English Standard Version

New Living Translation

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 Words

These are the last words of David:
“David, the son of Jesse, speaks —
David, the man who was raised up so high,
David, the man anointed by the God of Jacob,
David, the sweet psalmist of Israel.a

2

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

2

“The Spirit of the LORD speaks through me;
his words are upon 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 spoke.
The Rock of Israel said to me:
‘The one who rules 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 like the light of morning at sunrise,
like a morning without clouds,
like the gleaming of the sun
on new grass 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

“Is it not my family God has chosen?
Yes, he has made an everlasting covenant with me.
His agreement is arranged and guaranteed in every detail.
He will ensure my safety and success.

6

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

6

But the godless are like thorns to be thrown away,
for they tear the hand that touches them.

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

One must use iron tools to chop them down;
they will be totally consumed by fire.”

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

David’s Mightiest Warriors

These are the names of David’s mightiest warriors. The first was Jashobeam the Hacmonite,b who was leader of the Threec — the three mightiest warriors among David’s men. He once used his spear to kill 800 enemy warriors in a single battle.d

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

Next in rank among the Three was Eleazar son of Dodai, a descendant of Ahoah. Once Eleazar and David stood together against the Philistines when the entire Israelite army had fled.

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 killed Philistines until his hand was too tired to lift his sword, and the LORD gave him a great victory that day. The rest of the army did not return until it was time to collect the plunder!

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

Next in rank was Shammah son of Agee from Harar. One time the Philistines gathered at Lehi and attacked the Israelites in a field full of lentils. The Israelite army fled,

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 Shammahe held his ground in the middle of the field and beat back the Philistines. So 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

Once during the harvest, when David was at the cave of Adullam, the Philistine army was camped in the valley of Rephaim. The Three (who were among the Thirty — an elite group among David’s fighting men) went down to meet him there.

14

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

14

David was staying in the stronghold at the time, and a Philistine detachment had occupied the town of 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 remarked longingly to his men, “Oh, how I would love some of that good water from the well by the gate in Bethlehem.”

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 broke through the Philistine lines, drew some water from the well by the gate in Bethlehem, and brought it back to David. But he refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out as an offering 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

“The LORD forbid that I should drink this!” he exclaimed. “This water is as precious as the blood of these menf who risked their lives to bring it to me.” So David did not drink it. These are examples of the exploits of the Three.

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

David’s Thirty Mighty Men

Abishai son of Zeruiah, the brother of Joab, was the leader of the Thirty.g He once used his spear to kill 300 enemy warriors in a single battle. It was by such feats that he became as famous 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

Abishai was the most famous of the Thirtyh and was their commander, though he was not one of 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

There was also Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant warriori from Kabzeel. He did many heroic deeds, which included killing two championsj of Moab. Another time, on a snowy day, he chased a lion down into a pit and killed it.

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

Once, armed only with a club, he killed an imposing Egyptian warrior who was armed with a spear. Benaiah wrenched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with it.

22

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

22

Deeds like these made Benaiah as famous as the Three mightiest warriors.

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 more honored than the other members of the Thirty, though he was not one of the Three. And David made him captain of his bodyguard.

24

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

24

Other members of the Thirty included:
Asahel, Joab’s brother;
Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem;