Self-interpreting Bible

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2 Samuel 23

1David's last words, setting forth the happiness and confidence of the just man, and the different state of the wicked. 8A catalogue of David's mighty men.

1 NOW these be athe last words of David. bDavid the son of Jesse said, and cthe man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the dsweet psalmist of Israel, said,

2 The eSpirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.

3 The fGod of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, 1He gthat ruleth over men must be just, ruling hin the fear of God.

4 And ihe shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as jthe tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain.

5 Although my house be knot so with God; yet he hath lmade with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for mthis is all my salvation, and all my desire, although nhe make it not to grow.

6 ¶But the osons of Belial shall be all of them as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands:

7 But the man that shall touch them must be 2fenced with iron and the staff of a spear; and they shall be utterly burned with fire in the same place.

  • 2: Heb. filled.

8 ¶These be the names of the mighty men whom David had: 3The Tachmonite that sat in the seat, chief among the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite: he lift up his spear against eight hundred, 4whom he slew at one time.

9 And after him was pEleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when qthey defied the Philistines that were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away:

10 He rarose, 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 And after him was sShammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together 5into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentiles: and the people fled from the Philistines.

12 But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and tthe LORD wrought a great victory.

13 And 6three of the thirty chief went down, and came to David in the harvest time uunto the cave of Adullam: and the troop of the Philistines pitched in vthe valley of Rephaim.

14 And David was then win an hold, and xthe garrison of the Philistines was then in Beth-lehem.

15 And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the ywater of the well of Beth-lehem, which is by the gate!

16 And the three mighty men brake 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: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured zit out unto the LORD.

17 And he said, Be it far from me, O LORD, that I should do this: is not this athe 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 And bAbishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief among three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred, and 7slew them, and had the name among three.

19 Was he not most honourable of three? therefore he was their captain: howbeit he cattained not unto the first three.

20 And dBenaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man, of eKabzeel, 8who had done many acts, he slew two 9lionlike men of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow:

21 And he slew an Egyptian, 10a 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 fslew him with his own spear.

22 These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among three mighty men.

    23 He was more 11honourable than the thirty, but he attained not to the first three. And David set him 12over his 13guard.

    • 11: Or, honourable among the thirty.
    • 12: Heb. at his command. 1Sa. 22.14. , 1Sa. 22:14
    • 13: Or, council.

    24 gAsahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; hElhanan the son of Dodo of Beth-lehem,

    25 iShammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,

    26 Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,

      27 jAbi-ezer the Anethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,

      28 Zalmon the Ahohite, kMaharai the Netophathite,

      29 lHeleb the son of Baanah, a Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai out of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin,

      30 Benaiah the mPirathonite, Hiddai of the 14brooks of Gaash,

      31 nAbi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,

      32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite, oof the sons of Jashen, Jonathan,

      33 Shammah the Hararite, pAhiam the son of Sharar the Hararite,

      34 Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, qEliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,

      35 rHezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,

      36 sIgal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite,

      37 tZelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armourbearer to Joab the son of Zeruiah,

      38 Ira an uIthrite, Gareb an Ithrite,

      39 vUriah the Hittite: thirty and seven in all.