1 Now these be the last words of David. David the son
of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the
God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said,
2 The
Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.
3 The
God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just,
ruling in the fear of God.
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.
5 Although
my house be 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 make it not to grow.
6 But the sons of
Belial shall be all
of them as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands:
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.
8 These be 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 lift up his spear against
eight hundred, whom he slew at one time.
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 gathered together to
battle, and the men of Israel were gone away:
10 He
arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave
unto the sword: and the LORD wrought a great victory that day; and the people
returned after him only to spoil.
11 And
after him was Shammah
the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a
troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentiles: and the people fled from
the Philistines.
12 But
he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines:
and the LORD wrought a great victory.
13 And
three of the thirty chief went down, and came to David in the harvest time unto
the cave of Adullam: and the troop of the Philistines pitched in the valley of
Rephaim.
14 And
David was then
in an hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem.
15 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 And
the three mighty men brake through the host 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 thereof, but poured it out unto the LORD.
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.
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.
19 Was
he not most honourable of three? therefore he was their captain: howbeit he
attained not unto the first three.
20 And
Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man, of Kabzeel, who had done
many acts, he slew two lionlike men of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion
in the midst of a pit in time of snow:
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.
22 These things did
Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among three mighty men.
23 He
was more honourable than the thirty, but he attained not to the first three.
And David set him over his guard.
24 Asahel
the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of
Dodo of Bethlehem,
25 Shammah
the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,
26 Helez
the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,
27 Abiezer
the Anethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,
28 Zalmon
the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,
29 Heleb
the son of Baanah, a Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai out of Gibeah of the
children of Benjamin,
30 Benaiah
the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash,
31 Abialbon
the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,
32 Eliahba
the Shaalbonite, of the sons of Jashen, Jonathan,
33 Shammah
the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite,
34 Eliphelet
the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the
Gilonite,
35 Hezrai
the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,
36 Igal
the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite,
37 Zelek
the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armourbearer to Joab the son of Zeruiah,
38 Ira
an Ithrite, Gareb an Ithrite,
39 Uriah
the Hittite: thirty and seven in all.
