David’s Last Words
1These 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.
3The 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,
4he 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.
6But evil men are all to be cast aside like thorns,
which are not gathered with the hand.
7Whoever touches thorns
uses a tool of iron or the shaft of a spear;
they are burned up where they lie.”
David’s Mighty Warriors
8These are the names of David’s mighty warriors:
Josheb-Basshebeth,23:8 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts suggest Ish-Bosheth, that is, Esh-Baal (see also 1 Chron. 11:11 Jashobeam). a Tahkemonite,23:8 Probably a variant of Hakmonite (see 1 Chron. 11:11) was chief of the Three; he raised his spear against eight hundred men, whom he killed23:8 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:11); Hebrew and other Septuagint manuscripts Three; it was Adino the Eznite who killed eight hundred men in one encounter.
9Next 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 Dammim23:9 See 1 Chron. 11:13; Hebrew gathered there. for battle. Then the Israelites retreated, 10but 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.
11Next 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. 12But 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.
13During 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. 14At that time David was in the stronghold, and the Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem. 15David longed for water and said, “Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!” 16So 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.
18Abishai the brother of Joab son of Zeruiah was chief of the Three.23:18 Most Hebrew manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:20); two Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac Thirty He raised his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed, and so he became as famous as the Three. 19Was he not held in greater honor than the Three? He became their commander, even though he was not included among them.
20Benaiah 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. 21And 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. 22Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada; he too was as famous as the three mighty warriors. 23He 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.
24Among the Thirty were:
Asahel the brother of Joab,
Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem,
25Shammah the Harodite,
Elika the Harodite,
26Helez the Paltite,
Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa,
27Abiezer from Anathoth,
Sibbekai23:27 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 21:18; 1 Chron. 11:29); Hebrew Mebunnai the Hushathite,
28Zalmon the Ahohite,
Maharai the Netophathite,
29Heled23:29 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Vulgate (see also 1 Chron. 11:30); most Hebrew manuscripts Heleb son of Baanah the Netophathite,
Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin,
30Benaiah the Pirathonite,
Hiddai23:30 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:32) Hurai from the ravines of Gaash,
31Abi-Albon the Arbathite,
Azmaveth the Barhumite,
32Eliahba the Shaalbonite,
the sons of Jashen,
Jonathan 33son of23:33 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:34); Hebrew does not have son of. Shammah the Hararite,
Ahiam son of Sharar23:33 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:35) Sakar the Hararite,
34Eliphelet son of Ahasbai the Maakathite,
Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,
35Hezro the Carmelite,
Paarai the Arbite,
36Igal son of Nathan from Zobah,
the son of Hagri,23:36 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:38); Hebrew Haggadi
37Zelek the Ammonite,
Naharai the Beerothite, the armor-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah,
38Ira the Ithrite,
Gareb the Ithrite
39and Uriah the Hittite.
There were thirty-seven in all.
大衛的遺言
1耶西的兒子大衛是雅各的上帝膏立的王，他身居高位，在以色列能歌善詠。以下是他的遺言：
2「耶和華的靈藉著我說話，
祂的言語在我口中。
3以色列的上帝告訴我，
以色列的磐石對我說，
『以公義治理人民，
敬畏上帝的君王，
4就像旭日的光輝、
晴朗的早晨，
又像雨後的光芒，
使大地長出青草。』
5我的家在上帝面前不正是如此嗎？
上帝與我立下永遠的約，
這約穩妥可靠。
祂必拯救我，成全我的願望。
6但惡人要像荊棘一樣被丟棄，
沒人用手拿起他們，
7人要拿鐵器和長矛把他們收集起來焚毀。」
大衛的勇士
8以下是大衛的勇士：他革捫人約設·巴設，又稱伊斯尼人亞底挪，是三勇士之首，曾在一次交戰中殺掉八百敵人。
9其次是亞哈希人朵多的兒子以利亞撒，他是三勇士之一。有一次，以色列人和非利士人打仗，他跟隨大衛向非利士人罵陣。以色列人都撤退了， 10他卻堅守陣地，奮勇殺敵，直到手臂發麻，握刀的手無法鬆開。那天，耶和華使以色列人大獲全勝。以色列軍隊回到以利亞撒那裡來撿死人的財物。 11第三位勇士是哈拉人亞基的兒子沙瑪。有一次非利士人聚集在一塊長滿扁豆的田中和以色列人打仗，以色列人都逃跑了， 12沙瑪卻站在田中間堅守麥田，擊殺非利士人。耶和華使以色列人大獲全勝。
13在收割的時候，非利士軍隊在利乏音谷紮營，三十位統領中有三位到亞杜蘭洞見大衛。 14那時大衛留守在堡壘裡，非利士人的駐軍在伯利恆。 15大衛渴了，說：「但願有人給我打些伯利恆城門旁的井水喝！」 16這三位勇士就衝過非利士人的營地，到伯利恆城門旁的井打水，帶回來給大衛。大衛卻不肯喝，他把水澆奠在耶和華面前， 17說：「耶和華啊！這三人冒死去打水，這些水就像是他們的血，我決不能喝！」因此，大衛不肯喝。這是三勇士的事蹟。
18洗魯雅的兒子、約押的兄弟亞比篩是這三位23·18 「三位」有些希伯來文抄本作「三十位」。勇士的統領，他曾揮矛刺死三百人，在三勇士中出了名， 19最有聲望，因此做了他們的統領，只是不及前三位勇士。
20甲薛人耶何耶大的兒子比拿雅是位勇士，做過非凡的事。他曾殺死摩押的兩個勇猛戰士，也曾在下雪天跳進坑中殺死一頭獅子， 21還殺死了一個埃及勇士。當時埃及人拿著長矛，比拿雅拿著棍子迎戰，他奪了對方的長矛，用那矛刺死了對方。 22這是耶何耶大的兒子比拿雅的事蹟，他像那三位勇士一樣贏得了名聲。 23他比那三十勇士更有聲望，只是不及前三位勇士。大衛派他作護衛長。
24三十位勇士中有：約押的兄弟亞撒黑、伯利恆人朵多的兒子伊勒哈難、 25哈律人沙瑪、哈律人以利加、 26帕勒提人希利斯、提哥亞人益吉的兒子以拉、 27亞拿突人亞比以謝、戶沙人米本乃、 28亞哈希人撒們、尼陀法人瑪哈萊、 29尼陀法人巴拿的兒子希立、便雅憫支派基比亞人利拜的兒子以太、 30比拉頓人比拿雅、迦實溪人希太、 31伯·亞拉巴人亞比亞本、巴魯米人押斯瑪弗、 32沙本人以利雅哈巴、雅善的兒子們、哈拉人沙瑪的兒子約拿單、 33哈拉人沙拉的兒子亞希暗、 34瑪迦人亞哈拜的兒子以利法列、基羅人亞希多弗的兒子以連、 35迦密人希斯萊、亞巴人帕萊、 36瑣巴人拿單的兒子以甲、迦得人巴尼、 37亞捫人洗勒、為洗魯雅的兒子約押拿兵器的比錄人拿哈萊、 38以帖人以拉、以帖人迦立、 39赫人烏利亞，共三十七名勇士。
