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17 and said, “Lord, I could never drink this! It would be like drinking the blood of these men who risked their lives!” So he refused to drink it.

Those were the brave deeds of the three famous soldiers.

18 Joab's brother Abishai (their mother was Zeruiah) was the leader of “The Famous Thirty.” He fought with his spear against three hundred men and killed them, and became famous among “The Thirty.”[a] 19 He was the most famous of “The Thirty”[b] and became their leader, but he was not as famous as “The Three.”

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 23:18 One ancient translation “The Thirty”; Hebrew “The Three.”
  2. 2 Samuel 23:19 Probable text “The Thirty”; Hebrew “The Three.”

17 “Far be it from me, Lord, to do this!” he said. “Is it not the blood(A) 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(B) the brother of Joab son of Zeruiah was chief of the Three.[a] 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.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 23:18 Most Hebrew manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:20); two Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac Thirty