2 Samuel 23
Common English Bible
David’s last words
23 These are David’s last words:
This is the declaration of Jesse’s son David,
the declaration of a man raised high,
a man anointed by the God of Jacob,
a man favored by the strong one of Israel.[a]
2 The Lord’s spirit speaks through me;
his word is on my tongue.
3 Israel’s God has spoken,
Israel’s rock said to me:
“Whoever rules rightly over people,
whoever rules in the fear of God,
4 is like the light of sunrise
on a morning with no clouds,
like the bright gleam after the rain
that brings grass from the ground.”
5 Yes, my house is this way with God![b]
He has made an eternal covenant with me,
laid out and secure in every detail.
Yes, he provides every one of my victories
and brings my every desire to pass.
6 But despicable people are like thorns,
all of them good for nothing,
because they can’t be carried by hand.
7 No one can touch them,
except with iron bar or the shaft of a spear.
They must be burned up with fire right on the spot!
David’s warriors
8 These are the names of David’s warriors: Jeshbaal[c] from Hachmon[d] was chief of the Three.[e] He raised his spear[f] against eight hundred, killing them on a single occasion.
9 Next in command was Eleazar, Dodo’s son and Ahohi’s grandson. He was among the three warriors with David when they insulted the Philistines who had gathered there for battle. The Israelites retreated, 10 but he stood his ground and fought the Philistines until his hand was weary and stuck to the sword. But the Lord accomplished a great victory that day. The troops then returned to Eleazar, but only to plunder the dead.
11 Next in command was Agee’s son Shammah, who was from Harar. The Philistines had gathered at Lehi, where there was a plot of land full of lentils. The troops fled from the Philistines, 12 but Shammah took a position in the middle of the plot, defended it, and struck down the Philistines. The Lord accomplished a great victory.
13 At harvesttime, three of the thirty chiefs went down and joined David at the fortress[g] of Adullam, while a force of Philistines were camped in the Rephaim Valley. 14 At that time, David was in the fortress, and a Philistine fort was in Bethlehem. 15 David had a craving and said, “If only someone could give me a drink of water from the well by the gate in Bethlehem.” 16 So the three warriors broke through the Philistine camp and drew water from the well by the gate in Bethlehem and brought it back to David. But he refused to drink it and poured it out to the Lord.
17 “The Lord forbid that I should do that,” he said. “Isn’t this the blood of men who risked their lives?” So he refused to drink it.
These were the kinds of things the three warriors did.
18 Now Zeruiah’s son Abishai, the brother of Joab, was chief of the Thirty.[h] He raised his spear against three hundred men, killed them, and made a name for himself along with the Three. 19 He was the most famous of the Thirty.[i] He became their commander, but he wasn’t among the Three.
20 Jehoiada’s son Benaiah was a hero from Kabzeel who performed great deeds. He killed the two sons[j] of Ariel from Moab. He once went down into a pit and killed a lion on a snowy day. 21 He also killed a giant[k] Egyptian who had a spear in his hand. Benaiah went against him armed with a staff. He grabbed the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear. 22 These were the kinds of things Jehoiada’s son Benaiah did. He made a name for himself along with the three warriors. 23 He was famous among the Thirty, but he didn’t become one of the Three. David placed him in command of his own bodyguard.
24 Among the Thirty were:
Asahel, Joab’s brother;
Elhanan, Dodo’s son from Bethlehem;
25 Shammah from Harod;
Elika from Harod;
26 Helez from Pelet;
Ira, Ikkesh’s son from Tekoa;
27 Abiezer from Anathoth;
Mebunnai the Hushathite;
28 Zalmon from Ahoh;
Maharai from Netophah;
29 Heleb, Baanah’s son from Netophah;
Ittai, Ribai’s son from Gibeah in Benjamin;
30 Benaiah from Pirathon;
Hiddai from the Gaash ravines;
31 Abi-albon from the desert plain;
Azmaveth from Bahurim;
32 Eliahba from Shaalbon;
Jashen the Gizonite;[l]
Jonathan, 33 Shammah’s son[m] from Harar;
Ahiam, Sharar’s son from Harar;
34 Eliphelet, Ahasbai’s son from Maacah;
Eliam, Ahithophel’s son from Giloh;
35 Hezro from Carmel;
Paarai from Erab;
36 Igal, Nathan’s son from Zobah;
Bani the Gadite;
37 Zelek the Ammonite;
Naharai from Beeroth, and the armor-bearer for Zeruiah’s son Joab;
38 Ira from Ither;
Gaeb from Ither;
39 and Uriah the Hittite—
thirty-seven in all.
