23:1 Now these [are] the last words of David. David the son of
Jesse said, and the man [who was] raised on high, the anointed
of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said,
23:2 The Spirit of the LORD spoke by me, and his word [was] on
my tongue.
23:3 The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spoke to me, He
that ruleth over men [must be] just, ruling in the fear of God.
23:4 And [he shall be] as the light of the morning, [when] the
sun riseth, [even] a morning without clouds; [as] the tender
grass [springing] out of the earth by clear shining after rain.
23:5 Although my house [is] not so with God; yet he hath made
with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all [things], and
sure: for [this is] all my salvation, and all [my] desire,
although he maketh [it] not to grow.
23:6 But [the sons] of Belial [shall be] all of them as thorns
thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands:
23:7 But the man [that] shall touch them must be fenced with
iron and the staff of a spear; and they shall be utterly burned
with fire in the [same] place.
23:8 These [are] the names of the mighty men whom David had: The
Tachmonite that sat in the seat, chief among the captains; the
same [was] Adino the Eznite: [he lifted up his spear] against
eight hundred, whom he slew at one time.
23:9 And after him [was] Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite,
[one] of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the
Philistines [that] were there assembled to battle, and the men
of Israel had gone away:
23:10 He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was
weary, and his hand adhered to the sword: and the LORD wrought
a great victory that day; and the people returned after him
only to plunder.
23:11 And after him [was] Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite.
And the Philistines were collected into a troop, where was a
piece of ground full of lentils: and the people fled from the
Philistines.
23:12 But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it,
and slew the Philistines: and the LORD wrought a great victory.
23:13 And three of the thirty chiefs went down, and came to
David in the harvest time to the cave of Adullam: and the troop
of the Philistines encamped in the valley of Rephaim.
23:14 And David [was] then in a hold, and the garrison of the
Philistines [was] then [in] Beth-lehem.
23:15 And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me
drink of the water of the well of Beth-lehem, which [is] by the
gate!
23:16 And the three mighty men broke through the host of the
Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Beth-lehem, that
[was] by the gate, and took [it], and brought [it] to David:
nevertheless he would not drink of it, but poured it out to the
LORD.
23:17 And he said, 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? therefore he would not drink it. These things
did these three mighty men.
23:18 And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was
chief among three. And he lifted up his spear against three
hundred, [and] slew [them], and had the name among three.
23:19 Was he not most honorable of three? therefore he was their
captain: yet he attained not to the [first] three.
23:20 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man,
of Kabzeel, who had done many acts, he slew two lion-like men
of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a
pit in time of snow:
23:21 And he slew an Egyptian, a goodly man: 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.
23:22 These [things] did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had a
name among three mighty men.
23:23 He was more honorable than the thirty, but he attained not
to the [first] three. And David set him over his guard.
23:24 Asahel the brother of Joab [was] one of the thirty;
Elhanan the son of Dodo of Beth-lehem,
23:25 Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,
23:26 Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,
23:27 Abiezer the Anethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,
23:28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,
23:29 Heleb the son of Baanah, a Netophathite, Ittai the son of
Ribai out of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin,
23:30 Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash,
23:31 Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,
23:32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite, of the sons of Jashen, Jonathan,
23:33 Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the
Hararite,
23:34 Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite,
Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,
23:35 Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,
23:36 Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani, the Gadite,
23:37 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armor-bearer
to Joab the son of Zeruiah,
23:38 Ira an Ithrite, Gareb an Ithrite,
23:39 Uriah the Hittite: thirty and seven in all.
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