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are the last words of David:
“The proclamation of David son of Jesse,
the proclamation of the man raised up on high,
the man anointed by the God of Jacob,
the sweet psalmist of Israel:
2 “The Spirit of the Lord spoke through me;
His word was on my tongue.
3 The God of Israel has spoken;
the Rock of Israel said to me,
‘He who rules over men righteously,
ruling in the fear of God,
4 is like the light of morning when the sun rises,
on a cloudless morning;
like the tender grass springing out from the earth,
through sunshine after rain’.
5 “Is not my house like this before God?
For He has made an everlasting covenant with me,
ordered in all things and secure.
For this is truly my salvation and all my desire,
will He not indeed make it grow?
6 But wicked men are like thorns to be cast away,
for they cannot be gathered up by hand.
7 And the man who touches them
must be armed with iron and the shaft of the spear,
and they will be totally burned with fire in their place.”
8 These are the names of David’s mighty warriors:
Josheb-basshebeth, a Tahchemonite; he was chief of the Three. He wielded his spear against eight hundred men, whom he killed in a single encounter.
9 Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodo the Ahohite. He was one of the three warriors with David when they defied the Philistines gathered there for battle. Althought the men of Israel had retreated, 10 he held his ground and struck the Philistines until his hand was weary and stuck to his sword. The Lord brought a great victory that day; and the people came back to him, but only to strip the dead.
11 Next to him was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. When the Philistines assembled together in a field full of lentils, the troops of Israel fled from the Philistines. 12 But Shammah took his stand out in the middle of the field and defended it. He struck down and killed the Philistines, and the Lord brought about a great victory.
13 Once, during harvest time, three of the thirty chief men went down to join David at the camp of Adullam, while a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. 14 At that time David was in the stronghold, and the Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem. 15 David longed for water, and he said, “Oh, that someone would give me water to drink from the well at the gate of Bethlehem!” 16 So the three warriors broke through the Philistine camp and drew water from the well at the gate of Bethlehem. When they brought it back to David, he would not drink it however, and he poured it out before the Lord. 17 “Far be it from me, O Lord, that I should do this,” he said. “Is this 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 Abishai, the brother of Joab son of Zeruiah, was chief of the Three. He raised his spear against three hundred men and killed them, so winning a name among the Three. 19 Was he not the most honoured of the Three? He became their commander, even though he did not attain to the Three.
20 Benaiah son of Jehoiada, from Kabzeel, was a valiant fighter who performed many great deeds. He killed two sons of Ariel, who were among Moab’s best warriors. Once, he went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion. 21 He also killed an Egyptian, a huge man. Even though 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 Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada; and he won a name alongside the three mighty warriors. 23 He was the most honoured of the Thirty, but he did not attain to the Three. David put him in charge of his bodyguard.
24 Among the Thirty were:
Asahel the brother of Joab
Elhanan son of Dodo of Bethlehem,
25 Shammah from Harod,
Elika from Harod,
26 Helez the Paltite,
Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa,
27 Abiezer from Anathoth,
Mebunnai the Hushathite,
28 Zalmon the Ahohite,
Maharai from Netophah,
29 Heleb son of Baanah of Netophah,
Ittai son of Ribai from Gibeah of the Benjaminites,
30 Benaiah from Pirathon,
Hiddai from the Wadis of Gaash,
31 Abi-albon the Arbathite,
Azmaveth from Bahurim,
32 Eliahba from Shaalbon,
the sons of Jashen,
Jonathan 33 son of Shammah the Hararite,
Ahiam son of Sharar the Hararite,
34 Eliphelet son of Ahasbai of Maacah,
Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,
35 Hezro from Carmel,
Paarai the Arbite,
36 Igal son of Nathan from Zobah,
Bani the Gadite,
37 Zelek the Ammonite,
Naharai from Beeroth, (the armour-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah),
38 Ira the Ithrite,
Gareb the Ithrite,
39 and Uriah the Hittite.
There were thirty-seven in all.