, and toward (EF)Jazer. 6 Then they came to Gilead and to the land of Tahtim Hodshi; they came to (EG)Dan Jaan and around to (EH)Sidon; 7 and they came to the stronghold of (EI)Tyre and to all the cities of the (EJ)Hivites and the Canaanites. Then they went out to South Judah as far as Beersheba. 8 So when they had gone through all the land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days. 9 Then Joab gave the sum of the number of the people to the king. (EK)And there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men who drew the sword, and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.
The Judgment on David’s Sin(EL)
10 And (EM)David’s heart condemned him after he had numbered the people. So (EN)David said to the Lord, (EO)“I have sinned greatly in what I have done; but now, I pray, O Lord, take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have (EP)done very foolishly.”
11 Now when David arose in the morning, the word of the Lord came to the prophet (EQ)Gad, David’s (ER)seer, saying, 12 “Go and tell David, ‘Thus says the Lord: “I offer you three things; choose one of them for yourself, that I may do it to you.” ’ ” 13 So Gad came to David and told him; and he said to him, “Shall (ES)seven[am] years of famine come to you in your land? Or shall you flee three months before your enemies, while they pursue you? Or shall there be three days’ plague in your land? Now consider and see what answer I should take back to Him who sent me.”
14 And David said to Gad, “I am in great distress. Please let us fall into the hand of the Lord, (ET)for His mercies are great; but (EU)do not let me fall into the hand of man.”
15 So (EV)the Lord sent a plague upon Israel from the morning till the appointed time. From Dan to Beersheba seventy thousand men of the people died. 16 (EW)And when the [an]angel stretched out His hand over Jerusalem to destroy it, (EX)the Lord relented from the destruction, and said to the angel who was destroying the people, “It is enough; now restrain your hand.” And the angel of the Lord was by the threshing floor of [ao]Araunah the Jebusite.
17 Then David spoke to the Lord when he saw the angel who was striking the people, and said, “Surely (EY)I have sinned, and I have done wickedly; but these sheep, what have they done? Let Your hand, I pray, be against me and against my father’s house.”
The Altar on the Threshing Floor(EZ)
18 And Gad came that day to David and said to him, (FA)“Go up, erect an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.” 19 So David, according to the word of Gad, went up as the Lord commanded. 20 Now Araunah looked, and saw the king and his servants coming toward him. So Araunah went out and bowed before the king with his face to the ground.
21 Then Araunah said, “Why has my lord the king come to his servant?”
(FB)And David said, “To buy the threshing floor from you, to build an altar to the Lord, that (FC)the plague may be withdrawn from the people.”
22 Now Araunah said to David, “Let my lord the king take and offer up whatever seems good to him. (FD)Look, here are oxen for burnt sacrifice, and threshing implements and the yokes of the oxen for wood. 23 All these, O king, Araunah has given to the king.”
And Araunah said to the king, “May the Lord your God (FE)accept you.”
24 Then the king said to Araunah, “No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price; nor will I offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God with that which costs me nothing.” So (FF)David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. 25 And David built there an altar to the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. (FG)So the Lord heeded the prayers for the land, and (FH)the plague was withdrawn from Israel.
