1 ¶ Now these are the last words of David. David, the son of Jesse, said, and the man who was raised up high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet cantor of Israel, said,

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 ( The Spirit of the LORD has spoken by me, and his word has been in my tongue.

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

3 T he God of Israel dictated unto me, the strong One of Israel spoke): He that rules over men must be just, 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 A nd as the light of the morning when the sun rises, of a morning shining forth without clouds, as the shining forth through light rain upon the tender grass of the earth:

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 s hall not my house be so with God, although all my saving health and my desire shall not be produced yet? For he has made an everlasting covenant with me, ordered in all things, and it shall be kept;

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 those of Belial shall all be as thorns to be chased away, whom no one takes 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 one that desires to touch them must be armed with iron and the staff of a spear, and they are completely burned with fire in their place.

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 ¶ These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: he that sat in the seat of wisdom, chief among the three: Adino, the Eznite, who on one occasion slew eight hundred enemies.

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 A nd after him was Eleazar, the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men who were with David, when they defied the Philistines that were there gathered together to battle, and those of Israel were gone away.

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 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 salvation that day, and the people returned after him only to 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 A nd after him was Shammah, the son of Agee, the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a community, where was an inheritance of land full of lentils, and the people had fled before 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 inheritance and defended it and slew the Philistines, and the LORD wrought a great salvation.

But he stood in the middle of the plot and defended it, and killed the Philistines; and Yahweh worked a great victory.

13 T hese three, who were of the thirty chief, went down and came to David in the harvest time unto the cave of Adullam, and the camp of the Philistines was pitched 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 fortress, and the garrison of the Philistines was in Bethlehem.

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 drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, which is 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 T hen these three mighty men broke through the camp 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 of it, but poured it out unto the LORD, saying,

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 B e 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? And he would not drink it. These three mighty men did this.

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 A nd Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred and slew them and had a name among 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 H e was the most honourable of the three and captain among them; however, he did not attain unto the first 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 T hen, Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done many acts, slew two lions 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, 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 H e also slew an Egyptian, a man of great stature, 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 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 did Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, and had a name among the three mighty men.

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

23 H e had more honour than the thirty, but he did not attain to the first three. And David put him in his 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, the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan, the 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 Harodi, Elika of Harodi,

Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,

26 H elez of Palti, Ira, the son of Ikkesh of Tekoah,

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

27 A biezer of Anethoth, Mebunnai of Hushath,

Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,

28 Z almon of Ahoh, Maharai of Netophath,

Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,

29 H eleb, the son of Baanah of Netophath, Ittai, the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the sons of Benjamin,

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

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

Benaiah a Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash.

31 A bialbon of Arbath, Azmaveth of Barhum,

Abialbon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,

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

Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan,

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

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

34 E liphelet, the son of Ahasbai, the son of Maachath, Eliam, the son of Ahithophel of Gilon,

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

35 H ezrai of Carmel, Paarai of Arbi,

Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,

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

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

37 Z elek of Ammon, Naharai of Beeroth, armourbearer to Joab, the son of Zeruiah,

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

38 I ra of Ithri, Gareb of Ithri,

Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,

39 U riah, the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.

and Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.