2 Samuel 23

New King James Version

David’s Last Words

23 Now thesearethe last words of David.

David’s Mighty Men^(H)

⁸ Thesearethe names of the mighty men whom David had:^[b]Josheb-Basshebeth the Tachmonite, chief among^[c]the captains. He was called Adino the Eznite, because he had killed eight hundred men at one time.⁹ And after himwas^(I)Eleazar the son of^[d]Dodo, the Ahohite,oneof the three mighty men with David when they defied the Philistineswhowere gathered there for battle, and the men of Israel had retreated.¹⁰ He arose and attacked the Philistines until his hand was^(J)weary, and his hand stuck to the sword. TheLordbrought about a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to^(K)plunder.¹¹ And after himwas^(L)Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite.^(M)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 theLordbrought about a great victory.

¹³ Then^(N)three of the thirty chief men went down at harvest time and came to David at^(O)the cave of Adullam. And the troop of Philistines encamped in^(P)the Valley of Rephaim.¹⁴ Davidwasthen in^(Q)the stronghold, and the garrison of the PhilistineswastheninBethlehem.¹⁵ And David said with longing, “Oh, that someone would give me a drink of the water from the well of Bethlehem, whichisby the gate!”¹⁶ So the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines, drew water from the well of Bethlehem thatwasby the gate, and took it and broughtitto David. Nevertheless he would not drink it, but poured it out to theLord.¹⁷ And he said, “Far be it from me, OLord, that I should do this! Isthis not^(R)the blood of the men who went injeopardy oftheir lives?” Therefore he would not drink it.

These things were done by the three mighty men.

¹⁸ Now^(S)Abishai the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of^[e]anotherthree. He lifted his spear against three hundredmen,killedthem,and won a name amongthesethree.¹⁹ Was he not the most honored of three? Therefore he became their captain. However, he did not attain to thefirstthree.

²⁰ Benaiahwasthe son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man from^(T)Kabzeel,^[f]who had done many deeds.^(U)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,^[g]a spectacular man. The Egyptianhada 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 ThesethingsBenaiah 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 thefirstthree. And David appointed him^(V)over his guard.

^24 (W)Asahel the brother of Joabwasone of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,^25 (X)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^(Y)Gaash,³¹ Abi-Albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,³² Eliahba the Shaalbonite (of the sons of Jashen), Jonathan,^33 (Z)Shammah the^[h]Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite,³⁴ Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the son of^(AA)Ahithophel the Gilonite,^35 [i]Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,³⁶ Igal the son of Nathan of^(AB)Zobah, Bani the Gadite,³⁷ Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite (armorbearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah),^38 (AC)Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,³⁹ and^(AD)Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.