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2 Samuel · Free Bible Version

2 Samuel 23 Free Bible Version

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  • Individual translator
  • OT: Masoretic Hebrew
  • NT: Critical text
  • Protestant (66 books)
  • Dynamic (thought for thought)
  • 2018
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Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings

1 These are David's last words. The divine message of David son of Jesse, the divine message of the man made great by God, the one anointed by the God of Jacob, the wonderful psalm-writer of Israel: 2 “The Spirit of the Lord spoke through me; my tongue gave his message. 3 Israel's God spoke; Israel's Rock told me, ‘He who rules the people justly, he who rules respecting God, 4 is like the light of the morning sunrise on a cloudless dawn; like the shining of raindrops on the new grass growing from the earth.’ 5 Isn't this how my family is with God? For he has made an everlasting agreement with me, set out in detail and with every part guaranteed. He will make sure to save me and to give me all I want. 6 But evil people are like thorns to be thrown aside; they can't be held in the hand. 7 The only way to deal with them is to use an iron tool or the handle of a spear. They are completely burned up right where they are.” 8 These are the names of the leading warriors who supported David: Josheb-Basshebeth, a Tahkemonite, leader of the Three. Using his spear, he once killed eight hundred men in a single battle. 9 After him came Eleazar, son of Dodai, the Ahohite, one of the Three leading warriors. He was with David when they defied the Philistines gathered for battle at Pas-dammin. The Israelites retreated, 10 but Eleazar took his stand and went on killing Philistines until his hand stuck to his sword. The Lord saved them by granting them a great victory. The Israelite army did return, but only to strip the dead. 11 After him came Shammah, son of Agee, the Hararite. When the Philistines gathered at Lehi, in a field full of lentils, the Israelite army ran away from them, 12 but Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field, defending it and killing the Philistines. The Lord gave them a great victory. 13 At harvest-time, the Three, who were part of the Thirty leading warriors, went down to meet David when he was at the cave of Adullam. The Philistine army was camped in the valley of Rephaim. 14 At the time David was in the stronghold, and the Philistine garrison was in Bethlehem. 15 David was feeling really thirsty, and he said, “If only someone could bring me a drink of water from the well beside the entrance gate to Bethlehem!” 16 The Three leading warriors broke through the Philistine defenses, took some water from the well at Bethelehem's gate, and brought it back to David. But David refused to drink it, and poured it out as an offering to the Lord. 17 “Lord, never let me do this!” he said. “Isn't it like drinking the blood of these men who risked their lives?” So he did not drink it. These are just some of the things the Three leading warriors did. 18 Abishai, Joab's brother, was leader of the second Three. Using his spear, he once killed 300 men, and became famous among the Three. 19 He was the most highly regarded of the Three and was their commander, though he was not one of the first Three. 20 Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, a strong warrior from Kabzeel, did many amazing things. He killed two sons of Ariel of Moab. He also went after a lion into a pit in the snow and killed it. 21 Another time he killed a huge Egyptian. The Egyptian had a spear in his hand but Benaiah attacked him with just a club. He grabbed the spear from the Egyptian's hand, and killed him with his own spear. 22 These were the kind of things Benaiah did that made him as famous as the Three leading warriors. 23 He was the most highly regarded of the Thirty, though he was not one of the Three. David put him in charge of his personal bodyguard. 24 Included in the Thirty were: Asahel, Joab's brother; Elhanan, son of Dodo, from Bethlehem; 25 Shammoth the Harorite; Elika the Harodite, 26 Helez the Paltite; Ira, son of Ikkesh, from Tekoa; 27 Abiezer from Anathoth; Mebunnai the Hushathite; 28 Zalmon the Ahohite; Maharai the Netophahite; 29 Heleb, son of Baanah the Netophahite; Ittai, son of Ribai from Gibeah of the Benjamites; 30 Benaiah the Pirathonite; Hiddai from the streams of Gaash; 31 Abi-albon the Arbathite; Azmaveth the Baharumite; 32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite; the sons of Jashem; Jonathan, 33 son of Shagee the Hararite; Ahiam, son of Sachar the Hararite; 34 Eliphelet, son of Ahasbai, son of the Maacathite, Eliam, son of Ahithophel, the Gilonite, 35 Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, 36 Igal, son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite, 37 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, the armor-bearer of Joab, son of Zeruiah, 38 Ira the Ithrite; Gareb the Ithrite; 39 and Uriah the Hittite; a total of thirty-seven.

People & places in this chapter

From this site's family tree and Bible maps, only where those guides cite this chapter.