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 21:1 Lit. house of bloodshed
- 2 Samuel 21:8 Merab, 1 Sam. 18:19; 25:44; 2 Sam. 3:14; 6:23
- 2 Samuel 21:8 Lit. bore to Adriel
- 2 Samuel 21:12 Beth Shean, Josh. 17:11
- 2 Samuel 21:16 Or Rapha
- 2 Samuel 21:18 Sippai, 1 Chr. 20:4
- 2 Samuel 21:18 Or Rapha
- 2 Samuel 21:19 Jair, 1 Chr. 20:5
- 2 Samuel 21:20 Or Rapha
- 2 Samuel 21:21 Shammah, 1 Sam. 16:9 and elsewhere
- 2 Samuel 21:22 Or Rapha
- 2 Samuel 22:3 Strength
- 2 Samuel 22:5 Or overwhelmed
- 2 Samuel 22:8 So with MT, LXX, Tg.; Syr., Vg. hills (cf. Ps. 18:7)
- 2 Samuel 22:11 So with MT, LXX; many Heb. mss., Syr., Vg. flew (cf. Ps. 18:10); Tg. spoke with power
- 2 Samuel 22:25 rewarded
- 2 Samuel 22:25 LXX, Syr., Vg. the cleanness of my hands in His sight (cf. Ps. 18:24); Tg. my cleanness before His word
- 2 Samuel 22:28 afflicted
- 2 Samuel 22:33 DSS, LXX, Syr., Vg. It is God who arms me with strength (cf. Ps. 18:32); Tg. It is God who sustains me with strength
- 2 Samuel 22:33 So with Qr., LXX, Syr., Tg., Vg. (cf. Ps. 18:32); Kt. His
- 2 Samuel 22:34 So with Qr., LXX, Syr., Tg., Vg. (cf. Ps. 18:33); Kt. His
- 2 Samuel 22:35 Lit. for the war
- 2 Samuel 22:40 Lit. caused to bow down
- 2 Samuel 22:41 given me victory over
- 2 Samuel 22:43 scattered
- 2 Samuel 22:44 contentions
- 2 Samuel 22:46 So with LXX, Tg., Vg. (cf. Ps. 18:45); MT gird themselves
- 2 Samuel 23:7 Lit. filled
- 2 Samuel 23:8 Lit. One Who Sits in the Seat (1 Chr. 11:11)
- 2 Samuel 23:8 So with MT, Tg.; LXX, Vg. the three
- 2 Samuel 23:9 Dodai, 1 Chr. 27:4
- 2 Samuel 23:18 So with MT, LXX, Vg.; some Heb. mss., Syr. thirty; Tg. the mighty men
- 2 Samuel 23:20 Lit. great of acts
- 2 Samuel 23:21 Lit. a man of appearance
- 2 Samuel 23:33 Or Ararite
- 2 Samuel 23:35 Hezro, 1 Chr. 11:37
- 2 Samuel 24:1 take a census of
- 2 Samuel 24:4 overruled
- 2 Samuel 24:13 So with MT, Syr., Tg., Vg.; LXX three (cf. 1 Chr. 21:12)
- 2 Samuel 24:16 Or Angel
- 2 Samuel 24:16 Ornan, 1 Chr. 21:15
2 Samuel 21-24
New International Version
2 Samuel 21-24
New International Version
The Gibeonites Avenged
21 During the reign of David, there was a famine(A) for three successive years; so David sought(B) the face of the Lord. The Lord said, “It is on account of Saul and his blood-stained house; it is because he put the Gibeonites to death.”
2 The king summoned the Gibeonites(C) and spoke to them. (Now the Gibeonites were not a part of Israel but were survivors of the Amorites; the Israelites had sworn to spare them, but Saul in his zeal for Israel and Judah had tried to annihilate them.) 3 David asked the Gibeonites, “What shall I do for you? How shall I make atonement so that you will bless the Lord’s inheritance?”(D)
4 The Gibeonites answered him, “We have no right to demand silver or gold from Saul or his family, nor do we have the right to put anyone in Israel to death.”(E)
“What do you want me to do for you?” David asked.
5 They answered the king, “As for the man who destroyed us and plotted against us so that we have been decimated and have no place anywhere in Israel, 6 let seven of his male descendants be given to us to be killed and their bodies exposed(F) before the Lord at Gibeah of Saul—the Lord’s chosen(G) one.”
So the king said, “I will give them to you.”
7 The king spared Mephibosheth(H) son of Jonathan, the son of Saul, because of the oath(I) before the Lord between David and Jonathan son of Saul. 8 But the king took Armoni and Mephibosheth, the two sons of Aiah’s daughter Rizpah,(J) whom she had borne to Saul, together with the five sons of Saul’s daughter Merab,[a] whom she had borne to Adriel son of Barzillai the Meholathite.(K) 9 He handed them over to the Gibeonites, who killed them and exposed their bodies on a hill before the Lord. All seven of them fell together; they were put to death(L) during the first days of the harvest, just as the barley harvest was beginning.(M)
10 Rizpah daughter of Aiah took sackcloth and spread it out for herself on a rock. From the beginning of the harvest till the rain poured down from the heavens on the bodies, she did not let the birds touch them by day or the wild animals by night.(N) 11 When David was told what Aiah’s daughter Rizpah, Saul’s concubine, had done, 12 he went and took the bones of Saul(O) and his son Jonathan from the citizens of Jabesh Gilead.(P) (They had stolen their bodies from the public square at Beth Shan,(Q) where the Philistines had hung(R) them after they struck Saul down on Gilboa.)(S) 13 David brought the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan from there, and the bones of those who had been killed and exposed were gathered up.
