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          DASV: 2 Samuel 23    

1 Now these are the last words of David. "The oracle of David
the son of Jesse, the oracle of the man who was raised on high,
anointed by the God of Jacob, the sweet psalmist of Israel.
2 The Spirit of LORD spoke through me, his word was on my tongue.
3 The God of Israel spoke, The Rock of Israel said to me,
'The one who rules over men righteously, who rules in the
fear of God,
4 he is like the gleam of dawn, when the sun rises on a
cloudless morning, when the tender grass sprouts out of
the earth shining after a rain.'
5 Is not my house like this with God? For he has made an
everlasting covenant with me, order in all things and secure.
Will he not deliver me and bring all that I desire to
fruition?
6 But the ungodly will be like thorns thrown away, because
they cannot be picked by hand,
7 but whoever touches them must use an iron tool or the staff
of a spear. They will be totally burned up with fire right
where they are.

8 These are the names of David’s mighty men: Josheb-Basshebeth,
a Tahkemonite, he was the chief of the three. He wielded his
spear against eight hundred whom he killed in one battle.
9 Next to him was Eleazar the son of Dodai the descendant of
Ahohi. He was one of the David’s three mighty men, when they
defied the Philistines who were mustered there for battle,
when the Israelite troops retreated.
10 He stood firm and slew the Philistines until his hand was
so tired it stuck to his sword, and the LORD won a great victory
that day. When the troops returned to him, the only thing left
to do was to take the spoil.
11 Next to him was Shammah the son of Agee a Hararite. When
the Philistines mustered their troops at Lehi, there was a
field full of lentils, and the army fled from the Philistines. 12 But he took his stood in the middle of the field, defended it,
and killed the Philistines; and the LORD brought about a great
victory.

13 Once at harvest time, three of the thirty chief men went down
to join David at the cave of Adullam. A band of the Philistines
was camped in the valley of Rephaim.
14 David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the
Philistines was in Bethlehem.
15 David yearned saying, "Oh that someone would give me water
to drink from the well of Bethlehem that is by the gate!" 16 The three mighty men broke through the Philistine force,
and drew water from the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate.
They brought it back to David, but he refused to drink it,
but poured it out to the LORD.

17 He explained, "The LORD forbid that I should drink this.
Can I drink the blood of the men who went risking their own
lives?" So he would not drink it. These are examples of the
types of exploits the three mighty men did.

18 Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief
of the thirty. With his spear he killed 300 of the enemy.
Such accomplishments made him as famous as the three.
19 He was most famous of the thirty and was made their commander
even though he was not one of the three. 20 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, was a valiant warrior from
Kabzeel, who had done mighty feats. He slew the two sons
of Ariel of Moab. He also went down into a pit and killed
a lion on a snowy day.
21 He killed an Egyptian, an impressive warrior, who had a
spear in his hand. He went after him with a staff, and
plucked the spear right out of the Egyptian's hand, and
killed him with his own spear.
22 These exploits gave Benaiah the son of Jehoiada a reputation
as impressive as the three mighty men.
23 He was more honorable than the thirty, but he had not
attained to the level of respect as the first three.
David set him in charge of his bodyguard.

24 The thirty were: Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan
the son of Dodo from Bethlehem,
25 Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,
26 Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh from Tekoa,
27 Abiezer from Anathoth, Mebunnai the Hushathite,
28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,
29 Heled the son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai the son
of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin,
30 Benaiah a Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash.
31 Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,
32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen,
33 Jonathan the son of Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam
the son of Sharar the Hararite,
34 Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai the Maacathite,
Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,
35 Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,
36 Igal the son of Nathan from Zobah, Bani the Gadite,
37 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, the
armor-bearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah,
38 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,
39 Uriah the Hittite—thirty-seven in all.

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