2 Samuel 23
Revised Standard Version
The Last Words of David
23 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,
the anointed of the God of Jacob,
the sweet psalmist of Israel:[a]
2 “The Spirit of the Lord speaks by me,
his word is upon my tongue.
3 The God of Israel has spoken,
the Rock of Israel has said to me:
When one rules justly over men,
ruling in the fear of God,
4 he dawns on them like the morning light,
like the sun shining forth upon a cloudless morning,
like rain[b] that makes grass to sprout from the earth.
5 Yea, does not my house stand so with God?
For he has made with me an everlasting covenant,
ordered in all things and secure.
For will he not cause to prosper
all my help and my desire?
6 But godless men[c] are all like thorns that are thrown away;
for they cannot be taken with the hand;
7 but the man who touches them
arms himself with iron and the shaft of a spear,
and they are utterly consumed with fire.”[d]
David’s Mighty Men
8 These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-basshe′beth a Tah-che′monite; he was chief of the three;[e] he wielded his spear[f] against eight hundred whom he slew at one time.
9 And next to him among the three mighty men was Elea′zar the son of Dodo, son of Aho′hi. He was with David when they defied the Philistines who were gathered there for battle, and the men of Israel withdrew. 10 He rose and struck down the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand cleaved to the sword; and the Lord wrought a great victory that day; and the men returned after him only to strip the slain.
11 And next to him was Shammah, the son of Agee the Har′arite. The Philistines gathered together at Lehi, where there was a plot of ground full of lentils; and the men fled from the Philistines. 12 But he took his stand in the midst of the plot, and defended it, and slew the Philistines; and the Lord wrought a great victory.
13 And three of the thirty chief men went down, and came about harvest time to David at the cave of Adullam, when a band of Philistines was encamped in the valley of Reph′aim. 14 David was then in the stronghold; and the garrison of the Philistines was then at Bethlehem. 15 And David said longingly, “O that some one would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem which is by the gate!” 16 Then the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem which was by the gate, and took and brought it to David. But he would not drink of it; he poured it out to the Lord, 17 and said, “Far be it from me, O Lord, that I should do this. Shall I drink the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives?” Therefore he would not drink it. These things did the three mighty men.
18 Now Abi′shai, the brother of Jo′ab, the son of Zeru′iah, was chief of the thirty.[g] And he wielded his spear against three hundred men and slew them, and won a name beside the three. 19 He was the most renowned of the thirty,[h] and became their commander; but he did not attain to the three.
20 And Benai′ah the son of Jehoi′ada was a valiant man[i] of Kabzeel, a doer of great deeds; he smote two ariels[j] of Moab. He also went down and slew a lion in a pit on a day when snow had fallen. 21 And he slew an Egyptian, a handsome man. The Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but Benai′ah went down to him with a staff, and snatched the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and slew him with his own spear. 22 These things did Benai′ah the son of Jehoi′ada, and won a name beside the three mighty men. 23 He was renowned among the thirty, but he did not attain to the three. And David set him over his bodyguard.
24 As′ahel the brother of Jo′ab was one of the thirty; Elha′nan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, 25 Shammah of Harod, Eli′ka of Harod, 26 Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh of Teko′a, 27 Abie′zer, of An′athoth, Mebun′nai the Hu′shathite, 28 Zalmon the Aho′hite, Ma′harai of Netoph′ah, 29 Heleb the son of Ba′anah of Netoph′ah, It′tai the son of Ri′bai of Gib′e-ah of the Benjaminites, 30 Benai′ah of Pira′thon, Hid′dai of the brooks of Ga′ash, 31 Abi-al′bon the Ar′bathite, Az′maveth of Bahu′rim, 32 Eli′ahba of Sha-al′bon, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan, 33 Shammah the Har′arite, Ahi′am the son of Sharar the Har′arite, 34 Eliph′elet the son of Ahas′bai of Ma′acah, Eli′am the son of Ahith′ophel of Gilo, 35 Hezro[k] of Carmel, Pa′arai the Arbite, 36 Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite, 37 Zelek the Ammonite, Na′harai of Be-er′oth, the armor-bearer of Jo′ab the son of Zeru′iah, 38 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, 39 Uri′ah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 23:1 Or the favorite of the songs of Israel
- 2 Samuel 23:4 Heb from rain
- 2 Samuel 23:6 Heb worthlessness
- 2 Samuel 23:7 Heb fire in the sitting
- 2 Samuel 23:8 Or captains
- 2 Samuel 23:8 1 Chr 11.11: Heb obscure
- 2 Samuel 23:18 Two Hebrew Mss Syr: MT three
- 2 Samuel 23:19 1 Chr 11.25: Heb Was he the most renowned of the three?
