23:1 Now these [are] the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man [who was] raised on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said, 23:2 The Spirit of the LORD spoke by me, and his word [was] on my tongue. 23:3 The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spoke to me, He that ruleth over men [must be] just, ruling in the fear of God. 23:4 And [he shall be] as the light of the morning, [when] the sun riseth, [even] a morning without clouds; [as] the tender grass [springing] out of the earth by clear shining after rain. 23:5 Although my house [is] not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all [things], and sure: for [this is] all my salvation, and all [my] desire, although he maketh [it] not to grow. 23:6 But [the sons] of Belial [shall be] all of them as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands: 23:7 But the man [that] shall touch them must be fenced with iron and the staff of a spear; and they shall be utterly burned with fire in the [same] place. 23:8 These [are] 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 lifted up his spear] against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time. 23:9 And after him [was] Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, [one] of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines [that] were there assembled to battle, and the men of Israel had gone away: 23:10 He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand adhered to the sword: and the LORD wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to plunder. 23:11 And after him [was] Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were collected into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentils: and the people fled from the Philistines. 23:12 But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the LORD wrought a great victory. 23:13 And three of the thirty chiefs went down, and came to David in the harvest time to the cave of Adullam: and the troop of the Philistines encamped in the valley of Rephaim. 23:14 And David [was] then in a hold, and the garrison of the Philistines [was] then [in] Beth-lehem. 23:15 And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Beth-lehem, which [is] by the gate! 23:16 And the three mighty men broke through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Beth-lehem, that [was] by the gate, and took [it], and brought [it] to David: nevertheless he would not drink of it, but poured it out to the LORD. 23:17 And he said, Be it far from me, O LORD, that I should do this: [is not this] the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men. 23:18 And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief among three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred, [and] slew [them], and had the name among three. 23:19 Was he not most honorable of three? therefore he was their captain: yet he attained not to the [first] three. 23:20 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man, of Kabzeel, who had done many acts, he slew two lion-like men of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow: 23:21 And he slew an Egyptian, a goodly man: 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. 23:22 These [things] did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had a name among three mighty men. 23:23 He was more honorable than the thirty, but he attained not to the [first] three. And David set him over his guard. 23:24 Asahel the brother of Joab [was] one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Beth-lehem, 23:25 Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite, 23:26 Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, 23:27 Abiezer the Anethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, 23:28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, 23:29 Heleb the son of Baanah, a Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai out of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin, 23:30 Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash, 23:31 Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite, 23:32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite, of the sons of Jashen, Jonathan, 23:33 Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite, 23:34 Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, 23:35 Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, 23:36 Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani, the Gadite, 23:37 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armor-bearer to Joab the son of Zeruiah, 23:38 Ira an Ithrite, Gareb an Ithrite, 23:39 Uriah the Hittite: thirty and seven in all.