THE SECOND BOOK OF
SAMUEL,
2 Samuel 23 ©
The last words of David, wherein he testifies of his Divine calling by God to the kingly and prophetical office, verses 1, 2. He prophesies of the Messiah Jesus Christ, and the happiness under His government, with the acknowledgment of the faults of his house, and a confession of his confidence in God’s everlasting Covenant of Grace, 3, etc. Lastly, announces everlasting destruction to the wicked, 6. An account of David’s mighty men and their valor, 8.
NOW these be the 1last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on 2high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet 3psalmist of Israel, said,
The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.
The God of Israel said, the 4Rock of Israel spake 5to me, 6He that ruleth over men must be 7just, ruling in the 8fear of God.
And he shall be 9as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain.
10Although my house be not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, 11ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not 12to grow.
¶But the sons of 13Belial shall be all of them as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands:
But the man that shall touch them must be 14fenced with iron and the staff of a spear; and they shall be 15utterly burned with fire 16in the same place.
¶Theseabe the names of the 17mighty men whom David had: The 18Tachmonite that sat in the seat, 19chief among the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite: 20he lift up his spear against eight hundred, 21whom he slew at one time.
And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the 22Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they 23defied the Philistines that were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away:
He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword: and the LORD wrought a 24great victory that day; and 25the people returned after him only to spoil.
And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a 26troop, where was a piece of ground full of 27lentiles: and the people fled from the Philistines.
But he stood in the midst of the ground, and 28defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the LORD wrought a great victory.
And 29three of the thirty chief went down, and came to David in the harvest time unto the cave of 30Adullam: and the 31troop of the Philistines pitched in the valley of 32Rephaim.
And David was then in an 33hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Beth-lehem.
And David longed, and said, 34Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Beth-lehem, which is by the gate!
And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Beth-lehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the LORD.
And he said, Be it far from me, O LORD, that I should do this: 35is not this the blood of the men that went 36in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men.
And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief among 37three. And he 38lifted up his spear against three hundred, and slew them, and had the name among 39three.
Was he not most honourable of three? therefore he was their captain: howbeit he attained not unto the first three.
And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man, of 40Kabzeel, who had done many acts, he slew two 41lionlike men of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in 42time of snow:
And he slew an Egyptian, a 43goodly man: and the Egyptian had a 44spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and slew him with his own spear.
These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among three mighty men.
He was more honourable than the thirty, but he attained not to the first three. And David set him over his 45guard.
Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Beth-lehem,
Shammah the 46Harodite, Elika the Harodite,
Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the 47Tekoite,
Abi-ezer the 48Anethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,
Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,
Heleb the son of Baanah, a Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai out of 49Gibeah of the children of Benjamin,
Benaiah the 50Pirathonite, Hiddai of the 51brooks of 52Gaash,
Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,
Eliahba the Shaalbonite, of the sons of Jashen, Jonathan,
Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite,
Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel 53the Gilonite,
Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,
Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite,
Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the 54Beerothite, armourbearer to Joab the son of Zeruiah,
Ira an Ithrite, Gareb an Ithrite,
Uriah the Hittite: 55thirty and seven in all.