23
1 And these are the last words of David.
Faithful is David the son of Jessæ, and faithful the man whom the Lord raised up to be the anointed of the God of Jacob, and beautiful are the psalms of Israel.
2 The Spirit of the Lord spoke by me, and his word was upon my tongue. 3 The God of Israel says, A watchman out of Israel spoke to me a parable: I said among men, How will ye strengthen the fear of the anointed? 4 And in the morning light of God, let the sun arise in the morning, from the light of which the Lord passed on, and as it were from the rain of the tender grass upon the earth. 5 For my house is not so with the Mighty One: for he has made an everlasting covenant with me, ready, guarded at every time; for all my salvation and all my desire is, that the wicked should not flourish. 6 All these are as a thorn thrust forth, for they shall not be taken with the hand, 7 and a man shall not labour among them; and one shall have that which is fully armed with iron, and the staff of a spear, and he shall burn them with fire, and they shall be burnt in their shame.
8 These are the names of the mighty men of David: Jebosthe the Chananite is a captain of the third part: Adinon the Asonite, he drew his sword against eight hundred soldiers at once. 9 And after him Eleanan the son of his uncle, son of Dudi who was among the three mighty men with David; and when *he defied the Philistines they were gathered there to war, and the men of Israel went up. 10 He arose and smote the Philistines, until his hand was weary, and his hand clave to the sword: and the Lord wrought a great salvation in that day, and the people †rested behind him only to strip the slain.
11 And after him Samaia the son of Asa the Arachite: and the Philistines were gathered to Theria; and there was there a portion of ground full of lentiles; and the people fled before the Philistines. 12 And he stood firm in the midst of the portion, and rescued it, and smote the Philistines; and the Lord wrought a great deliverance.
13 And three out of the thirty went down, and came to Cason to David, to the cave of Odollam; and there was an army of the Philistines, and they encamped in the valley of Raphain. 14 And David was then in the strong hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethleem. 15 And David longed, and said, Who will give me water to drink out of the well that is in Bethleem by the gate? now the band of the Philistines was then in Bethleem. 16 And the three mighty men broke through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well that was in Bethleem in the gate: and they took it, and brought it to David, and he would not drink it, but poured it out before the Lord. 17 And he said, O Lord, forbid that I should do this, ‡that I should drink the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives: and he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men.
18 And Abessa the brother of Joab the son of Saruia, he was chief among the three, and he lifted up his spear against three hundred whom he slew; and he had a name among three. 19 Of those three he was most honourable, and he became a chief over them, but he reached not to the first three.
20 And Banæas the son of Jodae, he was abundant in mighty deeds, from Cabeseel, and he smote the two sons of Ariel of Moab: and he went down and smote a lion in the midst of a pit on a snowy day. 21 He smote an Egyptian, §a wonderful man, and in the hand of the Egyptian was a spear as the side of a ladder; and he went down to him with a staff, and snatched the spear from the Egyptian's hand, and slew him with his own spear. 22 These things did Banæas the son of Jodae, and he had a name among the three mighty men. 23 He was honourable among the second three, but he reached not to the first three: and David **made him his reporter.
And these are the names of king David's mighty men. 24 Asael Joab's brother; he was among the thirty. Eleanan son of Dudi his uncle in Bethleem. 25 Sæma the Rudæan. 26 Selles ††the Kelothite: Iras the son of Isca the Thecoite. 27 Abiezer the Anothite, of the sons of the Anothite. 28 Ellon the Aoite; Noëre the Netophatite. 29 Esthai the son of Riba of Gabaeth, son of Benjamin the Ephrathite; Asmoth the Bardiamite; Emasu the Salabonite: 32 the sons of Asan, Jonathan; 33 Samnan the Arodite; Amnan the son of Arai the Saraurite. 34 Aliphaleth the son of Asbites, the son of the Machachachite; Eliab the son of Achitophel the Gelonite. 35 Asarai the Carmelite the son of Uræoerchi. 36 Gaal the son of Nathana. The son of much valour, the son of Galaaddi. 37 Elie the Ammanite. 37a Adroi of the brooks. 37b Gadabiel son of the Arabothæite. 37c Gelore the Bethorite, armour-bearer to Joab, son of Saruia. 38 Iras the Ethirite. Gerab the Ethenite. 39 Urias the Chettite: thirty-seven in all.
* 23:9 Or, they defied him among the Philistines. † 23:10 Heb. returned. ‡ 23:17 Gr. if. § 23:21 Gr. a man seen or to be seen. ** 23:23 Gr. appointed him to his hearings. †† 23:26 Or, the son of Kelothi.