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, the man who was raised on high, the chosen one of the God of Jacob, the sweet song writer of Israel, says,

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

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

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 “ 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?

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

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 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

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 who were gathered there to battle and the men of Israel had withdrawn.

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 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.

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 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.

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 took his stand in the midst of the plot, defended it and struck the Philistines; and the Lord brought about 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 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.

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

David was in the strong place, while the Philistine soldiers were 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!”

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

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;

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. 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.

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 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.

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

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 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 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 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did, and had a name as well as the 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 honored among the thirty, but he did not attain to the three. And David appointed 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 among the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,

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 Anathothite, 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 the Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the sons 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 a 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, 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 Ararite,

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

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

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

35 H ezro 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, armor bearers of 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 the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,

And there was Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,

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

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