Passage Resources Hebrew/Greek Your Content
Previous Next
Add parallel Print Page Options Listen to 2 Samuel 23:8-39
Close NASB

2 Samuel 23:8-39
New American Standard Bible

David’s Mighty Men

8 (A)These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-basshebeth, a Tahchemonite, chief of the [a]captains; he was called Adino the Eznite because of eight hundred who were killed by him at one time. 9 And after him was Eleazar the son of (B)Dodo the (C)Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David when they defied the Philistines who were gathered there to battle and the men of Israel had [b]withdrawn. 10 (D)He rose up and struck the Philistines until his hand was weary and [c]it clung to the sword, and (E)the Lord brought about a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to plunder the dead.

11 Now after him was Shammah the son of Agee, a (F)Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered [d]into an army where there was a plot of land full of lentils, and the people fled from the Philistines. 12 But he took his stand in the midst of the plot, defended it, and struck the Philistines; and (G)the Lord brought about a great victory.

13 Then three of the thirty chief men went down and came to David at harvest time to the (H)cave of Adullam, while the army of the Philistines was camping in (I)the Valley of Rephaim. 14 David was then (J)in the stronghold, while the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. 15 And (K)David had a craving and said, “Oh that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem which is by the gate!” 16 (L)So the three mighty men forced their way into the camp of the Philistines, and drew water from the well of Bethlehem which was by the gate, and carried it and brought it to David. Yet he would not drink it, but (M)poured it out as an offering to the Lord; 17 and he said, “Far be it from me, Lord, that I would do this! (N)Should I drink the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives?” So he would not drink it. These things the three mighty men did.

18 Now (O)Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was (P)chief of the [e]thirty. And he swung his spear against three hundred [f]and killed them, and had a name [g]as well as the three. 19 He was the most honored among the thirty, so he became their commander; however, he did not attain to the reputation of the three.

20 Then (Q)Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of (R)Kabzeel, who had done great deeds, [h]killed the [i]two sons of Ariel of Moab. He also went down and killed a lion in the middle of a pit on a snowy day. 21 And he [j]killed an Egyptian, [k]an impressive man. Now the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, but he went down to him with a club and snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with his own spear. 22 These things (S)Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did, and had a name [l]as well as the three mighty men. 23 He was honored among the thirty, but he did not attain the reputation of the three. And David appointed him over his bodyguard.

24 (T)Asahel the brother of Joab was among the thirty; and there was Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, 25 (U)Shammah the (V)Harodite, Elika the Harodite, 26 Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the (W)Tekoite, 27 Abiezer the (X)Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, 28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the (Y)Netophathite, 29 (Z)Heleb the son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai of (AA)Gibeah of the sons of Benjamin, 30 Benaiah a (AB)Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of (AC)Gaash, 31 Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the (AD)Barhumite, 32 Eliahba the (AE)Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan, 33 (AF)Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Ararite, 34 Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of (AG)the Maacathite, (AH)Eliam the son of (AI)Ahithophel the Gilonite, 35 (AJ)Hezro the (AK)Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, 36 Igal the son of Nathan of (AL)Zobah, Bani the Gadite, 37 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the (AM)Beerothite, armor bearers of Joab the son of Zeruiah, 38 Ira the (AN)Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, 39 and (AO)Uriah the Hittite; thirty-seven in all.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 23:8 Or three
  2. 2 Samuel 23:9 Lit gone up
  3. 2 Samuel 23:10 Lit his hand
  4. 2 Samuel 23:11 Or possibly, at Lehi
  5. 2 Samuel 23:18 As in two Heb mss and Syriac; MT three
  6. 2 Samuel 23:18 Lit slain ones
  7. 2 Samuel 23:18 Lit among the
  8. 2 Samuel 23:20 Lit struck
  9. 2 Samuel 23:20 Or two warriors of Moab
  10. 2 Samuel 23:21 Lit struck
  11. 2 Samuel 23:21 Lit a man of appearance
  12. 2 Samuel 23:22 Lit among the
Listen to 2 Samuel 23:8-39
Close NKJV