14 They buried the bones of Saul and his son Jonathan in the tomb of Saul’s father Kish, at Zela(T) in Benjamin, and did everything the king commanded. After that,(U) God answered prayer(V) in behalf of the land.(W)
Wars Against the Philistines(X)
15 Once again there was a battle between the Philistines(Y) and Israel. David went down with his men to fight against the Philistines, and he became exhausted. 16 And Ishbi-Benob, one of the descendants of Rapha, whose bronze spearhead weighed three hundred shekels[b] and who was armed with a new sword, said he would kill David. 17 But Abishai(Z) son of Zeruiah came to David’s rescue; he struck the Philistine down and killed him. Then David’s men swore to him, saying, “Never again will you go out with us to battle, so that the lamp(AA) of Israel will not be extinguished.(AB)”
18 In the course of time, there was another battle with the Philistines, at Gob. At that time Sibbekai(AC) the Hushathite killed Saph, one of the descendants of Rapha.
19 In another battle with the Philistines at Gob, Elhanan son of Jair[c] the Bethlehemite killed the brother of[d] Goliath the Gittite,(AD) who had a spear with a shaft like a weaver’s rod.(AE)
20 In still another battle, which took place at Gath, there was a huge man with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot—twenty-four in all. He also was descended from Rapha. 21 When he taunted(AF) Israel, Jonathan son of Shimeah,(AG) David’s brother, killed him.
22 These four were descendants of Rapha in Gath, and they fell at the hands of David and his men.
David’s Song of Praise(AH)
22 David sang(AI) to the Lord the words of this song when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. 2 He said:
“The Lord is my rock,(AJ) my fortress(AK) and my deliverer;(AL)
3 my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,(AM)
my shield[e](AN) and the horn[f](AO) of my salvation.
He is my stronghold,(AP) my refuge and my savior—
from violent people you save me.
4 “I called to the Lord, who is worthy(AQ) of praise,
and have been saved from my enemies.
5 The waves(AR) of death swirled about me;
the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.
6 The cords of the grave(AS) coiled around me;
the snares of death confronted me.
7 “In my distress(AT) I called(AU) to the Lord;
I called out to my God.
From his temple he heard my voice;
my cry came to his ears.
8 The earth(AV) trembled and quaked,(AW)
the foundations(AX) of the heavens[g] shook;
they trembled because he was angry.
9 Smoke rose from his nostrils;
consuming fire(AY) came from his mouth,
burning coals(AZ) blazed out of it.
10 He parted the heavens and came down;
dark clouds(BA) were under his feet.
11 He mounted the cherubim(BB) and flew;
he soared[h] on the wings of the wind.(BC)
12 He made darkness(BD) his canopy around him—
the dark[i] rain clouds of the sky.
13 Out of the brightness of his presence
bolts of lightning(BE) blazed forth.
14 The Lord thundered(BF) from heaven;
the voice of the Most High resounded.
15 He shot his arrows(BG) and scattered the enemy,
with great bolts of lightning he routed them.
16 The valleys of the sea were exposed
and the foundations of the earth laid bare
at the rebuke(BH) of the Lord,
at the blast(BI) of breath from his nostrils.
17 “He reached down from on high(BJ) and took hold of me;
he drew(BK) me out of deep waters.
18 He rescued(BL) me from my powerful enemy,
from my foes, who were too strong for me.
19 They confronted me in the day of my disaster,
but the Lord was my support.(BM)
20 He brought me out into a spacious(BN) place;
he rescued(BO) me because he delighted(BP) in me.(BQ)
21 “The Lord has dealt with me according to my righteousness;(BR)
according to the cleanness(BS) of my hands(BT) he has rewarded me.
22 For I have kept(BU) the ways of the Lord;
I am not guilty of turning from my God.
23 All his laws are before me;(BV)
I have not turned(BW) away from his decrees.
24 I have been blameless(BX) before him
and have kept myself from sin.
25 The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness,(BY)
according to my cleanness[j] in his sight.
26 “To the faithful you show yourself faithful,
to the blameless you show yourself blameless,
27 to the pure(BZ) you show yourself pure,
but to the devious you show yourself shrewd.(CA)
28 You save the humble,(CB)
but your eyes are on the haughty(CC) to bring them low.(CD)
29 You, Lord, are my lamp;(CE)
the Lord turns my darkness into light.
30 With your help I can advance against a troop[k];
with my God I can scale a wall.
31 “As for God, his way is perfect:(CF)
The Lord’s word is flawless;(CG)
he shields(CH) all who take refuge in him.
