| New Living Translation | NET Bible |
| 1These are the last words of David: “David, the son of Jesse, speaks— David, the man who was raised up so high, David, the man anointed by the God of Jacob, David, the sweet psalmist 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: |
| 2“The Spirit of the LORD speaks through me; his words are upon my tongue. | 2The LORD's spirit spoke through me; his word was on my tongue. |
| 3The God of Israel spoke. The Rock of Israel said to me: ‘The one who rules righteously, who rules in the fear of God, | 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, |
| 4is like the light of morning at sunrise, like a morning without clouds, like the gleaming of the sun on new grass after rain.’ | 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. |
| 5“Is it not my family God has chosen? Yes, he has made an everlasting covenant with me. His agreement is arranged and guaranteed in every detail. He will ensure my safety and success. | 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 the godless are like thorns to be thrown away, for they tear the hand that touches them. | 6But evil people are like thorns--all of them are tossed away, for they cannot be held in the hand. |
| 7One must use iron tools to chop them down; they will be totally consumed by fire.” David’s Mightiest Warriors | 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!" |
| 8These are the names of David’s mightiest warriors. The first was Jashobeam the Hacmonite, who was leader of the Three —the three mightiest warriors among David’s men. He once used his spear to kill 800 enemy warriors in a single battle. | 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 in rank among the Three was Eleazar son of Dodai, a descendant of Ahoah. Once Eleazar and David stood together against the Philistines when the entire Israelite army had fled. | 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, |
| 10He killed Philistines until his hand was too tired to lift his sword, and the LORD gave him a great victory that day. The rest of the army did not return until it was time to collect the plunder! | 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 in rank was Shammah son of Agee from Harar. One time the Philistines gathered at Lehi and attacked the Israelites in a field full of lentils. The Israelite army fled, | 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 held his ground in the middle of the field and beat back the Philistines. So 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. |
| 13Once during the harvest, when David was at the cave of Adullam, the Philistine army was camped in the valley of Rephaim. The Three (who were among the Thirty—an elite group among David’s fighting men) went down to meet him there. | 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 staying in the stronghold at the time, and a Philistine detachment had occupied the town of Bethlehem. | 14David was in the stronghold at the time, while a Philistine garrison was in Bethlehem. |
| 15David remarked longingly to his men, “Oh, how I would love some of that good water from the well by the gate in Bethlehem.” | 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 broke through the Philistine lines, drew some water from the well by the gate in Bethlehem, and brought it back to David. But he refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out as an offering to the LORD. | 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 |
| 17“The LORD forbid that I should drink this!” he exclaimed. “This water is as precious as the blood of these men who risked their lives to bring it to me.” So David did not drink it. These are examples of the exploits of the Three. David’s Thirty Mighty Men | 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. |
| 18Abishai son of Zeruiah, the brother of Joab, was the leader of the Thirty. He once used his spear to kill 300 enemy warriors in a single battle. It was by such feats that he became as famous as 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. |
| 19Abishai was the most famous of the Thirty and was their commander, though he was not one of the Three. | 19From the three he was given honor and he became their officer, even though he was not one of the three. |
| 20There was also Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant warrior from Kabzeel. He did many heroic deeds, which included killing two champions of Moab. Another time, on a snowy day, he chased a lion down into a pit and killed it. | 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. |
| 21Once, armed only with a club, he killed an imposing Egyptian warrior who was armed with a spear. Benaiah wrenched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with it. | 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. |
| 22Deeds like these made Benaiah as famous as the Three mightiest warriors. | 22Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoida, who gained fame among the three elite warriors. |
| 23He was more honored than the other members of the Thirty, though he was not one of the Three. And David made him captain of his bodyguard. | 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. |
| 24Other members of the Thirty included: Asahel, Joab’s brother; Elhanan son of Dodo from 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 from Pelon ; Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa; | 26Helez the Paltite, Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa, |
| 27Abiezer from Anathoth; Sibbecai from Hushah; | 27Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, |
| 28Zalmon from Ahoah; Maharai from Netophah; | 28Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, |
| 29Heled son of Baanah from Netophah; Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah (in the land of Benjamin); | 29Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin, |
| 30Benaiah from Pirathon; Hurai from Nahale-gaash ; | 30Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai from the wadis of Gaash, |
| 31Abi-albon from Arabah; Azmaveth from Bahurim; | 31Abi-Albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite, |
| 32Eliahba from Shaalbon; the sons of Jashen; Jonathan | 32Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan |
| 33son of Shagee from Harar; Ahiam son of Sharar from Harar; | 33son of Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam son of Sharar the Hararite, |
| 34Eliphelet son of Ahasbai from Maacah; Eliam son of Ahithophel from Giloh; | 34Eliphelet son of Ahasbai the Maacathite, Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, |
| 35Hezro from Carmel; Paarai from Arba; | 35Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, |
| 36Igal son of Nathan from Zobah; Bani from Gad; | 36Igal son of Nathan from Zobah, Bani the Gadite, |
| 37Zelek from Ammon; Naharai from Beeroth, the armor bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah; | 37Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite (the armor-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah), |
| 38Ira from Jattir; Gareb from Jattir; | 38Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite |
| 39Uriah the Hittite. There were thirty-seven in all. | 39and Uriah the Hittite. Altogether there were thirty-seven. |
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