[[2 Samuel 22|<< 2 Samuel 22]] | [[2 Samuel|2 Samuel]] | [[2 Samuel 24|2 Samuel 24 >>]] ### 2 Samuel 23 1 NOW these _be_ the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man _who_ _was_ raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said, ^1 2 The Spirit of the LORD spoke by me, and his word _was_ in my tongue. ^2 3 The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spoke to me, He that rules over men _must_ _be_ just, ruling in the fear of God. ^3 4 And _he_ _shall_ _be_ as the light of the morning, _when_ the sun rises, _even_ a morning without clouds; _as_ the tender grass _springing_ out of the earth by clear shining after rain. ^4 5 Although my house _be_ not so with God; yet he has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all _things_, and sure: for _this_ _is_ all my salvation, and all _my_ desire, although he make _it_ not to grow. ^5 6 ¶ But _the_ _sons_ of Belial _shall_ _be_ all of them as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands: ^6 7 But the man _that_ shall touch them must be fenced with iron and the staff of a spear; and they shall be utterly burned with fire in the _same_ place. ^7 8 ¶ These _be_ the names of the mighty men whom David had: The Tachmonite that sat in the seat, chief among the captains; the same _was_ Adino the Eznite: _he_ _lift_ _up_ _his_ _spear_ against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time. ^8 9 And after him _was_ Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, _one_ of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines _that_ were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away: ^9 10 He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword: and the LORD wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to spoil. ^10 11 And after him _was_ Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentiles: and the people fled from the Philistines. ^11 12 But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the LORD wrought a great victory. ^12 13 And three of the thirty chief went down, and came to David in the harvest time unto the cave of Adullam: and the troop of the Philistines pitched in the valley of Rephaim. ^13 14 And David _was_ then in an hold, and the garrison of the Philistines _was_ then _in_ Beth-lehem. ^14 15 And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Beth-lehem, which _is_ by the gate! ^15 16 And the three mighty men broke through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Beth-lehem, that _was_ by the gate, and took _it_, and brought _it_ to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the LORD. ^16 17 And he said, Be it far from me, O LORD, that I should do this: _is_ _not_ _this_ the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men. ^17 18 And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief among three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred, _and_ slew _them_, and had the name among three. ^18 19 Was he not most honorable of three? therefore he was their captain: howbeit he attained not unto the _first_ three. ^19 20 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man, of Kabzeel, who had done many acts, he slew two lionlike men of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow: ^20 21 And he slew an Egyptian, a goodly man: and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and slew him with his own spear. ^21 22 These _things_ did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among three mighty men. ^22 23 He was more honorable than the thirty, but he attained not to the _first_ three. And David set him over his guard. ^23 24 Asahel the brother of Joab _was_ one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Beth-lehem, ^24 25 Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite, ^25 26 Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, ^26 27 Abiezer the Anethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, ^27 28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, ^28 29 Heleb the son of Baanah, a Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai out of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin, ^29 30 Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash, ^30 31 Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite, ^31 32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite, of the sons of Jashen, Jonathan, ^32 33 Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite, ^33 34 Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, ^34 35 Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, ^35 36 Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite, ^36 37 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armorbearer to Joab the son of Zeruiah, ^37 38 Ira an Ithrite, Gareb an Ithrite, ^38 39 Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all. ^39