1 These are the last words of David: "The inspired utterance of David son of Jesse, the utterance of the man exalted by the Most High, the man anointed by the God of Jacob, the hero of Israel's songs:2 "The Spirit of the LORD spoke through me; his word was on my tongue.3 The God of Israel spoke, the Rock of Israel said to me: 'When one rules over people in righteousness, when he rules in the fear of God,4 he is like the light of morning at sunrise on a cloudless morning, like the brightness after rain that brings grass from the earth.'5 "If my house were not right with God, surely he would not have made with me an everlasting covenant, arranged and secured in every part; surely he would not bring to fruition my salvation and grant me my every desire.6 But evil men are all to be cast aside like thorns, which are not gathered with the hand.7 Whoever touches thorns uses a tool of iron or the shaft of a spear; they are burned up where they lie."8 These are the names of David's mighty warriors: Josheb-Basshebeth, "a Tahkemonite, "was chief of the Three; he raised his spear against eight hundred men, whom he killed "in one encounter.9 Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite. As one of the three mighty warriors, he was with David when they taunted the Philistines gathered at Pas Dammim "for battle. Then the Israelites retreated,10 but Eleazar stood his ground and struck down the Philistines till his hand grew tired and froze to the sword. The LORD brought about a great victory that day. The troops returned to Eleazar, but only to strip the dead.11 Next to him was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. When the Philistines banded together at a place where there was a field full of lentils, Israel's troops fled from them.12 But Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field. He defended it and struck the Philistines down, and the LORD brought about a great victory.13 During harvest time, three of the thirty chief warriors came down to David at the cave of Adullam, while a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim.14 At that time David was in the stronghold, and the Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem.15 David longed for water and said, "Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!"16 So the three mighty warriors broke through the Philistine lines, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem and carried it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out before the LORD.17 "Far be it from me, LORD, to do this!" he said. "Is it not the blood of men who went at the risk of their lives?" And David would not drink it. Such were the exploits of the three mighty warriors.18 Abishai the brother of Joab son of Zeruiah was chief of the Three. "He raised his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed, and so he became as famous as the Three.19 Was he not held in greater honor than the Three? He became their commander, even though he was not included among them.20 Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant fighter from Kabzeel, performed great exploits. He struck down Moab's two mightiest warriors. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion.21 And he struck down a huge Egyptian. Although the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club. He snatched the spear from the Egyptian's hand and killed him with his own spear.22 Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada; he too was as famous as the three mighty warriors.23 He was held in greater honor than any of the Thirty, but he was not included among the Three. And David put him in charge of his bodyguard.24 Among the Thirty were: Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem,25 Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,26 Helez the Paltite, Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa,27 Abiezer from Anathoth, Sibbekai "the Hushathite,28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,29 Heled "son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin,30 Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai "from the ravines of Gaash,31 Abi-Albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan33 son of "Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam son of Sharar "the Hararite,34 Eliphelet son of Ahasbai the Maakathite, Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,35 Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,36 Igal son of Nathan from Zobah, the son of Hagri, [^11]37 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, the armor-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah,38 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite39 and Uriah the Hittite. There were thirty-seven in all.

