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2 Samuel 23:8-39
Lexham English Bible

David’s Faithful Soldiers

8 These are the names of the mighty warriors who were David’s: Josheb-Basshebeth a Tahkemonite was chief of three officers; first Adino, whose spear was against eight hundred slain on one occurrence. 9 Next to him Eleazar, the son of Dodo the son of an Ahohite, was among the three mighty warriors with David when they defied the Philistines and they gathered there for the battle and the men of Israel withdrew. 10 He stood up and struck down the Philistines until his hand grew tired and his hand clung to the sword, and Yahweh brought about a great victory on that day. Then the army returned back to him only for stripping the dead. 11 Next to him was Shamma, the son of Agee the Hararite. When the Philistines assembled at Lehi, a plot of the field was there filled with lentils, and the army fled there from the presence of the Philistines. 12 But he took a stand in the middle of the plot of land and defended it. He killed the Philistines, and Yahweh brought about a great victory. 13 Then three[a] of the thirty leaders went down and came to David at the time of the harvest[b] to the cave of Adullam, while a group of the Philistines were camping in the valley of the Rephaim. 14 Now at that time, David was in the stronghold, and a garrison of the Philistines was in Bethlehem at that same time. 15 David said longingly,[c] “Oh that someone would bring me a drink[d] of water from the well of Bethlehem that is at the gate.” 16 So three of the mighty warriors broke into the camp of the Philistines, and they drew water from the well of Bethlehem that was at the gate, and they carried it and brought it to David. But he was not willing to drink it, but poured it out to Yahweh. 17 He said, “Far be it from me before Yahweh that I should do this. Is this not the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives?” So he was not willing to drink it. These things the three mighty warriors did. 18 Now Abishai the brother of Joab the son of Zeruiah was himself the leader of the thirty. He was wielding his spear against three hundred slain and gained a name[e] among the thirty. 19 Among the thirty, is it not that he was honored and became a commander for them? But he did not come up to the three. 20 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of Ish-Hai, was a great man of deeds from Kabzeel. He struck down two sons of Ariel of Moab, and he went down and killed a lion in the middle of a pit on a snowy day. 21 He also killed a good-looking Egyptian man, in whose hand was a spear. He went down against him with the staff and snatched the spear from the hand of the Egyptian and killed him with his spear. 22 These things Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did and gained a name for himself among the three mighty warriors. 23 He was honored more than the thirty, but he did not come up to the three. David appointed him in charge of his bodyguard.

The Mighty Men of David

24 Among the thirty were Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, 25 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 sons of Benjamin, 30 Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai from the wadis of Gaash, 31 Abi-Albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite, 32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan 33 the son of Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Ararite, 34 Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai the son of the Maacathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, 35 Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, 36 Igal the son of Nathan from Zobah, Bani the Gadite, 37 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, the carriers of the weapons of Joab the son of Zeruiah, 38 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, 39 Uriah the Hittite; in all, thirty-seven.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 23:13 So Qere; Kethib reads “thirty”
  2. 2 Samuel 23:13 Literally “to the harvest”
  3. 2 Samuel 23:15 Literally “desired and said”
  4. 2 Samuel 23:15 Literally “Who will let me drink …?”
  5. 2 Samuel 23:18 Literally “and to him a name”
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2 Samuel 23:8-39
International Standard Version

David’s Elite Soldiers(A)

8 Here’s a list of the names of David’s special forces: Josheb-basshebeth the Tahkemonite[a] was head of the Three;[b] he was nicknamed Adino the Eznite[c] because he killed 800 men in a single battle engagement.

9 Next was Dodai[d] the Ahohite’s son Eleazar. Eleazar, who also was one of the Three, was with David when they challenged the Philistines. When the Philistines had assembled in battle array, the Israeli army retreated, 10 but Eleazar remained standing right where he was and fought so hard against the Philistines that he became exhausted—he couldn’t even let go of his sword! The Lord magnificently delivered them that day. After Eleazar had won the battle, the other soldiers returned, but only to strip the weapons and armor from the dead.[e]

11 Next was Shammah, Agee the Hararite’s son. One time the Philistines assembled to fight[f] in a field where lentils had been growing. Israel’s army retreated from the Philistines, 12 but Shammah stood his ground in the middle of the field, defended it, and killed the Philistines. And the Lord brought about a great victory.

