2 Samuel 23

¹ Now these [be] theWhich he spoke after he had written the psalms.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,

² The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word [was] in myMeaning, he spoke nothing but by the motion of God's Spirit.tongue.

³ The God of Israel spake to me, ye strength of Israel saide, Thou shalt beare rule ouer men, being iust, and ruling in the feare of God.

⁴ And [he shall be] as the light of the morning, [when] the sun riseth, [even] a morning without clouds; [as] the tenderWhich grows quickly, and fades soon.grass [springing] out of the earth by clear shining after rain.

⁵ Although my house [be] not so with God; yet he hath 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 toBut that my kingdom may continue for ever according to his promise.grow.

⁶ But the wicked shalbe euery one as thornes thrust away, because they can not be taken with handes.

⁷ But the man that shall touch them, must be defensed with yron, or with the shaft of a speare: and they shall be burnt with fire in the same place.

⁸ These [be] the names of the mighty men whom David had: The Tachmonite that sat in theAs one of the king's counsel.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.

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 wereMeaning, fled from the battle.gone away:

¹⁰ He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and hisBy a cramp which came from weariness and fighting.hand clave unto the sword: and the LORD wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to spoil.

¹¹ After him was Shammah the sonne of Age the Hararite: for the Philistims assembled at a towne, where was a piece of a fielde full of lentils, and the people fled from the Philistims.

¹² But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the LORD wrought aWhich has no respect for many or few, when he will show his power.great victory.

¹³ Afterward three of the thirtie captaines went downe, and came to Dauid in the haruest time vnto the caue of Adullam, and the hoste of the Philistims pitched in the valley of Rephaim.

¹⁴ And Dauid was then in an holde, and the garison of ye Philistims was then in Beth-lehem.

¹⁵ And DavidBeing overcome with weariness and thirst.longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, which [is] by the gate!

¹⁶ And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that [was] by the gate, and took [it], and brought [it] to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, butBridling his affection, and also desiring God not to be offended for that rash enterprise.poured it out unto the LORD.

¹⁷ And said, O Lord, be it farre from me, that I should doe this. Is not this the blood of the men that went in ieopardie of their liues? Therefore he woulde not drinke it. These things did these three mightie men.

¹⁸ And Abishai the brother of Ioab, the sonne of Zeruiah, was chiefe among the three, and he lifted vp his speare against three hundreth, and slewe them, and he had the name among the three.

¹⁹ For he was most excellent of the three, & was their captaine, but he attained not vnto the first three.

²⁰ And Benaiah the sonne of Iehoiada the sonne of a valiant man, which had done many actes, and was of Kabzeel, slewe two strong men of Moab: he went downe also, and slewe a lyon in the middes of a pit in the time of snowe.

²¹ And he slew an Egyptian, a goodly man: and the Egyptian had aWhich was as big as a weavers beam, (1Ch_11:23).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.

²² These things did Benaiah the sonne of Iehoiada, and had the name among the three worthies.

²³ He was more honourable than theHe was more valiant than the thirty that follow and not so valiant as the six before.thirty, but he attained not to the [first] three. And David set him over his guard.

²⁴ Asahel the brother of Ioab was one of the thirtie: Elhanan the sonne of Dodo of Beth-lehem:

²⁵ Shammah the Harodite: Elika ye Harodite:

²⁶ Helez the Paltite: Ira the sonne of Ikkesh the Tekoite:

²⁷ Abiezer the Anethothite,Some of these had two names, (1Ch_11:29) and also many more are mentioned there.Mebunnai the Hushathite,

²⁸ Zalmon an Ahohite: Maharai the Netophathite:

²⁹ Heleb the sonne of Baanah a Netophathite: Ittai the sonne of Ribai of Gibeah of the children of Beniamin:

³⁰ Benaiah the Pirathonite: Hiddai of the riuer of Gaash:

³¹ Abi-albon the Arbathite: Azmaueth the Barhumite:

³² Elihaba the Shaalbonite: of the sonnes of Iashen, Ionathan:

³³ Shammah the Hararite: Ahiam the sonne of Sharar the Hamrite:

³⁴ Eliphelet the sonne of Ahasbai the sonne of Maachathi: Eliam the sonne of Ahithophel the Gilonite:

³⁵ Hezrai the Carmelite: Paarai the Arbite:

³⁶ Igal the sonne of Nathan of Zobah: Bani the Gadite:

³⁷ Zelek the Ammonite: Naharai the Becrothite, the armour bearer of Ioab the sonne of Zeruiah:

³⁸ Ira the Ithrite: Gareb the Ithrite:

³⁹ Uriah the Hittite:These came to David, and helped restore him to his kingdom.thirty and seven in all.