David’s Oracle
23 This was David’s last composition:
The oracle of David, son of Jesse,
an oracle by the valiant one who was exalted—
anointed by the God of Jacob,
the contented psalm writer of Israel.
2 The Spirit of the Lord speaks within[a] me;
his word is on my tongue!
3 The God of Israel has spoken;
the Rock of Israel has talked to me.
“When one is governing men justly,
he fears God while governing.
4 He is like dawn’s first[b] light,
like bright sun blazing on a cloudless morning,
glistening on grassland that flourishes after a rain shower.
5 Is not my dynasty[c] like this with God?
Has he not made an eternal covenant with me,
preparing every detail of it?
And he has made it secure,
including my complete[d] salvation, has he not?
He has been of continual [e] help, has he not,
even with respect to all of my desires?
6 But ungodly men[f] are like thorns that are discarded
because they cannot be safely[g] handled.
7 Whoever handles them
wears heavy duty clothing,[h]
carries strong tools,[i]
and burns them to ashes on the spot![j]
David’s Elite Soldiers(A)
8 Here’s a list of the names of David’s special forces: Josheb-basshebeth the Tahkemonite[k] was head of the Three;[l] he was nicknamed Adino the Eznite[m] because he killed 800 men in a single battle engagement.
9 Next was Dodai[n] the Ahohite’s son Eleazar. Eleazar, who also was one of the Three, was with David when they challenged the Philistines. When the Philistines had assembled in battle array, the Israeli army retreated, 10 but Eleazar remained standing right where he was and fought so hard against the Philistines that he became exhausted—he couldn’t even let go of his sword! The Lord magnificently delivered them that day. After Eleazar had won the battle, the other soldiers returned, but only to strip the weapons and armor from the dead.[o]
11 Next was Shammah, Agee the Hararite’s son. One time the Philistines assembled to fight[p] in a field where lentils had been growing. Israel’s army retreated from the Philistines, 12 but Shammah stood his ground in the middle of the field, defended it, and killed the Philistines. And the Lord brought about a great victory.
13 One day while the Philistine army was camping in the valley of giants,[q] three of the 30 leaders joined David at the cave of Adullam. 14 David was living in that stronghold at the time, while a Philistine garrison was then at Bethlehem.
15 David expressed his longing, “Oh, how I wish someone would get me a drink of water from the Bethlehem well that’s by the city gate!” 16 So the Three elite warriors broke through the Philistine ranks, drew some water from the Bethlehem well that was next to the city gate, and brought it back to David. But he refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out in the Lord’s presence, 17 and said, “The Lord forbid that I drink this—this is the blood of men who endangered their own lives!” The Three elite warriors did these things.
David’s Other Valiant Soldiers(B)
18 Zeruiah’s son Abishai, Joab’s brother, was the lieutenant[r] in charge of the platoons.[s] He used his spear to fight and kill 300 men, gaining a reputation distinct from the Three. 19 He was more well-known than the Three, and became their commander, but he never measured up to[t] the Three.
20 Jehoiada’s son Benaiah, who was a valiant man, accomplished great things. He was from Kabzeel. He killed two men named[u] Ariel from Moab[v] and then he also went down into a pit and struck down a lion during a snow storm one day. 21 He also killed a soldier[w] from Egypt. Of handsome appearance, the Egyptian carried a spear, but Benaiah attacked him with a staff, snatched the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear. 22 Benaiah did things like this and gained a reputation comparable to the Three warriors. 23 He was well known among the platoons, but he didn’t measure up to[x] the Three. David placed him in charge of his security detail.
24 Among the Thirty were Joab’s brother Asahel, Dodo’s son Elhanan of Bethlehem, 25 Shammah from Harod; Elika from Harod, 26 Helez the Paltite,[y] Ikkesh’s son Ira from Tekoa, 27 Abiezer from Anathoth, Mebunnai the Hushathite, 28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai of Netophah, 29 Baanah’s son Heleb from Netophah, Ribai’s son Ittai from Gibeah of the descendants of Benjamin, 30 Benaiah from Pirathon, Hiddai from the Gaash creeks area,[z] 31 Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth from Bahurim, 32 Eliahba from Shaalbon, Jashen’s sons, 33 Shammah’s son from Harar, Sharar the Hararite’s son Ahiam, 34 Ahasbai the Maacathite’s son Eliphelet, Ahithophel the Gilonite’s son Eliam,[aa] 35 Hezro from Carmel, Paarai the Arbite, 36 Nathan’s son Igal from Zobah, Bani the Gadite, 37 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai from Beeroth (the armor-bearer for Zeruiah’s son Joab), 38 Ira the Ithrite,[ab] Gareb the Ithrite, 39 and Uriah the Hittite—for a total of 37.
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 23:2 Or through
- 2 Samuel 23:4 The Heb. lacks first
- 2 Samuel 23:5 Lit. house
- 2 Samuel 23:5 Lit. including all of my
- 2 Samuel 23:5 Lit. He has been all
- 2 Samuel 23:6 Lit. But Belial
- 2 Samuel 23:6 The Heb. lacks safely
- 2 Samuel 23:7 Lit. arms himself with iron
- 2 Samuel 23:7 Lit. and a spear shaft
- 2 Samuel 23:7 Lit. ashes where they sit
- 2 Samuel 23:8 Cf. 1Chr 11:11, where this individual is named Hachmoni’s son Jashobeam
- 2 Samuel 23:8 I.e. a group of three distinguished officers who served David, and so throughout the chapter; cf. 1Chr 11:12
- 2 Samuel 23:8 The two Heb. names comprise a word play that roughly translates as Thin as a Spear
- 2 Samuel 23:9 Cf. 1Chr 11:12, where this individual is named Dodo
- 2 Samuel 23:10 The Heb. lacks the weapons and armor from the dead
- 2 Samuel 23:11 Or assembled at Lehi
- 2 Samuel 23:13 Or the Rephaim Valley
- 2 Samuel 23:18 Lit. chief
- 2 Samuel 23:18 So Syr; MT reads Three
- 2 Samuel 23:19 Or never attained the stature of
- 2 Samuel 23:20 The Heb. lacks men named
- 2 Samuel 23:20 The Heb. name Ariel means lion
- 2 Samuel 23:21 Lit. man
- 2 Samuel 23:23 Or he never attained the stature of
- 2 Samuel 23:26 Cf. 1Chr 11:27, where he is named Helez the Pelonite
- 2 Samuel 23:30 The Heb. lacks area; i.e. a region in Gaash containing numerous seasonal streams
- 2 Samuel 23:34 Bathsheba’s father was Eliam; her grandfather was Ahithophel; cf. 2Sam 11:3; 15:12
- 2 Samuel 23:38 Cf. 2Sam 20:26, where he is also known as Ira the Jairite