Skip to the text

2 Samuel · Literal Standard Version

2 Samuel 23 Literal Standard Version

Leer en español
About LSV
  • Protestant
  • OT: Masoretic Hebrew
  • NT: Majority (Byzantine) text
  • Protestant (66 books)
  • Very literal
  • 2020
  • CC BY-SA 4.0

Audio: World English Bible (WEB), read by Winfred W. Henson · About the recordings

1 And these [are] the last words of David: “A declaration of David son of Jesse, || And a declaration of the man raised up—Concerning the anointed of the God of Jacob, || And the sweetness of the songs of Israel: 2 The Spirit of YHWH has spoken by me, || And His word [is] on my tongue. 3 He said—the God of Israel—to me, || He spoke—the Rock of Israel: He who is ruling over man [is] righteous, || He is ruling in the fear of God. 4 And he rises as the light of morning, || A morning sun [with] no clouds! By the shining, by the rain, || Tender grass of the earth! 5 For though my house [is] not so with God; So He made a perpetual covenant with me, || Arranged in all things, and kept; For all my salvation, and all desire, || For He has not caused [it] to spring up. 6 As for the worthless—All of them [are] driven away as a thorn, || For they are not taken away by hand; 7 And the man who comes against them || Is filled with iron and the staff of a spear, || And they are utterly burned with fire || In the cessation.” 8 These [are] the names of the mighty ones whom David has: sitting in the seat [is] the Tachmonite, head of the captains—he [is] Adino, who hardened himself against eight hundred—wounded at one time. 9 And after him [is] Eleazar son of Dodo, son of Ahohi, of the three mighty men with David; in their exposing themselves among the Philistines—they have been gathered there to battle, and the men of Israel go up— 10 he has arisen, and strikes among the Philistines until his hand has been weary, and his hand cleaves to the sword, and YHWH works a great salvation on that day, and the people turn back after him only to strip off. 11 And after him [is] Shammah son of Agee the Hararite, and the Philistines are gathered into a company, and there is a portion of the field full of lentils there, and the people have fled from the presence of the Philistines, 12 and he stations himself in the midst of the portion, and delivers it, and strikes the Philistines, and YHWH works a great salvation. 13 And three of the thirty heads go down and come to the harvest, to David, to the cave of Adullam, and the company of the Philistines are encamping in the Valley of Rephaim, 14 and David [is] then in a fortress, and the station of the Philistines [is] then in Beth-Lehem, 15 and David longs and says, “Who gives me a drink of the water of the well of Beth-Lehem, which [is] by the gate?” 16 And the three mighty ones cleave through the camp of the Philistines, and draw water out of the well of Beth-Lehem, which [is] by the gate, and take [it] up, and bring [it] to David; and he was not willing to drink it, and pours it out to YHWH, 17 and says, “Far be it from me, O YHWH, to do this; is it the blood of the men who are going with their lives?” And he was not willing to drink it; the three mighty ones did these [things]. 18 And Abishai brother of Joab, son of Zeruiah, he [is] head of three, and he is lifting up his spear against three hundred—wounded, and he has a name among three. 19 Is he not the honored of the three? And he becomes their head; and he has not come to the [first] three. 20 And Benaiah son of Jehoiada (son of a man of valor, great in deeds from Kabzeel), has struck two lion-like men of Moab, and he has gone down and struck the lion in the midst of the pit in a day of snow. 21 And he has struck the Egyptian man, a man of appearance, and a spear [is] in the hand of the Egyptian, and he goes down to him with a rod, and takes the spear violently away out of the hand of the Egyptian, and slays him with his own spear. 22 Benaiah son of Jehoiada has done these [things], and has a name among the three mighty ones. 23 He is honored more than the thirty, but he did not come to the three; and David sets him over his guard. 24 Asahel brother of Joab [is] of the thirty; Elhanan son of Dodo of Beth-Lehem, 25 Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite, 26 Helez the Paltite, Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, 27 Abiezer the Annethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, 28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, 29 Heleb son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai son of Ribai from Gibeah of the sons of Benjamin, 30 Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash, 31 Abi-Albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite, 32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite, of the sons of Jashen, Jonathan, 33 Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam son of Sharar the Hararite, 34 Eliphelet son of Ahasbai, son of the Maachathite, Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, 35 Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, 36 Igal son of Nathan from Zobah, Bani the Gadite, 37 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, bearer of the weapons of Joab son of Zeruiah, 38 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, 39 Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.

People & places in this chapter

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

People

  • 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

    See in the family tree

  • 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

    See in the family tree

  • 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

    See in the family tree

  • Azmaveth

    One of the Thirty

    Azmaveth the Barhumite, listed among the Thirty.

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

    See in the family tree

  • 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

    See in the family tree

  • Bani

    One of the Thirty

    Bani the Gadite, listed among the Thirty.

    Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 23:36

    See in the family tree

  • 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

    See in the family tree

  • 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

    See in the family tree

  • 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

    See in the family tree

  • 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

    See in the family tree

  • 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

    See in the family tree

  • 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

    See in the family tree

  • 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

    See in the family tree

  • Eliahba

    One of the Thirty

    Eliahba the Shaalbonite, listed among the Thirty.

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

    See in the family tree

  • Eliam

    One of the Thirty

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

    Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 23:34

    See in the family tree

  • Elika

    One of the Thirty

    Elika the Harodite, listed among the Thirty.

    Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 23:25

    See in the family tree

  • Eliphelet

    One of the Thirty

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

    Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 23:34

    See in the family tree

  • Gareb

    One of the Thirty

    Gareb the Ithrite, listed among the Thirty.

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

    See in the family tree

  • 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

    See in the family tree

  • Hezro

    One of the Thirty

    Hezro the Carmelite, listed among the Thirty.

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

    See in the family tree

  • 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

    See in the family tree

  • Igal

    One of the Thirty

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

    Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 23:36

    See in the family tree

  • 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

    See in the family tree

  • 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

    See in the family tree

  • Ira

    One of the Thirty

    Ira the Ithrite, listed among the Thirty.

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

    See in the family tree

  • 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

    See in the family tree

  • Jashen

    Father of mighty men

    Named in the list of the Thirty as the father of a group of mighty men (the sons of Jashen).

    Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 23:32; 1 Chronicles 11:34

    See in the family tree

  • 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

    See in the family tree

  • Jonathan

    One of the Thirty

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

    Cited in the guide: 2 Samuel 23:32

    See in the family tree

  • 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

    See in the family tree

  • 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

    See in the family tree

  • Paarai

    One of the Thirty

    Paarai the Arbite, listed among the Thirty.

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

    See in the family tree

  • 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

    See in the family tree

  • 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)