32 For who is God besides the Lord?
And who is the Rock(CI) except our God?(CJ)
33 It is God who arms me with strength[l]
and keeps my way secure.
34 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;(CK)
he causes me to stand on the heights.(CL)
35 He trains my hands(CM) for battle;
my arms can bend a bow(CN) of bronze.
36 You make your saving help my shield;(CO)
your help has made[m] me great.
37 You provide a broad path(CP) for my feet,
so that my ankles do not give way.
38 “I pursued my enemies and crushed them;
I did not turn back till they were destroyed.
39 I crushed(CQ) them completely, and they could not rise;
they fell beneath my feet.
40 You armed me with strength for battle;
you humbled my adversaries before me.(CR)
41 You made my enemies turn their backs(CS) in flight,
and I destroyed my foes.
42 They cried for help,(CT) but there was no one to save them—(CU)
to the Lord, but he did not answer.(CV)
43 I beat them as fine as the dust(CW) of the earth;
I pounded and trampled(CX) them like mud(CY) in the streets.
44 “You have delivered(CZ) me from the attacks of the peoples;
you have preserved(DA) me as the head of nations.
People(DB) I did not know now serve me,
45 foreigners cower(DC) before me;
as soon as they hear of me, they obey me.(DD)
46 They all lose heart;
they come trembling[n](DE) from their strongholds.
47 “The Lord lives! Praise be to my Rock!
Exalted(DF) be my God, the Rock, my Savior!(DG)
48 He is the God who avenges(DH) me,(DI)
who puts the nations under me,
49 who sets me free from my enemies.(DJ)
You exalted me(DK) above my foes;
from a violent man you rescued me.
50 Therefore I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;
I will sing the praises(DL) of your name.(DM)
51 “He gives his king great victories;(DN)
he shows unfailing kindness to his anointed,(DO)
to David(DP) and his descendants forever.”(DQ)
David’s Last Words
23 These are the last words of David:
“The inspired utterance of David son of Jesse,
the utterance of the man exalted(DR) by the Most High,
the man anointed(DS) by the God of Jacob,
the hero of Israel’s songs:
2 “The Spirit(DT) of the Lord spoke through me;
his word was on my tongue.
3 The God of Israel spoke,
the Rock(DU) of Israel said to me:
‘When one rules over people in righteousness,(DV)
when he rules in the fear(DW) of God,(DX)
4 he is like the light(DY) of morning(DZ) at sunrise(EA)
on a cloudless morning,
like the brightness after rain(EB)
that brings grass from the earth.’
5 “If my house were not right with God,
surely he would not have made with me an everlasting covenant,(EC)
arranged and secured in every part;
surely he would not bring to fruition my salvation
and grant me my every desire.
6 But evil men are all to be cast aside like thorns,(ED)
which are not gathered with the hand.
7 Whoever touches thorns
uses a tool of iron or the shaft of a spear;
they are burned up where they lie.”
David’s Mighty Warriors(EE)
8 These are the names of David’s mighty warriors:(EF)
Josheb-Basshebeth,[o](EG) a Tahkemonite,[p] was chief of the Three; he raised his spear against eight hundred men, whom he killed[q] in one encounter.
9 Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodai(EH) the Ahohite.(EI) As one of the three mighty warriors, he was with David when they taunted the Philistines gathered at Pas Dammim[r] for battle. Then the Israelites retreated, 10 but Eleazar stood his ground and struck down the Philistines till his hand grew tired and froze to the sword. The Lord brought about a great victory that day. The troops returned to Eleazar, but only to strip the dead.
11 Next to him was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. When the Philistines banded together at a place where there was a field full of lentils, Israel’s troops fled from them. 12 But Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field. He defended it and struck the Philistines down, and the Lord brought about a great victory.
13 During harvest time, three of the thirty chief warriors came down to David at the cave of Adullam,(EJ) while a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim.(EK) 14 At that time David was in the stronghold,(EL) and the Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem.(EM) 15 David longed for water and said, “Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!” 16 So the three mighty warriors broke through the Philistine lines, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem and carried it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured(EN) it out before the Lord. 17 “Far be it from me, Lord, to do this!” he said. “Is it not the blood(EO) of men who went at the risk of their lives?” And David would not drink it.
Such were the exploits of the three mighty warriors.
18 Abishai(EP) the brother of Joab son of Zeruiah was chief of the Three.[s] He raised his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed, and so he became as famous as the Three. 19 Was he not held in greater honor than the Three? He became their commander, even though he was not included among them.
