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The Blue Letter Bible

2 Samuel 23 :: New International Version (NIV)

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David’s Last Words

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 23:1 - These are the last words of David: “The inspired utterance of David son of Jesse, the utterance of the man exalted by the Most High, the man anointed by the God of Jacob, the hero of Israel’s songs:
Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 23:2 - “The Spirit of the LORD spoke through me; his word was on my tongue.
Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 23:3 - The God of Israel spoke, the Rock of Israel said to me: ‘When one rules over people in righteousness, when he rules in the fear of God,
Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 23:4 - he is like the light of morning at sunrise on a cloudless morning, like the brightness after rain that brings grass from the earth.’
Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 23:5 - “If my house were not right with God, surely he would not have made with me an everlasting covenant, arranged and secured in every part; surely he would not bring to fruition my salvation and grant me my every desire.
Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 23:6 - But evil men are all to be cast aside like thorns, which are not gathered with the hand.
Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 23:7 - Whoever touches thorns uses a tool of iron or the shaft of a spear; they are burned up where they lie.”

David’s Mighty Warriors

Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 23:8 - These are the names of David’s mighty warriors: Josheb-Basshebeth,[fn] a Tahkemonite,[fn] was chief of the Three; he raised his spear against eight hundred men, whom he killed[fn] in one encounter.
Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 23:9 - Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite. As one of the three mighty warriors, he was with David when they taunted the Philistines gathered at Pas Dammim[fn] for battle. Then the Israelites retreated,
Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 23:10 - but Eleazar stood his ground and struck down the Philistines till his hand grew tired and froze to the sword. The LORD brought about a great victory that day. The troops returned to Eleazar, but only to strip the dead.
Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 23:11 - Next to him was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. When the Philistines banded together at a place where there was a field full of lentils, Israel’s troops fled from them.
Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 23:12 - But Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field. He defended it and struck the Philistines down, and the LORD brought about a great victory.
Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 23:13 - During harvest time, three of the thirty chief warriors came down to David at the cave of Adullam, while a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim.
Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 23:14 - At that time David was in the stronghold, and the Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem.
Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 23:15 - David longed for water and said, “Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!”
Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 23:16 - So the three mighty warriors broke through the Philistine lines, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem and carried it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out before the LORD.
Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 23:17 - “Far be it from me, LORD, to do this!” he said. “Is it not the blood of men who went at the risk of their lives?” And David would not drink it. Such were the exploits of the three mighty warriors.
Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 23:18 - Abishai the brother of Joab son of Zeruiah was chief of the Three.[fn] He raised his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed, and so he became as famous as the Three.
Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 23:19 - Was he not held in greater honor than the Three? He became their commander, even though he was not included among them.
Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 23:20 - Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant fighter from Kabzeel, performed great exploits. He struck down Moab’s two mightiest warriors. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion.
Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 23:21 - And he struck down a huge Egyptian. Although the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club. He snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear.
Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 23:22 - Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada; he too was as famous as the three mighty warriors.
Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 23:23 - He was held in greater honor than any of the Thirty, but he was not included among the Three. And David put him in charge of his bodyguard.
Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 23:24 - Among the Thirty were: Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem,
Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 23:25 - Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,
Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 23:26 - Helez the Paltite, Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa,
Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 23:27 - Abiezer from Anathoth, Sibbekai[fn] the Hushathite,
Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 23:28 - Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,
Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 23:29 - Heled[fn] son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin,
Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 23:30 - Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai[fn] from the ravines of Gaash,
Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 23:31 - Abi-Albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,
Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 23:32 - Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan
Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 23:33 - son of[fn] Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam son of Sharar[fn] the Hararite,
Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 23:34 - Eliphelet son of Ahasbai the Maakathite, Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,
Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 23:35 - Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,
Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 23:36 - Igal son of Nathan from Zobah, the son of Hagri,[fn]
Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 23:37 - Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, the armor-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah,
Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 23:38 - Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite
Unchecked Copy Box2Sa 23:39 - and Uriah the Hittite. There were thirty-seven in all.
NIV Footnotes
Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts suggest Ish-Bosheth, that is, Esh-Baal (see also 1 Chron. 11:11 Jashobeam).
Probably a variant of Hakmonite (see 1 Chron. 11:11)
Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:11); Hebrew and other Septuagint manuscripts Three; it was Adino the Eznite who killed eight hundred men
See 1 Chron. 11:13; Hebrew gathered there.
Most Hebrew manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:20); two Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac Thirty
Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 21:18; 1 Chron. 11:29); Hebrew Mebunnai
Some Hebrew manuscripts and Vulgate (see also 1 Chron. 11:30); most Hebrew manuscripts Heleb
Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:32) Hurai
Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:34); Hebrew does not have son of.
Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:35) Sakar
Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:38); Hebrew Haggadi
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2 Samuel Chapter 23 — Additional Translations: