2 Samuel 23
Legacy Standard Bible
David’s Last Words
23 Now these are the last words of David.
David the son of Jesse declares,
(A)The man who was raised on high declares,
(B)The anointed of the God of Jacob,
And the sweet psalmist of Israel,
2 “(C)The Spirit of Yahweh spoke by me,
And His word was on my tongue.
3 The God of Israel said,
(D)The Rock of Israel spoke to me,
‘(E)He who rules over men as a righteous one,
(F)Who rules in the fear of God,
4 (G)Is as the light of the morning when the sun rises,
A morning without clouds,
From brightness of the sun after rain.’
With the tender grass springing from the earth,
5 [a]Truly is not my house so with God?
For (H)He has made an everlasting covenant with me,
Ordered in all things, and secured;
For all my salvation and all my desire,
Will He not indeed make it grow?
6 (I)But the vile men, every one of them will be thrust away like thorns,
Because they cannot be taken in hand;
7 But the man who touches them
Must be [b]armed with iron and the shaft of a spear,
And (J)they will be completely burned with fire where they sit.”
David’s Mighty Men
8 (K)These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-basshebeth a Tahchemonite, chief of the [c]captains, he was called Adino the Eznite, because of eight hundred slain by him at one time; 9 and after him was Eleazar the son of (L)Dodo the (M)son of Ahohi, one of the three mighty men with David when they [d]reproached the Philistines who were gathered together there to battle and the men of Israel had gone up to retreat. 10 (N)He arose and struck the Philistines until his hand was weary and [e]clung to the sword, and (O)Yahweh brought about a great salvation that day; and the people returned after him only to strip the slain.
11 Now after him was Shammah the son of Agee a (P)Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered [f]into a troop where there was a portion of the field full of lentils; and the people fled from before the Philistines. 12 But he took his stand in the midst of that portion and delivered it and struck down the Philistines. So (Q)Yahweh brought about a great salvation.
13 Then three of the thirty chief men went down and came to David in the harvest time to the (R)cave of Adullam, while the troop of the Philistines was camping in (S)the valley of Rephaim. 14 And David was then (T)in the fortress, while the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. 15 (U)Then 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 (V)So the three mighty men broke through 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. Nevertheless, he was not willing to drink it, but (W)poured it out to Yahweh; 17 and he said, “Be it far from me, O Yahweh, that I should do this. (X)Shall I drink the blood of the men who went [g]at the risk of their lives?” Therefore he was not willing to drink it. These things the three mighty men did.
18 (Y)Now Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was (Z)chief of the [h]thirty. And he swung his spear against three hundred [i]who were slain by him; and he had a name as well as the three. 19 Of the thirty he was most honored and became their commander; however, he did not attain to the three.
20 Then (AA)Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of (AB)Kabzeel, mighty in deeds, struck down the [j]two sons of Ariel of Moab. He also went down and struck down a lion in the midst of a pit on a snowy day. 21 He had also struck down an Egyptian, [k]an impressive man. Now in the Egyptian’s hand was a spear, 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 (AC)Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did, and had a name as well as the three mighty men. 23 He was honored among the thirty, but he did not attain to the three. And David appointed him over his guard.
24 (AD)Asahel the brother of Joab was among the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, 25 (AE)Shammah the (AF)Harodite, Elika the Harodite, 26 Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the (AG)Tekoite, 27 Abiezer the (AH)Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, 28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the (AI)Netophathite, 29 (AJ)Heleb the son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai of (AK)Gibeah of the sons of Benjamin, 30 Benaiah a (AL)Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of (AM)Gaash, 31 Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the (AN)Barhumite, 32 Eliahba the (AO)Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan, 33 (AP)Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Ararite, 34 Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of (AQ)the Maacathite, (AR)Eliam the son of (AS)Ahithophel the Gilonite, 35 (AT)Hezro the (AU)Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, 36 Igal the son of Nathan of (AV)Zobah, Bani the Gadite, 37 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the (AW)Beerothite, armor bearers of Joab the son of Zeruiah, 38 Ira the (AX)Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, 39 (AY)Uriah the Hittite; thirty-seven in all.
