2 Samuel 23

₁Here are the last things that David said.

₈David had special men who were good soldiers. Here are their names:

Josheb-Basshebeth from the town of Tahkemon was the leader of the 3 brave men. He made war_against 800 men with his spear and he killed them all.

₉The next brave man was Eleazar, son Dodai from the Ahohite people. Eleazar was with David when they attacked the Philistines who came together to go to war. The men of Israel ran away ₁₀but Eleazar did not run away. He fought bravely against the Philistines until he was so tired that he could not take his hand off his sword. The Lord made him defeat all the Philistines and the other men of Israel came back only to take the clothes and plunder of the Philistines.

₁₁The 3rd brave man was Shammah, son of Agee from the town of Harar. The Philistines came together at Lehi. There was a field where lentils grew. The men of Israel ran away from the Philistines, ₁₂but Shammah stood in the middle of the field. He did not want them to take the field and the enemies could not take it. He was brave and he defeated all the Philistines on that day.

₁₃One day 3 of the 30 leaders went to David when he was at the Adullam cave. It was the time when people started to cut off the wheat. There were tents of the Philistines in the Rephaim Valley. ₁₄David was in a safe place in the mountains and the Philistines were in the town of Bethlehem to guard the town. ₁₅David was thirsty and he said: ‘I wish someone could bring me water from the water-well near the gate of Bethlehem.’

₁₆The 3 men walked between the tents of the Philistines and they pulled up water from the water-well near the gate of Bethlehem and they gave it to David. But David did not want to drink the water. He gave it to the Lord as a drink-offering. ₁₇David said: ‘Lord, I can not drink this water. If these men had died, it would have been my fault.’ David did not want to drink the water, but this is what the 3 men did.

₁₈Abishai, the brother of Joab, son of Zeruiah, was the leader of the 30 special men. He killed 300 men with his spear and some people said he was just as important as the 3 brave men. ₁₉He was a very important man and he was their leader, but he was not one of the 3 brave men. ₂₀Benaiah, son of Jehoiada from the town of Kabzeel, was a brave man who did great things. It was he who defeated those 2 very strong men from Moab. And one day when the snow came down, he went down into a hole and he killed a lion. ₂₁It was he who also killed the Egyptian soldier. The Egyptian was good-looking, and he had a spear in his hand. Benaiah had only a stick with him when he went down to the Egyptian. He took the spear from the Egyptian and he killed the Egyptian with his own spear. ₂₂This is what Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, did. Benaiah was famous. ₂₃He was the most important of the 30 men, but he did not become one of the 3 brave men. David chose him to be leader of the men who guarded the king.

₂₄Joab's brother Asahel was also one of 30 special men. There were also: Elhanan, son of Dodo from Bethlehem, ₂₅Shammah and Elika from the town of Harod, ₂₆Helez from Palti, Ira, son of Ikkesh, from Tekoa, ₂₇Abiezer from the town of Anathoth, Sibbekai from Hushah, ₂₈Zalmon from the Ahohite people, Maharai from Netophah, ₂₉Heled, son of Baanah, from Netophah, Ithai, son of Ribai, from Gibeah in Benjamin, ₃₀Benaiah from the town of Pirathon, Hiddai from the town of Nahale-Gaash, ₃₁Abi-Albon from the Arba people, Azmaveth who came from Barhurim, ₃₂Eliahba from Shaalbon, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan, ₃₃the son of Shammah from Harar, Ahiam, son of Sharar from Harar, ₃₄Eliphelet, son Ahasbai from Maakah, Eliam son of Ahithophel from the town of Giloh, ₃₅Hezro from the town of Carmel, Paarai who came from Arba, ₃₆Igal, son of Nathan from the town of Zobah, Bani from the land of Gad, ₃₇Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai from Beeroth, who was the weapon-carrier of Joab, son of Zeruiah, ₃₈Ira and Gareb from the Ithrite people, ₃₉and Uriah the Hittite. Together there were 37 men.