| New King James Version | Holman Christian Standard 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 declaration of David son of Jesse, the declaration of the man raised on high, the one anointed by the God of Jacob, the favorite singer 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," The one 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 morning light when the sun rises on a cloudless morning, the glisten of rain on sprouting grass." |
| 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 it not true my house is with God? For He has established an everlasting covenant with me, ordered and secured in every detail. Will He not bring about my whole 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 all the wicked are like thorns raked aside; they can never be picked up 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 and the shaft of a spear. They will be completely burned up on the spot. |
| 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 warriors: Josheb-basshebeth the Tahchemonite was chief of the officers. He wielded his spear against 800 men that 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. | 9After him, Eleazar son of Dodo son of an Ahohite was among the three warriors with David when they defied the Philistines. The men of Israel retreated in the place they had gathered for battle, |
| 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 attacked the Philistines until his hand was tired and stuck to his sword. The LORD brought about a great victory that day. Then the troops came back 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. | 11After him was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. The Philistines had assembled in formation where there was a field full of lentils. The troops fled from the Philistines, |
| 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. | 13Three of the 30 leading warriors went down at harvest time and came to David at the cave of Adullam, while a company of Philistines was camping 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 a Philistine garrison 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 was extremely thirsty and said, "If only someone would bring me water to drink from the well at the city 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 three of the warriors broke through the Philistine camp and drew water from the well at the gate of Bethlehem. They 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. | 17David said, " LORD, I would never do such a thing! Is this not the blood of men who risked their lives?" So he refused to drink it. Such were the exploits of the three warriors. |
| 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. | 18Abishai, Joab's brother and son of Zeruiah, was leader of the Three. He raised his spear against 300 men and killed them, gaining a reputation among 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? He became their commander even though he did not become one of 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. | 20Benaiah son of Jehoiada was the son of a brave man from Kabzeel, a man of many exploits. Benaiah killed two sons of Ariel of Moab, and he went down into a pit on a snowy day 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. Even though the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, Benaiah went down to him with a club, snatched the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and then killed him 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 had a reputation among the three warriors. |
| 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 the most honored of the Thirty, but he did not become one of the Three. David put him in charge of his bodyguard. |
| 24Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, | 24Among the Thirty were: Joab's brother Asahel, 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, | 29Heleb son of Baanah the Netophahite, Ittai son of Ribai from Gibeah of the Benjaminites, |
| 30Benaiah a 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 (of the sons of Jashen), Jonathan, | 32Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan son of |
| 33Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite, | 33Shammah 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 son of 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 from 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 for 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 37 in all. |
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