2 Samuel 23 (ARST)

1David son of Jesse, was a man whom God caused to become great. The God whom Jacob worshiped made him king of Israel. David wrote beautiful songs for the people of Israel. This is the last song that he wrote:These are the last words of David: “The oracle of David son of Jesse, the oracle of the man raised on high, the one anointed by the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel:

2“The Spirit of Yahweh tells me what to say. The message that I speak comes from him.The Spirit of the LORD spoke through me; His word was on my tongue.

3God, the one whom we Israelite people worship, has spoken. The one who protects us people of Israel said to me, ‘Kings who rule fairly over people have an awesome respect for me, God.The God of Israel spoke; the Rock of Israel said to me, ‘He who rules the people with justice, who rules in the fear of God,

4They are like the sun that shines at dawn and causes the grass to sprout after the rain ends.’is like the light of the morning at sunrise of a cloudless dawn, the glistening after the rain on the sprouting grass of the earth.’

5And truly, that is how God will surely bless my family because he made a covenant with me that will last forever, a covenant in which he promises that no part of it will ever be changed. He will surely cause me to prosper, and he will always help me, and that is all that I desire.Is not my house right with God? For He has established with me an everlasting covenant, ordered and secured in every part. Will He not bring about my full salvation and my every desire?

6But he will get rid of people who do not honor him, just as people throw away thorns that injure people if they try to pick them up with their hands.But the worthless are all like thorns raked aside, for they can never be gathered by hand.

7Someone who wants to get rid of thornbushes does not grab them, but he uses an iron shovel or a spear to dig them out and then he burns them completely.”The man who touches them must be armed with iron or with the shaft of a spear. The fire burns them to ashes in the place where they lie.”

8These are the names of David’s greatest soldiers. The first was Jeshbaal, from the Hachmon clan. He was the leader of the greatest soldiers. Once he fought against eight hundred enemies and killed them all with his spear.These are the names of David’s mighty men: Josheb-basshebeth the Tahchemonite was chief of the Three. He wielded his spear against eight hundred men, whom he killed at one time.

9The second of the greatest warriors was Eleazar son of Dodo, who was from the clan of Ahoh. One day he was with David when they defied the soldiers of Philistia who had gathered there for the battle. The other Israelite soldiers retreated,Next in command was Eleazar son of Dodo the Ahohite. As one of the three mighty men, he went with David to taunt the Philistines who had gathered for battle at Pas-dammim. The men of Israel retreated,

10but Eleazar stood there and fought the soldiers of Philistia until his arm became very tired, with the result that his hand cramped and he could not stop gripping his sword. Yahweh won a great victory on that day. And afterwards the other Israelite soldiers returned to where Eleazar was, and stripped off the armor from the men whom he had killed.but Eleazar stood his ground and struck the Philistines until his hand grew weary and stuck to his sword. The LORD brought about a great victory that day. Then the troops returned to him, but only to plunder the dead.

11The third of the greatest warriors was Shammah son of Agee from the clan of Harar. One time the Philistine soldiers gathered at the city of Lehi, where there was a field full of lentils that they wanted to steal. The other Israelite soldiers ran away from the Philistine troops,And after him was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. When the Philistines had banded together near a field full of lentils, Israel’s troops fled from them.

12but Shammah stood there in the field and did not let the Philistine soldiers steal the peas, and killed them. Yahweh won a great victory on that day.But Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field, defended it, and struck down the Philistines. So the LORD brought about a great victory.

13At one time, when it was almost time to harvest the crops, three of those thirty men went down to the Cave of Adullam, where David was staying. A group of men from the Philistine army had set up their tents in the Valley of Rephaim near Jerusalem.At harvest time, three of the thirty chief men went down to David at the cave of Adullam, while a company of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim.

14David and his soldiers were in the cave because it was safe there, and another group of Philistine soldiers was occupying Bethlehem.At that time David was in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was at Bethlehem.

15One day David very much wanted some water to drink, and said, “I wish that someone would bring me some water from the well near the gate at Bethlehem!”David longed for water and said, “Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!”