13 One day while the Philistine army was camping in the valley of giants,[g] three of the 30 leaders joined David at the cave of Adullam. 14 David was living in that stronghold at the time, while a Philistine garrison was then at Bethlehem.

15 David expressed his longing, “Oh, how I wish someone would get me a drink of water from the Bethlehem well that’s by the city gate!” 16 So the Three elite warriors broke through the Philistine ranks, drew some water from the Bethlehem well that was next to the city gate, and brought it back to David. But he refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out in the Lord’s presence, 17 and said, “The Lord forbid that I drink this—this is the blood of men who endangered their own lives!” The Three elite warriors did these things.

David’s Other Valiant Soldiers(B)

18 Zeruiah’s son Abishai, Joab’s brother, was the lieutenant[h] in charge of the platoons.[i] He used his spear to fight and kill 300 men, gaining a reputation distinct from the Three. 19 He was more well-known than the Three, and became their commander, but he never measured up to[j] the Three.

20 Jehoiada’s son Benaiah, who was a valiant man, accomplished great things. He was from Kabzeel. He killed two men named[k] Ariel from Moab[l] and then he also went down into a pit and struck down a lion during a snow storm one day. 21 He also killed a soldier[m] from Egypt. Of handsome appearance, the Egyptian carried a spear, but Benaiah attacked him with a staff, snatched the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear. 22 Benaiah did things like this and gained a reputation comparable to the Three warriors. 23 He was well known among the platoons, but he didn’t measure up to[n] the Three. David placed him in charge of his security detail.

24 Among the Thirty were Joab’s brother Asahel, Dodo’s son Elhanan of Bethlehem, 25 Shammah from Harod; Elika from Harod, 26 Helez the Paltite,[o] Ikkesh’s son Ira from Tekoa, 27 Abiezer from Anathoth, Mebunnai the Hushathite, 28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai of Netophah, 29 Baanah’s son Heleb from Netophah, Ribai’s son Ittai from Gibeah of the descendants of Benjamin, 30 Benaiah from Pirathon, Hiddai from the Gaash creeks area,[p] 31 Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth from Bahurim, 32 Eliahba from Shaalbon, Jashen’s sons, 33 Shammah’s son from Harar, Sharar the Hararite’s son Ahiam, 34 Ahasbai the Maacathite’s son Eliphelet, Ahithophel the Gilonite’s son Eliam,[q] 35 Hezro from Carmel, Paarai the Arbite, 36 Nathan’s son Igal from Zobah, Bani the Gadite, 37 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai from Beeroth (the armor-bearer for Zeruiah’s son Joab), 38 Ira the Ithrite,[r] Gareb the Ithrite, 39 and Uriah the Hittite—for a total of 37.

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Footnotes

  1. 2 Samuel 23:8 Cf. 1Chr 11:11, where this individual is named Hachmoni’s son Jashobeam
  2. 2 Samuel 23:8 I.e. a group of three distinguished officers who served David, and so throughout the chapter; cf. 1Chr 11:12
  3. 2 Samuel 23:8 The two Heb. names comprise a word play that roughly translates as Thin as a Spear
  4. 2 Samuel 23:9 Cf. 1Chr 11:12, where this individual is named Dodo
  5. 2 Samuel 23:10 The Heb. lacks the weapons and armor from the dead
  6. 2 Samuel 23:11 Or assembled at Lehi
  7. 2 Samuel 23:13 Or the Rephaim Valley
  8. 2 Samuel 23:18 Lit. chief
  9. 2 Samuel 23:18 So Syr; MT reads Three
  10. 2 Samuel 23:19 Or never attained the stature of
  11. 2 Samuel 23:20 The Heb. lacks men named
  12. 2 Samuel 23:20 The Heb. name Ariel means lion
  13. 2 Samuel 23:21 Lit. man
  14. 2 Samuel 23:23 Or he never attained the stature of
  15. 2 Samuel 23:26 Cf. 1Chr 11:27, where he is named Helez the Pelonite
  16. 2 Samuel 23:30 The Heb. lacks area; i.e. a region in Gaash containing numerous seasonal streams
  17. 2 Samuel 23:34 Bathsheba’s father was Eliam; her grandfather was Ahithophel; cf. 2Sam 11:3; 15:12
  18. 2 Samuel 23:38 Cf. 2Sam 20:26, where he is also known as Ira the Jairite
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