| International Standard Version | NET Bible |
| 1This was David's last composition: The oracle of David, son of Jesse, an oracle by the valiant one who was exalted— anointed by the God of Jacob, the contented psalm writer of Israel. | 1These are the final words of David: "The oracle of David son of Jesse, the oracle of the man raised up as the ruler chosen by the God of Jacob, Israel's beloved singer of songs: |
| 2The Spirit of the LORD speaks within me; his word is on my tongue! | 2The LORD's spirit spoke through me; his word was on my tongue. |
| 3The God of Israel has spoken; the Rock of Israel has talked to me. "When one is governing men justly, he fears God while governing. | 3The God of Israel spoke, the protector of Israel spoke to me. The one who rules fairly among men, the one who rules in the fear of God, |
| 4He is like dawn's first light, like bright sun blazing on a cloudless morning, glistening on grassland that flourishes after a rain shower. | 4is like the light of morning when the sun comes up, a morning in which there are no clouds. He is like the brightness after rain that produces grass from the earth. |
| 5Is not my dynasty like this with God? Has he not made an eternal covenant with me, preparing every detail of it? And he has made it secure, including my complete salvation, has he not? He has been of continual help, has he not, even with respect to all of my desires? | 5My dynasty is approved by God, for he has made a perpetual covenant with me, arranged in all its particulars and secured. He always delivers me, and brings all I desire to fruition. |
| 6But ungodly men are like thorns that are discarded because they cannot be safely handled. | 6But evil people are like thorns--all of them are tossed away, for they cannot be held in the hand. |
| 7Whoever handles them wears heavy duty clothing, carries strong tools, and burns them to ashes on the spot! | 7The one who touches them must use an iron instrument or the wooden shaft of a spear. They are completely burned up right where they lie!" |
| 8Here's a list of the names of David's special forces: Josheb-basshebeth the Tahkemonite was head of the Three; he was nicknamed Adino the Eznite because he killed 800 men in a single battle engagement. | 8These are the names of David's warriors: Josheb-Basshebeth, a Tahkemonite, was head of the officers. He killed eight hundred men with his spear in one battle. |
| 9Next was Dodai the Ahohite's son Eleazar. Eleazar, who also was one of the Three, was with David when they challenged the Philistines. When the Philistines had assembled in battle array, the Israeli army retreated, | 9Next in command was Eleazar son of Dodo, the son of Ahohi. He was one of the three warriors who were with David when they defied the Philistines who were assembled there for battle. When the men of Israel retreated, |
| 10but Eleazar remained standing right where he was and fought so hard against the Philistines that he became exhausted—he couldn't even let go of his sword! The LORD magnificently delivered them that day. After Eleazar had won the battle, the other soldiers returned, but only to strip the weapons and armor from the dead. | 10he stood his ground and fought the Philistines until his hand grew so tired that it seemed stuck to his sword. The LORD gave a great victory on that day. When the army returned to him, the only thing left to do was to plunder the corpses. |
| 11Next was Shammah, Agee the Hararite's son. One time the Philistines assembled to fight in a field where lentils had been growing. Israel's army retreated from the Philistines, | 11Next in command was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. When the Philistines assembled at Lehi, where there happened to be an area of a field that was full of lentils, the army retreated before the Philistines. |
| 12but Shammah stood his ground in the middle of the field, defended it, and killed the Philistines. And the LORD brought about a great victory. | 12But he made a stand in the middle of that area. He defended it and defeated the Philistines; the LORD gave them a great victory. |
| 13One day while the Philistine army was camping in the valley of giants, three of the 30 leaders joined David at the cave of Adullam. | 13At the time of the harvest three of the thirty leaders went down to David at the cave of Adullam. A band of Philistines was camped in the valley of Rephaim. |
| 14David was living in that stronghold at the time, while a Philistine garrison was then at Bethlehem. | 14David was in the stronghold at the time, while a Philistine garrison was in Bethlehem. |
| 15David expressed his longing, "Oh, how I wish someone would get me a drink of water from the Bethlehem well that's by the city gate!" | 15David was thirsty and said, "How I wish someone would give me some water to drink from the cistern in Bethlehem near the gate!" |
