2 Samuel 23

1These are the last words of David: An oracle of David son of Jesse, an oracle of the man raised on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet singer of Israel.

2The Spirit of Yahweh spoke by me, and his word was on my tongue.

3The God of Israel has spoken; the Rock of Israel has said to me: One who rules over mankind justly, ruling in the fear of God,

4he is like the light of morning when the sun rises, a morning without clouds; from brightness, from rain, grass from the earth.

5For my house is not so with God; yet he has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in every way and kept secure. For this is all my salvation and all my desire—will he not indeed make it grow?

6But worthless men are all like thorns cast aside, for they cannot be taken with the hand.

7But the man who touches them must arm himself with iron and the shaft of a spear, and they must be completely burned with fire in their place.

8These are the names of the mighty men who belonged to David: Josheb-basshebeth, a Tahkemonite, chief of the Three. He was Adino the Eznite, who wielded his spear against eight hundred slain at one time.

9And after him was Eleazar son of Dodo, son of Ahohi, among the three mighty men with David, when they taunted the Philistines who had gathered there for battle, and the men of Israel had gone up.

10He rose and struck down the Philistines until his hand grew weary and his hand clung to the sword. And Yahweh brought about a great victory on that day, and the people returned after him only to strip the slain.

11After him was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. The Philistines gathered together at Lehi, where there was a plot of ground full of lentils, and the people fled from before the Philistines.

12But he took his stand in the middle of the field and defended it, and struck down the Philistines; and Yahweh brought about a great victory.

13Then thirty of the thirty chief men went down and came at harvest time to David, to the cave of Adullam, while a band of the Philistines was camped in the Valley of Rephaim.

14David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then at Bethlehem.

15And David longed and said, “Who will give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem that is by the gate?”

16Then the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines and drew water from the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate, and carried it and brought it to David. But he was not willing to drink it; instead, he poured it out to Yahweh.

17And he said, “Far be it from me, O Yahweh, that I should do this! Is it not the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives?” So he was not willing to drink it. These things the three mighty men did.

18Abishai, the brother of Joab son of Zeruiah, was chief of the Three. He wielded his spear against three hundred and killed them, and he had a name among the Three.

19Was he not more honored than the three? So he became their commander, but he did not attain to the three.

20And Benaiah son of Jehoiada, son of a valiant man, great in deeds, from Kabzeel—he struck down the two sons of Ariel of Moab, and he went down and struck down the lion in the midst of the pit on a snowy day.

21He also struck down an Egyptian, a man of impressive appearance. The Egyptian had a spear in his hand, and he went down to him with a staff, snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with his own spear.

22These things Benaiah son of Jehoiada did, and he had a name among the three mighty men.

23He was honored among the thirty, but he did not attain to the three; and David appointed him over his bodyguard.

24Asahel the brother of Joab was among the Thirty; Elhanan son of Dodo of Bethlehem.

25Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite.

26Helez the Paltite, Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite;

27Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite.

28Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite;

29Heleb son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai son of Ribai from Gibeah of the sons of Benjamin;

30Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai from the wadis of Gaash;

31Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite;

32Elyahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan.

33Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam son of Sharar the Ararite.

34Eliphelet son of Ahasbai son of the Maacathite, Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite.

35Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite;

36Igal son of Nathan from Zobah, Bani the Gadite;

37Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armor-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah;

38Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite.

39Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.