1 NOW these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said,
2 The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.
3 The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.
4 And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain.
5 Although my house be not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow.
6 But the sons of Belial shall be all of them as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands:
7 But the man that shall touch them must be fenced with iron and the staff of a spear; and they shall be utterly burned with fire in the same place.
8 These be the names of the mighty men whom David had: The Tachmonite that sat in the seat, chief among the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite: he lift up his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time.
9 And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines that were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away:
10 He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword: and the Lord wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to spoil.
11 And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentiles: and the people fled from the Philistines.
12 But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the Lord wrought a great victory.
13 And three of the thirty chief went down, and came to David in the harvest time unto the cave of Adullam: and the troop of the Philistines pitched in the valley of Rephaim.
14 And David was then in an hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Beth-lehem.
15 And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Beth-lehem, which is by the gate!
16 And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Beth-lehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the Lord.
17 And he said, Be it far from me, O Lord, that I should do this: is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men.
18 And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief among three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred, and slew them, and had the name among three.
19 Was he not most honourable of three? therefore he was their captain: howbeit he attained not unto the first three.
20 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man, of Kabzeel, who had done many acts, he slew two lionlike men of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow:
21 And he slew an Egyptian, a goodly man: 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 slew him with his own spear.
22 These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among three mighty men.
23 He was more honourable than the thirty, but he attained not to the first three. And David set him over his guard.
24 Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Beth-lehem,
25 Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,
26 Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,
27 Abiezer the Anethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,
28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,
29 Heleb the son of Baanah, a Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai out of Gibeah of the children 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 the son of Sharar the Hararite,
34 Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,
35 Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,
36 Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite,
37 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armourbearer to Joab the son of Zeruiah,
38 Ira an Ithrite, Gareb an Ithrite,
39 Uriah the Hittite: thirty and seven in all.

1Nowe these bee the last words of Dauid: Dauid the sonne of Iesse saide, and the man who was raised vp on high, the Anointed of the God of Iacob, and the sweet Psalmist of Israel, said,

2The spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.

3The God of Israel said, the Rocke of Israel spake to me: he that ruleth ouer men must be iust, ruling in the feare of God:

4And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the Sunne riseth, euen a morning, without cloudes; as the tender grasse springing out of the earth by cleare shining after raine:

5Although my house be not so with God: yet he hath made with mee an euerlasting couenant, ordred in al things and sure: for this is all my saluation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow.

6 But the sonnes of Belial shall bee all of them as thornes thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands,

7But the man that shal touch them, must be fenced with yron, and the staffe of a speare, and they shall bee vtterly burnt with fire in the same place.

8 These be the names of the mightie men whome Dauid had: The Tachmonite that sate in the seat, chiefe among the captaines, (the same was Adino the Eznite:) hee lift vp his speare against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time.

9And after him was Eleazar the sonne of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mightie men with Dauid, when they defied the Philistines that were there gathered together to battell, and the men of Israel were gone away.

10He arose, and smote the Philistines vntill his hand was wearie, and his hand claue vnto the sword: and the Lord wrought a great victorie that day, and the people returned after him onely to spoile.

11And after him was Shammah the sonne of Agee the Hararite: and the Philistines were gathered together into a troupe, where was a piece of ground full of lentiles: and the people fled from the Philistines.

12But hee stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slewe the Philistines: and the Lord wrought a great victorie.

13And three of the thirtie chiefe went downe and came to Dauid in the haruest time, vnto the caue of Adullam: and the troupe of the Philistines pitched in the valley of Rephaim.

14And Dauid was then in an holde, and the garison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem.

15And Dauid longed, and said, Oh that one would giue mee drinke of the water of the well of Bethlehem which is by the gate.

16And the three mightie men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the Well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and tooke it, and brought it to Dauid: neuerthelesse he would not drinke thereof, but powred it out vnto the Lord.

17And he said, Be it farre from me, O Lord, that I should doe this: is not this the blood of the men that went in ieopardie of their liues? therefore he would not drinke it. These things did these three mightie men.

18And Abishai the brother of Ioab, the sonne of Zeruiah, was chiefe among three, and he lift vp his speare against three hundred, and slew them, and had the name among three.

19Was hee not most honourable of three? therefore he was their captaine: howbeit, hee attained not vnto the first three.

20And Benaiah the sonne of Iehoiada the sonne of a valiant man, of Kabzeel, who had done many actes, he slew two lion-like men of Moab: hee went downe also, and slewe a Lyon in the middest of a pit in time of snow.

