[1] Now these are the last words of David. David the son of Jesse says, The
man who was raised on high says, The anointed of the God of Jacob, The
sweet psalmist of Israel: [2] The Spirit of Yahweh spoke by me, His word
was on my tongue. [3] The God of Israel said, The Rock of Israel spoke to
me: One who rules over men righteously, Who rules in the fear of God, [4]
[He shall be] as the light of the morning, when the sun rises, A morning
without clouds, [When] the tender grass [springs] out of the earth, Through
clear shining after rain. [5] Most assuredly my house is not so with God;
Yet he has made with me an everlasting covenant, Ordered in all things, and
sure: For it is all my salvation, and all [my] desire, Although he doesn`t
make it grow. [6] But the ungodly shall be all of them as thorns to be
thrust away, Because they can`t be taken with the hand [7] But the man who
touches them Must be armed with iron and the staff of a spear: They shall
be utterly burned with fire in [their] place [8] These are the names of the
mighty men whom David had: Josheb-basshebeth a Tahchemonite, chief of the
captains; the same was Adino the Eznite, against eight hundred slain at one
time. [9] After him was Eleazar the son of Dodai the son of an Ahohite, one
of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines who
were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone
away. [10] He arose, and struck the Philistines until his hand was weary,
and his hand froze to the sword; and Yahweh worked a great victory that
day; and the people returned after him only to take spoil. [11] After him
was Shammah the son of Agee a Hararite. The Philistines were gathered
together into a troop, where was a plot of ground full of lentils; and the
people fled from the Philistines. [12] But he stood in the midst of the
plot, and defended it, and killed the Philistines; and Yahweh worked a
great victory. [13] Three of the thirty chief men went down, and came to
David in the harvest time to the cave of Adullam; and the troop of the
Philistines was encamped in the valley of Rephaim. [14] David was then in
the stronghold; and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Beth-lehem.
[15] David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me water to drink of
the well of Beth-lehem, which is by the gate! [16] 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:
but he would not drink of it, but poured it out to Yahweh. [17] He said, Be
it far from me, Yahweh, that I should do this: [shall I drink] the blood of
the men who went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink
it. These things did the three mighty men. [18] Abishai, the brother of
Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the three. He lifted up his spear
against three hundred and killed them, and had a name among the three. [19]
Wasn`t he most honorable of the three? therefore he was made their captain:
however he didn`t attain to the [first] three. [20] Benaiah the son of
Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done mighty deeds,
he killed the two [sons of] Ariel of Moab: he went down also and killed a
lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow. [21] He killed 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
killed him with his own spear. [22] These things did Benaiah the son of
Jehoiada, and had a name among the three mighty men. [23] He was more
honorable than the thirty, but he didn`t attain to the [first] three. David
set him over his guard. [24] Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the
thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Beth-lehem, [25] Shammah the Harodite,
Elika the Harodite, [26] Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the
Tekoite, [27] Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, [28] Zalmon
the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, [29] Heleb the son of Baanah the
Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin,
[30] Benaiah a Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash. [31] Abialbon
the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite, [32] Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the
sons of Jashen, Jonathan, [33] Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of
Sharar the Ararite, [34] Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the
Maacathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, [35] Hezro the
Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, [36] Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani
the Gadite, [37] Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armor bearers
to Joab the son of Zeruiah, [38] Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, [39]
Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.
