Chapter 23 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.
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 his
spear, and they shall be utterly burned with fire in the same place.
These be the names of the mighty man whom David had, the Tacmanite that sat in the
seat, chief among the captains.
The same was Adano, the Esnite.
He lift up his spear against 800, whom he slew at one time.
And after him was Eliezer, 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
under 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 Agi, the Herorite, and the Philistines were
gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of
lentils, and the people fled from the Philistines.
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
under the cave of Adullam, and the troop of the Philistines pitched in the valley
of Rephaim.
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 break 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.
Was he not most honorable 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 Kabziel,
who had done many acts, he slew two lion-like men of Moab.
He went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow.
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.
These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among three
mighty men.
He was more honorable than the thirty, but he attained not to the first three.
And David set him over his guard.
Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty, Elhanan the son of Dodo of
Bethlehem, Shammah the Herodite, Elika the Herodite, Heliz the Paltite,
Ira the son of Ichish the Tekhoite, Abiezer the Anethethite, Mabunai the
Hushethite, Zalman the Ahohite, Meharai the Natophethite, Helib the son of
Baena, a Natophethite, Ittai the son of Ribai out of Gibeah, of the children of
Benjamin, Benaiah the Perithonite, Hittai of the brooks of Geash,
Abahalban the Arbethite, Asmaveth the Barhumite, Eliabah the Shealbanite,
of the sons of Jason, Jonathan, Shammah the Herorite, Ahaiam the son of
Sherar the Herorite, Eliphelet the son of Ahazbi, the son of the Maokethite,
Eliam the son of Ahithophel, the Gileonite, Hezri the Carmelite,
Peirai the Arbite, Igal the son of Nathan of Zoba, Bainai the Gadite, Zelic the
Ammonite, Nehari the Beerethite, armor-bearer to Joab, the son of Zeruiah,
Ira an Ithrite, Gerab an Ithrite, Uriah the Hittite.
Thirty and seven in all.