English Standard Version

New American Standard Bible

The Last Words of David

Now these are the last words of David:
The oracle of David, the son of Jesse,
the oracle of the man who was raised on high,
the anointed of the God of Jacob,
the sweet psalmist of Israel:a

1

David’s Last Song

Now these are the last words of David.
David the son of Jesse declares,
The man who was raised on high declares,
The anointed of the God of Jacob,
And the sweet psalmist of Israel,

2

“The Spirit of the Lord speaks by me;
his word is on my tongue.

2

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

3

The God of Israel has spoken;
the Rock of Israel has said to me:
When one rules justly over men,
ruling in the fear of God,

3

“The God of Israel said,
The Rock of Israel spoke to me,
‘He who rules over men righteously,
Who rules in the fear of God,

4

he dawns on them like the morning light,
like the sun shining forth on a cloudless morning,
like rainb that makes grass to sprout from the earth.

4

Is as the light of the morning when the sun rises,
A morning without clouds,
When the tender grass springs out of the earth,
Through sunshine after rain.’

5

“For does not my house stand so with God?
For he has made with me an everlasting covenant,
ordered in all things and secure.
For will he not cause to prosper
all my help and my desire?

5

“Truly is not my house so with God?
For He has made an everlasting covenant with me,
Ordered in all things, and secured;
For all my salvation and all my desire,
Will He not indeed make it grow?

6

But worthless menc are all like thorns that are thrown away,
for they cannot be taken with the hand;

6

“But the worthless, every one of them will be thrust away like thorns,
Because they cannot be taken in hand;

7

but the man who touches them
arms himself with iron and the shaft of a spear,
and they are utterly consumed with fire.”d

7

But the man who touches them
Must be armed with iron and the shaft of a spear,
And they will be completely burned with fire in their place.”

8

David’s Mighty Men

These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-basshebeth a Tahchemonite; he was chief of the three.e He wielded his spearf against eight hundred whom he killed at one time.

8

His Mighty Men

These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-basshebeth a Tahchemonite, chief of the captains, he was called Adino the Eznite, because of eight hundred slain by him at one time;

9

And next to him among the three mighty men was Eleazar the son of Dodo, son of Ahohi. He was with David when they defied the Philistines who were gathered there for battle, and the men of Israel withdrew.

9

and after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David when they defied the Philistines who were gathered there to battle and the men of Israel had withdrawn.

10

He rose and struck down the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clung to the sword. And the Lord brought about a great victory that day, and the men returned after him only to strip the slain.

10

He arose and struck the Philistines until his hand was weary and clung to the sword, and the LORD brought about a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to strip the slain.

11

And next to him was Shammah, the son of Agee the Hararite. The Philistines gathered together at Lehi,g where there was a plot of ground full of lentils, and the men fled from the Philistines.

11

Now after him was Shammah the son of Agee a Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered into a troop where there was a plot of ground full of lentils, and the people fled from the Philistines.

12

But he took his stand in the midst of the plot and defended it and struck down the Philistines, and the Lord worked a great victory.

12

But he took his stand in the midst of the plot, defended it and struck the Philistines; and the LORD brought about a great victory.

13

And three of the thirty chief men went down and came about harvest time to David at the cave of Adullam, when a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim.

13

Then three of the thirty chief men went down and came to David in the harvest time to the cave of Adullam, while the troop of the Philistines was camping in the valley of Rephaim.

14

David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then at Bethlehem.

14

David was then in the stronghold, while the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem.

15

And David said longingly, “Oh, that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem that is by the gate!”

15

David had a craving and said, “Oh that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem which is by the gate!”

16

Then the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate and carried and brought it to David. But he would not drink of it. He poured it out to the Lord

16

So the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines, and drew water from the well of Bethlehem which 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;

17

and said, “Far be it from me, O Lord, that I should do this. Shall I drink the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives?” Therefore he would not drink it. These things the three mighty men did.

17

and he said, “Be it far from me, O LORD, that I should do this. Shall I drink the blood of the men who went in jeopardy of their lives?” Therefore he would not drink it. These things the three mighty men did.

18

Now Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the thirty.h And he wielded his spear against three hundred meni and killed them and won a name beside the three.

18

Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the thirty. And he swung his spear against three hundred and killed them, and had a name as well as the three.

19

He was the most renowned of the thirtyj and became their commander, but he did not attain to the three.

19

He was most honored of the thirty, therefore he became their commander; however, he did not attain to the three.

20

And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was a valiant mank of Kabzeel, a doer of great deeds. He struck down two arielsl of Moab. He also went down and struck down a lion in a pit on a day when snow had fallen.

20

Then Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done mighty deeds, killed the two sons of Ariel of Moab. He also went down and killed a lion in the middle of a pit on a snowy day.

21

And he struck down an Egyptian, a handsome man. The Egyptian had a spear in his hand, but Benaiah went down to him with a staff and snatched the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear.

21

He killed an Egyptian, an impressive man. Now the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, but he went down to him with a club and snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear.

22

These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and won a name beside the three mighty men.

22

These things Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did, and had a name as well as the three mighty men.

23

He was renowned among the thirty, but he did not attain to the three. And David set him over his bodyguard.

23

He was honored among the thirty, but he did not attain to the three. And David appointed him over his guard.

24

Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,

24

Asahel the brother of Joab was among the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,

25

Shammah of Harod, Elika of Harod,

25

Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,

26

Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh of Tekoa,

26

Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,

27

Abiezer of Anathoth, Mebunnai the Hushathite,

27

Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,

28

Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai of Netophah,

28

Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,

29

Heleb the son of Baanah of Netophah, Ittai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the people of Benjamin,

29

Heleb the son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the sons of Benjamin,

30

Benaiah of Pirathon, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash,

30

Benaiah a Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash,

31

Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth of Bahurim,

31

Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,

32

Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan,

32

Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan,

33

Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite,

33

Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Ararite,

34

Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai of Maacah, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,

34

Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maacathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,

35

Hezrom of Carmel, Paarai the Arbite,

35

Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,

36

Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite,

36

Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite,

37

Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai of Beeroth, the armor-bearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah,

37

Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armor bearers of Joab the son of Zeruiah,

38

Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,

38

Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,

39

Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.

39

Uriah the Hittite; thirty-seven in all.

Parallel

English Standard Version

New American Standard Bible

2 Samuel 23

2 Samuel 23