1 N ow these are the last words of David: David son of Jesse says, and the man who was raised on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, says,

Now these are the last words of David. David the son of Jesse says, the man who was raised on high says, the anointed of the God of Jacob, the sweet psalmist of Israel:

2 T he Spirit of the Lord spoke in and by me, and His word was upon my tongue.

“Yahweh’s Spirit spoke by me. His word was on my tongue.

3 T he God of Israel spoke, the Rock of Israel said to me, When one rules over men righteously, ruling in the fear of God,

The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spoke to me, ‘One who rules over men righteously, who rules in the fear of God,

4 H e dawns on them like the morning light when the sun rises on a cloudless morning, when the tender grass springs out of the earth through clear shining after rain.

shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun rises, a morning without clouds, when the tender grass springs out of the earth, through clear shining after rain.’

5 T ruly does not my house stand so with God? For He has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure. For will He not cause to prosper all my help and my desire?

Most certainly my house is not so with God, yet he has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure, for it is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he doesn’t make it grow.

6 B ut wicked, godless, and worthless lives are all like thorns to be thrust away, because they cannot be taken with the hand.

But all the ungodly will be as thorns to be thrust away, because they can’t be taken with the hand,

7 B ut the man who touches them arms himself with iron and the shaft of a spear, and they are utterly consumed with fire on the spot.

But the man who touches them must be armed with iron and the staff of a spear. They will be utterly burned with fire in their place.”

8 T hese are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-basshebeth, a Tahchemonite, chief of the Three, known also as Adino the Eznite; he wielded his spear and went against 800 men, who were slain at one time.

These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb Basshebeth a Tahchemonite, chief of the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite, against eight hundred slain at one time.

9 N ext to him among the three mighty men was Eleazar son of Dodo, son of Ahohi. He was with David when they defied the Philistines assembled there for battle, and the men of Israel had departed.

After him was Eleazar the son of Dodai the son of an Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines who were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel had gone away.

10 a rose and struck down the Philistines until his hand was weary and clung to the sword. The Lord wrought a great deliverance and victory that day; the men returned after him only to take the spoil.

He arose and struck the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand froze to the sword; and Yahweh worked a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to take plunder.

11 N ext to was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. The Philistines were gathered at Lehi on a piece of ground full of lentils; and the fled from the Philistines.

After him was Shammah the son of Agee a Hararite. The Philistines had gathered together into a troop, where there was a plot of ground full of lentils; and the people fled 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 he stood in the middle of the plot and defended it, and killed the Philistines; and Yahweh worked a great victory.

13 A nd three of the thirty chief men went down at harvest time to David in the cave of Adullam, and a troop of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim.

Three of the thirty chief men went down, and came to David in the harvest time to the cave of Adullam; and the troop of the Philistines was encamped in the valley of Rephaim.

14 A nd David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem.

David was then in the stronghold; and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem.

15 A nd David said longingly, Oh, that someone would give me a drink of water from the well of Bethlehem by the gate!

David longed, and said, “Oh that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!”

16 A nd the three mighty men broke through the army of the Philistines and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem by the gate and brought it to David. But he would not drink it, but poured it out to the Lord.

The three mighty men broke through the army 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; but he would not drink of it, but poured it out to Yahweh.

17 A nd he said, Be it far from me, O Lord, to drink this. Is it not the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives? So he would not drink it. These things did the three mighty men.

He said, “Be it far from me, Yahweh, that I should do this! Isn’t this the blood of the men who risked their lives to go?” Therefore he would not drink it. The three mighty men did these things.

18 N ow Abishai the brother of Joab son of Zeruiah was chief of the Three. He wielded his spear against 300 men and slew them, and won a name beside the Three.

Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the three. He lifted up his spear against three hundred and killed them, and had a name among the three.

19 W as he not most renowned of the Three? So he was their captain; however, he did not attain to the Three.

Wasn’t he most honorable of the three? therefore he was made their captain. However he wasn’t included as one of the three.

20 A nd Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done many notable acts, slew two lionlike men of Moab. He went down also and slew a lion in a pit on a snowy day.

Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done mighty deeds, killed the two sons of Ariel of Moab. He also went down and killed a lion in the middle of a pit in a time of snow.

21 A nd he slew an Egyptian, a handsome man. The Egyptian had a spear in his hand, but Benaiah went down to him with a staff, snatched the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and slew the man with his own spear.

He killed a huge Egyptian, 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 killed him with his own spear.

22 T hese things Benaiah son of Jehoiada did, and won a name beside the three mighty men.

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

23 H e was more renowned than the Thirty, but he attained not to the Three. David set him over his guard or council.

He was more honorable than the thirty, but he didn’t attain to the three. David set him over his guard.

24 A sahel brother of Joab was one of the Thirty; then Elhanan son of Dodo of Bethlehem,

Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty: Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,

25 S hammah of Harod, Elika of Harod,

Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,

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

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

27 A biezer of Anathoth, Mebunnai the Hushathite,

Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,

28 Z almon the Ahohite, Maharai of Netophah,

Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,

29 H eleb son of Baanah of Netophah, Ittai son of Ribai of Gibeah of the Benjamites.

Heleb the son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin,

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

Benaiah a Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash.

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

Abialbon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,

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

Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan,

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

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

34 E liphelet son of Ahasbai, son of Maacah, Eliam son of Ahithophel of Giloh,

Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maacathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,

35 H ezro (Hezrai) of Carmel, Paarai the Arbite,

Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,

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

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

37 Z elek the Ammonite, Naharai of Beeroth, armor-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah,

Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armor bearers to Joab the son of Zeruiah,

38 I ra the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,

Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,

39 U riah the Hittite—thirty-seven in all.

and Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.