| English Standard Version | New International Version |
| 1Now these are the last words of David: The oracle of David, the son of Jesse, the oracle of the man who was raised on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, the sweet psalmist of Israel: | 1These are the last words of David: "The inspired utterance of David son of Jesse, the utterance of the man exalted by the Most High, the man anointed by the God of Jacob, the hero of Israel's songs: |
| 2“The Spirit of the LORD speaks by me; his word is on my tongue. | 2"The Spirit of the LORD spoke through me; his word was on my tongue. |
| 3The God of Israel has spoken; the Rock of Israel has said to me: When one rules justly over men, ruling in the fear of God, | 3The God of Israel spoke, the Rock of Israel said to me: 'When one rules over people in righteousness, when he rules in the fear of God, |
| 4he dawns on them like the morning light, like the sun shining forth on a cloudless morning, like rain that makes grass to sprout from the earth. | 4he is like the light of morning at sunrise on a cloudless morning, like the brightness after rain that brings grass from the earth.' |
| 5“For does not my house stand so with God? For he has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and secure. For will he not cause to prosper all my help and my desire? | 5"If my house were not right with God, surely he would not have made with me an everlasting covenant, arranged and secured in every part; surely he would not bring to fruition my salvation and grant me my every desire. |
| 6But worthless men are all like thorns that are thrown away, for they cannot be taken with the hand; | 6But evil men are all to be cast aside like thorns, which are not gathered with the hand. |
| 7but the man who touches them arms himself with iron and the shaft of a spear, and they are utterly consumed with fire.” | 7Whoever touches thorns uses a tool of iron or the shaft of a spear; they are burned up where they lie." |
| 8These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-basshebeth a Tahchemonite; he was chief of the three. He wielded his spear against eight hundred whom he killed at one time. | 8These are the names of David's mighty warriors: Josheb-Basshebeth, a Tahkemonite, was chief of the Three; he raised his spear against eight hundred men, whom he killed in one encounter. |
| 9And 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. | 9Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite. As one of the three mighty warriors, he was with David when they taunted the Philistines gathered at Pas Dammim for battle. Then the Israelites retreated, |
| 10He rose and struck down the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clung to the sword. And the LORD brought about a great victory that day, and the men returned after him only to strip the slain. | 10but Eleazar stood his ground and struck down the Philistines till his hand grew tired and froze to the sword. The LORD brought about a great victory that day. The troops returned to Eleazar, but only to strip the dead. |
| 11And next to him was Shammah, the son of Agee the Hararite. The Philistines gathered together at Lehi, where there was a plot of ground full of lentils, and the men fled from the Philistines. | 11Next to him was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. When the Philistines banded together at a place where there was a field full of lentils, Israel's troops fled from them. |
| 12But he took his stand in the midst of the plot and defended it and struck down the Philistines, and the LORD worked a great victory. | 12But Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field. He defended it and struck the Philistines down, and the LORD brought about a great victory. |
| 13And 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. | 13During harvest time, three of the thirty chief warriors came down to David at the cave of Adullam, while a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. |
| 14David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then at Bethlehem. | 14At that time David was in the stronghold, and the Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem. |
| 15And David said longingly, “Oh, that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem that is by the gate!” | 15David longed for water and said, "Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!" |
| 16Then 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 LORD | 16So the three mighty warriors broke through the Philistine lines, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem and carried it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out before the LORD. |
| 17and said, “Far be it from me, O LORD, 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. | 17"Far be it from me, LORD, to do this!" he said. "Is it 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. |
| 18Now Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the thirty. And he wielded his spear against three hundred men and killed them and won a name beside the three. | 18Abishai the brother of Joab son of Zeruiah was chief of the Three. He raised his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed, and so he became as famous as the Three. |
| 19He was the most renowned of the thirty and became their commander, but he did not attain to the three. | 19Was he not held in greater honor than the Three? He became their commander, even though he was not included among them. |
| 20And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was a valiant man of Kabzeel, a doer of great deeds. He struck down two ariels of Moab. He also went down and struck down a lion in a pit on a day when snow had fallen. | 20Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant fighter from Kabzeel, performed great exploits. He struck down Moab's two mightiest warriors. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion. |
| 21And 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. | 21And he struck down a huge Egyptian. Although 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. |
| 22These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and won a name beside the three mighty men. | 22Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada; he too was as famous as the three mighty warriors. |
| 23He was renowned among the thirty, but he did not attain to the three. And David set him over his bodyguard. | 23He was held in greater honor than any of the Thirty, but he was not included among the Three. And David put him in charge of his bodyguard. |
| 24Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, | 24Among the Thirty were: Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem, |
| 25Shammah of Harod, Elika of Harod, | 25Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite, |
| 26Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh of Tekoa, | 26Helez the Paltite, Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa, |
| 27Abiezer of Anathoth, Mebunnai the Hushathite, | 27Abiezer from Anathoth, Sibbekai the Hushathite, |
| 28Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai of Netophah, | 28Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, |
| 29Heleb the son of Baanah of Netophah, Ittai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the people of Benjamin, | 29Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin, |
| 30Benaiah of Pirathon, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash, | 30Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai from the ravines of Gaash, |
| 31Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth of Bahurim, | 31Abi-Albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite, |
| 32Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan, | 32Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan |
| 33Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite, | 33son of Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam son of Sharar the Hararite, |
| 34Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai of Maacah, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, | 34Eliphelet son of Ahasbai the Maakathite, Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, |
| 35Hezro of Carmel, Paarai the Arbite, | 35Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, |
| 36Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite, | 36Igal son of Nathan from Zobah, the son of Hagri, |
| 37Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai of Beeroth, the armor-bearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah, | 37Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, the armor-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah, |
| 38Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, | 38Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite |
| 39Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all. | 39and Uriah the Hittite. There were thirty-seven in all. |
| ESV Text Edition: 2016. The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®) copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. The ESV® text has been reproduced in cooperation with and by permission of Good News Publishers. Unauthorized reproduction of this publication is prohibited. All rights reserved. | New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. |
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