2.Samuel 23 | English Standard Version

The Last Words of David

1 Now these are the last words of David: The oracle of David, the son of Jesse, the oracle of the man who was raised on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, the sweet psalmist of Israel:* 2 “The Spirit of the Lord speaks by me; his word is on my tongue. 3 The God of Israel has spoken; the Rock of Israel has said to me: When one rules justly over men, ruling in the fear of God, 4 he dawns on them like the morning light, like the sun shining forth on a cloudless morning, like rain* that makes grass to sprout from the earth. 5 “For does not my house stand so with God? For he has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and secure. For will he not cause to prosper all my help and my desire? 6 But worthless men* are all like thorns that are thrown away, for they cannot be taken with the hand; 7 but the man who touches them arms himself with iron and the shaft of a spear, and they are utterly consumed with fire.”*

David’s Mighty Men

8 These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-basshebeth a Tahchemonite; he was chief of the three.* He wielded his spear* against eight hundred whom he killed at one time. 9 And next to him among the three mighty men was Eleazar the son of Dodo, son of Ahohi. He was with David when they defied the Philistines who were gathered there for battle, and the men of Israel withdrew. 10 He rose and struck down the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clung to the sword. And the Lord brought about a great victory that day, and the men returned after him only to strip the slain. 11 And next to him was Shammah, the son of Agee the Hararite. The Philistines gathered together at Lehi,* where there was a plot of ground full of lentils, and the men fled from the Philistines. 12 But he took his stand in the midst of the plot and defended it and struck down the Philistines, and the Lord worked a great victory. 13 And three of the thirty chief men went down and came about harvest time to David at the cave of Adullam, when a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. 14 David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then at Bethlehem. 15 And David said longingly, “Oh, that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem that is by the gate!” 16 Then the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate and carried and brought it to David. But he would not drink of it. He poured it out to the Lord 17 and said, “Far be it from me, O Lord, that I should do this. Shall I drink the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives?” Therefore he would not drink it. These things the three mighty men did. 18 Now Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the thirty.* And he wielded his spear against three hundred men* and killed them and won a name beside the three. 19 He was the most renowned of the thirty* and became their commander, but he did not attain to the three. 20 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was a valiant man* of Kabzeel, a doer of great deeds. He struck down two ariels* of Moab. He also went down and struck down a lion in a pit on a day when snow had fallen. 21 And he struck down an Egyptian, a handsome man. The Egyptian had a spear in his hand, but Benaiah went down to him with a staff and snatched the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear. 22 These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and won a name beside the three mighty men. 23 He was renowned among the thirty, but he did not attain to the three. And David set him over his bodyguard. 24 Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, 25 Shammah of Harod, Elika of Harod, 26 Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh of Tekoa, 27 Abiezer of Anathoth, Mebunnai the Hushathite, 28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai of Netophah, 29 Heleb the son of Baanah of Netophah, Ittai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the people of Benjamin, 30 Benaiah of Pirathon, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash, 31 Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth of Bahurim, 32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan, 33 Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite, 34 Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai of Maacah, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, 35 Hezro* of Carmel, Paarai the Arbite, 36 Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite, 37 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai of Beeroth, the armor-bearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah, 38 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, 39 Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.

New International Reader’s Version

David’s last words

1 Here are David’s last words. He said, ‘I am David, the son of Jesse. God has given me a message. The Most High God has greatly honoured me. The God of Jacob anointed me as king. I am the hero of Israel’s songs. 2 ‘The Spirit of the LORD spoke through me. I spoke his word with my tongue. 3 The God of Israel spoke. The Rock of Israel said to me, “A king must rule over people in a way that is right. He must have respect for God when he rules. 4 Then he will be like the light of morning at sunrise when there aren’t any clouds. He will be like the bright sun after rain that makes grass grow on the earth.” 5 ‘Suppose my royal family was not right with God. Then he would not have made a covenant with me that will last for ever. Every part of it was well prepared and made secure. Then God would not have saved me completely or given me everything I longed for. 6 But evil people are like thorns that are thrown away. You can’t pick them up with your hands. 7 Even if you touch them, you must use an iron tool or a spear. Thorns are burned up right where they are.’