21And he slew an Egyptian a goodly man: and the Egyptian had a speare in his hand; but he went downe to him with a staffe, and plucked the speare out of the Egyptians hand, and slewe him with his owne speare.

22These things did Benaiah the sonne of Iehoiada, and had the name among three mightie men.

23Hee was more honourable then the thirtie, but hee attained not to the first three: and Dauid set him ouer his guard.

24Asahel the brother of Ioab was one of the thirtie: Elhanan the sonne of Dodo of Bethlehem,

25Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,

26Helez the Paltite, Ira the sonne of Ikkesh the Tekoite,

27Abiezer the Anethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,

28Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,

29Heleb the sonne of Baanah, a Netophathite, Ittai the sonne of Ribai out of Gibeah of the children of Beniamin.

30Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brookes of Gaash,

31Abialbon the Arbathite, Azmaueth the Barhumite,

32Elihaba the Shaalbonite: of the sonnes of Iashen, Ionathan,

33Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the sonne of Sharar the Hararite,

34Eliphelet the sonne of Ahasbai, the sonne of the Maachathite, Eliam the sonne of Ahithophel the Gilonite,

35Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,

36Igal the sonne of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite,

37Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Berothite, armour-bearer to Ioab the sonne of Zeruiah,

38Ira an Ithrite, Gareb an Ithrite,

39Uriah the Hittite: thirtie and seuen in all.

II == 2nd Peter 1:21

 

 

 

III == Ex 18:21 ; Deut 32:4 , 31 ; 2nd Sam 22:2 , 32 ; 2nd Chr 19;7 , 9 ; Ps 110:2

IV == Judg 5:31 ; Ps 89:36 ; Prov 4:18 ; Hos 6:5

 

V == 2nd Sam 7:15-16 ; Ps 89:29 ; Isa 55:3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

VIII == 1st Chr 11:11 ; 27:2

 

 

 

IX == 1st Chr 11:12 ; 27:4

 

 

 

 

 

 

XI == 1st Chr 11:13-14 , 27

 

 

 

 

 

 

XIII == 1st Sam 22:1 ; 2nd Sam 5:18 ; 1st Chr 11:15

 

XIV == 1st Sam 22:4-5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XVII == Lev 17:10

 

 

 

XVIII == 1st Chr 11:20

 

 

 

 

 

XX == Ex 15:15 ; Josh 15:21 ; 1st Chr 11:22

 

 

XXI == 1st Chr 11:23

 

 

 

 

 

XXIII == 1st Sam 22:14 ; 2nd Sam 8:18 ; 20:23

 

XXIV == 2nd Sam 2:18

XXV == 1st Chr 11:27

 

 

 

 

 

XXX == Deut 1:24 ; Judg 2:9

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

XXXVIII == 2nd Sam 20:26

XXXIX == 2nd Sam 11:3 , 6

 

 

1 These are the last words of David: "The utterance of David, son of Jesse; the utterance of the man God raised up, Anointed of the God of Jacob, favorite of the Mighty One of Israel.

2 The spirit of the LORD spoke through me; his word was on my tongue.

3 The God of Israel spoke; of me the Rock of Israel said, 'He that rules over men in justice, that rules in the fear of God,

4 Is like the morning light at sunrise on a cloudless morning, making the greensward sparkle after rain.'

5 Is not my house firm before God? He has made an eternal covenant with me, set forth in detail and secured. Will he not bring to fruition all my salvation and my every desire?

6 But the wicked are all like thorns to be cast away; they cannot be taken up by hand.

7 He who wishes to touch them must arm himself with iron and the shaft of a spear, and they must be consumed by fire."

8 These are the names of David's warriors. Ishbaal, son of Hachamoni, was the first of the Three. It was he who brandished his battle-ax over eight hundred slain in a single encounter.

9 Next to him, among the Three warriors, was Eleazar, son of Dodo the Ahohite. He was with David at Ephes-dammim when the Philistines assembled there for battle. The Israelites had retreated,

10 but he stood his ground and fought the Philistines until his hand grew tired and became cramped, holding fast to the sword. The LORD brought about a great victory on that day; the soldiers turned back after Eleazar, but only to strip the slain.

11 Next to him was Shammah, son of Agee the Hararite. The Philistines had assembled at Lehi, where there was a plot of land full of lentils. When the soldiers fled from the Philistines,

12 he took his stand in the middle of the plot and defended it. He slew the Philistines, and the LORD brought about a great victory. Such were the deeds of the Three warriors.