- 2 Samuel 23:20 Another reading is the son of Ish-hai
- 2 Samuel 23:20 The meaning of the word ariel is unknown
- 2 Samuel 23:35 Another reading is Hezrai
2 Samuel 23
Evangelical Heritage Version
The Last Words of David
23 These are the last words of David,
the oracle[a] of David, the son of Jesse,
the oracle of the man raised up high,
the man anointed by the God of Jacob,
the pleasant singer of Israel’s songs.
2 The Spirit of the Lord speaks by me.
His word is on my tongue.
3 The God of Israel has spoken.
To me the Rock of Israel has said,
“The one who rules over people with righteousness,
who rules in the fear of God,
4 he is like the light of the morning when the sun rises,
like a morning without clouds,
like brightness after rain, which produces grass from the earth.”
5 But my house is not like this with God.[b]
Nevertheless, he has made an everlasting covenant with me,
completely ordered and secure.
Certainly he will make it spring up for my salvation, to fulfill my desires.[c]
6 Worthless, wicked men are all like thorns to be thrown away.
No one even picks them up with his hand.
7 Anyone who touches them uses an iron tool or the shaft of a spear.
They are completely burned up in the fire, right where they are.
David’s Elite Warriors
8 These are the names of the elite warriors of David:
Jashobeam[d] son of Hakmon was leader among the Three.[e] He lifted up his spear and killed eight hundred[f] at once.[g]
9 After him came Eleazar son of Dodo, the Ahohite. As one of the three elite warriors, he was with David when they defied the Philistines gathered there[h] for battle. The men of Israel retreated, 10 but he took a stand and struck down the Philistines until his hand got tired and froze to the sword. The Lord brought about a great victory on that day. The people of the army returned to Eleazar but only to strip the fallen.
11 After him came Shamma son of Agee, the Hararite. The Philistines were gathered at Lehi. In that location there was a parcel of land full of lentils. The people fled from the Philistines, 12 but Shamma took his stand in the middle of that parcel of ground and defended it. He struck down the Philistines, and the Lord brought about a great victory.
13 Three of the Thirty went down and came to David at the Cave of Adullam at the time of the grain harvest. A band of Philistines was camping in the Valley of Rephaim. 14 David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was in Bethlehem. 15 David expressed a deep craving, “Who will give me water to drink from the well[i] of Bethlehem, which is by the gate?” 16 So the three elite warriors broke through the camp of the Philistines and drew water from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate. They took it and brought it to David, but he was not willing to drink it, so he poured it out to the Lord. 17 He said, “May I be cursed, Lord, if I would do this. This is the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives!” He would not drink it. These are the things the three elite warriors did.
18 Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was the leader of the Thirty.[j] He wielded his spear against three hundred, all of whom were killed. His reputation equaled that of[k] the Three. 19 In fact, he was praised more than the Three, and he became their commander, but he did not belong to the Three.
20 Benaiah son of Jehoiada, an energetic warrior from Kabze’el, performed great deeds. He struck the two Lions of God[l] from Moab. He also went down and killed a lion in the middle of a cistern on a snowy day. 21 He killed an impressive Egyptian, who was armed with a spear. Benaiah went down against him with a staff, snatched the spear from the hand of the Egyptian, and killed him with his own spear. 22 These were the accomplishments of Benaiah son of Jehoiada. His reputation equaled that of the Three. 23 He was praised more than the Thirty, but he did not belong to the Three. David placed him over his bodyguard.
24 Among the Thirty were:
Asahel, the brother of Joab,
Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem,
25 Shammah the Harodite,[m]
Elika the Harodite,
26 Helez the Paltite,[n]
Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa,
27 Abiezer from Anathoth,
Mebunnai[o] the Hushathite,
28 Zalmon[p] the Ahohite,
Maharai the Netophathite,
29 Heleb[q] son of Ba’anah the Netophathite,
Ittai son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin,
30 Benaiah a Pirathonite,
Hiddai[r] from the ravines of Ga’ash,
31 Abi-Albon[s] the Arbathite,
Azmaveth the Barhumite,[t]
32 Eliahba the Sha’albonite,
the sons of Jashen,[u]
Jehonathan, 33 Shammah the Hararite,
Ahiam son of Sharar[v] the Ararite,
34 Eliphelet son of Ahasbai[w]
the son of the Ma’akathite,[x]
Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,[y]
35 Hezro the Carmelite,
Pa’arai the Arbite,[z]
36 Igal son of Nathan from Zobah,[aa]
Bani the Gadite,[ab]
37 Zelek the Ammonite,
Naharai of Be’eroth, the armor bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah,
38 Ira the Ithrite,
Gareb the Ithrite,
39 Uriah the Hittite.
In all there were thirty-seven.