1 Hc autem sunt verba David novissima. Dixit David filius Isai : [Dixit vir, cui constitutum est de christo Dei Jacob,egregius psaltes Isral :2 Spiritus Domini locutus est per me,et sermo ejus per linguam meam.3 Dixit Deus Isral mihi,locutus est fortis Isral :Dominator hominum,justus dominator in timore Dei,4 sicut lux auror, oriente sole,mane absque nubibus rutilat :et sicut pluviis germinat herba de terra.5 Nec tanta est domus mea apud Deum,ut pactum ternum iniret mecum,firmum in omnibus atque munitum.Cuncta enim salus mea, et omnis voluntas,nec est quidquam ex ea quod non germinet.6 Prvaricatores autem quasi spin evellentur universi,qu non tolluntur manibus.7 Et si quis tangere voluerit eas,armabitur ferro et ligno lanceato,igneque succens comburentur usque ad nihilum.]8 Hc nomina fortium David. Sedens in cathedra sapientissimus princeps inter tres, ipse est quasi tenerrimus ligni vermiculus, qui octingentos interfecit impetu uno. 9 Post hunc, Eleazar filius patrui ejus Ahohites inter tres fortes, qui erant cum David quando exprobraverunt Philisthiim, et congregati sunt illuc in prlium. 10 Cumque ascendissent viri Isral, ipse stetit et percussit Philisthos donec deficeret manus ejus, et obrigesceret cum gladio : fecitque Dominus salutem magnam in die illa : et populus qui fugerat, reversus est ad csorum spolia detrahenda. 11 Et post hunc, Semma filius Age de Arari. Et congregati sunt Philisthiim in statione : erat quippe ibi ager lente plenus. Cumque fugisset populus a facie Philisthiim, 12 stetit ille in medio agri, et tuitus est eum, percussitque Philisthos : et fecit Dominus salutem magnam.13 Necnon et ante descenderant tres qui erant principes inter triginta, et venerant tempore messis ad David in speluncam Odollam : castra autem Philisthinorum erant posita in Valle gigantum. 14 Et David erat in prsidio : porro statio Philisthinorum tunc erat in Bethlehem. 15 Desideravit ergo David, et ait : O si quis mihi daret potum aqu de cisterna qu est in Bethlehem juxta portam ! 16 Irruperunt ergo tres fortes castra Philisthinorum, et hauserunt aquam de cisterna Bethlehem, qu erat juxta portam, et attulerunt ad David : at ille noluit bibere, sed libavit eam Domino, 17 dicens : Propitius sit mihi Dominus, ne faciam hoc : num sanguinem hominum istorum qui profecti sunt, et animarum periculum bibam ? Noluit ergo bibere. Hc fecerunt tres robustissimi. 18 Abisai quoque frater Joab filius Sarvi, princeps erat de tribus : ipse est qui levavit hastam suam contra trecentos, quos interfecit : nominatus in tribus, 19 et inter tres nobilior, eratque eorum princeps, sed usque ad tres primos non pervenerat. 20 Et Banaias filius Jojad viri fortissimi, magnorum operum, de Cabseel. Ipse percussit duos leones Moab, et ipse descendit, et percussit leonem in media cisterna in diebus nivis. 21 Ipse quoque interfecit virum gyptium, virum dignum spectaculo, habentem in manu hastam : itaque cum descendisset ad eum in virga, vi extorsit hastam de manu gyptii, et interfecit eum hasta sua. 22 Hc fecit Banaias filius Jojad. 23 Et ipse nominatus inter tres robustos, qui erant inter triginta nobiliores : verumtamen usque ad tres non pervenerat : fecitque eum sibi David auricularium, a secreto.24 Asal frater Joab inter triginta, Elehanan filius patrui ejus de Bethlehem, 25 Semma de Harodi, Elica de Harodi, 26 Heles de Phalti, Hira filius Acces de Thecua, 27 Abiezer de Anathoth, Mobonnai de Husati, 28 Selmon Ahohites, Maharai Netophathites, 29 Heled filius Baana, et ipse Netophathites, Ithai filius Ribai de Gabaath filiorum Benjamin, 30 Banaia Pharathonites, Heddai de torrente Gaas, 31 Abialbon Arbathites, Azmaveth de Beromi, 32 Eliaba de Salaboni. Filii Jassen, Jonathan, 33 Semma de Orori, Ajam filius Sarar Arorites, 34 Eliphelet filius Aasbai filii Machati, Eliam filius Achitophel Gelonites, 35 Hesrai de Carmelo, Pharai de Arbi, 36 Igaal filius Nathan de Soba, Bonni de Gadi, 37 Selec de Ammoni, Naharai Berothites armiger Joab filii Sarvi, 38 Ira Jethrites, Gareb et ipse Jethrites, 39 Urias Hethus : omnes triginta septem.