20 Benaiah(EQ) son of Jehoiada, a valiant fighter from Kabzeel,(ER) performed great exploits. He struck down Moab’s two mightiest warriors. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion. 21 And he struck down a huge Egyptian. Although the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club. He snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear. 22 Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada; he too was as famous as the three mighty warriors. 23 He was held in greater honor than any of the Thirty, but he was not included among the Three. And David put him in charge of his bodyguard.
24 Among the Thirty were:
Asahel(ES) the brother of Joab,
Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem,
25 Shammah the Harodite,(ET)
Elika the Harodite,
26 Helez(EU) the Paltite,
Ira(EV) son of Ikkesh from Tekoa,
27 Abiezer(EW) from Anathoth,(EX)
Sibbekai[t] the Hushathite,
28 Zalmon the Ahohite,
Maharai(EY) the Netophathite,(EZ)
29 Heled[u](FA) son of Baanah the Netophathite,
Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah(FB) in Benjamin,
30 Benaiah the Pirathonite,(FC)
Hiddai[v] from the ravines of Gaash,(FD)
31 Abi-Albon the Arbathite,
Azmaveth the Barhumite,(FE)
32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite,
the sons of Jashen,
Jonathan 33 son of[w] Shammah the Hararite,
Ahiam son of Sharar[x] the Hararite,
34 Eliphelet son of Ahasbai the Maakathite,(FF)
Eliam(FG) son of Ahithophel(FH) the Gilonite,
35 Hezro the Carmelite,(FI)
Paarai the Arbite,
36 Igal son of Nathan from Zobah,(FJ)
the son of Hagri,[y]
37 Zelek the Ammonite,
Naharai the Beerothite,(FK) the armor-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah,
38 Ira the Ithrite,(FL)
Gareb the Ithrite
39 and Uriah(FM) the Hittite.
There were thirty-seven in all.
David Enrolls the Fighting Men(FN)
24 Again(FO) the anger of the Lord burned against Israel,(FP) and he incited David against them, saying, “Go and take a census of(FQ) Israel and Judah.”
2 So the king said to Joab(FR) and the army commanders[z] with him, “Go throughout the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beersheba(FS) and enroll(FT) the fighting men, so that I may know how many there are.”
3 But Joab(FU) replied to the king, “May the Lord your God multiply the troops a hundred times over,(FV) and may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king want to do such a thing?”
4 The king’s word, however, overruled Joab and the army commanders; so they left the presence of the king to enroll the fighting men of Israel.
5 After crossing the Jordan, they camped near Aroer,(FW) south of the town in the gorge, and then went through Gad and on to Jazer.(FX) 6 They went to Gilead and the region of Tahtim Hodshi, and on to Dan Jaan and around toward Sidon.(FY) 7 Then they went toward the fortress of Tyre(FZ) and all the towns of the Hivites(GA) and Canaanites. Finally, they went on to Beersheba(GB) in the Negev(GC) of Judah.
8 After they had gone through the entire land, they came back to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.
9 Joab reported the number of the fighting men to the king: In Israel there were eight hundred thousand able-bodied men who could handle a sword, and in Judah five hundred thousand.(GD)
10 David was conscience-stricken(GE) after he had counted the fighting men, and he said to the Lord, “I have sinned(GF) greatly in what I have done. Now, Lord, I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing.(GG)”
11 Before David got up the next morning, the word of the Lord had come to Gad(GH) the prophet, David’s seer:(GI) 12 “Go and tell David, ‘This is what the Lord says: I am giving you three options. Choose one of them for me to carry out against you.’”
13 So Gad went to David and said to him, “Shall there come on you three[aa] years of famine(GJ) in your land? Or three months of fleeing from your enemies while they pursue you? Or three days of plague(GK) in your land? Now then, think it over and decide how I should answer the one who sent me.”
14 David said to Gad, “I am in deep distress. Let us fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercy(GL) is great; but do not let me fall into human hands.”
15 So the Lord sent a plague on Israel from that morning until the end of the time designated, and seventy thousand of the people from Dan to Beersheba died.(GM) 16 When the angel stretched out his hand to destroy Jerusalem, the Lord relented(GN) concerning the disaster and said to the angel who was afflicting the people, “Enough! Withdraw your hand.” The angel of the Lord(GO) was then at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.
