1. Now these {cf15I be} the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man {cf15I who was} raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said,
2. The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word {cf15I was} in my tongue.
3. The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men {cf15I must be} just, ruling in the fear of God.
4. And {cf15I he shall be} as the light of the morning, {cf15I when} the sun riseth, {cf15I even} a morning without clouds; {cf15I as} the tender grass {cf15I springing} out of the earth by clear shining after rain.
5. Although my house {cf15I be} not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all {cf15I things}, and sure: for {cf15I this is} all my salvation, and all {cf15I my} desire, although he make {cf15I it} not to grow.
6. But {cf15I the sons} of Belial {cf15I shall be} all of them as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands:
7. But the man {cf15I 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 {cf15I same} place.
8. These {cf15I be} the names of the mighty men whom David had: The Tachmonite that sat in the seat, chief among the captains; the same {cf15I was} Adino the Eznite: {cf15I he lift up his spear} against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time.
9. And after him {cf15I was} Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, {cf15I one} of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines {cf15I that} were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away:
10. He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword: and the LORD wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to spoil.
11. And after him {cf15I was} Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentiles: and the people fled from the Philistines.
12. But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the LORD wrought a great victory.
13. And three of the thirty chief went down, and came to David in the harvest time unto the cave of Adullam: and the troop of the Philistines pitched in the valley of Rephaim.
14. And David {cf15I was} then in an hold, and the garrison of the Philistines {cf15I was} then {cf15I in} Bethlehem.
15. And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, which {cf15I is} by the gate!
16. And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that {cf15I was} by the gate, and took {cf15I it}, and brought {cf15I it} to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the LORD.
17. And he said, Be it far from me, O LORD, that I should do this: {cf15I 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.
18. And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief among three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred, {cf15I and} slew {cf15I them}, and had the name among three.
19. Was he not most honourable of three? therefore he was their captain: howbeit he attained not unto the {cf15I first} three.
20. And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man, of Kabzeel, who had done many acts, he slew two lionlike men of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow:
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.
22. These {cf15I things} did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among three mighty men.
23. He was more honourable than the thirty, but he attained not to the {cf15I first} three. And David set him over his guard.
24. Asahel the brother of Joab {cf15I was} one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,
25. Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,
26. Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,
27. Abiezer the Anethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,
28. Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,
29. Heleb the son of Baanah, a Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai out of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin,
30. Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash,
31. Abialbon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,
32. Eliahba the Shaalbonite, of the sons of Jashen, Jonathan,
33. Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite,
34. Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,
35. Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,
36. Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite,
37. Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armourbearer to Joab the son of Zeruiah,