New International Version

New American Standard Bible

David’s Last Words

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:

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 spoke through me;
his word was on my tongue.

2

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

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,

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 is like the light of morning at sunrise
on a cloudless morning,
like the brightness after rain
that brings grass 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

“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.

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 evil men are all to be cast aside like thorns,
which are not gathered 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

Whoever touches thorns
uses a tool of iron or the shaft of a spear;
they are burned up where they lie.”

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 Warriors

These are the names of David’s mighty warriors:
Josheb-Basshebeth,a a Tahkemonite,b was chief of the Three; he raised his spear against eight hundred men, whom he killedc in one encounter.

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

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 Dammimd for battle. Then the Israelites retreated,

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

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.

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

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.

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 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.

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

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.

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

At that time David was in the stronghold, and the Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem.

14

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

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!”

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

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.

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

“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.

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

Abishai the brother of Joab son of Zeruiah was chief of the Three.e He raised his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed, and so he became as famous as 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

Was he not held in greater honor than the Three? He became their commander, even though he was not included among them.

19

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

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.

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 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.

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

Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada; he too was as famous as the three mighty warriors.

22

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

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.

23

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

24

Among the Thirty were:
Asahel the brother of Joab,
Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem,

24

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