2 Kings 23

¹And these are David's last words. David the son of Isai said: The man said, to whom it was appointed concerning the Christ of the God of Jacob, the excellent Psalmist of Israel:

²The Spirit of our Lord hath spoken by me, and his words by my tongue.

³The God of Israel said to me, the Strong one of Israel hath spoken, the Dominatour of men, the just ruler in the fear of God.

⁴As the light of the morning when the sun riseth, early without clouds glistereth, and as by rain grass springeth out of the earth.

⁵Neither is my house so great with God, that he should enter with me an eternal covenant firm in all things & assured. For all my salvation, & all my will: neither is there ought thereof that springeth not.

⁶And transgressors shall be plucked up as thorns every one: which are not taken with hands.

⁷And if a man will touch them, he shall be armed with iron and a lanced staff, and kindled with fire they shall be burnt unto nothing.

⁸These be the names of the valiants of David. Sitting in his chair the wisest Prince amongst three, he is as it were the most tender little worm of the wood, which killed eight hundred at one brunt.

⁹After him, Eleazar the son of his uncle the Ahohite among the three valiants, that were with David when they defied the Philisthiims, and were gathered thither into battle.

¹⁰And when the men of Israel were gone up, he stood and struck the Philistians till his hand fainted, and waxed stiff with the sword: and our Lord made a great victory that day: and the people that was fled, returned to take away of the spoils of them that were slain.

¹¹And after him Semma the son of Age of Arari. And the Philisthiims were gathered together in their ward: for there was there a field full of rice. And when the people was fled from the face of the Philisthiims,

¹²he stood in the midst of the field, and defended it, and struck the Philisthians: and our Lord gave great salvation.

¹³Moreover also before there went down three which were Princes among thirty, & came to David in the harvest time into the cave of Odollam: and the camp of the Philistians was placed in the Vale of the giants.

¹⁴And David was in a hold: moreover the ward of the Philisthians was then in Bethlehem.

¹⁵David therefore desired, & said: O that some man would give me drink of the water of the cistern, that is in Bethlehem beside the gate.

¹⁶Three valiants therefore brake into the camp of the Philistians, and drew water out of the cistern of Bethlehem, that was beside the gate, and brought it to David: but he would not drink, but offered it to our Lord,

¹⁷saying: Our Lord be merciful to me, that I do not this thing: shall I drink the blood of these men that went, & the peril of their lives? Therefore he would not drink. These things did the three strongest.

¹⁸Abisai also the brother of Joab the son of Sarvia, was Prince of three, it is he that lifted up his spear against three hundred, whom he slew, renowned among three,

¹⁹and the noblest of three, and he was the chief of them, but to the three first he raught not.

²⁰And Banaias the son of Joiada the most valiant man, of great works, of Cabseel: he struck the two lions of Moab, and he went down, and struck the lion in the midst of the cistern in the days of snow.

²¹He also struck the Ægyptian, a man worthy to be a spectacle, having in his hand a spear: therefore when he came down to him with a rod, by force he wrested the spear out of the hand of the Ægyptian, and slew him with his own spear.

²²These things did Banaias the son of Joiada.

²³And he renowned among the three valiants, which were the nobler among thirty: but unto the three he raught not: and David made him of his secret counsel.

²⁴Asael the brother of Joab among the thirty, Elehanan the son of his uncle of Bethlehem.

²⁵Semma of Harodi, Elica of Harori,

²⁶Heles of Phalti, Hira the son of Acces of Thecua,

²⁷Abiezer of Anathoth, Mobonnai of Husati,

²⁸Selmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,

²⁹Heled the son of Baana, he also a Netophathite, Ithai the son of Ribai of Gabaath of the children of Benjamin,

³⁰Banaia the Pharathonite, Heddai of the Torrent Gaas,

³¹Abialbon the Arbathite, Azmaveth of Beromi,

³²Eliaba of Salaboni: The sons of Jassen, Jonathan,

³³Semma of Orori, Ahiam the son of Sarar the Ararite,

³⁴Eliphelet the son of Aasbai the son of Machati, Eliam the son of Achitophel the Gelonite,

³⁵Hesrai of Carmel, Pharai of Arbi,

³⁶Igaal the son of Nathan of Soba, Bonni of Gadi,

³⁷Selec of Ammoni, Naharai the Berothite the squire of Joab the son of Sarvia,

³⁸Ira the Jethrite, Gareb he also a Jethrite,

³⁹Urias the Hetheite. All thirty seven.