New King James Version

New International Version

David’s Last Words

Now 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:

1

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:

2

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

2

“The Spirit of the Lord spoke through me;
his word was on my tongue.

3

The 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.

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,

4

And 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.’

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.’

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?

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.

6

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

6

But evil men are all to be cast aside like thorns,
which are not gathered with the hand.

7

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

7

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

8

David’s Mighty Men

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

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.

9

And after him was Eleazar the son of [d]Dodo, 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.

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,

10

He 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.

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.

11

And 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.

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.

12

But he stationed himself in the middle of the field, defended it, and killed the Philistines. So the Lord brought about a great victory.

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.

13

Then 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.

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.

14

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

14

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

15

And 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!”

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!”

16

So 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.

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.

17

And 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.

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.

18

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

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.

19

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

19

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

20

Benaiah was the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man from Kabzeel, [f]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.

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.

21

And he killed an Egyptian, [g]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.

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.

22

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

22

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

23

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

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.

24

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

24

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