People

  • Abi-albon

    One of the Thirty

    Abi-albon the Arbathite, listed among the Thirty.

    Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 23:31; 1 Chronicles 11:32

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  • Abiezer

    One of the Thirty

    Abiezer the Anathothite, listed among the Thirty.

    Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 23:27; 1 Chronicles 11:28; 1 Chronicles 27:12

    See in the family tree

  • Agee

    Father of Shammah the Hararite

    Called a Hararite and named as the father of Shammah, one of the Three mighty men.

    Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 23:11

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  • Ahasbai

    Father of Eliphelet the Maacathite

    Called a Maacathite and named as the father of Eliphelet, a member of the Thirty.

    Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 23:34

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  • Ahiam

    One of the Thirty

    Ahiam son of Sharar the Hararite, listed among the Thirty.

    Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 23:33; 1 Chronicles 11:35

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  • Azmaveth

    One of the Thirty

    Azmaveth the Barhumite, listed among the Thirty.

    Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 23:31; 1 Chronicles 11:33

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  • Baanah

    Father of Heled the Netophathite

    Named as the father of Heled, one of David's mighty men.

    Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 23:29; 1 Chronicles 11:30

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  • Bani

    One of the Thirty

    Bani the Gadite, listed among the Thirty.

    Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 23:36

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  • Benaiah

    Commander of the Cherethites and Pelethites

    Son of Jehoiada from Kabzeel, a man of many exploits who killed two Moabite champions, a lion in a pit and a huge Egyptian, and whom David set over his guard and the Cherethites…

    Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 8:18; 2 Samuel 20:23; 2 Samuel 23:20

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  • Benaiah

    One of the Thirty

    Benaiah the Pirathonite, listed among the Thirty.

    Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 23:30; 1 Chronicles 11:31; 1 Chronicles 27:14

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  • David

    King of Israel

    The shepherd who became Israel's greatest king and a man after God's own heart.

    Cited in the guide: 1 Sam. 16 - 1 Kings 2; 2 Sam. 7; 1 Chron. 2:15; Matt. 1:6

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  • Dodo

    Father of Eleazar the mighty man

    Ahohite named as the father of Eleazar, one of the Three; a Dodai the Ahohite commanded David's second-month division (probably the same man).

    Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 23:9; 1 Chronicles 11:12; 1 Chronicles 27:4

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  • Dodo

    Father of Elhanan

    Named as the father of Elhanan of Bethlehem, one of David's mighty men.

    Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 23:24; 1 Chronicles 11:26

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  • Eleazar

    One of the Three

    Son of Dodo the Ahohite and one of the Three, who stood his ground with David against the Philistines at Pas-dammim until his hand stuck to his sword.

    Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 23:9; 2 Samuel 23:10; 1 Chronicles 11:12

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  • Elhanan

    One of the Thirty

    Son of Dodo of Bethlehem, listed among the Thirty.

    Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 23:24; 1 Chronicles 11:26

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  • Eliahba

    One of the Thirty

    Eliahba the Shaalbonite, listed among the Thirty.

    Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 23:32; 1 Chronicles 11:33

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  • Eliam

    One of the Thirty

    Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, listed among the Thirty.

    Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 23:34

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  • Elika

    One of the Thirty

    Elika the Harodite, listed among the Thirty.

    Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 23:25

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  • Eliphelet

    One of the Thirty

    Eliphelet son of Ahasbai the Maacathite, listed among the Thirty.

    Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 23:34

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  • Gareb

    One of the Thirty

    Gareb the Ithrite, listed among the Thirty.

    Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 23:38; 1 Chronicles 11:40

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  • Helez

    One of the Thirty

    Helez the Paltite, listed among the Thirty.

    Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 23:26; 1 Chronicles 11:27; 1 Chronicles 27:10

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  • Hezro

    One of the Thirty

    Hezro the Carmelite, listed among the Thirty.

    Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 23:35; 1 Chronicles 11:37

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  • Hiddai

    One of the Thirty

    Hiddai from the brooks of Gaash, listed among the Thirty.

    Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 23:30; 1 Chronicles 11:32

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  • Igal

    One of the Thirty

    Igal son of Nathan of Zobah, listed among the Thirty.

    Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 23:36

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  • Ikkesh

    Father of Ira the Tekoite

    Named as the father of Ira, one of David's mighty men.

    Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 23:26; 1 Chronicles 11:28; 1 Chronicles 27:9

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  • Ira

    One of the Thirty

    Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, listed among the Thirty.

    Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 23:26; 1 Chronicles 11:28; 1 Chronicles 27:9

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  • Ira

    One of the Thirty

    Ira the Ithrite, listed among the Thirty.

    Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 23:38; 1 Chronicles 11:40

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  • Ittai

    One of the Thirty

    Ittai son of Ribai from Gibeah of the Benjamites, listed among the Thirty.

    Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 23:29; 1 Chronicles 11:31

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  • Jehoiada

    Father of Benaiah

    Named as the father of Benaiah, the commander of the Cherethites and Pelethites.

    Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 8:18; 2 Samuel 23:20; 1 Kings 1:8

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  • Jonathan

    One of the Thirty

    Jonathan son of Shammah the Hararite, listed among the Thirty.

    Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 23:32

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  • Maharai

    One of the Thirty

    Maharai the Netophathite, listed among the Thirty.

    Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 23:28; 1 Chronicles 11:30; 1 Chronicles 27:13

    See in the family tree

  • Naharai

    Joab's armor-bearer

    Naharai the Beerothite, the armor-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah, listed among the Thirty.

    Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 23:37; 1 Chronicles 11:39

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  • Nathan

    Father of Igal of Zobah

    Named as the father of Igal, a member of the Thirty, with Zobah named beside his name.

    Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 23:36

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  • Paarai

    One of the Thirty

    Paarai the Arbite, listed among the Thirty.

    Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 23:35; 1 Chronicles 11:37

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  • Ribai

    Father of Ithai

    Named as the father of Ithai of Gibeah of the Benjamites.

    Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 23:29; 1 Chronicles 11:31

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  • Shammah

    One of the Three

    Son of Agee the Hararite and one of the Three, who took his stand in a field of lentils, defended it and struck down the Philistines, and may be the Shammah the Hararite named…

    Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 23:11; 2 Samuel 23:12; 2 Samuel 23:33

    See in the family tree

  • Shammah

    One of the Thirty

    Shammah the Harodite, listed among the Thirty.

    Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 23:25; 1 Chronicles 11:27

    See in the family tree

  • Sharar

    Father of Ahiam the Hararite

    Called a Hararite and named as the father of Ahiam, a member of the Thirty.

    Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 23:33; 1 Chronicles 11:35

    See in the family tree

  • Zalmon

    One of the Thirty

    Zalmon the Ahohite, listed among the Thirty.

    Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 23:28; 1 Chronicles 11:29

    See in the family tree

  • Zelek

    One of the Thirty

    Zelek the Ammonite, listed among the Thirty.

    Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 23:37; 1 Chronicles 11:39

    See in the family tree

Cross references (38)

Related passages for each verse, from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge as collected and ranked by readers at OpenBible.info.