16So his three greatest warriors forced through the camp of Philistine soldiers and drew some water from the well, and brought it to David. But he would not drink it. Instead, he poured it out on the ground to be an offering to Yahweh.So the three mighty men broke through the Philistine camp, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem, and brought it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out to the LORD,

17He said, “Yahweh, it would certainly not be right for me to drink this water! That would be like drinking the blood of these men who were willing to die for me!” So he refused to drink it. That was one of the things that those three great warriors did.saying, “Far be it from me, O LORD, to do this! Is this not the blood of the men who risked their lives?” So he refused to drink it. Such were the exploits of the three mighty men.

18Abishai, Joab’s younger brother, was the leader of David’s greatest soldiers. One day he fought against three hundred men and killed them all with his spear. As a result, he also became famous.Now Abishai, the brother of Joab and son of Zeruiah, was chief of the Three, and he wielded his spear against three hundred men, killed them, and won a name along with the Three.

19He was the most famous of the greatest soldiers, and he became their leader, but even he was not one of the three greatest warriors.Was he not more honored than the Three? And he became their commander, even though he was not included among the Three.

20Jehoiada’s son Benaiah, from the city of Kabzeel, also did great deeds. He killed two of the best warriors from the Moab people group. Also, he went down into a pit on a day when snow was falling on the ground, and killed a lion there.And Benaiah son of Jehoiada was a man of valor from Kabzeel, a man of many exploits. He struck down two champions of Moab, and on a snowy day he went down into a pit and killed a lion.

21He also killed a huge soldier from Egypt who carried a spear. Benaiah had only his club, but he attacked the giant with it. Then he snatched the spear from the man’s hand and killed him with his own spear.He also struck down an Egyptian, a huge man. Although the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club, snatched the spear from his hand, and killed the Egyptian with his own spear.

22Those are some of the things that Benaiah did. As a result, he became famous, like the three greatest warriors were.These were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada, who won a name along with the three mighty men.

23He was more honored than the other greatest soldiers, but not as famous as the three greatest. David appointed him to be the commander of his bodyguards.He was most honored among the Thirty, but he did not become one of the Three. And David appointed him over his guard.

24These are the names of the great warriors: Asahel, the younger brother of Joab, Elhanan son of Dodo, from Bethlehem,Now these were members of the Thirty: Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan son of Dodo of Bethlehem,

25Shammah and Elika, from the clan of Harod,Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,

26Helez, from the city of Pelet, Ira son of Ikkesh, from the city of Tekoa,Helez the Paltite, Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,

27Abiezer, from the city of Anathoth, Mebunnai whose other name was Sibbekai, from Hushah’s clan,Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,

28Zalmon whose other name was Ilai, from Ahoh’s clan, Maharai, from the city of Netophah,Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,

29Heleb son of Baanah, also from Netophah, Ithai son of Ribai, from the city of Gibeah in the land that belonged to the tribe of Benjamin,Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai son of Ribai from Gibeah of the Benjamites,

30Benaiah, from the city of Pirathon, Hiddai, from the valleys near the valleys of Gaash,Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai from the brooks of Gaash,

31Abi-Albon, from the clan of Arabah, Azmaveth, from the city of Bahurim,Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,

32Eliahba, from the city of Shaalbon— The sons of Jashen, Jonathan son of Shammah from the city of Harar,Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan

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

34Eliphelet son of Ahasbai, from the city of Maacah, Eliam son of Ahithophel, from the city of Gilo,Eliphelet son of Ahasbai the Maacathite, Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,

35Hezro, from the city of Carmel, Paarai, from the city of Arba,Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,

36Igal son of Nathan, from the city of Zobah, Bani, from the tribe of Gad;Igal son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite,

37Zelek, from the Ammon people group, Naharai, the man who carried Joab’s weapons, from the city of Beeroth,Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, the armor-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah,

38Ira and Gareb, from the city of Jattir,Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,

39Uriah, Bathsheba’s husband, from the Heth people group. Altogether, there were thirty-seven famous soldiers.and Uriah the Hittite. There were thirty-seven in all.

2 Samuel 23

You’ve read 2 Samuel 23

Go Deeper

2 Samuel 23

You’ve read 2 Samuel 23

Go Deeper