17 When David saw the angel who was striking down the people, he said to the Lord, “I have sinned; I, the shepherd,[ab] have done wrong. These are but sheep.(GP) What have they done?(GQ) Let your hand fall on me and my family.”(GR)
David Builds an Altar(GS)
18 On that day Gad went to David and said to him, “Go up and build an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah(GT) the Jebusite.” 19 So David went up, as the Lord had commanded through Gad. 20 When Araunah looked and saw the king and his officials coming toward him, he went out and bowed down before the king with his face to the ground.
21 Araunah said, “Why has my lord the king come to his servant?”
“To buy your threshing floor,” David answered, “so I can build an altar to the Lord, that the plague on the people may be stopped.”(GU)
22 Araunah said to David, “Let my lord the king take whatever he wishes and offer it up. Here are oxen(GV) for the burnt offering, and here are threshing sledges and ox yokes for the wood. 23 Your Majesty, Araunah[ac] gives(GW) all this to the king.” Araunah also said to him, “May the Lord your God accept you.”
24 But the king replied to Araunah, “No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.”(GX)
So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen and paid fifty shekels[ad](GY) of silver for them. 25 David built an altar(GZ) to the Lord there and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then the Lord answered his prayer(HA) in behalf of the land, and the plague on Israel was stopped.
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 21:8 Two Hebrew manuscripts, some Septuagint manuscripts and Syriac (see also 1 Samuel 18:19); most Hebrew and Septuagint manuscripts Michal
- 2 Samuel 21:16 That is, about 7 1/2 pounds or about 3.5 kilograms
- 2 Samuel 21:19 See 1 Chron. 20:5; Hebrew Jaare-Oregim.
- 2 Samuel 21:19 See 1 Chron. 20:5; Hebrew does not have the brother of.
- 2 Samuel 22:3 Or sovereign
- 2 Samuel 22:3 Horn here symbolizes strength.
- 2 Samuel 22:8 Hebrew; Vulgate and Syriac (see also Psalm 18:7) mountains
- 2 Samuel 22:11 Many Hebrew manuscripts (see also Psalm 18:10); most Hebrew manuscripts appeared
- 2 Samuel 22:12 Septuagint (see also Psalm 18:11); Hebrew massed
- 2 Samuel 22:25 Hebrew; Septuagint and Vulgate (see also Psalm 18:24) to the cleanness of my hands
- 2 Samuel 22:30 Or can run through a barricade
- 2 Samuel 22:33 Dead Sea Scrolls, some Septuagint manuscripts, Vulgate and Syriac (see also Psalm 18:32); Masoretic Text who is my strong refuge
- 2 Samuel 22:36 Dead Sea Scrolls; Masoretic Text shield; / you stoop down to make
- 2 Samuel 22:46 Some Septuagint manuscripts and Vulgate (see also Psalm 18:45); Masoretic Text they arm themselves
- 2 Samuel 23:8 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts suggest Ish-Bosheth, that is, Esh-Baal (see also 1 Chron. 11:11 Jashobeam).
- 2 Samuel 23:8 Probably a variant of Hakmonite (see 1 Chron. 11:11)
- 2 Samuel 23:8 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:11); Hebrew and other Septuagint manuscripts Three; it was Adino the Eznite who killed eight hundred men
- 2 Samuel 23:9 See 1 Chron. 11:13; Hebrew gathered there.
- 2 Samuel 23:18 Most Hebrew manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:20); two Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac Thirty
- 2 Samuel 23:27 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 21:18; 1 Chron. 11:29); Hebrew Mebunnai
- 2 Samuel 23:29 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Vulgate (see also 1 Chron. 11:30); most Hebrew manuscripts Heleb
- 2 Samuel 23:30 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:32) Hurai
- 2 Samuel 23:33 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:34); Hebrew does not have son of.
- 2 Samuel 23:33 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:35) Sakar
- 2 Samuel 23:36 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:38); Hebrew Haggadi
- 2 Samuel 24:2 Septuagint (see also verse 4 and 1 Chron. 21:2); Hebrew Joab the army commander
- 2 Samuel 24:13 Septuagint (see also 1 Chron. 21:12); Hebrew seven
- 2 Samuel 24:17 Dead Sea Scrolls and Septuagint; Masoretic Text does not have the shepherd.
- 2 Samuel 24:23 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Septuagint; most Hebrew manuscripts King Araunah
- 2 Samuel 24:24 That is, about 1 1/4 pounds or about 575 grams
New King James Version (NKJV) 
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
New International Version (NIV) 
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NIV Reverse Interlinear Bible: English to Hebrew and English to Greek. Copyright © 2019 by Zondervan.