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 23:5 Or But my house is not so with God
- 2 Samuel 23:7 Lit filled
- 2 Samuel 23:8 Or 3
- 2 Samuel 23:9 Or defied
- 2 Samuel 23:10 Lit his hand clung
- 2 Samuel 23:11 Possibly, at Lehi
- 2 Samuel 23:17 Lit with their souls
- 2 Samuel 23:18 As in two Heb mss and Syr; M.T. 3
- 2 Samuel 23:18 Lit slain ones
- 2 Samuel 23:20 Or two lion-like heroes
- 2 Samuel 23:21 Lit a man of appearance
2 Samuel 23
Amplified Bible, Classic Edition
23 Now these are the last words of David: David son of Jesse says, and the man who was raised on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, says,
2 The Spirit of the Lord spoke in and by me, and His word was upon my tongue.
3 The God of Israel spoke, the Rock of Israel said to me, When one rules over men righteously, ruling in the fear of God,
4 He dawns on them like the morning light when the sun rises on a cloudless morning, when the tender grass springs out of the earth through clear shining after rain.
5 Truly does not my house stand so with God? For He has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure. For will He not cause to prosper all my help and my desire?
6 But wicked, godless, and worthless lives are all like thorns to be thrust away, because they cannot be taken with the hand.
7 But the man who touches them arms himself with iron and the shaft of a spear, and they are utterly consumed with fire on the spot.
8 These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-basshebeth, a Tahchemonite, chief of the Three [heroes], known also as Adino the Eznite; he wielded his spear and went against 800 men, who were slain at one time.(A)
9 Next to him among the three mighty men was Eleazar son of Dodo, son of Ahohi. He was with David when they defied the Philistines assembled there for battle, and the men of Israel had departed.
10 [Eleazar] arose and struck down the Philistines until his hand was weary and clung to the sword. The Lord wrought a great deliverance and victory that day; the men returned after him only to take the spoil.
11 Next to [Eleazar] was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. The Philistines were gathered at Lehi on a piece of ground full of lentils; and the [Israelites] fled from the Philistines.
12 But he stood in the midst of the ground and defended it and slew the Philistines; and the Lord wrought a great victory.
13 And three of the thirty chief men went down at harvest time to David in the cave of Adullam, and a troop of 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 Bethlehem.
15 And David said longingly, Oh, that someone would give me a drink of water from the well of Bethlehem by the gate!
16 And the three mighty men broke through the army of the Philistines and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem by the gate and brought it to David. But he would not drink it, but poured it out to the Lord.
17 And he said, Be it far from me, O Lord, to drink this. Is it not [the same as] the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives? So he would not drink it. These things did the three mighty men.
18 Now Abishai the brother of Joab son of Zeruiah was chief of the Three. He wielded his spear against 300 men and slew them, and won a name beside the Three.
19 Was he not most renowned of the Three? So he was their captain; however, he did not attain to the Three.
20 And Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done many notable acts, slew two lionlike men of Moab. He went down also and slew a lion in a pit on a snowy day.
21 And he slew an Egyptian, a handsome man. The Egyptian had a spear in his hand, but Benaiah went down to him with a staff, snatched the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and slew the man with his own spear.
22 These things Benaiah son of Jehoiada did, and won a name beside the three mighty men.
23 He was more renowned than the Thirty, but he attained not to the [first] Three. David set him over his guard or council.
24 Asahel brother of Joab was one of the Thirty; then Elhanan son of Dodo of Bethlehem,
25 Shammah of Harod, Elika of Harod,
26 Helez the Paltite, Ira son of Ikkesh of Tekoa,
27 Abiezer of Anathoth, Mebunnai the Hushathite,
28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai of Netophah,
29 Heleb son of Baanah of Netophah, Ittai son of Ribai of Gibeah of the Benjamites.
30 Benaiah of Pirathon, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash,
31 Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,
32 Eliahba of Shaalbon, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan,
33 Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam son of Sharar the Hararite,
34 Eliphelet son of Ahasbai, son of Maacah, Eliam son of Ahithophel of Giloh,
35 Hezro (Hezrai) of Carmel, Paarai the Arbite,
36 Igal son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite,
37 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai of Beeroth, armor-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah,
38 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,
39 Uriah the Hittite—thirty-seven in all.
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