Footnotes
- 2 Samuel 23:1 Or declaration
- 2 Samuel 23:5 Many translations convert this line to a question: Isn’t my house like this with God? It seems best to leave it as a confession of the unworthiness of David and his dynasty.
- 2 Samuel 23:5 The verse is difficult.
- 2 Samuel 23:8 Greek variant Ishbaal
- 2 Samuel 23:8 Or the Thirty or the officers
- 2 Samuel 23:8 The parallel text in 1 Chronicles 11:11 reads three hundred.
- 2 Samuel 23:8 The translation of this verse follows the example of Luther, who harmonized the text of 2 Samuel 23 with the parallel in 1 Chronicles 11. The Hebrew of 2 Samuel 23 seems to read: the one sitting in the seat (Yosheb-basshebeth), the Tahchemonite, the head of the Three. It was Adino the Eznite against eight hundred pierced through at one time.
- 2 Samuel 23:9 The parallel in 1 Chronicles 11:13 identifies the location as Pas Dammim.
- 2 Samuel 23:15 Or cistern
- 2 Samuel 23:18 Variant the Three
- 2 Samuel 23:18 Or was highly regarded among
- 2 Samuel 23:20 The Hebrew word ariel seems to be made up of two words, lion and God. It seems to refer to some type of elite warriors, analogous to Navy Seals.
- 2 Samuel 23:25 Variant Harorite. In Hebrew script the letters r and d look very much alike.
- 2 Samuel 23:26 Variant the Pelonite. The relationship between Paltite and Pelonite is unclear, but Helez the Pelonite also appears in 1 Chronicles 27:10.
- 2 Samuel 23:27 Elsewhere called Sibbekai or Sibunni. All these words look very similar in Hebrew script. The reading Sibbekai the Hushathite is supported by 1 Chronicles 27:11.
- 2 Samuel 23:28 Also called Ilai in 1 Chronicles 11:29. The relationship of the names Zalmon and Ilai is unclear.
- 2 Samuel 23:29 Also called Heled in 1 Chronicles 11:30
- 2 Samuel 23:30 Also called Hurai in 1 Chronicles 11:32. The words look similar in Hebrew script.
- 2 Samuel 23:31 Also called Abiel in 1 Chronicles 11:32. The relationship of Abiel and Abi-Albon is unclear.
- 2 Samuel 23:31 Also called Baharumite in 1 Chronicles 11:33 with the transposition of two letters.
- 2 Samuel 23:32 There may be some personal names missing from this line, unless they are on the next line. The parallel text in 1 Chronicles does not solve the problem. The relationship of the sons of Jashen and the sons of Hashem the Gizonite in 1 Chronicles is unclear. Some have suggested that sons of should be omitted in both cases, leaving two names, Jashen and Hashem the Gizonite. An alternative would be to supply names before sons of. The same problem is present in the comparison of Jehonathan Shammah the Hararite with Jonathan son of Shagee the Hararite in 1 Chronicles 11. It is uncertain if this is one name or two.
- 2 Samuel 23:33 Or Sakar in 1 Chronicles 11:35
- 2 Samuel 23:34 The parallel in 1 Chronicles 11:35 reads Eliphal son of Ur. It is unclear why the patronymics (father’s names) are so different.
- 2 Samuel 23:34 There seems to be a name omitted from the list here. The parallel in 1 Chronicles 11:36 reads Hepher the Mekerathite.
- 2 Samuel 23:34 The parallel in 1 Chronicles 11:36 has a different name here, Ahijah the Pelonite.
- 2 Samuel 23:35 The parallel in 1 Chronicles 11:37 reads Na’arai son of Ezbai. The names look similar in Hebrew script.
- 2 Samuel 23:36 The parallel in 1 Chronicles 11:38 reads Joel, the brother of Nathan.
- 2 Samuel 23:36 The parallel in 1 Chronicles 11:38 reads Mibhar son of Hagri.
2 Samuel 23
Nueva Biblia Viva
Últimas palabras de David
23 Estas son las últimas palabras de David:
«David el hijo de Isaí, el hombre a quien Dios puso en alto;
David, el ungido del Dios de Jacob; David, el dulce cantor de Israel, declara:
2 “El Espíritu del Señor habló por mí y su palabra estuvo en mi lengua”.
3 La Roca de Israel me dijo:
“El que reine con justicia, el que gobierne en el temor de Dios,
4 será como la luz de la mañana cuando sale el sol en una mañana sin nubes, que resplandece después de la lluvia, y hace que la hierba brote en la tierra”.
