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2 Kingdoms (2 Samuel)

Chapter 23

¹ And these [are] the last words of David.

2Kgdms 23:1

² The Spirit of the Lord spoke by me,

2Kgdms 23:2

³ The God of Israel says,

2Kgdms 23:3

⁴ And in the morning light of God, let the sun arise in the morning,

2Kgdms 23:4

⁵ For my house [is] not so with the Mighty One:

2Kgdms 23:5

⁶ All these [are] as a thorn thrust forth,

2Kgdms 23:6

⁷ And a man shall not labor among them;

2Kgdms 23:7

⁸ These [are] the names of the mighty men of David: Josheb-basshebeth the Canaanite is a captain of the third [part]: Adinon the Asonite, he drew his sword against eight hundred soldiers at once. ⁹ And after him Elhanan the son of his uncle, son of Dodo who was among the three mighty men with David; and when he defied the Philistines they were gathered there to war, and the men of Israel went up. ¹⁰ He arose and smote the Philistines, until his hand was weary, and his hand clove to the sword: and the Lord wrought a great salvation in that day, and the people rested behind him only to strip [the slain].

2Kgdms 23:8-10

¹¹ And after him Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite: and the Philistines were gathered to Theria; and there was there a portion of ground full of lentils; and the people fled before the Philistines. ¹² And he stood firm in the midst of the portion, and rescued it, and smote the Philistines; and the Lord wrought a great deliverance.

2Kgdms 23:11-12

¹³ And three out of the thirty went down, and came to Cason to David, to the cave of Adullam; and [there was] an army of the Philistines, and they encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. ¹⁴ And David [was] then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines [was] then in Bethlehem. ¹⁵ And David longed, and said, Who will give me water to drink out of the well that is in Bethlehem by the gate? now the band of the Philistines [was] then in Bethlehem. ¹⁶ And the three mighty men broke through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well that was in Bethlehem in the gate: and they took it, and brought it to David, and he would not drink it, but poured it out before the Lord. ¹⁷ And he said, O Lord, forbid that I should do this, that I should drink the blood of the men who went at [the risk of] their lives: and he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men.

2Kgdms 23:13-17

¹⁸ And Abishai the brother of Joab the son of Zeruiah, he [was] chief among the three, and he lifted up his spear against three hundred whom he slew; and he had a name among three. ¹⁹ Of those three [he was] most honorable, and he became a chief over them, but he reached not to the [first] three.

2Kgdms 23:18-19

²⁰ And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, he was abundant in [mighty] deeds, from Kabzeel, and he smote the two sons of Ariel of Moab: and he went down and smote a lion in the midst of a pit on a snowy day. ²¹ He smote an Egyptian, a wonderful man, and in the hand of the Egyptian [was] a spear as the side of a ladder; and he went down to him with a staff, and snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand, and slew him with his own spear. ²² These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he had a name among the three mighty men. ²³ He was honorable among the [second] three, but he reached not to the [first] three: and David made him his reporter.

2Kgdms 23:20-23

²⁴ Asahel Joab’s brother; he [was] among the thirty. Elhanan son of Dodo his uncle in Bethlehem. ²⁵ Shammah the Rudaean. ²⁶ Helez the Kelothite: Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite. ²⁷ Abiezer the Anothite, of the sons of the Anothite. ²⁸ Zalmon the Ahohite; Maharai the Netophatite. ²⁹ Ittai the son of Ribai of Gibeah, son of Benjamin the Ephrathite; Asmoth the Bardiamite; Emasu the Shaalbonite: ³² the sons of Jashen, Jonathan; ³³ Shammah the Hararite; Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite. ³⁴ Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maacah; Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite. ³⁵ Hezro the Carmelite the son of Uraeoerchi. ³⁶ Igal the son of Nathan. The son of much valor, [the son] of Galaaddi. ³⁷ Elie the Ammonite. ³⁷ a Adroi of the brooks. ³⁷ b Abi-albon son of the Arbathite. ³⁷ c Gelore the Beerothite, armor bearer to Joab, son of Zeruiah. ³⁸ Ira the Ithrite. Gareb the Ithrite. ³⁹ Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.

2Kgdms 23:24-39