23:1 These are the final words of David.
“The oracle of David the son of Jesse,
the oracle of the man raised up as
the anointed one of the God of Jacob,
Israel’s sweet singer of songs.
23:2 The LORD’s spirit spoke through me;
his word was on my tongue.
23:3 The God of Israel spoke,
the rock of Israel spoke to me.
The one who rules righteously among men,
the one who rules in the fear of God,
23:4 is like the light of morning when the sun comes up—
a morning in which there are no clouds.
He is like the brightness after rain
that produces grass from the earth.
23:5 Is this not the way my house is with God?
For he has enacted with me an eternal covenant
arranged in all its particulars and secured.
As for all my deliverance and my every desire—
will he not cause them to prosper?
23:6 But evil people are like thorns.
All of them are going to be tossed away,
for they cannot be taken in hand.
23:7 The one who touches them
should be aided with an iron instrument
or the wooden butt of a spear.
They are to be burned in the fire,
burned up right where they lie!”

23:8 These are the names of David’s warriors.

Josheb-Basshebeth, a Tahkemonite, was head of the officers.¹ He took up his spear² against eight hundred men and slew them all at one time. 23:9 After him was Eleazar the son of Dodo³ son of Ahohi. He was one of the three warriors who were with David when they defied the Philistines who were assembled there for battle. When the men of Israel withdrew,⁴ 23:10 he remained⁵ and fought with the Philistines until his hand grew so weary that it⁶ seemed stuck to his sword. The LORD gave a great victory on that day. When the army returned to him, the only thing left to do was to strip the slain.

23:11 After him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. When the Philistines were assembled at Lehi,⁷ where there happened to be a portion of a field full of lentils, the army fled from the Philistines. 23:12 But he took his stand in the midst of that portion of field, delivering it by killing the Philistines. The LORD gave a great victory.

23:13 Then at the time of⁸ the harvest three⁹ of the thirty leaders came down and approached David at the cave of Adullam. A band of Philistines was camping in the valley of Rephaim. 23:14 David was in the stronghold at that time, and a garrison of Philistines was at Bethlehem. 23:15 Having a strong urge, David said, “I wish someone would give me a drink from the well that is near the gate at Bethlehem!” 23:16 So three of the warriors infiltrated the Philistines’ camp and drew water from the well that is near the gate at Bethlehem. After they had drawn it, they brought it to David. But he was unwilling to drink it. Instead, he poured it out as an offering to the LORD. 23:17 He said, “Far be it from me, O LORD, that I should do this! Does it not amount to the blood of the men who risked their lives by going?” So he was unwilling to drink it. These were the things that the three warriors did.

23:18 Abishai the brother of Joab son of Zeruiah was head of the three.¹⁰ He lifted up his spear against three hundred men and killed them. His fame rivaled that of the three. 23:19 Was it not actually the case that he was thought of more highly than the three? He was their leader, even though he was not counted with them.

23:20 Benaiah the son of Jehoida was a courageous¹¹ man from Kabzeel who had achieved great things. he killed two sons of Ariel in Moab. In addition, on one snowy day he went down into a pit and killed a lion. 23:21 He also killed a rather impressive Egyptian fellow.¹² The Egyptian had a spear in his hand, but he went down to him with a staff. He snatched the spear from the hand of the Egyptian and killed him with his own spear. 23:22 These are the things that Benaiah the son of Jehoida did. His fame too rivaled that of the three warriors. 23:23 He was more esteemed than any of the thirty. However, he was not counted with the three. David put him over his bodyguard.

23:24 Included with the thirty were the following: Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo from Bethlehem, 23:25 Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite, 23:26 Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh from Tekoa, 23:27 Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, 23:28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, 23:29 Heled¹³ the son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin, 23:30 Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai from the wadis of Gaash, 23:31 Abi-Albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite, 23:32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan 23:33 the son of¹⁴ Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite, 23:34 Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai the Maacathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, 23:35 Hezrai¹⁵ the Carmelite,

Paarai the Arbite, 23:36 Igal the son of Nathan from Zobah, Bani the Gadite, 23:37 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, the armor-bearer¹⁶ of Joab the son of Zeruiah, 23:38 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite 23:39 and Uriah the Hittite. Altogether there were thirty-seven.