David’s mighty warriors

8 Here are the names of David’s mighty warriors. Josheb-Basshebeth was chief of the three mighty warriors. He was a Tahkemonite. He used his spear against 800 men. He killed all of them at one time. 9 Next to him was Eleazar. He was one of the three mighty warriors. He was the son of Dodai, the Ahohite. Eleazar was with David at Pas Dammim. That’s where Israel’s army made fun of the Philistines who were gathered there for battle. Then the Israelites pulled back. 10 But Eleazar stayed right where he was. He struck down the Philistines until his hand grew tired. But he still held on to his sword. The LORD helped him win a great battle that day. The troops returned to Eleazar. They came back to him only to take what they wanted from the dead bodies. 11 Next to him was Shammah, the son of Agee. Shammah was a Hararite. The Philistines gathered together at a place where there was a field full of lentils. Israel’s troops ran away from the Philistines. 12 But Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field. He didn’t let the Philistines capture it. He struck them down. The LORD helped him win a great battle. 13 David was at the cave of Adullam. During harvest time, three of the 30 chief warriors came down to him there. A group of Philistines was camped in the Valley of Rephaim. 14 At that time David was in his usual place of safety. Some Philistine troops were stationed at Bethlehem. 15 David longed for a drink of water. He said, ‘I wish someone would get me water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem.’ 16 So the three mighty warriors fought their way past the Philistine guards. They got some water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem. They took the water back to David. But David refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out as a drink offering to the LORD. 17 ‘LORD, I would never drink that water!’ David said. ‘It stands for the blood of these men. They put their lives in danger by going to Bethlehem to get it.’ So David wouldn’t drink it. Those were some of the brave things the three mighty warriors did. 18 Abishai was chief over the three mighty warriors. He was the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah. He used his spear against 300 men. He killed all of them. So he became as famous as the three mighty warriors were. 19 In fact, he was even more honoured than the three mighty warriors. He became their commander. But he wasn’t included among them. 20 Benaiah was a great hero from Kabzeel. He was the son of Jehoiada. Benaiah did many brave things. He struck down two of Moab’s best warriors. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day. He killed a lion there. 21 And he struck down a huge Egyptian. The Egyptian was holding a spear. Benaiah went out to fight against him with a club. He grabbed the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand. Then he killed him with it. 22 Those were some of the brave things Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, did. He too was as famous as the three mighty warriors were. 23 He was honoured more than any of the thirty chief warriors. But he wasn’t included among the three mighty warriors. David put him in charge of his own personal guards. 24 Here is a list of David’s men who were among the thirty chief warriors. Asahel, the brother of Joab Elhanan, the son of Dodo, from Bethlehem 25 Shammah, the Harodite Elika, the Harodite 26 Helez, the Paltite Ira, the son of Ikkesh, from Tekoa 27 Abiezer from Anathoth Sibbekai, the Hushathite 28 Zalmon, the Ahohite Maharai from Netophah 29 Heled, the son of Baanah, from Netophah Ithai, the son of Ribai, from Gibeah in Benjamin 30 Benaiah from Pirathon Hiddai from the valleys of Gaash 31 Abi-Albon, the Arbathite Azmaveth, the Barhumite 32 Eliahba, the Shaalbonite the sons of Jashen Jonathan, 33 the son of Shammah, the Hararite Ahiam, the son of Sharar, the Hararite 34 Eliphelet, the son of Ahasbai, the Maakathite Eliam, the son of Ahithophel, from Giloh 35 Hezro from Carmel Paarai, the Arbite 36 Igal, the son of Nathan, from Zobah the son of Hagri 37 Zelek from Ammon Naharai from Beeroth, who carried the armour of Joab, the son of Zeruiah 38 Ira, the Ithrite Gareb, the Ithrite 39 and Uriah, the Hittite The total number of men was 37.

2.Samuel 23 | English Standard Version New International Reader’s Version

The Last Words of David

David’s Mighty Men

David’s last words

David’s mighty warriors