David’s Last Song

1And these are the last words of David. Faithful is David the son of Jessae, and faithful the man whom the Lord raised up to be the anointed of the God of Jacob, and beautiful are the psalms of Israel.

2The Spirit of the Lord spoke by me, and his word was upon my tongue.

3The God of Israel says, A watchman out of Israel spoke to me a parable: I said among men, How will ye strengthen the fear of the anointed?

4And in the morning light of God, let the sun arise in the morning, from the light of which the Lord passed on, and as it were from the rain of the tender grass upon the earth.

5For my house is not so with the Mighty One: for he has made an everlasting covenant with me, ready, guarded at every time; for all my salvation and all my desire is, that the wicked should not flourish.

6All these are as a thorn thrust forth, for they shall not be taken with the hand,

7and a man shall not labour among them; and one shall have that which is fully armed with iron, and the staff of a spear, an he shall burn them with fire, and they shall be burnt in their shame.

David’s Mighty Men

8These are the names of the mighty men of David: Jebosthe the Chananite is a captain of the third part: Adinon the Asonite, he drew his sword against eight hundred soldiers at once. 9And after him Eleanan the son of his uncle, son of Dudi who was among the three mighty men with David; and when he defied the Philistines they were gathered there to war, and the men of Israel went up. 10He arose an smote the Philistines, until his hand was weary, and his hand clave to the sword: and the Lord wrought a great salvation in that day, and the people rested behind him only to strip the slain.

11And after him Samaia the son of Asa the Arachite: and the Philistines were gathered to Theria; and there was there a portion of ground full of lentiles; and the people fled before the Philistines. 12And he stood firm in the midst of the portion, and rescued it, and smote the Philistines; and the Lord wrought a great deliverance.

13And three out of the thirty went down, and came to Cason to David, to the cave of Odollam; and there was an army of the Philistines, and they encamped in the valley of Raphain. 14And David was then in the strong hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethleem. 15And David longed, and said, Who will give me water to drink out of the well that is in Bethleem by the gate? now the band of the Philistines was then in Bethleem. 16And the three mighty men broke through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well that was in Bethleem in the gate: and they took it, and brought it to David, and he would not drink it, but poured it out before the Lord. 17And he said, O Lord, forbid that I should do this, that I should drink of the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives: and he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men.

18And Abessa the brother of Joab the son of Saruia, he was chief among the three, and he lifted up his spear against three hundred whom he slew; and he had a name among three. 19Of those three he was most honourable, and he became a chief over them, but he reached not to the first three.

20And Banaeas the son of Jodae, he was abundant in mighty deeds, from Cabeseel, and he smote the two sons of Ariel of Moab: and he went down and smote a lion in the midst of a pit on a snowy day. 21He smote an Egyptian, a wonderful man, and in the hand of the Egyptian was a spear as the side of a ladder; and he went down to him with a staff, and snatched the spear from the Egyptian's hand, and slew him with his own spear. 22These things did Banaeas the son of Jodae, and he had a name among the three mighty men. 23He was honourable among the second three, but he reached not to the first three: and David made him his reporter. And these are the names of King David's mighty men.

24Asael Joab's brother; he was among the thirty. Eleanan son of Dudi his uncle in Bethleem. 25Saema the Rudaean. 26Selles the Kelothite: Iras the son of Isca the Thecoite. 27Abiezer the Anothite, of the sons of the Anothite. 28Ellon the Aoite; Noere the Netophatite. 29Esthai the son of Riba of Gabaeth, son of Benjamin the Ephrathite; Asmoth the Bardiamite; Emasu the Salabonite: 30Adroi of the brooks. 31Gadabiel son of the Arabothaeite. 32the sons of Asan, Jonathan; 33Samnan the Arodite; Amnan the son of Arai the Saraurite. 34Aliphaleth the son of Asbites, the son of the Machachachite; Eliab the son of Achitophel the Gelonite. 35Asarai the Carmelite the son of Uraeoerchi. 36Gaal the son of Nathana. The son of much valour, the son of Galaaddi. Elie the Ammanite. 37Gelore the Bethorite, armour-bearer to Joab, son of Saruia. 38Iras the Ethirite. Gerab the Ethenite. 39Urias the Chettite: thirty-seven in all.