1 N ow 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:

Now 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,

2 “ Yahweh’s Spirit spoke by me. His word was on 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 spoke to me, ‘One who rules over men righteously, who rules in the fear of God,

“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,

4 s hall 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.’

Is 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.’

5 M ost 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.

“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?

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

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

7 B ut 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.”

But 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

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 a Tahchemonite, chief of the captains, he was called Adino the Eznite, because of eight hundred slain by him at one time;

9 A fter 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.

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 to battle and the men of Israel had withdrawn.

10 H e 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.

He 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.

11 A fter 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.

Now 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.

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

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

13 T hree 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.

Then 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.

14 D avid was then in the stronghold; and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem.

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

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

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

16 T he 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.

So 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;

17 H e 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.

and 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.

18 A bishai, 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.

Abishai, 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.

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

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

20 B enaiah 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.

Then 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.

21 H e 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.

He 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.

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

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

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

He was honored among the thirty, but he did not attain to the 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 Bethlehem,

Asahel the brother of Joab was among 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 of Gibeah of the sons of Benjamin,

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

Benaiah a Pirathonite, Hiddai of 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, 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 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, the son of the Maacathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,

35 H ezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,

Hezro 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, armor bearers to Joab the son of Zeruiah,

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

38 I ra the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,

Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,

39 a nd Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.

Uriah the Hittite; thirty-seven in all.