2 Samuel 23:1-14 ▼

1 NOW these are the last words of David. David the son of Jesse, the anointed one whose rule has been established, the one whom the God of Jacob has made the sweet psalmist of Israel said,

2 The Spirit of the LORD spoke by me and his word is upon my tongue.

3 The God of Israel said, the Mighty One of Israel spoke to me: He who governs men must be righteous, ruling over those who revere God.

4 He is like the light of the morning when the sun rises, even a morning without clouds, before dawn, a morning free from rain which makes the grass to spring up.

5 Is not my house so with God? For he has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and sure; for it is he who fulfils all my desire and all my decrees.

6 But the ungodly are all like hard thorns, for they cannot be gathered with hands;

7 But when a man comes near them, he gathers them with the handle of an axe and with iron; and they are utterly burned with fire in the same place.

8 These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: seated in the first seat, in the third rank, his name was Gadho, a man who went down and slew eight hundred men in one hour.

9 Next to him was Eleazar, the cousin of Gadho, who went down with David and three other men when the Philistines defied them and were gathered there to battle; and when the men of Israel withdrew,

10 He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave to his sword; and the LORD wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned with him only to strip the slain.

11 And next to him was Shammah, the son of Agee, from the king's mountain. When the Philistines were gathered together to plunder cattle where there was a piece of ground full of lentils and the people fled from the Philistines,

12 He stood in the midst of the field and delivered the cattle and slew the Philistines; and the LORD wrought a great victory by his hand.

13 And three of the valiant men went down and came to David in the harvest time to the cave of Arlam; and the Philistines' cattle were grazing in the Plain of Giants.

14 And David was then staying in the stronghold, and the princes of the Philistines were encamped in Bethlehem.