2 Samuel 23:8-39

New American Standard Bible

David’s Mighty Men

^8 (A)These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-basshebeth, a Tahchemonite, chief of the ^[a]captains; he was called Adino the Eznite because of eight hundred who were killed by him at one time. ⁹ And after him was Eleazar the son of ^(B)Dodo the ^(C)Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David when they defied the Philistines who were gathered there to battle and the men of Israel had ^[b]withdrawn. ^10 (D)He rose up and struck the Philistines until his hand was weary and ^[c]it clung to the sword, and ^(E)the Lord brought about a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to plunder the dead.

¹¹ Now after him was Shammah the son of Agee, a ^(F)Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered ^[d]into an army where there was a plot of land full of lentils, and the people fled from the Philistines. ¹² But he took his stand in the midst of the plot, defended it, and struck the Philistines; and ^(G)the Lord brought about a great victory.

¹³ Then three of the thirty chief men went down and came to David at harvest time to the ^(H)cave of Adullam, while the army of the Philistines was camping in ^(I)the Valley of Rephaim. ¹⁴ David was then ^(J)in the stronghold, while the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. ¹⁵ And ^(K)David had a craving and said, “Oh that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem which is by the gate!” ^16 (L)So the three mighty men forced their way into the camp of the Philistines, and drew water from the well of Bethlehem which was by the gate, and carried it and brought it to David. Yet he would not drink it, but ^(M)poured it out as an offering to the Lord; ¹⁷ and he said, “Far be it from me, Lord, that I would do this! ^(N)Should I drink the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives?” So he would not drink it. These things the three mighty men did.

¹⁸ Now ^(O)Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was ^(P)chief of the ^[e]thirty. And he swung his spear against three hundred ^[f]and killed them, and had a name ^[g]as well as the three. ¹⁹ He was the most honored among the thirty, so he became their commander; however, he did not attain to the reputation of the three.

²⁰ Then ^(Q)Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of ^(R)Kabzeel, who had done great deeds, ^[h]killed the ^[i]two sons of Ariel of Moab. He also went down and killed a lion in the middle of a pit on a snowy day. ²¹ And he ^[j]killed an Egyptian, ^[k]an impressive man. Now the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, but he went down to him with a club and snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with his own spear. ²² These things ^(S)Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did, and had a name ^[l]as well as the three mighty men. ²³ He was honored among the thirty, but he did not attain the reputation of the three. And David appointed him over his bodyguard.

^24 (T)Asahel the brother of Joab was among the thirty; and there was Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, ^25 (U)Shammah the ^(V)Harodite, Elika the Harodite, ²⁶ Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the ^(W)Tekoite, ²⁷ Abiezer the ^(X)Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, ²⁸ Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the ^(Y)Netophathite, ^29 (Z)Heleb the son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai of ^(AA)Gibeah of the sons of Benjamin, ³⁰ Benaiah a ^(AB)Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of ^(AC)Gaash, ³¹ Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the ^(AD)Barhumite, ³² Eliahba the ^(AE)Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan, ^33 (AF)Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Ararite, ³⁴ Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of ^(AG)the Maacathite, ^(AH)Eliam the son of ^(AI)Ahithophel the Gilonite, ^35 (AJ)Hezro the ^(AK)Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, ³⁶ Igal the son of Nathan of ^(AL)Zobah, Bani the Gadite, ³⁷ Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the ^(AM)Beerothite, armor bearers of Joab the son of Zeruiah, ³⁸ Ira the ^(AN)Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, ³⁹ and ^(AO)Uriah the Hittite; thirty-seven in all.