2 Samuel 23 | Lectio

Now these are the last words of David.

David the son of Jesse says, the man who was raised on high says, the anointed of the God of Jacob, the sweet psalmist of Israel: ^{Verse 2. 2}“Yahweh’s Spirit spoke by me. His word was on my tongue. ^{Verse 3. 3}The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spoke to me, ‘One who rules over men righteously, who rules in the fear of God, ^{Verse 4. 4}shall be as the light of the morning when the sun rises, a morning without clouds, when the tender grass springs out of the earth, through clear shining after rain.’ ^{Verse 5. 5}Isn’t my house so with God? Yet he has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure, for it is all my salvation and all my desire. Won’t he make it grow? ^{Verse 6. 6}But all the ungodly will be as thorns to be thrust away, because they can’t be taken with the hand. ^{Verse 7. 7}The man who touches them must be armed with iron and the staff of a spear. They will be utterly burned with fire in their place.”

^{Verse 8. 8}These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb Basshebeth, a Tahchemonite, chief of the captains; he was called Adino the Eznite, who killed eight hundred at one time. ^{Verse 9. 9}After him was Eleazar the son of Dodai the son of an Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David when they defied the Philistines who were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel had gone away. ^{Verse 10. 10}He arose and struck the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand froze to the sword; and Yahweh worked a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to take plunder. ^{Verse 11. 11}After him was Shammah the son of Agee, a Hararite. The Philistines had gathered together into a troop where there was a plot of ground full of lentils; and the people fled from the Philistines. ^{Verse 12. 12}But he stood in the middle of the plot and defended it, and killed the Philistines; and Yahweh worked a great victory.

^{Verse 13. 13}Three of the thirty chief men went down, and came to David in the harvest time to the cave of Adullam; and the troop of the Philistines was encamped in the valley of Rephaim. ^{Verse 14. 14}David was then in the stronghold; and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. ^{Verse 15. 15}David said longingly, “Oh that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!”

^{Verse 16. 16}The three mighty men broke through the army 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; but he would not drink of it, but poured it out to Yahweh. ^{Verse 17. 17}He said, “Be it far from me, Yahweh, that I should do this! Isn’t this the blood of the men who risked their lives to go?” Therefore he would not drink it. The three mighty men did these things.

^{Verse 18. 18}Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the three. He lifted up his spear against three hundred and killed them, and had a name among the three. ^{Verse 19. 19}Wasn’t he most honorable of the three? Therefore he was made their captain. However he wasn’t included as one of the three.

^{Verse 20. 20}Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done mighty deeds, killed the two sons of Ariel of Moab. He also went down and killed a lion in the middle of a pit in a time of snow. ^{Verse 21. 21}He killed a huge Egyptian, 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 killed him with his own spear. ^{Verse 22. 22}Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did these things, and had a name among the three mighty men. ^{Verse 23. 23}He was more honorable than the thirty, but he didn’t attain to the three. David set him over his guard.

^{Verse 24. 24}Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty: Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, ^{Verse 25. 25}Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite, ^{Verse 26. 26}Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, ^{Verse 27. 27}Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, ^{Verse 28. 28}Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, ^{Verse 29. 29}Heleb the son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin, ^{Verse 30. 30}Benaiah a Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash. ^{Verse 31. 31}Abialbon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite, ^{Verse 32. 32}Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan, ^{Verse 33. 33}Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Ararite, ^{Verse 34. 34}Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maacathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, ^{Verse 35. 35}Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, ^{Verse 36. 36}Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite, ^{Verse 37. 37}Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armor bearers to Joab the son of Zeruiah, ^{Verse 38. 38}Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, ^{Verse 39. 39}and Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.

Now these are the last words of David.