2 Samuel 23

Dette er Davids sidste Ord; Så siger David, Isajs Søn, så siger Manden, Højt ophøjet, Jakobs Guds salvede, Helten i Israels Sange:

Ved mig talede HERRENs Ånd, hans Ord var på min Tunge.

Således har jo mit Hus det med Gud. Han gav mig en evig Pagt, fuldgod og vel forvaret. Ja, al min Frelse og al min Lyst, skulde han ikke lade den spire frem?

Men Niddinger er alle som Torne i Ørk, der tages ikke på dem med Hænder;

ingen rører ved dem uden med Jern og Spydstage, i Ilden brændes de op.

Navnene på Davids Helte var følgende: Hakmoniten Isjbosjet, Anføreren for de tre; det var ham, der engang svang sit Spyd over 800 faldne på een Gang.

Blandt de tre Helte kom efter ham Ahohiten El'azar, Dodis Søn; han var med David ved Pas-Dammim, dengang Filisterne samlede sig der til Kamp. Da Israels Mænd trak sig tilbage,

holdt han Stand og huggede ned blandt Filisterne, til hans Hånd blev træt og klæbede fast ved Sværdet; HERREN gav dem den bag en stor Sejr. Så vendte Folket tilbage og fulgte ham, kun for at plyndre.

Efter ham kom Harariten Sjamma, Ages Søn. Engang havde Filisterne samlet sig i Lehi, hvor der var en Mark fuld af Linser, og Folket flygtede for Filisterne;

men han stillede sig op midt på Marken og holdt den og huggede Filisterne ned; og HERREN gav dem en stor Sejr.

Engang drog tre af de tredive ned og kom til David på Klippens Top, til Adullams Hule, medens Filisterskaren var lejret i Refaimdalen.

David var dengang i Klippeborgen, medens Filisternes Besætning lå i Betlehem.

Da banede de tre Helte sig Vej gennem Filisternes Lejr, øste Vand af Cisternen ved Betlehems Port og bragte David det. Han vilde dog ikke drikke det, men udgød det for HERREN

Abisjaj, Joabs Broder, Zerujas Søn, var Anfører for de tredive. Han svang sit Spyd over 300 faldne, og han var navnkundig iblandt de tredive;

iblandt de tredive var han højtæret, og han var deres Anfører; men de tre nåede han ikke.

Benaja, Jojadas Søn, var en tapper Mand fra Kabze'el, der havde udført store Heltegerninger; han fældede de to Arielsønner fra Moah; og han steg ned og fældede en Løve i en Cisterne, en Dag der var faldet Sne.

Ligeledes fældede han Ægypteren, en kæmpestor Mand. Ægypteren havde et Spyd i Hånden, men han gik ned imod ham meden Stok, vristede Spydet ud af Hånden på ham og dræbte ham med hans eget Spyd.

Disse Heltegerninger udførte Benaja, Jojadas Søn, og han var navnkundig iblandt de tredive Helte;

iblandt de tredive var han højt æret, men de tre nåede han ikke. David satte ham over sin Livvagt.

Til de tredive hørte Asa'el' Joabs Broder; Elbanan, Dodos Søn fra Betlehem;

Haroditen Sjamma; Haroditen Elika;

Paltiten Helez; Ira, Ikkesj's Søn fra Tekoa;

Abiezer fra Anatot; Husjatiten Sibbekaj;

Ahohiten Zalmon; Maharaj fra Netofa;

Heled, Ba'anas Søn, fra Nefofa; Ittaj, Ribajs Søn, fra det benjaminitiske Gibea;

Benaja fra Pir'aton; Hiddaj fra Nahale-Ga'asj;

Abiba'al fra Araba; Azmavet fra Bahurim;

Sja'alboniten Eljaba; Guniten Jasjen;

Harariten Jonatan, Sjammas Søn; Harariten Ahi'am, Sjarars Søn;

Elifelet, Ahazbajs Søn, fra Bet-Ma'aka; Eliam, Akitofels Søn, fra Gilo;

Hezro fra Karmel; Pa'araj fra Arab;

Jig'al, Natans Søn, fra Zoba; Gaditen Bani;

Ammoniten Zelek; Naharaj fra Be'erot, der var Joabs, Zerujas Søns, Våbendrager;

Ira fra Jattir; Gareb fra Jattir;

Hetiten Urias. I alt syv og tredive.

Now these {be} the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man {who was} raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said,

The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word {was} in my tongue.

The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men {must be} just, ruling in the fear of God. {He...: or, Be thou ruler, etc}

And {he shall be} as the light of the morning, {when} the sun riseth, {even} a morning without clouds; {as} the tender grass {springing} out of the earth by clear shining after rain.

Although my house {be} not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all {things}, and sure: for {this is} all my salvation, and all {my} desire, although he make {it} not to grow.

But {the sons} of Belial {shall be} all of them as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands:

But the man {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 {same} place. {fenced: Heb. filled}

These {be} the names of the mighty men whom David had: The Tachmonite that sat in the seat, chief among the captains; the same {was} Adino the Eznite: {he lift up his spear} against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time. {The Tachmonite...: or, Joshebbassebet the Tachmonite, head of the three} {whom he...: Heb. slain} {he lift...: from (1ch:) whom he...: Heb. slain}

And after him {was} Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, {one} of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines {that} were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away:

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.

And after him {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. {into...: or, for foraging}

But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the LORD wrought a great victory.

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. {three...: or, the three captains over the thirty}

And David {was} then in an hold, and the garrison of the Philistines {was} then {in} Bethlehem.

And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, which {is} by the gate!

And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that {was} by the gate, and took {it}, and brought {it} to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the LORD.

And he said, Be it far from me, O LORD, that I should do this: {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.

And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief among three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred, {and} slew {them}, and had the name among three. {and slew them: Heb. slain}

Was he not most honourable of three? therefore he was their captain: howbeit he attained not unto the {first} three.

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: {who...: Heb. great of acts} {lionlike...: Heb. lion of God}

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. {a goodly...: Heb. a man of countenance, or, sight: also called, a man of great stature}

These {things} did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among three mighty men.

He was more honourable than the thirty, but he attained not to the {first} three. And David set him over his guard. {more...: or, honourable among the thirty} {guard: or, council: Heb. at his command}

Asahel the brother of Joab {was} one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,

Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,

Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,

Abiezer the Anethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,

Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,

Heleb the son of Baanah, a Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai out of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin,

Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash, {brooks: or, valleys}

Abialbon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,

Eliahba the Shaalbonite, of the sons of Jashen, Jonathan,

Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite,

Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,

Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,

Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite,

Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armourbearer to Joab the son of Zeruiah,

Ira an Ithrite, Gareb an Ithrite,

Uriah the Hittite: thirty and seven in all.