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 23:1 Or Israel’s favorite singer or the favorite of Israel’s songs
- 2 Samuel 23:5 Or Yes, my house is surely with God!
- 2 Samuel 23:8 LXXL, OL; MT Josheb-bashebeth; cf 1 Chron 11:11
- 2 Samuel 23:8 See 1 Chron 11:11.
- 2 Samuel 23:8 LXXL, Vulg; cf 1 Chron 11:11; MT chief of the officers
- 2 Samuel 23:8 Cf 1 Chron 11:11; Heb uncertain
- 2 Samuel 23:13 Or cave; cf 2 Sam 23:14
- 2 Samuel 23:18 Some Heb manuscripts, Syr; MT third or three
- 2 Samuel 23:19 Syr; cf 1 Chron 11:25; MT Wasn’t he the most famous of the Three?
- 2 Samuel 23:20 LXX; MT lacks sons.
- 2 Samuel 23:21 MT handsome; cf 1 Chron 11:23
- 2 Samuel 23:32 Cf 1 Chron 11:34; MT Jashen’s sons
- 2 Samuel 23:33 LXX; MT lacks son.
2 Samuel 23
Living Bible
23 These are the last words of David:
“David, the son of Jesse, speaks.
David, the man to whom God gave such wonderful success;
David, the anointed of the God of Jacob;
David, sweet psalmist of Israel:
2 The Spirit of the Lord spoke by me,
And his word was on my tongue.
3 The Rock of Israel said to me:
‘One shall come who rules righteously,
Who rules in the fear of God.
4 He shall be as the light of the morning;
A cloudless sunrise
When the tender grass
Springs forth upon the earth;
As sunshine after rain.’
5 And it is my family
He has chosen!
Yes, God has made
An everlasting covenant with me;
His agreement is eternal, final, sealed.
He will constantly look after
My safety and success.[a]
6 But the godless are as thorns to be thrown away,
For they tear the hand that touches them.
7 One must be armed to chop them down;
They shall be burned.”
8 These are the names of the Top Three—the most heroic men in David’s army: the first was Josheb-basshebeth from Tahchemon, known also as Adino, the Eznite. He once killed eight hundred men in one battle.
9 Next in rank was Eleazar, the son of Dodo and grandson of Ahohi. He was one of the three men who, with David, held back the Philistines that time when the rest of the Israeli army fled. 10 He killed the Philistines until his hand was too tired to hold his sword; and the Lord gave him a great victory. (The rest of the army did not return until it was time to collect the loot!)
11-12 After him was Shammah, the son of Agee from Harar. Once during a Philistine attack, when all his men deserted him and fled, he stood alone at the center of a field of lentils and beat back the Philistines; and God gave him a great victory.
13 One time when David was living in the cave of Adullam and the invading Philistines were at the valley of Rephaim, three of the Thirty—the top-ranking officers of the Israeli army—went down at harvest time to visit him. 14 David was in the stronghold at the time, for Philistine marauders had occupied the nearby city of Bethlehem.
15 David remarked, “How thirsty I am for some of that good water in the city well!” (The well was near the city gate.)
16 So the three men broke through the Philistine ranks and drew water from the well and brought it to David. But he refused to drink it! Instead, he poured it out before the Lord.
17 “No, my God,” he exclaimed, “I cannot do it! This is the blood of these men who have risked their lives.”
18-19 Of those three men, Abishai, the brother of Joab (son of Zeruiah), was the greatest. Once he took on three hundred of the enemy single-handed and killed them all. It was by such feats that he earned a reputation equal to the Three, though he was not actually one of them. But he was the greatest of the Thirty—the top-ranking officers of the army—and was their leader.