  1. 1 1 Samuel 16:12–13; Psalm 89:20; 2 Samuel 7:8–9; Psalm 78:70–71; Colossians 3:16
  2. 2 2 Peter 1:21; Matthew 22:43; Mark 12:36; Acts 2:25–31; Hebrews 3:7–8
  3. 3 Deuteronomy 32:4; Exodus 18:21; 2 Samuel 22:32; Psalm 72:2; Hebrews 1:8
  4. 4 Judges 5:31; Psalm 72:6; Psalm 89:36; Hosea 6:5; Malachi 4:2
  5. 5 Isaiah 55:3; Isaiah 9:6–7; 2 Samuel 7:14–16; Jeremiah 32:40; Psalm 89:28–29
  6. 6 Deuteronomy 13:13; Isaiah 33:12; Ezekiel 2:6; 2 Samuel 20:1; Genesis 3:18
  7. 7 Hebrews 6:8; 2 Thessalonians 2:8; 2 Thessalonians 1:8; 2 Samuel 22:8–10; Luke 19:27
  8. 8 1 Chronicles 11:11–47; 1 Chronicles 27:2; 1 Chronicles 27:32
  9. 9 1 Chronicles 27:4; 1 Chronicles 11:12–14; 1 Samuel 17:26; Numbers 23:7–8; 1 Samuel 17:10
  10. 10 1 Samuel 19:5; 1 Samuel 11:13; Isaiah 53:12; Joshua 10:42; Joshua 11:8
  11. 11 1 Chronicles 11:27; 1 Chronicles 11:13–14; 2 Samuel 23:33
  12. 12 Proverbs 21:31; 2 Samuel 23:10; Psalm 3:8; Psalm 44:2
  13. 13 2 Samuel 5:18; 1 Samuel 22:1; 1 Chronicles 14:9; Joshua 12:15; Joshua 15:35
  14. 14 1 Samuel 22:4–5; 1 Samuel 13:4; 1 Samuel 10:5; 1 Chronicles 12:16; 1 Samuel 22:1
  15. 15 John 4:14; Psalm 42:1–2; Isaiah 44:3; John 4:10; Isaiah 41:17
  16. 16 Genesis 35:14; 2 Corinthians 5:14; 1 Samuel 7:6; Philippians 2:17; Numbers 28:7
  17. 17 Leviticus 17:10; Mark 14:24; 1 Samuel 2:30; Judges 5:18; 1 Kings 21:3
  18. 18 2 Samuel 10:10; 2 Samuel 10:14; 1 Chronicles 11:20–21; 2 Samuel 18:2; 2 Samuel 20:10
  19. 19 Matthew 13:8; Matthew 13:23; 2 Samuel 23:13; 2 Samuel 23:16; 1 Chronicles 11:25
  20. 20 Joshua 15:21; 2 Samuel 20:23; 2 Samuel 8:18; 1 Chronicles 11:22–24; 1 Samuel 17:34–37
  21. 21 Colossians 2:15; 1 Chronicles 11:23; 1 Samuel 17:51
  22. 23 1 Chronicles 27:6; 2 Samuel 20:23; 1 Samuel 22:14; 2 Samuel 8:8
  23. 24 2 Samuel 2:18; 1 Chronicles 27:7; 1 Chronicles 11:26
  24. 25 1 Chronicles 11:27–28; Judges 7:1
  25. 26 2 Samuel 14:2; 1 Chronicles 27:9–10; 1 Chronicles 11:27–28
  26. 27 Joshua 21:18; 1 Chronicles 27:12; 1 Chronicles 11:28; 1 Chronicles 11:19
  27. 28 1 Chronicles 27:13; 2 Kings 25:23; 1 Chronicles 11:30
  28. 29 1 Chronicles 27:15; Joshua 18:28; 1 Chronicles 11:30–31
  29. 30 Judges 12:15; Judges 2:9; Judges 12:13; Joshua 24:30; 1 Chronicles 27:14
  30. 31 2 Samuel 3:16; 1 Chronicles 11:32–33
  31. 32 1 Chronicles 11:34
  32. 33 1 Chronicles 11:27; 2 Samuel 23:11; 1 Chronicles 11:35
  33. 34 2 Samuel 11:3; 2 Samuel 15:12; 2 Samuel 10:6; 2 Samuel 10:8; 1 Chronicles 27:33–34
  34. 35 1 Chronicles 11:37; Joshua 15:55
  35. 36 2 Samuel 8:3; 1 Chronicles 11:38
  36. 37 2 Samuel 4:2; 1 Chronicles 11:39; 1 Chronicles 11:37
  37. 38 1 Chronicles 2:53; 2 Samuel 20:26; 1 Chronicles 11:40
  38. 39 2 Samuel 11:3; Matthew 1:6; 2 Samuel 12:9; 1 Kings 15:5; 2 Samuel 11:6–27

Cross references: OpenBible.info (CC BY), drawn mainly from the public-domain Treasury of Scripture Knowledge. · Sources & licences

What the Fathers said

Passages from the Church Fathers that expound or quote this chapter, verbatim from the public-domain Schaff edition (19th-century English translations).

How these were chosen

“Commentary” is the opening of a homily or exposition on this chapter (John Chrysostom’s homilies, Augustine’s tractates, sermons and expositions of the Psalms). “Quotes” are sentences where the edition’s own footnotes identify a quotation of a verse here, kept only when the wording matches the verse. Only works whose authorship is not in doubt are used. Psalms follow the Hebrew/English numbering (Augustine numbers them as the Septuagint does: his Psalm 50 is Psalm 51 here).

  1. Quotes verse 23:15–17 Augustine of Hippo, Confessions (Book X, Chapters XXIX–XXXI)

    I know, too, that Esau was deceived by a longing for lentiles, and that David took blame to himself for desiring water, and that our King was tempted not by flesh but bread.

    Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 1 (1886)

  2. Quotes verse 23:2 Cyril of Jerusalem, Catechetical Lectures (Lecture XVI)

    … for Samuel and David, we have it plainly in the Books of the Kingdoms, how by the Holy Ghost they prophesied themselves, and were rulers of the prophets;--and Samuel was called the Seer; and David says distinctly, The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and in the Psalms, And take not thy Holy Spirit from me, and again, …

    Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 7 (1894)

  3. Quotes verse 23:1 Augustine of Hippo, Expositions on the Psalms (Psalm LV)

    David indeed was, as we know, a holy prophet, king of Israel, son of Jesse: but because out of his seed there came for our salvation after the flesh the Lord Jesus Christ, often under that name He is figured, and David instead of Christ is in a figure set down, because of the origin of the Flesh of the …

    Read in context · Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 1, vol. 8 (1888)