2 SAMUEL 23

David’s final message

1 David, the son of Jesse, was a man whom God caused to become great.

He was appointed to become king by the God whom Jacob worshiped.

He wrote beautiful songs for the Israeli people.

This is the last song that he wrote:

2 “The Spirit of Yahweh tells me what to say;

the message that I speak [MTY] comes from him.

3 God, the one whom we Israeli people worship, has spoken;

the one who protects us Israeli people said to me,

‘Kings who rule people justly

have an awesome respect for me, God.

4 They are like the sun that shines at dawn

and causes the grass to sprout/sparkle after the rain ends.’

5 And truly, that is how God will surely bless my family [RHQ]

because he made an agreement with me that will endure forever,

an agreement in which he promises that no part of it will ever be changed.

He will surely cause me to prosper [RHQ],

and he will always help me,

and that is all that I desire.

6 But he will get rid of godless/evil people like [SIM] people throw away thorns

that injure people if they try to pick them up with their hands.

7 Someone who wants to get rid of thornbushes does not grab them;

he uses an iron shovel or a spear to dig them out

and then he burns them completely.

David’s three greatest warriors

8 These are the names of David’s three greatest warriors.

The first was Esh-Baal, whose other name was Jashobeam, from the Hachmon clan (OR, the son of Hachmon). He was the leader of the three men. One time he fought against 800 enemies and killed them all with his spear.

9 The second/next one of the three greatest warriors was Eleazar, who was the son of Dodo from the clan of Ahoh. One day he was with David when they defied/challenged the soldiers of Philistia who had gathered for the battle. The other Israeli soldiers retreated, 10 but Eleazar stood there and fought the soldiers of Philistia until his arm became very tired, with the result that his hand cramped and he could not stop gripping his sword. Yahweh won a great victory on that day. And afterwards the other Israeli soldiers returned to where Eleazar was, and stripped off the armor from the men whom he had killed.

11 The third one of the greatest warriors was Shammah, the son of Agee from the clan/town of Harar. One time the Philistia soldiers gathered at Lehi town, where there was a field full of lentils/peas that they wanted to steal. The other Israeli soldiers ran away from the Philistia troops, 12 but Shammah stood there in the field and did not let the Philistia soldiers steal the crops, and killed them. Yahweh won a great victory on that day.

The 30 great warriors

13 Altogether there were 30 special warriors among David’s soldiers. Once, when it was almost time to harvest the crops, three of those 30 men went down to Adullam Cave, where David was staying. A group of men from the Philistia army had set up their tents in Rephaim Valley near Jerusalem. 14 David and his soldiers were in the cave because it was safe there, and another group of Philistia soldiers was occupying Bethlehem. 15 One day David very much wanted some water to drink, and said “I wish that someone would bring me some water from the well near the gate at Bethlehem!” 16 So his three greatest warriors forced their way through the camp of Philistia soldiers and drew some water from the well, and brought it to David. But he would not drink it. Instead, he poured it out on the ground as an offering to Yahweh. 17 He said, “Yahweh, it would certainly not be right for me to drink this water! That would be like [RHQ] drinking the blood of these men who were willing/ready to die for me!” So he refused to drink it.

That was one of the things that those three great warriors did.

The list of the great warriors

18 Abishai, Joab’s younger brother, was the leader of the 30 greatest warriors. One day he fought against 300 men and killed them all with his spear. As a result, he also became famous. 19 He was the most famous of the thirty greatest warriors, and he became their leader/commander, but he was not one of the three greatest warriors.

20 Jehoiada’s son Benaiah, from Kabzeel town, also did great deeds. He killed two of the best warriors from the Moab people-group. Also, he went down into a pit on a day when snow was falling, and killed a lion there. 21 He also killed a huge soldier from Egypt who carried a spear. Benaiah had only his club, but he attacked the giant with it. Then he snatched the spear from the man’s hand and killed him with his own spear. 22 Those are some of the things that Benaiah did. As a result, he became famous, like the three greatest warriors were. 23 He was more honored than the other members of the group of thirty great warriors, but not as famous as the three greatest warriors. David appointed him to be the commander of his bodyguards.

24 These are the names of the great warriors:

Asahel, the brother of Joab;

Elhanan, the son of Dodo, from Bethlehem;

25 Shammah and Elika, from the Harod clan;

26 Helez, from Pelet city;

Ira, the son of Ikkesh, from Tekoa town;

27 Abiezer, from Anathoth city;

Mebunnai whose other name was Sibbecai, from Hushah’s clan;

28 Zalmon whose other name was Ilai, from Ahoh’s clan;

Maharai, from Netophah town;

29 Heleb, the son of Baanah, also from Netophah town;

Ittai, the son of Ribai, from Gibeah town in the land that belonged to the tribe of Benjamin;

30 Benaiah, from Pirathon town;

Hiddai, from the valleys near Gaash Mountain;

31 Abi-Albon, from the clan of Arabah;

Azmaveth, from Bahurim town;

32 Eliahba, from Shaalbon town;

The sons of Jashen;

Jonathan;

33 Shammah, from Harar town/clan;

Ahiam the son of Sharar, from Harar town/clan;

34 Eliphelet, the son of Ahasbai, from Maacah town;

Eliam, the son of Ahithophel, from Gilo town;

35 Hezro, from Carmel city;

Paarai, from Arba city;

36 Igal, the son of Nathan, from Zobah city;

Bani, from the tribe of Gad;

37 Zelek, from the Ammon people-group;

Naharai, the man who carried Joab’s weapons, from Beeroth town;

38 Ira and Gareb, from Jattir town;

39 Uriah, Bathsheba’s husband, from the Heth people-group.

Altogether, there were 37 famous soldiers, but some of them had died and their names were not included.

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