2 Samuel 23:8-23

American Standard Version

⁸ These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: ^[a]Josheb-basshebeth a Tahchemonite, chief of the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite, against eight hundred slain at one time.

⁹ And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodai the son of an 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 ^[b]were gone away. ¹⁰ He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword; and Jehovah wrought a great ^[c]victory that day; and the people returned after him only to take spoil.

¹¹ And after him was Shammah the son of Agee a Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together ^[d]into a troop, where was a plot of ground full of lentils; and the people fled from the Philistines. ¹² But he stood in the midst of the plot, and defended it, and slew the Philistines; and Jehovah wrought a great ^[e]victory.

¹³ And three of the thirty chief men went down, and came to David in the harvest time unto the cave of Adullam; and the troop of the Philistines was encamped in the valley of Rephaim. ¹⁴ And David was then in the stronghold; and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Beth-lehem. ¹⁵ And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me water to drink of the well of Beth-lehem, which is by the gate! 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: but he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto Jehovah. ¹⁷ And he said, Be it far from me, O Jehovah, that I should do this: shall I drink the blood of the men that went ^[f]in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did the three mighty men.

¹⁸ And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred ^[g]and slew them, and had a name among the three. ¹⁹ Was he not most honorable of the three? therefore he was made their captain: howbeit he attained not unto the first three.

²⁰ And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of ^[h]a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done mighty deeds, he slew the two sons of Ariel of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow. ²¹ And 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. ²² These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had a name among the three mighty men. ²³ He was more honorable than the thirty, but he attained not to the first three. And David set him over his ^[i]guard.