2 Samuel 23 :: New King James Version (NKJV)

David’s Last Words

David’s Mighty Men

2Sa 23:1Now these are the last words of David.

Thus says David the son of Jesse;
Thus says the man raised up on high,
The anointed of the God of Jacob,
And the sweet psalmist of Israel:

2Sa 23:2

2Sa 23:2“The Spirit of the LORD spoke by me,
And His word was on my tongue.

2Sa 23:3

2Sa 23:3The God of Israel said,
The Rock of Israel spoke to me:
‘He who rules over men must be just,
Ruling in the fear of God.

2Sa 23:4

2Sa 23:4And he shall be like the light of the morning when the sun rises,
A morning without clouds,
Like the tender grass springing out of the earth,
By clear shining after rain.’

2Sa 23:5

2Sa 23:5“Although my house is not so with God,
Yet He has made with me an everlasting covenant,
Ordered in all things and secure.
For this is all my salvation and all my desire;
Will He not make it increase?

2Sa 23:6

2Sa 23:6But the sons of rebellion shall all be as thorns thrust away,
Because they cannot be taken with hands.

2Sa 23:7

2Sa 23:7But the man who touches them
Must be armed with iron and the shaft of a spear,
And they shall be utterly burned with fire in their place.”

David’s Mighty Men

(1 Chr. 11:10–47 )

2Sa 23:8

2Sa 23:8These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-Basshebeth[fn] the Tachmonite, chief among the captains.[fn] He was called Adino the Eznite, because he had killed eight hundred men at one time.

2Sa 23:9

2Sa 23:9And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo,[fn] the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David when they defied the Philistines who were gathered there for battle, and the men of Israel had retreated.

2Sa 23:10

2Sa 23:10He arose and attacked the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand stuck to the sword. The LORD brought about a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to plunder.

2Sa 23:11

2Sa 23:11And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. 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.

2Sa 23:12

2Sa 23:12But he stationed himself in the middle of the field, defended it, and killed the Philistines. So the LORD brought about a great victory.

2Sa 23:13

2Sa 23:13Then three of the thirty chief men went down at harvest time and came to David at the cave of Adullam. And the troop of Philistines encamped in the Valley of Rephaim.

2Sa 23:14

2Sa 23:14David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem.

2Sa 23:15

2Sa 23:15And David said with longing, “Oh, that someone would give me a drink of the water from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!”

2Sa 23:16

2Sa 23:16So the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines, drew water from the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate, and took it and brought it to David. Nevertheless he would not drink it, but poured it out to the LORD.

2Sa 23:17

2Sa 23:17And he said, “Far be it from me, O LORD, that I should do this! Is this not the blood of the men who went in jeopardy of their lives?” Therefore he would not drink it. These things were done by the three mighty men.

2Sa 23:18

2Sa 23:18Now Abishai the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of another three.[fn] He lifted his spear against three hundred men, killed them, and won a name among these three.

2Sa 23:19

2Sa 23:19Was he not the most honored of three? Therefore he became their captain. However, he did not attain to the first three.

2Sa 23:20

2Sa 23:20Benaiah was the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man from Kabzeel, who had done many deeds. 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.

2Sa 23:21

2Sa 23:21And he killed an Egyptian, a spectacular man. The Egyptian had a 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.

2Sa 23:22

2Sa 23:22These things Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did, and won a name among three mighty men.

2Sa 23:23

2Sa 23:23He was more honored than the thirty, but he did not attain to the first three. And David appointed him over his guard.

2Sa 23:24

2Sa 23:24Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,

2Sa 23:25

2Sa 23:25Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,

2Sa 23:26

2Sa 23:26Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,

2Sa 23:27

2Sa 23:27Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,

2Sa 23:28

2Sa 23:28Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,

2Sa 23:29

2Sa 23:29Heleb the son of Baanah (the Netophathite), Ittai the son of Ribai from Gibeah of the children of Benjamin,

2Sa 23:30

2Sa 23:30Benaiah a Pirathonite, Hiddai from the brooks of Gaash,

2Sa 23:31

2Sa 23:31Abi-Albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,

2Sa 23:32

2Sa 23:32Eliahba the Shaalbonite (of the sons of Jashen), Jonathan,

2Sa 23:33

2Sa 23:33Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite,

2Sa 23:34

2Sa 23:34Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,

2Sa 23:35

2Sa 23:35Hezrai[fn] the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,

2Sa 23:36

2Sa 23:36Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite,

2Sa 23:37

2Sa 23:37Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite (armorbearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah),

2Sa 23:38

2Sa 23:38Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,

2Sa 23:39

2Sa 23:39and Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.

See the NKJV Preface (Especially for Parenthesis, Brackets, & Asterisks).

NKJV Footnotes

(23:8)

Literally One Who Sits in the Seat (compare 1 Chronicles 11:11)

(23:8)

Following Masoretic Text and Targum; Septuagint and Vulgate read the three.

(23:9)

Spelled Dodai in 1 Chronicles 27:4

(23:18)

Following Masoretic Text, Septuagint, and Vulgate; some Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac read thirty; Targum reads the mighty men.

(23:35)

Spelled Hezro in 1 Chronicles 11:37

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