¶ Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised² up on high, the anointed³ of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist⁴ of Israel, said,

⁵The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.

The God⁶ of Israel said, the Rock⁷ of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth⁸ over men must be just⁹, ruling¹⁰ in the fear of God.

And he shall be as the light¹¹ of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender¹³ grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain.

Although¹⁴ my house be not so with God; yet he hath made¹⁵ with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure¹⁶: for this is all my salvation¹⁷, and all my desire¹⁸, although he make it not to grow¹⁹.

But the sons²⁰ of Belial shall be all of them as thorns²¹ thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands:

But the man that shall touch them must be fenced²² with iron and the staff of a spear; and they shall be utterly burned with fire in the same place.

¶ These be the names of the mighty men whom David had: The Tachmonite that sat in the seat, chief among the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite: he lift up his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew²⁴ at one time.

And after him was Eleazar²⁵ the son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines that were there gathered together to battle, and the men²⁷ of Israel were gone away:

¶ He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword: and the LORD²⁸ wrought a great victory that day; and the people²⁹ returned after him only to spoil.

And after him was Shammah³⁰ the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop³², where was a piece of ground full of lentiles: and the people fled from the Philistines.

But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the LORD³³ wrought a great victory.

And three³⁴ of the thirty chief went down, and came to David in the harvest time unto the cave³⁵ of Adullam: and the troop of the Philistines pitched in the valley³⁶ of Rephaim.

And David was then in an hold³⁷, and the garrison³⁸ of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem.

And David longed³⁹, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem⁴⁰, which is by the gate!

And the three⁴¹ mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it⁴² out unto the LORD.

And he said, Be it far⁴³ from me, O LORD, that I should do this: is not this the blood⁴⁴ of the men that went in jeopardy⁴⁵ of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men.

And Abishai⁴⁶, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief among three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred, and slew them,⁴⁷ and had the name among three.

Was he not most honourable of three? therefore he was their captain: howbeit he attained⁴⁸ not unto the first three.

¶ And Benaiah⁴⁹ the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man, of Kabzeel⁵⁰, who had done many acts⁵¹, he slew two lionlike men⁵² of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion⁵³ in the midst of a pit in time of snow:

And he slew an Egyptian, a goodly man⁵⁴: and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and slew him with his own spear.

These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among three mighty men.

He was more honourable⁵⁶ than the thirty, but he attained not to the first three. And David set him over his guard⁵⁷.

Asahel⁵⁸ the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,

Shammah⁵⁹ the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,

Helez the Paltite⁶¹, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite⁶³,

Abiezer⁶⁴ the Anethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,

Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai⁶⁸ the Netophathite,

Heleb⁶⁹ the son of Baanah, a Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai out of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin,

¶ Benaiah⁷³ the Pirathonite⁷⁴, Hiddai⁷⁵ of the brooks of Gaash,

Abialbon⁷⁷ the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,

Eliahba the Shaalbonite, of the sons of Jashen⁸⁰, Jonathan,

Shammah⁸² the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar⁸³ the Hararite,

Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam⁸⁵ the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,

Hezrai⁸⁶ the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,

Igal⁸⁸ the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite,

Zelek⁹⁰ the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armourbearer to Joab the son of Zeruiah,

Ira⁹² an Ithrite, Gareb an Ithrite,

Uriah⁹³ the Hittite: thirty and seven in all⁹⁴.