The Second Book of Samuel

⭑ Catholic Public Domain :: World English Bible Catholic ⭑

- Chapter 23 -

These are the last words of David. Now David, the son of Jesse, the man to whom it was appointed concerning the Christ of the God of Jacob, the preeminent psalmist of Israel said:

“The Spirit of the Lord has spoken through me, and his word was spoken through my tongue.

The God of Israel spoke to me, the Strong One of Israel spoke, the Ruler of men, the Just Ruler, in the fear of God,

like the first light of the morning as the sun is rising, when a morning without clouds glows red, and like plants springing forth from the earth after a rainfall.(a)

But my house is not so great with God that he should undertake an eternal covenant with me, firm and fortified in all things. For he is the entirety of my salvation and the entirety of my will. And there is nothing of this which will not spring forth.(b)

But all prevaricators shall be plucked out like thorns, yet they are not taken away by hands.

And if anyone wishes to touch them, he must be armed with iron and a wooden lance. And they shall be set ablaze and burned to nothing.”

David’s Mighty Men

(1 Chronicles 11:10–47)

These are the names of the valiant of David. Sitting in the chair was the wisest leader among the three; he was like a very tender little worm in a tree, who killed eight hundred men in one attack.(c)

(d)

After him, there was Eleazar, the son of his paternal uncle, an Ahohite, who was among the three valiant men who were with David when they chastised the Philistines, and they were gathered together in battle there.(e)

And when the men of Israel had gone up, he himself stood fast and struck down the Philistines, until his hand grew weak and stiff with the sword. And the Lord wrought a great salvation on that day. And the people who had fled returned to take up the spoils of the slain.

And after him, there was Shammah, the son of Agee, from Hara. And the Philistines gathered together at an outpost. For a field full of lentils was in that place. And when the people had fled from the face of the Philistines,

he stood fast in the middle of the field, and it was protected by him. And he struck down the Philistines. And the Lord wrought a great salvation.

And moreover, before this, the three who were leaders among the thirty descended and went to David at harvest time, in the cave of Adullam. But the camp of the Philistines was positioned in the Valley of the giants.

And David was in a stronghold. Moreover, there was a garrison of the Philistines at that time in Bethlehem.

Then David desired, and he said, “If only someone would give me a drink of the water from the cistern, which is in Bethlehem beside the gate!”

Therefore, the three valiant men burst into the encampment of the Philistines, and they drew water from the cistern of Bethlehem, which was beside the gate. And they brought it to David. Yet he was not willing to drink; instead, he poured it out to the Lord,

saying: “May the Lord be gracious to me, so that I may not do this. Should I drink the blood of these men who have set out to the peril of their own lives?” Therefore, he was not willing to drink. These things were accomplished by these three robust men.

Also Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was first among the three. It was he who lifted up his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed. And he was renowned among the three,

and he was the noblest of the three, and he was their leader. But at first he did not attain to the three.

And Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, a very strong man of great deeds, was from Kabzeel. He slew the two lions of Moab, and he descended and slew a lion in the middle of a den, in the days of snow.

He also killed an Egyptian who had a spear in his hand, a man worthy to behold. And yet he had gone down to him with only a staff. And he forced the spear from the hand of the Egyptian, and he killed him with his own spear.

Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, accomplished these things.

And he was renowned among the three robust men, who were the most noble among the thirty. Yet truly, he did not attain to the three, until David made him his secret advisor.

Among the thirty were: Asahel, the brother of Joab, Elhanan, the son of his paternal uncle, from Bethlehem,

Shammah from Harod, Elika from Harod,

Helez from Palti, Ira, the son of Ikkesh, from Tekoa,

Abiezer from Anathoth, Mebunnai from Hushah,

Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,

Heleb, the son of Baanah, also himself a Netophathite, Ittai, the son of Ribai, from Gibeah, of the sons of Benjamin,

Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai from the Torrent Gaash,

Abialbon the Arbathite, Azmaveth from Beromi,

Eliahba from Shaalbon; the sons of Jashen, Jonathan,

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

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

Hezrai from Carmel, Paarai from Arbi,

Igal, the son of Nathan, from Zobah, Bani from Gad,

Zelek from Ammon, Naharai the Beerothite, the armor bearer of Joab, the son of Zeruiah,

Ira the Ithrite, Gareb also an Ithrite,

Uriah the Hittite: altogether thirty seven

Footnotes

(a)23:4 As the light, etc:So shall be the kingdom of Christ.(Challoner)

(b)23:5 Neither is my house, etc:As if he should say: This everlasting covenant was not due to my house: but purely owing to his bounty; who is all my salvation, and my will: that is, who has always saved me, and granted me what I beseeched of him; so that I and my house, through his blessing, have sprung up, and succeeded in all things.(Challoner)

(c)23:8 Jesbaham:The son of Hachamoni. For this was the name of this hero, as appears from 1 Chron. or Paralip. 11.(Challoner)

(d)23:8 Most tender, etc:He appeared like one tender and weak, but was indeed most valiant and strong. It seems the Latin has here given the interpretation of the Hebrew name of the hero, to whom Jesbaham was like, instead of the name itself, which was Adino the Eznite, one much renowned of old for his valour.(Challoner)

(e)23:9 Dodo:In Latin, Patrui ejus, which is the interpretation of the Hebrew name Dodo. The same occurs in ver. 24.(Challoner)

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

“The LORD’s Spirit spoke by me. His word was on my tongue.

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

shall be as the light of the morning when the sun rises, a morning without clouds, when the tender grass springs out of the earth, through clear shining after rain.’

Isn’t my house so with God? Yet he has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure, for it is all my salvation and all my desire. Won’t he make it grow?

But all the ungodly will be as thorns to be thrust away, because they can’t be taken with the hand.

The man who touches them must be armed with iron and the staff of a spear. They will be utterly burned with fire in their place.”

David’s Mighty Men

(1 Chronicles 11:10–47)

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, who killed eight hundred at one time.

After him was Eleazar the son of Dodai the son of an Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David when they defied the Philistines who were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel had gone away.

He arose and struck the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand froze to the sword; and the LORD worked a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to take plunder.

After him was Shammah the son of Agee a Hararite. The Philistines had gathered together into a troop where there was a plot of ground full of lentils; and the people fled from the Philistines.

But he stood in the middle of the plot and defended it, and killed the Philistines; and the LORD worked a great victory.

Three of the thirty chief men went down, and came to David in the harvest time to the cave of Adullam; and the troop of the Philistines was encamped in the valley of Rephaim.

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

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

The three mighty men broke through the army of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate and took it and brought it to David; but he would not drink of it, but poured it out to the LORD.

He said, “Be it far from me, LORD, that I should do this! Isn’t this the blood of the men who risked their lives to go?” Therefore he would not drink it. The three mighty men did these things.

Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the three. He lifted up his spear against three hundred and killed them, and had a name among the three.

Wasn’t he most honorable of the three? Therefore he was made their captain. However he wasn’t included as one of the three.

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 in a time of snow.

He killed a huge Egyptian, and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with his own spear.

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

He was more honorable than the thirty, but he didn’t attain to the three. David set him over his guard.

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

Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,

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

Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,

Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,

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

Benaiah a Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash.

Abialbon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,

Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan,

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

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

Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,

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

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

Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,

and Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.