2 Samuel 23

NEW AMERICAN BIBLE	KING JAMES BIBLE
1 These are the last words of David: "The utterance of David, son of Jesse; the utterance of the man God raised up, Anointed of the God of Jacob, favorite of the Mighty One of Israel.	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,
2 The spirit of the LORD spoke through me; his word was on my tongue.	2 The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.
3 The God of Israel spoke; of me the Rock of Israel said, 'He that rules over men in justice, that rules in the fear of God,	3 The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.
4 Is like the morning light at sunrise on a cloudless morning, making the greensward sparkle after rain.'	4 And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain.
5 Is not my house firm before God? He has made an eternal covenant with me, set forth in detail and secured. Will he not bring to fruition all my salvation and my every desire?	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 to grow.
6 But the wicked are all like thorns to be cast away; they cannot be taken up by hand.	6 But the sons of Belial shall be all of them as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands:
7 He who wishes to touch them must arm himself with iron and the shaft of a spear, and they must be consumed by fire."	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.
8 These are the names of David's warriors. Ishbaal, son of Hachamoni, was the first of the Three. It was he who brandished his battle-ax over eight hundred slain in a single encounter.	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.
9 Next to him, among the Three warriors, was Eleazar, son of Dodo the Ahohite. He was with David at Ephes-dammim when the Philistines assembled there for battle. The Israelites had retreated,	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:
10 but he stood his ground and fought the Philistines until his hand grew tired and became cramped, holding fast to the sword. The LORD brought about a great victory on that day; the soldiers turned back after Eleazar, but only to strip the slain.	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.
11 Next to him was Shammah, son of Agee the Hararite. The Philistines had assembled at Lehi, where there was a plot of land full of lentils. When the soldiers fled from the Philistines,	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.
12 he took his stand in the middle of the plot and defended it. He slew the Philistines, and the LORD brought about a great victory. Such were the deeds of the Three warriors.	12 But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the LORD wrought a great victory.
13 During the harvest three of the Thirty went down to David in the cave of Adullam, while a Philistine clan was encamped in the Vale of Rephaim.	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.
14 At that time David was in the refuge, and there was a garrison of Philistines in Bethlehem.	14 And David was then in an hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem.
15 Now David had a strong craving and said, "Oh, that someone would give me a drink of water from the cistern that is by the gate of Bethlehem!"	15 And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!
16 So the Three warriors broke through the Philistine camp and drew water from the cistern that is by the gate of Bethlehem. But when they brought it to David he refused to drink it, and instead poured it out to the LORD,	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, but poured it out unto the LORD.
17 saying: "The LORD forbid that I do this! Can I drink the blood of these men who went at the risk of their lives?" So he refused to drink it.	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.
18 Abishai, brother of Joab, son of Zeruiah, was at the head of the Thirty. It was he who brandished his spear over three hundred slain. He was listed among the Thirty	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.
19 and commanded greater respect than the Thirty, becoming their leader. However, he did not attain to the Three.	19 Was he not most honourable of three? therefore he was their captain: howbeit he attained not unto the first three.
20 Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, a stalwart from Kabzeel, was a man of great achievements. It was he who slew the two lions in Moab. He also went down and killed the lion in the cistern at the time of the snow.	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:
21 It was he, too, who slew an Egyptian of large stature. Although the Egyptian was armed with a spear, he went against him with a club and wrested the spear from the Egyptian's hand, then killed him with his own spear.	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.
22 Such were the deeds performed by Benaiah, son of Jehoiada. He was listed among the Thirty warriors	22 These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among three mighty men.
23 and commanded greater respect than the Thirty. However, he did not attain to the Three. David put him in command of his bodyguard.	23 He was more honourable than the thirty, but he attained not to the first three. And David set him over his guard.
24 Asahel, brother of Joab. . . .Among the Thirty were: Elhanan, son of Dodo, from Bethlehem;	24 Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,
25 Shammah from En-harod; Elika from En-harod;	25 Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,
26 Helez from Beth-pelet; Ira, son of Ikkesh, from Tekoa;	26 Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,
27 Abiezer from Anathoth; Sibbecai from Hushah;	27 Abiezer the Anethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,
28 Zalmon from Ahoh; Maharai from Netophah;	28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,
29 Heled, son of Baanah, from Netophah; Ittai, son of Ribai, from Gibeah of the Benjaminites;	29 Heleb the son of Baanah, a Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai out of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin,
30 Benaiah from Pirathon; Hiddai from Nahale-gaash;	30 Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash,
31 Abibaal from Beth-arabah; Azmaveth from Bahurim;	31 Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,
32 Eliahba from Shaalbon; Jashen the Gunite; Jonathan,	32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite, of the sons of Jashen, Jonathan,
33 son of Shammah the Hararite; Ahiam, son of Sharar the Hararite;	33 Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite,
34 Eliphelet, son of Ahasbai, from Beth-maacah; Eliam, son of Ahithophel, from Gilo;	34 Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,
35 Hezrai from Carmel; Paarai the Arbite;	35 Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,
36 Igal, son of Nathan, from Zobah; Bani the Gadite;	36 Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite,
37 Zelek the Ammonite; Naharai from Beeroth, armor-bearer of Joab, son of Zeruiah;	37 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armourbearer to Joab the son of Zeruiah,
38 Ira from Jattir; Gareb from Jattir;	38 Ira an Ithrite, Gareb an Ithrite,
39 Uriah the Hittite-thirty-seven in all.	39 Uriah the Hittite: thirty and seven in all.