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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" /><title>2 Samuel 23 ESV</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/chapnew2.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="../spec.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../cmenus/2_samuel/23.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" 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href="../2_samuel/22.htm" title="2 Samuel 22">◄</a> 2 Samuel 23 <a href="../2_samuel/24.htm" title="2 Samuel 24">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="vheading"><table width="100%"><tr><td width="99%" valign="top">English Standard Version</td><td width="1%" valign="top"><a href="/p/esv/nas/2_samuel/23.shtml" style="color:#001320" title="Parallel Chapters"> Par ▾ </a></tr></table></div></a><div class="chap"><p class="heading">The Last Words of David</p><p class="regular"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/23-1.htm"><b>1</b></a></span>Now these are the last words of David:</p><span class="block-indent"><p class="line-group"><span class="ln-group">The oracle of David, the son of Jesse,</span><br /><span class="indent">the oracle of the man who was raised on high,</span><br /><span class="ln-group">the anointed of the God of Jacob,</span><br /><span class="indent">the sweet psalmist of Israel:<span class="footnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Or the favorite of the songs of Israel">a</a></sup></span></span></p> <p class="line-group"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/23-2.htm"><b>2</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">“The Spirit of the <span class="divine-name">Lord</span> speaks by me;</span><br /><span class="indent">his word is on my tongue.</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/23-3.htm"><b>3</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">The God of Israel has spoken;</span><br /><span class="indent">the Rock of Israel has said to me:</span><br /><span class="ln-group">When one rules justly over men,</span><br /><span class="indent">ruling in the fear of God,</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/23-4.htm"><b>4</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">he dawns on them like the morning light,</span><br /><span class="indent">like the sun shining forth on a cloudless morning,</span><br /><span class="indent">like rain<span class="footnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Hebrew from rain">b</a></sup></span> that makes grass to sprout from the earth.</span></p> <p class="line-group"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/23-5.htm"><b>5</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">“For does not my house stand so with God?</span><br /><span class="indent">For he has made with me an everlasting covenant,</span><br /><span class="indent">ordered in all things and secure.</span><br /><span class="ln-group">For will he not cause to prosper</span><br /><span class="indent">all my help and my desire?</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/23-6.htm"><b>6</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">But worthless men<span class="footnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Hebrew worthlessness">c</a></sup></span> are all like thorns that are thrown away,</span><br /><span class="indent">for they cannot be taken with the hand;</span><br /> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/23-7.htm"><b>7</b></a></span><span class="ln-group">but the man who touches them</span><br /><span class="indent">arms himself with iron and the shaft of a spear,</span><br /><span class="indent">and they are utterly consumed with fire.”<span class="footnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Hebrew consumed with fire in the sitting">d</a></sup></span></span></p> <p class="heading">David’s Mighty Men</p><p class="regular"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/23-8.htm"><b>8</b></a></span>These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-basshebeth a Tahchemonite; he was chief of the three.<span class="footnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Or of the captains">e</a></sup></span> He wielded his spear<span class="footnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Compare 1 Chronicles 11:11; the meaning of the Hebrew expression is uncertain">f</a></sup></span> against eight hundred whom he killed at one time.</p> <p class="regular"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/23-9.htm"><b>9</b></a></span>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. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/23-10.htm"><b>10</b></a></span>He rose and struck down the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clung to the sword. And the <span class="divine-name">Lord</span> brought about a great victory that day, and the men returned after him only to strip the slain.</p> <p class="regular"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/23-11.htm"><b>11</b></a></span>And next to him was Shammah, the son of Agee the Hararite. The Philistines gathered together at Lehi,<span class="footnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Or gathered together as a camp">g</a></sup></span> where there was a plot of ground full of lentils, and the men fled from the Philistines. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/23-12.htm"><b>12</b></a></span>But he took his stand in the midst of the plot and defended it and struck down the Philistines, and the <span class="divine-name">Lord</span> worked a great victory.</p> <p class="regular"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/23-13.htm"><b>13</b></a></span>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. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/23-14.htm"><b>14</b></a></span>David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then at Bethlehem. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/23-15.htm"><b>15</b></a></span>And David said longingly, “Oh, that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem that is by the gate!” <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/23-16.htm"><b>16</b></a></span>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 <span class="divine-name">Lord</span> <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/23-17.htm"><b>17</b></a></span>and said, “Far be it from me, O <span class="divine-name">Lord</span>, 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.