| Berean Study Bible | NET Bible |
| 1These are the last words of David: “The oracle of David son of Jesse, the oracle of the man raised on high, the one anointed by the God of Jacob, and 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: |
| 2The Spirit of the LORD spoke through me; His word was on 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, ‘He who rules the people with justice, 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 the morning at sunrise of a cloudless dawn, the glistening after the rain on the sprouting grass of the earth.’ | 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. |
| 5Is not my house right with God? For He has established with me an everlasting covenant, ordered and secured in every part. Will He not bring about my full salvation and my every desire? | 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 worthless are all like thorns raked aside, for they can never be gathered by hand. | 6But evil people are like thorns--all of them are tossed away, for they cannot be held in the hand. |
| 7The man who touches them must be armed with iron or with the shaft of a spear. The fire burns them to ashes in the place where they lie.” | 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 mighty men: Josheb-basshebeth the Tahchemonite was chief of the Three. He wielded his spear against eight hundred men, whom he killed at one time. | 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 command was Eleazar son of Dodo the Ahohite. As one of the three mighty men, he went with David to taunt the Philistines who had gathered for battle at Pas-dammim. The men of Israel retreated, | 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, |
| 10but Eleazar stood his ground and struck the Philistines until his hand grew weary and stuck to his sword. The LORD brought about a great victory that day. Then the troops returned to him, but only to plunder the dead. | 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. |
| 11And after him was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. When the Philistines had banded together near a field full of lentils, Israel’s troops fled from them. | 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 took his stand in the middle of the field, defended it, and struck down 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. |
| 13At harvest time, three of the thirty chief men went down to David at the cave of Adullam, while a company of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. | 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. |
| 14At that time David was in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was at Bethlehem. | 14David was in the stronghold at the time, while a Philistine garrison was in Bethlehem. |
| 15David longed for water and said, “Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of 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 mighty men broke through the Philistine camp, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem, and brought it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out 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 |
| 17saying, “Far be it from me, O LORD, to do this! Is this not the blood of the men who risked their lives?” So he refused to drink it. Such were the exploits of the three 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. |
| 18Now Abishai, the brother of Joab and son of Zeruiah, was chief of the Three, and he lifted his spear against three hundred men, killed them, and won a name along with 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. |
| 19Was he not more honored than the Three? And he became their commander, even though he was not included among the Three. | 19From the three he was given honor and he became their officer, even though he was not one of the three. |
| 20And Benaiah son of Jehoiada was a man of valor from Kabzeel, a man of many exploits. He struck down two champions of Moab, and on a snowy day he went down into a pit and killed a lion. | 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. |
| 21He also killed an Egyptian, a huge man. Although the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club, snatched the spear from his hand, and killed the Egyptian with his own spear. | 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. |
| 22These were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada, who won a name alongside the three mighty men. | 22Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoida, who gained fame among the three elite warriors. |
| 23He was most honored among the Thirty, but he did not become one of the Three. And David appointed him over his guard. | 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. |
| 24Now these were members of the Thirty: Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan son of Dodo of Bethlehem, | 24Included with the thirty were the following: Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem, |
| 25Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite, | 25Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite, |
| 26Helez the Paltite, Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, | 26Helez the Paltite, Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa, |
| 27Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, | 27Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, |
| 28Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, | 28Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, |
| 29Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai son of Ribai from Gibeah of the Benjamites, | 29Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin, |
| 30Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai from the brooks of Gaash, | 30Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai from the wadis of Gaash, |
| 31Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite, | 31Abi-Albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite, |
| 32Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan | 32Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan |
| 33son of Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam son of Sharar the Hararite, | 33son of Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam son of Sharar the Hararite, |
| 34Eliphelet son of Ahasbai the Maacathite, Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, | 34Eliphelet son of Ahasbai the Maacathite, Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, |
| 35Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, | 35Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, |
| 36Igal son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite, | 36Igal son of Nathan from Zobah, Bani the Gadite, |
| 37Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, the armor-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah, | 37Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite (the armor-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah), |
| 38Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, | 38Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite |
| 39and Uriah the Hittite. There were thirty-seven in all. | 39and Uriah the Hittite. Altogether there were thirty-seven. |
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