2 Samuel 23

1These are the last words of David: The oracle of David son of Jesse, the oracle of the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, the sweet singer of Israel:

2The Spirit of Yahweh spoke through me; his word was on my tongue.

3The God of Israel spoke; the Rock of Israel said to me: “One who rules over people in righteousness, who rules in the fear of God,

4is like the light of morning when the sun rises, a morning without clouds, like the brightness after rain that makes the grass spring from the earth.”

5Is not my house like this with God? For he has made an everlasting covenant with me, ordered in every detail and secure. Will he not make all my salvation and all my desire spring up?

6But worthless people are all like thorns that are thrown away, for no one can pick them up by hand.

7Whoever touches them arms himself with iron and the shaft of a spear, and they are completely burned up with fire where they lie.

8These are the names of David’s mighty warriors: Josheb-basshebeth, a Tahchemonite, was chief of the Three. He was Adino the Eznite, who killed eight hundred men at one time.

9Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodo, son of an Ahohite. He was one of the three mighty warriors with David when they taunted the Philistines who had gathered there for battle. The men of Israel retreated,

10but he rose up and struck down the Philistines until his hand grew tired and stuck to the sword. Yahweh brought about a great victory that day. The troops came back after him only to strip the dead.

11Next to him was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. The Philistines had gathered in a troop where there was a field full of lentils, and the troops fled from the Philistines.

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

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

14David was then in the stronghold, and a Philistine garrison was then at Bethlehem.

15David was filled with longing and said, “If only someone would get me a drink of water from the well of Bethlehem by the gate!”

16So the three mighty warriors broke through the Philistine camp, drew water from the well of Bethlehem by the gate, and carried it back to David. But he refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out to Yahweh

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

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

19Was he not the most honored of the Three? He became their commander, but he did not attain to the Three.

20Benaiah son of Jehoiada was the son of a valiant man from Kabzeel, a man of many great deeds. He struck down two of Moab’s champions. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion.

21And he killed an Egyptian, an impressive-looking man. The Egyptian had a spear in his hand, but Benaiah went down against him with a club, snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with his own spear.

22These are the things Benaiah son of Jehoiada did, and he won a name among the three mighty warriors.

23He was more honored than the Thirty, but he did not attain to the Three. David put him in charge of his bodyguard.

24Among the Thirty were Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem,

25Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,

26Helez the Paltite, Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa,

27Abiezer from Anathoth, Mebunnai the Hushathite,

28Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,

29Heleb son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai son of Ribai from Gibeah of the Benjaminites,

30Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai from the ravines of Gaash,

31Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,

32Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan

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

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

35Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,

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

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

38Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,

39and Uriah the Hittite. There were thirty-seven in all.