CHAPTER 23
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:
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,
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.’
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?
The man
who touches
them
must be armed
with iron
or with the shaft
of a spear.
The fire
will burn them to ashes
in the place where they lie.”
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.
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,
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.
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.
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.
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.
David
longed for water
and said,
“Oh, that someone
would get me a drink
of water
from the well
near the gate
of Bethlehem!”
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,
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.
Now Abishai,
the brother
of Joab
and son
of Zeruiah,
was chief
of the Three,
and he
lifted
his spear
against
three
hundred men,
killed them,
and won
a name
along with the Three.
Was he not
more honored
than
the Three?
And he became
their commander,
even though he was not
included
among the Three.
And Benaiah
son
of Jehoiada
was a valiant
warrior
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.
He
also killed
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.
These
were the exploits
of Benaiah
son
of Jehoiada,
who won
a name
alongside the three
mighty men.
He was the most honored
of the Thirty,
but he did not
become
one of the Three.
And David
appointed
him over
his guard.
Now these were members of the Thirty:
Asahel
the brother
of Joab,
Elhanan
son
of Dodo
of Bethlehem,