David’s Mighty Men^(A)

⁸ These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: ^[a]Josheb-Basshebeth the Tachmonite, chief among ^[b]the captains. He was called Adino the Eznite, because he had killed eight hundred men at one time. ⁹ And after him was ^(B)Eleazar the son of ^[c]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. ¹⁰ He arose and attacked the Philistines until his hand was ^(C)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 ^(D)plunder. ¹¹ And after him was ^(E)Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. ^(F)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. ¹² But he stationed himself in the middle of the field, defended it, and killed the Philistines. So the Lord brought about a great victory.

¹³ Then ^(G)three of the thirty chief men went down at harvest time and came to David at ^(H)the cave of Adullam. And the troop of Philistines encamped in ^(I)the Valley of Rephaim. ¹⁴ David was then in ^(J)the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. ¹⁵ And 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!” ¹⁶ So 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. ¹⁷ And he said, “Far be it from me, O Lord, that I should do this! Is this not ^(K)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.

¹⁸ Now ^(L)Abishai the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of ^[d]another three. He lifted his spear against three hundred men, killed them, and won a name among these three. ¹⁹ Was he not the most honored of three? Therefore he became their captain. However, he did not attain to the first three.

²⁰ Benaiah was the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man from ^(M)Kabzeel, ^[e]who had done many deeds. ^(N)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. ²¹ And he killed an Egyptian, ^[f]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. ²² These things Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did, and won a name among three mighty men. ²³ He was more honored than the thirty, but he did not attain to the first three. And David appointed him ^(O)over his guard.

^24 (P)Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, ^25 (Q)Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite, ²⁶ Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, ²⁷ Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, ²⁸ Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, ²⁹ Heleb the son of Baanah (the Netophathite), Ittai the son of Ribai from Gibeah of the children of Benjamin, ³⁰ Benaiah a Pirathonite, Hiddai from the brooks of ^(R)Gaash, ³¹ Abi-Albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite, ³² Eliahba the Shaalbonite (of the sons of Jashen), Jonathan, ^33 (S)Shammah the ^[g]Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite, ³⁴ Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the son of ^(T)Ahithophel the Gilonite, ^35 [h]Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, ³⁶ Igal the son of Nathan of ^(U)Zobah, Bani the Gadite, ³⁷ Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite (armorbearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah), ^38 (V)Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, ³⁹ and ^(W)Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.

The Mighty Men of David^(A)

¹⁰ Now ^(B)these were the heads of the mighty men whom David had, who strengthened themselves with him in his kingdom, with all Israel, to make him king, according to ^(C)the word of the Lord concerning Israel.

¹¹ And this is the number of the mighty men whom David had: ^(D)Jashobeam the son of a Hachmonite, ^(E)chief of ^[a]the captains; he had lifted up his spear against three hundred, killed by him at one time.

¹² After him was Eleazar the son of ^(F)Dodo, the Ahohite, who was one of the three mighty men. ¹³ He was with David at ^[b]Pasdammim. Now there the Philistines were gathered for battle, and there was a piece of ground full of barley. So the people fled from the Philistines. ¹⁴ But they ^[c]stationed themselves in the middle of that field, defended it, and killed the Philistines. So the Lord brought about a great victory.

¹⁵ Now three of the thirty chief men ^(G)went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam; and the army of the Philistines encamped ^(H)in the Valley of ^[d]Rephaim. ¹⁶ David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. ¹⁷ And David said with longing, “Oh, that someone would give me a drink of water from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!” ¹⁸ So the three 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 David would not drink it, but poured it out to the Lord. ¹⁹ And he said, “Far be it from me, O my God, that I should do this! Shall I drink the blood of these men who have put their lives in jeopardy? For at the risk of their lives they brought it.” Therefore he would not drink it. These things were done by the three mighty men.

^20 (I)Abishai the brother of Joab was chief of another ^[e]three. He had lifted up his spear against three hundred men, killed them, and won a name among these three. ^21 (J)Of the three he was more honored than the other two men. Therefore he became their captain. However he did not attain to the first three.

²² Benaiah was the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man from Kabzeel, who ^[f]had done many deeds. ^(K)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. ²³ And he killed an Egyptian, a man of great height, ^[g]five cubits tall. In the Egyptian’s hand there was a spear like a weaver’s beam; and he went down to him with a staff, wrested the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with his own spear. ²⁴ These things Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did, and won a name among three mighty men. ²⁵ Indeed he was more honored than the thirty, but he did not attain to the first three. And David appointed him over his guard.

²⁶ Also the mighty warriors were ^(L)Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, ^27 [h]Shammoth the Harorite, ^(M)Helez the ^[i]Pelonite, ^28 (N)Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, ^(O)Abiezer the Anathothite, ^29 [j]Sibbechai the Hushathite, ^[k]Ilai the Ahohite, ^30 (P)Maharai the Netophathite, ^[l]Heled the son of Baanah the Netophathite, ^31 [m]Ithai the son of Ribai of Gibeah, of the sons of Benjamin, ^(Q)Benaiah the Pirathonite, ^32 [n]Hurai of the brooks of Gaash, ^[o]Abiel the Arbathite, ³³ Azmaveth the ^[p]Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite, ³⁴ the sons of ^[q]Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan the son of Shageh the Hararite, ³⁵ Ahiam the son of ^[r]Sacar the Hararite, ^[s]Eliphal the son of ^[t]Ur, ³⁶ Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite, ^37 [u]Hezro the Carmelite, ^[v]Naarai the son of Ezbai, ³⁸ Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar the son of Hagri, ³⁹ Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the ^[w]Berothite (the armorbearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah), ⁴⁰ Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, ^41 (R)Uriah the Hittite, ^[x]Zabad the son of Ahlai, ⁴² Adina the son of Shiza the Reubenite (a chief of the Reubenites) and thirty with him, ⁴³ Hanan the son of Maachah, Joshaphat the Mithnite, ⁴⁴ Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jeiel the sons of Hotham the Aroerite, ⁴⁵ Jediael the son of Shimri, and Joha his brother, the Tizite, ⁴⁶ Eliel the Mahavite, Jeribai and Joshaviah the sons of Elnaam, Ithmah the Moabite, ⁴⁷ Eliel, Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.