5 »¡Dios ha escogido a mi familia!
Sí, Dios ha hecho un pacto eterno conmigo, su acuerdo es eterno, claro y seguro.
Él velará constantemente por mi seguridad y mi triunfo.
6 Pero los impíos son como espinos que se desechan, porque hieren la mano que las toca.
7 Para recogerlos hay que protegerse las manos, y una vez amontonados se echan al fuego y se queman».
Héroes en el ejército de David
8 Estos son los nombres de los tres guerreros más valientes que tenía David:
El primero de los tres era Joseb Basébet el tacmonita, conocido también como Adino el eznita, que una vez mató a ochocientos hombres en una sola batalla.
9 El segundo era Eleazar hijo de Dodó el ajojita. Era uno de los tres hombres que, con David, contuvieron a los filisteos cuando el resto de Israel huyó. 10 Ese día mató a tantos filisteos que la mano se le encalambró y se le quedó aferrada a la espada. El Señor le dio en esa ocasión una gran victoria a Israel. El resto solo regresó para recoger el botín.
11-12 El tercero era Sama hijo de Agué el ararita. Un día en Lehí, durante un ataque filisteo, y mientras sus compañeros lo abandonaban y huían, él se paró solo en el centro de un campo de lentejas y derrotó a los filisteos. Así el Señor les dio una gran victoria.
13 Una vez, cuando David estaba en la cueva de Adulán, tres de los treinta más valientes fueron a encontrarse con él. Era el comienzo de la cosecha, y los invasores filisteos estaban en el valle de Refayin. 14 David, que estaba en su refugio en aquel tiempo porque algunos filisteos habían ocupado la cercana ciudad de Belén, 15 dijo: «¡Quién pudiera beber agua del pozo que está junto a la puerta de la ciudad!». (El pozo estaba cerca de la puerta de Belén). 16 Entonces los tres hombres cruzaron las filas filisteas, sacaron agua del pozo y se la llevaron a David. Pero él se negó a beberla y la derramó delante del Señor, y dijo: 17 «¡No puedo beber esta agua, pues sería como beber la sangre de estos hombres que arriesgaron su vida para satisfacer mi deseo! ¡Que el Señor me guarde de hacer semejante cosa!».
18-19 De los treinta, Abisay, el hermano de Joab hijo de Sarvia, era el más valiente. Una vez con su lanza se enfrentó a trescientos enemigos y los mató. Por hazañas como esta adquirió reputación de ser tan valiente que llegó a ser el jefe de los tres más valientes, aunque nunca fue contado entre ellos.
20 También estaba Benaías hijo de Joyadá, soldado heroico de Cabsel. Benaías mató a dos gigantes, hijos de Ariel de Moab. En otra oportunidad descendió a un foso y, a pesar de que había nieve, luchó con un león que estaba allí y lo mató. 21 En otra oportunidad, armado solamente con una vara, mató a un guerrero egipcio que estaba armado con una lanza. Lo atacó con la vara, le arrancó la lanza y lo mató con ella. 22 Estas fueron algunas de las hazañas que dieron a Benaías una fama casi tan grande como la de los tres más valientes. 23 Él era uno de los treinta, y aunque llegó a tener fama de ser tan valiente como los tres más valientes, nunca fue contado entre ellos. David lo hizo jefe de su guardia personal.
24-39 Los treinta valientes eran:
Asael, hermano de Joab;
Eljanán hijo de Dodó, de Belén;
Sama el jarodita;
Elicá el jarodita;
Heles el paltita;
Ira hijo de Iqués, el tecoíta;
Abiezer el anatotita;
Mebunay el jusatita;
Zalmón el ajojita;
Maray el netofatita;
Jéled hijo de Baná el netofatita;
Itay hijo de Ribay, el de Guibeá de la tribu de Benjamín;
Benaías el piratonita;
Hiday, del arroyo de Gaas;
Abí Albón el arbatita;
Azmávet el bajurinita;
Elijaba el salbonita;
Jonatán, de los hijos de Jasén;
Sama el ararita;
Ahían hijo de Sarar el ararita;
Elifelet hijo de Ajasbay el macateo;
Elián hijo de Ajitofel el guilonita;
Jezró el de Carmel;
Paray el arbita;
Igal hijo de Natán, el de Sobá;
Baní el gadita;
Sélec el amonita;
Najaray el berotita, escudero de Joab, hijo de Sarvia;
Ira el itrita;
Gareb el itrita, y Urías el hitita.
En total eran treinta y siete.[a]
Footnotes
- 23.24-39 Los treinta, más los primeros tres, más los generales Joab, Abisay, Asael y Benaía.
Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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