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

¶ 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,

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

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

3 “ The God of Israel said, The Rock of Israel spoke to me, ‘ He who rules over men righteously, Who rules in the fear of God,

The 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.

4 I s as the light of the morning when the sun rises, A morning without clouds, When the tender grass springs out of the earth, Through sunshine after rain.’

And 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:

5 “ Truly is not my house so with God? For He has made an everlasting covenant with me, Ordered in all things, and secured; For all my salvation and all my desire, Will He not indeed make it grow?

shall 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;

6 “ But the worthless, every one of them will be thrust away like thorns, Because they cannot be taken in hand;

but those of Belial shall all be as thorns to be chased away, whom no one takes with the hand;

7 B ut the man who touches them Must be armed with iron and the shaft of a spear, And they will be completely burned with fire in their place.” His Mighty Men

but 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.

8 T hese are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-basshebeth a Tahchemonite, chief of the captains, he was called Adino the Eznite, because of eight hundred slain by him at one time;

¶ 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.

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 who were gathered there to battle and the men of Israel had withdrawn.

And 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.

10 H e arose and struck the Philistines until his hand was weary and clung to the sword, and the Lord brought about a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to strip the slain.

He 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.

11 N ow after him was Shammah the son of Agee a Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered into a troop where there 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. 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.

12 B ut he took his stand in the midst of the plot, defended it and struck the Philistines; and the Lord brought about a great victory.

But he stood in the midst of the inheritance and defended it and slew the Philistines, and the LORD wrought a great salvation.

13 T hen three of the thirty chief men went down and came to David in the harvest time to the cave of Adullam, while the troop of the Philistines was camping in the valley of Rephaim.

These 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.

14 D avid was then in the stronghold, while the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem.

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

15 D avid had a craving and said, “Oh that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem which is by the gate!”

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!

16 S o the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines, and drew water from the well of Bethlehem which 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;

Then 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,

17 a nd he said, “Be it far from me, O Lord, that I should do this. Shall I drink the blood of the men who went in jeopardy of their lives?” Therefore he would not drink it. These things the three mighty men did.

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

18 A bishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the thirty. And he swung his spear against three hundred and killed them, and had a name as well as the three.

And 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.

19 H e was most honored of the thirty, therefore he became their commander; however, he did not attain to the three.

He was the most honourable of the three and captain among them; however, he did not attain unto the first three.

20 T hen 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 on a snowy day.

Then, 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.

21 H e killed an Egyptian, an impressive man. Now the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, but he went down to him with a club and snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear.

He 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.

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

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

23 H e was honored among the thirty, but he did not attain to the three. And David appointed him over his guard.

He had more honour than the thirty, but he did not attain to the first three. And David put him in his council.

24 A sahel the brother of Joab was among 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 the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,

Shammah of Harodi, Elika of Harodi,

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

Helez of Palti, Ira, the son of Ikkesh of Tekoah,

27 A biezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,

Abiezer of Anethoth, Mebunnai of Hushath,

28 Z almon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,

Zalmon of Ahoh, Maharai of Netophath,

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

Heleb, the son of Baanah of Netophath, Ittai, the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the sons of Benjamin,

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

Benaiah, the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash,

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

Abialbon of Arbath, Azmaveth of Barhum,

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

Eliahba of Shaalbon, Jonathan of the sons of Jashen,

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

Shammah of Harar, Ahiam, the son of Sharar of Harar,

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 Maachath, Eliam, the son of Ahithophel of Gilon,

35 H ezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,

Hezrai of Carmel, Paarai of Arbi,

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

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

37 Z elek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armor bearers of Joab the son of Zeruiah,

Zelek of Ammon, Naharai of Beeroth, armourbearer to Joab, the son of Zeruiah,

38 I ra the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,

Ira of Ithri, Gareb of Ithri,

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

Uriah, the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.