</p> <p class="regular"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/23-18.htm"><b>18</b></a></span>Now Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the thirty.<span class="footnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Two Hebrew manuscripts, Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts three">h</a></sup></span> And he wielded his spear against three hundred men<span class="footnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Or slain ones">i</a></sup></span> and killed them and won a name beside the three. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/23-19.htm"><b>19</b></a></span>He was the most renowned of the thirty<span class="footnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Compare 1 Chronicles 11:21; Hebrew Was he the most renowned of the three?">j</a></sup></span> and became their commander, but he did not attain to the three.</p> <p class="regular"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/23-20.htm"><b>20</b></a></span>And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was a valiant man<span class="footnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Or the son of Ishhai">k</a></sup></span> of Kabzeel, a doer of great deeds. He struck down two ariels<span class="footnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="The meaning of the word ariel is unknown">l</a></sup></span> of Moab. He also went down and struck down a lion in a pit on a day when snow had fallen. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/23-21.htm"><b>21</b></a></span>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. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/23-22.htm"><b>22</b></a></span>These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and won a name beside the three mighty men. <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/23-23.htm"><b>23</b></a></span>He was renowned among the thirty, but he did not attain to the three. And David set him over his bodyguard.</p> <p class="regular"><span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/23-24.htm"><b>24</b></a></span>Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/23-25.htm"><b>25</b></a></span>Shammah of Harod, Elika of Harod, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/23-26.htm"><b>26</b></a></span>Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh of Tekoa, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/23-27.htm"><b>27</b></a></span>Abiezer of Anathoth, Mebunnai the Hushathite, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/23-28.htm"><b>28</b></a></span>Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai of Netophah, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/23-29.htm"><b>29</b></a></span>Heleb the son of Baanah of Netophah, Ittai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the people of Benjamin, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/23-30.htm"><b>30</b></a></span>Benaiah of Pirathon, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/23-31.htm"><b>31</b></a></span>Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth of Bahurim, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/23-32.htm"><b>32</b></a></span>Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/23-33.htm"><b>33</b></a></span>Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/23-34.htm"><b>34</b></a></span>Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai of Maacah, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/23-35.htm"><b>35</b></a></span>Hezro<span class="footnote"><sup><a href="#footnotes" title="Or Hezrai">m</a></sup></span> of Carmel, Paarai the Arbite, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/23-36.htm"><b>36</b></a></span>Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/23-37.htm"><b>37</b></a></span>Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai of Beeroth, the armor-bearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/23-38.htm"><b>38</b></a></span>Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, <span class="reftext"><a href="http://biblehub.com/2_samuel/23-39.htm"><b>39</b></a></span>Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.</p><A name="footnotes"></a><hr size="1" color="DDEEFF"><span class="mainfootnotes"><span class="mainfootnoteshdg">Footnotes:</span><br><span class="footnotesbot">a</span> <span class="fnverse">1</span> Or <i><span class="catch-word">the</span> favorite of the songs of Israel</i><br /><span class="footnotesbot">b</span> <span class="fnverse">4</span> Hebrew <i>from rain</i><br /><span class="footnotesbot">c</span> <span class="fnverse">6</span> Hebrew <i>worthlessness</i><br /><span class="footnotesbot">d</span> <span class="fnverse">7</span> Hebrew <i><span class="catch-word">consumed with fire</span> in the sitting</i><br /><span class="footnotesbot">e</span> <span class="fnverse">8</span> Or <i><span class="catch-word">of the</span> captains</i><br /><span class="footnotesbot">f</span> <span class="fnverse">8</span> Compare 1 Chronicles 11:11; the meaning of the Hebrew expression is uncertain<br /><span class="footnotesbot">g</span> <span class="fnverse">11</span> Or <i>gathered together as a camp</i><br /><span class="footnotesbot">h</span> <span class="fnverse">18</span> Two Hebrew manuscripts, Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts <i>three</i><br /><span class="footnotesbot">i</span> <span class="fnverse">18</span> Or <i>slain ones</i><br /><span class="footnotesbot">j</span> <span class="fnverse">19</span> Compare 1 Chronicles 11:21; Hebrew <i>Was he the most renowned of the three?</i><br /><span class="footnotesbot">k</span> <span class="fnverse">20</span> Or <i>the son of Ishhai</i><br /><span class="footnotesbot">l</span> <span class="fnverse">20</span> The meaning of the word <i>ariel</i> is unknown<br /><span class="footnotesbot">m</span> <span class="fnverse">35</span> Or <i>Hezrai</i><br /></span></div></div><div id="botbox"><div class="padbot"><div align="center">ESV Text Edition® (2016).<br /><br />The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by <a href="http://www.crossway.org/home/esv/">Crossway Bibles</a>, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. 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