2 Samuel 23:18-39

Contemporary English Version

The Thirty Warriors

(1 Chronicles 11.20-47)

¹⁸Joab's brother Abishai was the leader of the Thirty Warriors,^[a] and in one battle he killed 300 men with his spear. He was as famous as the Three Warriors ¹⁹and certainly just as famous as the rest of the Thirty Warriors. He was the commander of the Thirty Warriors, but he still did not become one of the Three Warriors.

²⁰Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was a brave man from Kabzeel who did some amazing things. He killed two of Moab's best fighters,^[b] and on a snowy day he went down into a pit and killed a lion. ²¹Another time, he killed an Egyptian, as big as a giant.^[c] The Egyptian was armed with a spear, but Benaiah only had a club. Benaiah grabbed the spear from the Egyptian and killed him with it. ^22-23Benaiah did these things. He never became one of the Three Warriors, but he was just as famous as they were and certainly just as famous as the rest of the Thirty Warriors. David made him the leader of his bodyguard.

^24-39Some of the Thirty Warriors were:

Asahel the brother of Joab

Elhanan the son of Dodo from Bethlehem

Shammah from Harod

Elika from Harod

Helez the Paltite

Ira the son of Ikkesh from Tekoa

Abiezer from Anathoth

Mebunnai^[d] the Hushathite

Zalmon the Ahohite

Maharai from Netophah

Heleb the son of Baanah from Netophah

Ittai the son of Ribai from Gibeah of the tribe of Benjamin

Benaiah from Pirathon

Hiddai from the streams on Mount Gaash

Abialbon from Beth-Arabah

Azmaveth from Bahurim^[e]

Eliahba from Shaalbon

Jashen^[f]

Jonathan the son of Shammah the Hararite^[g]

Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite

Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai from Maacah

Eliam the son of Ahithophel from Gilo

Hezro from Carmel

Paarai the Arbite

Igal the son of Nathan from Zobah

Bani the Gadite

Zelek from Ammon

Naharai from Beeroth, who carried the weapons of Joab the son of Zeruiah

Ira the Ithrite

Gareb the Ithrite

Uriah the Hittite

There were 37 in all.

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Footnotes

23.18 the Thirty Warriors: The second most honored group of warriors. They may have also been officers in the army (see the note at 23.8).
23.20 Moab's best fighters: Or “big lions in Moab;” one ancient translation “sons of Ariel from Moab.”
23.21 Egyptian … giant: First Chronicles 11.23; in this verse the Hebrew text has “good-looking Egyptian.”
23.24-39 Mebunnai: Or “Sibbecai” (see 1 Chronicles 11.26-47).
23.24-39 Bahurim: Or “Barhum.”
23.24-39 Jashen: Hebrew “sons of Jashen.”
23.24-39 Jonathan … Hararite: Some manuscripts of one ancient translation (see 1 Chronicles 11.26-47). In the Hebrew text Jonathan and Shammah are separate members of the list.