| New King James Version | Berean Study Bible |
| 1Now these are the last words of David. Thus says David the son of Jesse; Thus says the man raised up on high, The anointed of the God of Jacob, And the sweet psalmist of Israel: | 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: |
| 2“The Spirit of the LORD spoke by me, And His word was on my tongue. | 2The Spirit of the LORD spoke through me; His word was on my tongue. |
| 3The God of Israel said, The Rock of Israel spoke to me: ‘He who rules over men must be just, Ruling in the fear of God. | 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, |
| 4And he shall be like the light of the morning when the sun rises, A morning without clouds, Like the tender grass springing out of the earth, By clear shining after rain.’ | 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.’ |
| 5“Although my house is not so with God, Yet He has made with me an everlasting covenant, Ordered in all things and secure. For this is all my salvation and all my desire; Will He not make it increase? | 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? |
| 6But the sons of rebellion shall all be as thorns thrust away, Because they cannot be taken with hands. | 6But the worthless are all like thorns raked aside, for they can never be gathered by hand. |
| 7But the man who touches them Must be armed with iron and the shaft of a spear, And they shall be utterly burned with fire in their place.” | 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.” |
| 8These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-Basshebeth the Tachmonite, chief among the captains. He was called Adino the Eznite, because he had killed eight hundred men at one time. | 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. |
| 9And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David when they defied the Philistines who were gathered there for battle, and the men of Israel had retreated. | 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, |
| 10He arose and attacked the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand stuck to the sword. The LORD brought about a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to plunder. | 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. |
| 11And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. The Philistines had gathered together into a troop where there was a piece of ground full of lentils. So the people fled from the Philistines. | 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. |
| 12But he stationed himself in the middle of the field, defended it, and killed the Philistines. So the LORD brought about a great victory. | 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. |
| 13Then three of the thirty chief men went down at harvest time and came to David at the cave of Adullam. And the troop of Philistines encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. | 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. |
| 14David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. | 14At that time David was in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was at Bethlehem. |
| 15And David said with longing, “Oh, that someone would give me a drink of the water from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!” | 15David longed for water and said, “Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!” |
| 16So the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines, drew water from the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate, and took it and brought it to David. Nevertheless he would not drink it, but poured it out to the LORD. | 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, |
| 17And he said, “Far be it from me, O LORD, that I should do this! Is this not the blood of the men who went in jeopardy of their lives?” Therefore he would not drink it. These things were done by the three mighty men. | 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. |
| 18Now Abishai the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of another three. He lifted his spear against three hundred men, killed them, and won a name among these three. | 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. |
| 19Was he not the most honored of three? Therefore he became their captain. However, he did not attain to the first three. | 19Was he not more honored than the Three? And he became their commander, even though he was not included among the Three. |
| 20Benaiah was the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man from Kabzeel, who had done many deeds. He had killed two lion-like heroes of Moab. He also had gone down and killed a lion in the midst of a pit on a snowy day. | 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. |
| 21And he killed an Egyptian, a spectacular man. The Egyptian had a spear in his hand; so he went down to him with a staff, wrested the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with his own spear. | 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. |
| 22These things Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did, and won a name among three mighty men. | 22These were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada, who won a name alongside the three mighty men. |
| 23He was more honored than the thirty, but he did not attain to the first three. And David appointed him over his guard. | 23He was most honored among the Thirty, but he did not become one of the Three. And David appointed him over his guard. |
| 24Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, | 24Now these were members of the Thirty: Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan son of Dodo of Bethlehem, |
| 25Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite, | 25Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite, |
| 26Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, | 26Helez the Paltite, Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, |
| 27Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, | 27Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, |
| 28Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, | 28Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, |
| 29Heleb the son of Baanah (the Netophathite), Ittai the son of Ribai from Gibeah of the children of Benjamin, | 29Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai son of Ribai from Gibeah of the Benjamites, |
| 30Benaiah a Pirathonite, Hiddai from the brooks of Gaash, | 30Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai from the brooks of Gaash, |
| 31Abi-Albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite, | 31Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite, |
| 32Eliahba the Shaalbonite (of the sons of Jashen), Jonathan, | 32Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan |
| 33Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite, | 33son of Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam son of Sharar the Hararite, |
| 34Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, | 34Eliphelet son of Ahasbai the Maacathite, Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, |
| 35Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, | 35Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, |
| 36Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite, | 36Igal son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite, |
| 37Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite (armorbearer of Joab the 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: thirty-seven in all. | 39and Uriah the Hittite. There were thirty-seven in all. |
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