| 16So the Three elite warriors broke through the Philistine ranks, drew some water from the Bethlehem well that was next to the city gate, and brought it back to David. But he refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out in the LORD's presence, | 16So the three elite warriors broke through the Philistine forces and drew some water from the cistern in Bethlehem near the gate. They carried it back to David, but he refused to drink it. He poured it out as a drink offering to the LORD |
| 17and said, "The LORD forbid that I drink this—this is the blood of men who endangered their own lives!" The Three elite warriors did these things. | 17and said, "O LORD, I will not do this! It is equivalent to the blood of the men who risked their lives by going." So he refused to drink it. Such were the exploits of the three elite warriors. |
| 18Zeruiah's son Abishai, Joab's brother, was the lieutenant in charge of the platoons. He used his spear to fight and kill 300 men, gaining a reputation distinct from the Three. | 18Abishai son of Zeruiah, the brother of Joab, was head of the three. He killed three hundred men with his spear and gained fame among the three. |
| 19He was more well-known than the Three, and became their commander, but he never measured up to the Three. | 19From the three he was given honor and he became their officer, even though he was not one of the three. |
| 20Jehoiada's son Benaiah, who was a valiant man, accomplished great things. He was from Kabzeel. He killed two men named Ariel from Moab and then he also went down into a pit and struck down a lion during a snow storm one day. | 20Benaiah son of Jehoida was a brave warrior from Kabzeel who performed great exploits. He struck down the two sons of Ariel of Moab. He also went down and killed a lion in a cistern on a snowy day. |
| 21He also killed a soldier from Egypt. Of handsome appearance, the Egyptian carried a spear, but Benaiah attacked him with a staff, snatched the spear out of the Egyptian's hand and killed him with his own spear. | 21He also killed an impressive-looking Egyptian. The Egyptian wielded a spear, while Benaiah attacked him with a club. He grabbed the spear out of the Egyptian's hand and killed him with his own spear. |
| 22Benaiah did things like this and gained a reputation comparable to the Three warriors. | 22Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoida, who gained fame among the three elite warriors. |
| 23He was well known among the platoons, but he didn't measure up to the Three. David placed him in charge of his security detail. | 23He received honor from the thirty warriors, though he was not one of the three elite warriors. David put him in charge of his bodyguard. |
| 24Among the Thirty were Joab's brother Asahel, Dodo's son Elhanan of Bethlehem, | 24Included with the thirty were the following: Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem, |
| 25Shammah from Harod; Elika from Harod, | 25Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite, |
| 26Helez the Paltite, Ikkesh's son Ira from Tekoa, | 26Helez the Paltite, Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa, |
| 27Abiezer from Anathoth, Mebunnai the Hushathite, | 27Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, |
| 28Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai of Netophah, | 28Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, |
| 29Baanah's son Heleb from Netophah, Ribai's son Ittai from Gibeah of the descendants of Benjamin, | 29Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin, |
| 30Benaiah from Pirathon, Hiddai from the Gaash creeks area, | 30Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai from the wadis of Gaash, |
| 31Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth from Bahurim, | 31Abi-Albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite, |
| 32Eliahba from Shaalbon, Jashen's sons, | 32Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan |
| 33Shammah's son from Harar, Sharar the Hararite's son Ahiam, | 33son of Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam son of Sharar the Hararite, |
| 34Ahasbai the Maacathite's son Eliphelet, Ahithophel the Gilonite's son Eliam, | 34Eliphelet son of Ahasbai the Maacathite, Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, |
| 35Hezro from Carmel, Paarai the Arbite, | 35Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, |
| 36Nathan's son Igal from Zobah, Bani the Gadite, | 36Igal son of Nathan from Zobah, Bani the Gadite, |
| 37Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai from Beeroth (the armor-bearer for Zeruiah's son Joab), | 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 |
| 39and Uriah the Hittite—for a total of 37. | 39and Uriah the Hittite. Altogether there were thirty-seven. |
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