2Sa 2 Samuel, chapter Second Book of Samuel, chapter 23
David’s Last Song
These are the last words of David:
“The oracle of David son of Jesse,
the oracle of the man raised on high,
the one anointed by the God of Jacob,
and the sweet psalmist of Israel:23:1 Or the hero of the songs of Israel or the favorite of the Strong One of Israel2Sa 7:12; Col 3:16
The Spirit of the LORD spoke through me;
His word was on my tongue.Act 1:16; Mrk 12:36
The God of Israel spoke;
the Rock of Israel said to me,
‘He who rules the people with justice,
who rules in the fear of God,Exo 17:5
is like the light of the morning
at sunrise of a cloudless dawn,
the glistening after the rain
on the sprouting grass of the earth.’Jhn 1:4; Psa 110:3; Pro 4:18
Is not my house right with God?
For He has established with me
an everlasting covenant,
ordered and secured in every part.
Will He not bring about my full salvation
and my every desire?2Sa 7:15
But the worthless are all like thorns raked aside,
for they can never be gathered by hand.Psa 58:9; Heb 6:8
The man who touches them must be armed with iron
or with the shaft of a spear.
The fire burns them to ashes
in the place where they lie.”Isa 1:31
David’s Mighty Men
These are the names of David’s mighty men:
- Josheb-basshebeth the Tahchemonite23:8 Tahchemonite is probably a variant of Hachmonite; see 1 Chronicles 11:11. was chief of the Three.23:8 Or chief among the captains He wielded his spear against23:8 Some LXX manuscripts (see also 1 Chronicles 11:11); Hebrew He was called Adino the Eznite because of eight hundred men, whom he killed at one time.1Ch 11:11
- Next in command was Eleazar son of Dodo23:9 Dodo is a variant of Dodai; see 1 Chronicles 27:4. the Ahohite. As one of the three mighty men, he went with David to taunt the Philistines who had gathered for battle at Pas-dammim. The men of Israel retreated, 1Ch 11:12; 1Ch 27:4but Eleazar stood his ground and struck the Philistines until his hand grew weary and stuck to his sword. The LORD brought about a great victory that day. Then the troops returned to him, but only to plunder the dead.1Sa 11:13; 1Sa 14:45
- And after him was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. When the Philistines had banded together near a field full of lentils, Israel’s troops fled from them. But Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field, defended it, and struck down the Philistines. So the LORD brought about a great victory.
At harvest time, three of the thirty chief men went down to David at the cave of Adullam, while a company of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. 1Ch 11:15At that time David was in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was at Bethlehem. 1Ch 11:16David longed for water and said, “Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!”1Ch 11:17
So the three mighty men broke through the Philistine camp, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem, and brought it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead , he poured it out to the LORD, saying, “Far be it from me, O LORD, to do this! Is this not the blood of the men who risked their lives?” So he refused to drink it.
Such were the exploits of the three mighty men.1Ch 11:19
Now Abishai, the brother of Joab and son of Zeruiah, was chief of the Three,23:18 Most Hebrew manuscripts (see also 1 Chronicles 11:20); two Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac the Thirty and he wielded his spear against three hundred men, killed them, and won a name along with the Three. 1Ch 11:20; 2Sa 21:17Was he not more honored than the Three?23:19 Hebrew; Syriac the Thirty And he became their commander, even though he was not included among the Three.
And Benaiah son of Jehoiada was a man of valor23:20 Or Benaiah son of Jehoiada was the son of Ishhai from Kabzeel, a man of many exploits. He struck down two champions23:20 Or two sons of Ariel of Moab, and on a snowy day he went down into a pit and killed a lion. 1Ch 11:22; 1Ch 27:5; Jos 15:21He also struck down an Egyptian, a huge man. Although the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club, snatched the spear from his hand, and killed the Egyptian with his own spear. These were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada, who won a name along with the three mighty men. He was most honored among the Thirty, but he did not become one of the Three. And David appointed him over his guard.
Now these were members of the Thirty:23:24 Literally In the Thirty (were):
- Asahel the brother of Joab,
- Elhanan son of Dodo of Bethlehem,1Ch 11:26; 1Ch 27:7
- Shammah the Harodite,
- Elika the Harodite,
- Helez the Paltite,
- Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,
- Abiezer the Anathothite,
- Mebunnai23:27 Hebrew; some LXX manuscripts Sibbecai; see 2 Samuel 21:18 and 1 Chronicles 11:29. the Hushathite,
- Zalmon the Ahohite,
- Maharai the Netophathite,
- Heled23:29 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Vulgate (see also 1 Chronicles 11:30); most MT manuscripts Heleb son of Baanah the Netophathite,
- Ittai23:29 Ittai is a variant of Ithai; see 1 Chronicles 11:31. son of Ribai from Gibeah of the Benjamites,1Ch 27:15
- Benaiah the Pirathonite,
- Hiddai23:30 Hiddai is a variant of Hurai; see 1 Chronicles 11:32. from the brooks23:30 Or from the ravines of Gaash,1Ch 11:31; 1Ch 27:14
- Abi-albon the Arbathite,
- Azmaveth the Barhumite,
- Eliahba the Shaalbonite,
- the sons of Jashen,23:32 Jashen is a variant of Hashem; see 1 Chronicles 11:34.
- Jonathan son of Shammah23:33 Some LXX manuscripts (see also 1 Chronicles 11:34); Hebrew Jonathan, 33Shammah the Hararite,
- Ahiam son of Sharar23:33 Hebrew; some LXX manuscripts Sachar; see 1 Chronicles 11:35. the Hararite,
- Eliphelet son of Ahasbai the Maacathite,
- Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,
- Hezro the Carmelite,
- Paarai the Arbite,
- Igal son of Nathan of Zobah,
- Bani the Gadite,
- Zelek the Ammonite,
- Naharai the Beerothite, the armor-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah,
- Ira the Ithrite,
- Gareb the Ithrite,
- and Uriah the Hittite.