2 Samuel 23 — King James Version

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,● The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word {was} in my tongue.● 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. {He...: or, Be thou ruler, etc}● 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.● 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.● But {the sons} of Belial {shall be} all of them as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands:● 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. {fenced: Heb. filled}● 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. {The Tachmonite...: or, Joshebbassebet the Tachmonite, head of the three} {whom he...: Heb. slain} {he lift...: from (1ch:) whom he...: Heb. slain}● 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:● 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.● 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. {into...: or, for foraging}● But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the LORD wrought a great victory.● 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. {three...: or, the three captains over the thirty}● And David {was} then in an hold, and the garrison of the Philistines {was} then {in} Bethlehem.● 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!● 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.● 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.● 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. {and slew them: Heb. slain}● Was he not most honourable of three? therefore he was their captain: howbeit he attained not unto the {first} three.● 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: {who...: Heb. great of acts} {lionlike...: Heb. lion of God}● 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. {a goodly...: Heb. a man of countenance, or, sight: also called, a man of great stature}● These {things} did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among three mighty men.● He was more honourable than the thirty, but he attained not to the {first} three. And David set him over his guard. {more...: or, honourable among the thirty} {guard: or, council: Heb. at his command}● Asahel the brother of Joab {was} one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,● Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,● Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,● Abiezer the Anethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,● Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,● Heleb the son of Baanah, a Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai out of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin,● Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash, {brooks: or, valleys}● Abialbon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,● Eliahba the Shaalbonite, of the sons of Jashen, Jonathan,● Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite,● Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,● Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,● Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite,● Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armourbearer to Joab the son of Zeruiah,● Ira an Ithrite, Gareb an Ithrite,● Uriah the Hittite: thirty and seven in all.●