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

Now these are the last words of David. Thus says David the son of Jesse; Thus says the man raised up on high, The anointed of the God of Jacob, And the sweet psalmist of Israel:

2 T he Spirit of Jehovah spake by me, And his word was upon my tongue.

“The Spirit of the Lord spoke by me, And His word was on my tongue.

3 T he God of Israel said, The Rock of Israel spake to me: One that ruleth over men righteously, That ruleth in the fear of God,

The God of Israel said, The Rock of Israel spoke to me: ‘He who rules over men must be just, Ruling in the fear of God.

4 H e shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, A morning without clouds, When the tender grass springeth out of the earth, Through clear shining after rain.

And he shall be like the light of the morning when the sun rises, A morning without clouds, Like the tender grass springing out of the earth, By clear shining after rain.’

5 V erily my house is not so with God; Yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, Ordered in all things, and sure: For it is all my salvation, and all my desire, Although he maketh it not to grow.

“Although my house is not so with God, Yet He has made with me an everlasting covenant, Ordered in all things and secure. For this is all my salvation and all my desire; Will He not make it increase?

6 B ut the ungodly shall be all of them as thorns to be thrust away, Because they cannot be taken with the hand;

But the sons of rebellion shall all be as thorns thrust away, Because they cannot be taken with hands.

7 B ut the man that toucheth them Must be armed with iron and the staff of a spear: And they shall be utterly burned with fire in their place.

But the man who touches them Must be armed with iron and the shaft of a spear, And they shall be utterly burned with fire in their place.” David’s Mighty Men

8 T hese 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.

These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-Basshebeth the Tachmonite, chief among the captains. He was called Adino the Eznite, because he had killed eight hundred men at one time.

9 A nd 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 that were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away.

And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David when they defied the Philistines who were gathered there for battle, and the men of Israel had retreated.

10 H e arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword; and Jehovah wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to take spoil.

He arose and attacked the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand stuck to the sword. The Lord brought about a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to plunder.

11 A nd after him was Shammah the son of Agee a Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a plot of ground full of lentils; and the people fled from the Philistines.

And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. The Philistines had gathered together into a troop where there was a piece of ground full of lentils. So the people fled from the Philistines.

12 B ut he stood in the midst of the plot, and defended it, and slew the Philistines; and Jehovah wrought a great victory.

But he stationed himself in the middle of the field, defended it, and killed the Philistines. So the Lord brought about a great victory.

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

Then three of the thirty chief men went down at harvest time and came to David at the cave of Adullam. And the troop of Philistines encamped in the Valley of Rephaim.

14 A nd David was then in the stronghold; and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Beth-lehem.

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

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

And David said with longing, “Oh, that someone would give me a drink of the water from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!”

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: but he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto Jehovah.

So the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines, drew water from the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate, and took it and brought it to David. Nevertheless he would not drink it, but poured it out to the Lord.

17 A nd he said, Be it far from me, O Jehovah, that I should do this: shall I drink the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did the three mighty men.

And he said, “Far be it from me, O Lord, that I should do this! Is this not the blood of the men who went in jeopardy of their lives?” Therefore he would not drink it. These things were done by the three mighty men.

18 A nd Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred and slew them, and had a name among the three.

Now Abishai the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of another three. He lifted his spear against three hundred men, killed them, and won a name among these three.

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

Was he not the most honored of three? Therefore he became their captain. However, he did not attain to the first three.

20 A nd Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done mighty deeds, he slew the two sons of Ariel of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow.

Benaiah was the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man from Kabzeel, who had done many deeds. He had killed two lion-like heroes of Moab. He also had gone down and killed a lion in the midst of a pit on a snowy day.

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.

And he killed an Egyptian, a spectacular man. The Egyptian had a spear in his hand; so he went down to him with a staff, wrested the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with his own spear.

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

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

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

He was more honored than the thirty, but he did not attain to the first three. And David appointed him over his guard.

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

Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; 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 Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,

Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,

28 Z almon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,

Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,

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

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

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

Benaiah a Pirathonite, Hiddai from the brooks of Gaash,

31 A bialbon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,

Abi-Albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,

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

Eliahba the Shaalbonite (of the sons of Jashen), Jonathan,

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

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

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

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

35 H ezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,

Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,

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

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

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

Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite (armorbearer of 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 and seven in all.

and Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.