1 These are the last words of David the son of Jesse.The God of Jacob chose Davidand made him a great king.The Mighty God of Israelloved him.When God told him to speak,David said:
2 The Spirit of the Lordhas told me what to say.
3 Our Mighty Rock,the God of Jacob, told me,“A ruler who obeys Godand does right
4 is like the sunriseon a cloudless day,or like rain that sparkleson the grass.”
5 I have ruled this way,and God will never breakhis promise to me.God's promise is completeand unchanging;he will always help meand give me what I hope for.
6 But evil people are pulled uplike thornbushes.They are not dug up by hand,
7 but with a sharp spearand are burned on the spot.
8 These are the names of David's warriors:Ishbosheth the son of Hachmon was the leader of the Three Warriors. In one battle, he killed 800 men with his spear.
9 The next one of the Three Warriors was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite. One time when the Philistines were at war with Israel, he and David dared the Philistines to fight them. Every one of the Israelite soldiers turned and ran,
10 except Eleazar. He killed Philistines until his hand was cramped, and he couldn't let go of his sword. When Eleazar finished, all the Israelite troops had to do was come back and take the enemies' weapons and armor. The Lord gave Israel a great victory that day.
11 Next was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. One time the Philistines brought their army together to destroy a crop of peas growing in a field near Lehi. The rest of Israel's soldiers ran away from the Philistines,
12 but Shammah stood in the middle of the field and killed the Philistines. The crops were saved, and the Lord gave Israel a great victory.
13 One year at harvest time, the Three Warriors went to meet David at Adullam Cave. The Philistine army had set up camp in Rephaim Valley
14 and had taken over Bethlehem. David was in his fortress,
15 and he was very thirsty. He said, “I wish I had a drink from the well by the gate at Bethlehem.”
16 The Three Warriors sneaked into the Philistine camp and got some water from the well near Bethlehem's gate. But after they brought the water back to David, he refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out as a sacrifice
17 and said to the Lord, “I can't drink this water! It's like the blood of these men who risked their lives to get it for me.”The Three Warriors did these brave deeds.
18 Joab's brother Abishai was the leader of the Thirty Warriors, and in one battle he killed 300 men with his spear. He was as famous as the Three Warriors
19 and certainly just as famous as the rest of the Thirty Warriors. He was the commander of the Thirty Warriors, but he still did not become one of the Three Warriors.
20 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was a brave man from Kabzeel who did some amazing things. He killed two of Moab's best fighters, and on a snowy day he went down into a pit and killed a lion.
21 Another time, he killed an Egyptian, as big as a giant. The Egyptian was armed with a spear, but Benaiah only had a club. Benaiah grabbed the spear from the Egyptian and killed him with it.
22-23 Benaiah did these things. He never became one of the Three Warriors, but he was just as famous as they were and certainly just as famous as the rest of the Thirty Warriors. David made him the leader of his bodyguard.
24-39 Some of the Thirty Warriors were:Asahel the brother of JoabElhanan the son of Dodo from BethlehemShammah from HarodElika from HarodHelez the PaltiteIra the son of Ikkesh from TekoaAbiezer from AnathothMebunnai the HushathiteZalmon the AhohiteMaharai from NetophahHeleb the son of Baanah from NetophahIttai the son of Ribai from Gibeah of the tribe of BenjaminBenaiah from PirathonHiddai from the streams on Mount GaashAbialbon from Beth-ArabahAzmaveth from BahurimEliahba from ShaalbonJashenJonathan the son of Shammah the HarariteAhiam the son of Sharar the HarariteEliphelet the son of Ahasbai from MaacahEliam the son of Ahithophel from GiloHezro from CarmelPaarai the ArbiteIgal the son of Nathan from ZobahBani the GaditeZelek from AmmonNaharai from Beeroth, who carried the weapons of Joab the son of ZeruiahIra the IthriteGareb the IthriteUriah the HittiteThere were 37 in all.