20 There was also Benaiah (son of Jehoiada), a heroic soldier from Kabzeel. Benaiah killed two giants,[b] sons of Ariel of Moab. Another time he went down into a pit and, despite the slippery snow on the ground, took on a lion that was caught there and killed it. 21 Another time, armed only with a staff, he killed an Egyptian warrior who was armed with a spear; he wrenched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with it. 22 These were some of the deeds that gave Benaiah almost as much renown as the Top Three. 23 He was one of the greatest of the Thirty, but was not actually one of the Top Three. And David made him chief of his bodyguard.
24-39 Asahel, the brother of Joab, was also one of the Thirty. Others were:
Elhanan (son of Dodo) from Bethlehem;
Shammah from Harod;
Elika from Harod;
Helez from Palti;
Ira (son of Ikkesh) from Tekoa;
Abiezer from Anathoth;
Mebunnai from Hushath;
Zalmon from Ahoh;
Maharai from Netophah;
Heleb (son of Baanah) from Netophah;
Ittai (son of Ribai) from Gibeah, of the tribe of Benjamin;
Benaiah of Pirathon;
Hiddai from the brooks of Gaash;
Abi-albon from Arbath;
Azmaveth from Bahurim;
Eliahba from Shaalbon;
The sons of Jashen;
Jonathan;
Shammah from Harar;
Ahiam (the son of Sharar) from Harar;
Eliphelet (son of Ahasbai) from Maacah;
Eliam (the son of Ahithophel) from Gilo;
Hezro from Carmel;
Paarai from Arba;
Igal (son of Nathan) from Zobah;
Bani from Gad;
Zelek from Ammon;
Naharai from Beeroth, the armor bearer of Joab (son of Zeruiah);
Ira from Ithra;
Gareb from Ithra;
Uriah the Hittite—thirty-seven in all.[c]
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 23:5 He will constantly look after my safety and success, literally, “He will cause my salvation and my desire to sprout.”
- 2 Samuel 23:20 two giants. The meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain.
- 2 Samuel 23:24 thirty-seven in all. The Thirty, plus the Top Three, plus Generals Joab, Abishai, Asahel, and Benaiah. Apparently new names were elected to this hall of fame to replace those who died.
2 Samuel 23
King James Version
23 Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said,
2 The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.
3 The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.
4 And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain.
5 Although my house be not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow.
6 But the sons of Belial shall be all of them as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands:
7 But the man that shall touch them must be fenced with iron and the staff of a spear; and they shall be utterly burned with fire in the same place.
8 These be the names of the mighty men whom David had: The Tachmonite that sat in the seat, chief among the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite: he lift up his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time.
9 And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the 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 were gone away:
10 He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword: and the Lord wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to spoil.
11 And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentiles: and the people 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 went down, and came to David in the harvest time unto the cave of Adullam: and the troop of the Philistines pitched in the valley of Rephaim.
14 And David was then in an hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem.
15 And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, 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 Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the Lord.
17 And he said, Be it far from me, O Lord, that I should do this: is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men.
18 And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief among three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred, and slew them, and had the name among three.
19 Was he not most honourable of three? therefore he was their captain: howbeit he attained not unto the first three.
20 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man, of Kabzeel, who had done many acts, he slew two lionlike men 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 the name among three mighty men.
23 He was more honourable than the thirty, but he attained not to the first three. And David set him over his guard.
24 Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,
25 Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,
26 Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,
27 Abiezer the Anethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,
28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,
29 Heleb the son of Baanah, a Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai out of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin,
30 Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash,
31 Abialbon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,
32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite, of the sons of Jashen, Jonathan,
33 Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite,
34 Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,
35 Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,
36 Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite,
37 Zelek the Ammonite, Nahari the Beerothite, armourbearer to Joab the son of Zeruiah,
38 Ira an Ithrite, Gareb an Ithrite,
39 Uriah the Hittite: thirty and seven in all.
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