1 David’s Last Words Now these are the last words of David.David the son of Jesse declares,The man who was raised on high declares,The anointed of the God of Jacob,And the sweet psalmist of Israel,
2 “The Spirit of Yahweh spoke by me,And His word was on my tongue.
3 “The God of Israel said,The Rock of Israel spoke to me,‘He who rules over menasa righteous one,Who rules in the fear of God,
4 Is as the light of the morningwhenthe sun rises,A morning without clouds,From brightnessof the sunafter rain.’Withthe tender grassspringingfrom the earth,
5 23:5 Or But my house is not so with God Truly is not my house so with God?For He has made an everlasting covenant with me,Ordered in all things, and secured;For all my salvation and allmydesire,Will He not indeed makeitgrow?
6 “But the vilemen, every one of them will be thrust away like thorns,Because they cannot be taken in hand;
7 But the man who touches themMust be 23:7 Lit filled armed with iron and the shaft of a spear,And they will be completely burned with fire wheretheysit.”David’s Mighty Men
8 These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-basshebeth a Tahchemonite, chief of the 23:8Or 3 captains, he wascalledAdino the Eznite, because of eight hundred slainby himat one time;
9 and after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the son of Ahohi, one of the three mighty men with David when they 23:9Or defied reproached the Philistines who were gathered together there to battle and the men of Israel had gone upto retreat.
10 He arose and struck the Philistines until his hand was weary and 23:10 Lit his hand clung clung to the sword, and Yahweh brought about a great salvation that day; and the people returned after him only to stripthe slain.
11 Now after him was Shammah the son of Agee a Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered 23:11Possibly, at Lehi 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 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 cave of Adullam, while the troop of the Philistines was camping in the valley of Rephaim.
14 And David was then in the fortress, while the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem.
15 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 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 carrieditand broughtitto David. Nevertheless, he was not willing to drink it, but poured it out to Yahweh;
17 and he said, “Be it far from me, O Yahweh, that I should do this.Shall I drinkthe blood of the men who went 23:17Lit with their souls at the risk of their lives?” Therefore he was not willing to drink it. These things the three mighty men did.
18 Now Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the 23:18As in two Heb mss and Syr; M.T. 3 thirty. And he swung his spear against three hundred 23:18Lit slain ones who wereslainby 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 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, mighty in deeds, struck down the 23:20Or two lion-like heroes twosons ofAriel 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, 23:21Lit a man of appearance 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 ThesethingsBenaiah 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 Asahel the brother of Joab was among 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 Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,
28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,
29 Heleb the son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the sons of Benjamin,
30 Benaiah a Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash,
31 Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,
32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan,
33 Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Ararite,
34 Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maacathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,
35 Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,
36 Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite,
37 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armor bearers of Joab the son of Zeruiah,