1 N ow 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,

Now these are the last words of David. David the son of Jesse, the man who was raised on high, the chosen one of the God of Jacob, the sweet song writer of Israel, says,

2 T he Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.

“The Spirit of the Lord spoke by me. His Word was on my tongue.

3 T he 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.

The God of Israel has spoken. The Rock of Israel said to me, ‘When one is right and good in ruling over men, ruling in the fear of God,

4 A nd 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.

he shines on them like the morning light. He is like the sunshine on a morning without clouds. He is like rain that makes the new grass grow out of the earth through sunshine after rain.’

5 A lthough 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.

In truth, does not my house stand right with God? For He has made an agreement with me that lasts forever. It is planned right in all things, and sure. For will He not make all my help and my desire grow?

6 B ut the sons of Belial shall be all of them as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands:

But those of no worth are all like thorns that are thrown away, because they cannot be taken with the hand.

7 b ut 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.

The man who touches them must be covered with iron and have a spear. All of them will be burned up with fire as they sit.” David’s Men of War

8 T hese 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.

These are the names of David’s men of war. There was Josheb-basshebeth a Tahchemonite, head of the three. He was called Adino the Eznite, because he had killed 800 men at one time.

9 A nd 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:

Next to him among the three strong men was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite. He was with David when they spoke against the Philistines who were gathered there for battle, and the men of Israel had left.

10 h e 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.

Eleazar got up and killed the Philistines until his hand was tired from holding the sword. The Lord saved many of His people that day. The men returned after him only to take what had belonged to the dead.

11 A nd 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.

Next to him was Shammah the son of Agee a Hararite. The Philistines were gathered together at Lehi, where there was a piece of ground full of lentil plants. The people ran from the Philistines.

12 B ut he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the Lord wrought a great victory.

But Shammah stood in the center of the piece of ground and fought for it. He killed the Philistines. The Lord saved many of His people that day.

13 A nd 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.

Then three of the thirty leaders went down to David during the gathering time to the cave of Adullam. The Philistine army was staying in the valley of Rephaim.

14 A nd David was then in an hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Beth-lehem.

David was in the strong place, while the Philistine soldiers were in Bethlehem.

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

David had a desire and said, “If only someone would give me water to drink from the well by the gate of Bethlehem!”

16 A nd 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 it out unto the Lord.

So the three strong men broke through the Philistine army and took water from the well by the gate of Bethlehem. They brought it to David. But David would not drink it. He poured it out to the Lord,

17 A nd 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 said, “O Lord, far be it from me to do this. Should I drink the blood of the men who went and put their lives in danger?” So he would not drink it. The three strong men did these things.

18 A nd 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.

Now Abishai the brother of Joab, son of Zeruiah, was head of the thirty. He fought with his spear against 300 men and killed them. His name was respected as well as the three.

19 W as he not most honourable of three? therefore he was their captain: howbeit he attained not unto the first three.

He was the most honored of the thirty. So he became their captain. But he was not as strong as the three.

20 A nd 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:

Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was a man of Kabzeel with strength of heart. He had done powerful things. He killed the two sons of Ariel of Moab. And he went down and killed a lion in a hole while the snow was falling.

21 a nd 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.

He killed an Egyptian, an important man. The Egyptian had a spear in his hand. But Benaiah went down to him with a heavy stick and took the spear from the Egyptian’s hand. Then he killed him with his own spear.

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

Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did these things. His name was respected as well as the three strong men.

23 H e was more honourable than the thirty, but he attained not to the first three. And David set him over his guard.

He was honored among the thirty. But he was not as strong as the three. David made him captain of the soldiers who kept him from danger.

24 A sahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Beth-lehem,

Joab’s brother Asahel was among the thirty. Then there was Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,

25 S hammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,

Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,

26 H elez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,

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

27 A biezer the Anethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,

Abiezer the Anathothite, and Mebunnai the Hushathite.

28 Z almon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,

There was Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,

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

Heleb the son of Baanah the Netophathite, and Ittai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the sons of Benjamin.

30 B enaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash,

There was Benaiah a Pirathonite, Hiddai of the rivers of Gaash,

31 A bi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,

Abialbon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,

32 E liahba the Shaalbonite, of the sons of Jashen, Jonathan,

Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, and Jonathan.

33 S hammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite,

There was Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Ararite,

34 E liphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,

Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai of Maacah, Eliam the son of Ahithophel of Gilo,

35 H ezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,

Hezro the Carmelite, and Paarai the Arbite.

36 I gal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite,

There was Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite,

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

Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, the one who carried the battle clothes of Joab the son of Zeruiah.

38 I ra an Ithrite, Gareb an Ithrite,

And there was Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,

39 U riah the Hittite: thirty and seven in all.

and Uriah the Hittite. There were thirty-seven in all.