2 Samuel 23:8-39
New King James Version

David’s Mighty Men(A)

8 These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: [a]Josheb-Basshebeth the Tachmonite, chief among [b]the captains. He was called Adino the Eznite, because he had killed eight hundred men at one time. 9 And after him was (B)Eleazar the son of [c]Dodo, the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David when they defied the Philistines who were gathered there for battle, and the men of Israel had retreated. 10 He arose and attacked the Philistines until his hand was (C)weary, and his hand stuck to the sword. The Lord brought about a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to (D)plunder. 11 And after him was (E)Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. (F)The Philistines had gathered together into a troop where there was a piece of ground full of lentils. So the people fled from the Philistines. 12 But he stationed himself in the middle of the field, defended it, and killed the Philistines. So the Lord brought about a great victory.

13 Then (G)three of the thirty chief men went down at harvest time and came to David at (H)the cave of Adullam. And the troop of Philistines encamped in (I)the Valley of Rephaim. 14 David was then in (J)the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. 15 And David said with longing, “Oh, that someone would give me a drink of the water from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!” 16 So the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines, drew water from the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate, and took it and brought it to David. Nevertheless he would not drink it, but poured it out to the Lord. 17 And he said, “Far be it from me, O Lord, that I should do this! Is this not (K)the blood of the men who went in jeopardy of their lives?” Therefore he would not drink it.

These things were done by the three mighty men.

18 Now (L)Abishai the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of [d]another three. He lifted his spear against three hundred men, killed them, and won a name among these three. 19 Was he not the most honored of three? Therefore he became their captain. However, he did not attain to the first three.

20 Benaiah was the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man from (M)Kabzeel, [e]who had done many deeds. (N)He had killed two lion-like heroes of Moab. He also had gone down and killed a lion in the midst of a pit on a snowy day. 21 And he killed an Egyptian, [f]a spectacular man. The Egyptian had a spear in his hand; so he went down to him with a staff, wrested the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with his own spear. 22 These things Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did, and won a name among three mighty men. 23 He was more honored than the thirty, but he did not attain to the first three. And David appointed him (O)over his guard.

24 (P)Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, 25 (Q)Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite, 26 Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, 27 Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, 28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, 29 Heleb the son of Baanah (the Netophathite), Ittai the son of Ribai from Gibeah of the children of Benjamin, 30 Benaiah a Pirathonite, Hiddai from the brooks of (R)Gaash, 31 Abi-Albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite, 32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite (of the sons of Jashen), Jonathan, 33 (S)Shammah the [g]Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite, 34 Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the son of (T)Ahithophel the Gilonite, 35 [h]Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, 36 Igal the son of Nathan of (U)Zobah, Bani the Gadite, 37 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite (armorbearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah), 38 (V)Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, 39 and (W)Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.

Read full chapter

Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 23:8 Lit. One Who Sits in the Seat (1 Chr. 11:11)
  2. 2 Samuel 23:8 So with MT, Tg.; LXX, Vg. the three
  3. 2 Samuel 23:9 Dodai, 1 Chr. 27:4
  4. 2 Samuel 23:18 So with MT, LXX, Vg.; some Heb. mss., Syr. thirty; Tg. the mighty men
  5. 2 Samuel 23:20 Lit. great of acts
  6. 2 Samuel 23:21 Lit. a man of appearance
  7. 2 Samuel 23:33 Or Ararite
  8. 2 Samuel 23:35 Hezro, 1 Chr. 11:37
Next
2 Samuel 22
2 Samuel 24
Next
dropdown
New American Standard Bible (NASB)

New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved.

New American Standard Bible is made available by The Lockman Foundation
New King James Version (NKJV)

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Learn the Bible in 30 days