# 2 Samuel 23

> Lumin Translation

Source: https://www.lumin.faith/read/2-samuel/23

Lumin’s own translation, drafted with AI from the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek, checked verse by verse against them, and approved by Lumin. Brackets mark verses not found in the earliest manuscripts.

How it was made: https://www.lumin.faith/lumin-translation.md

1. These 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:
2. The Spirit of Yahweh spoke through me; his word was on my tongue.
3. The 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,
4. is 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.”
5. Is 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?
6. But worthless people are all like thorns that are thrown away, for no one can pick them up by hand.
7. Whoever touches them arms himself with iron and the shaft of a spear, and they are completely burned up with fire where they lie.
8. These 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.
9. Next 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,
10. but 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.
11. Next 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.
12. But Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field, defended it, and struck down the Philistines. Yahweh brought about a great victory.
13. At 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.
14. David was then in the stronghold, and a Philistine garrison was then at Bethlehem.
15. David was filled with longing and said, “If only someone would get me a drink of water from the well of Bethlehem by the gate!”
16. So 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
17. and 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.
18. Abishai 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.
19. Was he not the most honored of the Three? He became their commander, but he did not attain to the Three.
20. Benaiah 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.
21. And 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.
22. These are the things Benaiah son of Jehoiada did, and he won a name among the three mighty warriors.
23. He was more honored than the Thirty, but he did not attain to the Three. David put him in charge of his bodyguard.
24. Among the Thirty were Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem,
25. Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,
26. Helez the Paltite, Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa,
27. Abiezer from Anathoth, Mebunnai the Hushathite,
28. Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,
29. Heleb son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai son of Ribai from Gibeah of the Benjaminites,
30. Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai from the ravines of Gaash,
31. Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,
32. Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan
33. son of Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam son of Sharar the Hararite,
34. Eliphelet son of Ahasbai the Maacathite, Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,
35. Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,
36. Igal son of Nathan from Zobah, Bani the Gadite,
37. Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, the armor-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah,
38. Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,
39. and Uriah the Hittite. There were thirty-seven in all.

## Nearby chapters

[2 Samuel 22](https://www.lumin.faith/read/2-samuel/22.md)
[2 Samuel 24](https://www.lumin.faith/read/2-samuel/24.md)

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