13 During the harvest three of the Thirty went down to David in the cave of Adullam, while a Philistine clan was encamped in the Vale of Rephaim.

14 At that time David was in the refuge, and there was a garrison of Philistines in Bethlehem.

15 Now David had a strong craving and said, "Oh, that someone would give me a drink of water from the cistern that is by the gate of Bethlehem!"

16 So the Three warriors broke through the Philistine camp and drew water from the cistern that is by the gate of Bethlehem. But when they brought it to David he refused to drink it, and instead poured it out to the LORD,

17 saying: "The LORD forbid that I do this! Can I drink the blood of these men who went at the risk of their lives?" So he refused to drink it.

18 Abishai, brother of Joab, son of Zeruiah, was at the head of the Thirty. It was he who brandished his spear over three hundred slain. He was listed among the Thirty

19 and commanded greater respect than the Thirty, becoming their leader. However, he did not attain to the Three.

20 Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, a stalwart from Kabzeel, was a man of great achievements. It was he who slew the two lions in Moab. He also went down and killed the lion in the cistern at the time of the snow.

21 It was he, too, who slew an Egyptian of large stature. Although the Egyptian was armed with a spear, he went against him with a club and wrested the spear from the Egyptian's hand, then killed him with his own spear.

22 Such were the deeds performed by Benaiah, son of Jehoiada. He was listed among the Thirty warriors

23 and commanded greater respect than the Thirty. However, he did not attain to the Three. David put him in command of his bodyguard.

24 Asahel, brother of Joab. . . .Among the Thirty were: Elhanan, son of Dodo, from Bethlehem;

25 Shammah from En-harod; Elika from En-harod;

26 Helez from Beth-pelet; Ira, son of Ikkesh, from Tekoa;

27 Abiezer from Anathoth; Sibbecai from Hushah;

28 Zalmon from Ahoh; Maharai from Netophah;

29 Heled, son of Baanah, from Netophah; Ittai, son of Ribai, from Gibeah of the Benjaminites;

30 Benaiah from Pirathon; Hiddai from Nahale-gaash;

31 Abibaal from Beth-arabah; Azmaveth from Bahurim;

32 Eliahba from Shaalbon; Jashen the Gunite; Jonathan,

33 son of Shammah the Hararite; Ahiam, son of Sharar the Hararite;

34 Eliphelet, son of Ahasbai, from Beth-maacah; Eliam, son of Ahithophel, from Gilo;

35 Hezrai from Carmel; Paarai the Arbite;

36 Igal, son of Nathan, from Zobah; Bani the Gadite;

37 Zelek the Ammonite; Naharai from Beeroth, armor-bearer of Joab, son of Zeruiah;

38 Ira from Jattir; Gareb from Jattir;

39 Uriah the Hittite-thirty-seven in all.

v 1. “Last words of David” refers either to the last song he wrote, or the last of his inspired words. He observes without boasting of his promotion from a mere son of Jesse to the anointed one of God who became the “sweet psalmist of Israel”.

v 2-5. David acknowledges that his psalms were directly inspired by God, even putting the words on his tongue. This does not of course refer to the many times when David spoke wrong things from his fleshly nature and disobedience to God. The Lord dawns upon people as delightful as a morning sunrise or a refreshing rain, but David’s house arose among many clouds of corruption and difficulties. Yet in spite of David’s unworthiness, the Lord had made with him an everlasting covenant. The beauty of verse 4 may well be a prophecy of the Messiah.

v 6,7. In contrast, wicked men and unbelievers will be destroyed, see Matt. 13:31. The text of this short composition in the spirit of the wisdom writers (Proverb 30:1-6) is difficult in places; it views David's career in retrospect.There are thirty-seven warriors in all mentioned in this list. First there are the Three warriors most noted for single-handed exploits (2 Sam 23:8-12). Then comes the story of a daring adventure by three unnamed members of the larger group (2 Sam 23:13-17). Next come the commanders of the king's bodyguard, Abishai (2 Sam 23:18-19) and Benaiah (2 Sam 23:20-23), with whom must be counted Asahel (2 Sam 23:24) and Joab (2 Sam 23:18,24,37), and finally the group of the Thirty (2 Sam 23:24-39).V 8, the eight hundred men is properly 300 men in 1 Chr. 11:11.

v 8. This is a roll of David’s mighty men and compares favorably with 1 Chr. 11, with some omissions and additions. The Hebrew way of spelling a name in more than one way adds to the confusion. One of the best charts on this is in The Bible Knowledge by Walvoord and Zuck, pages 478 and 479. I will add a few details from    1 Chr. 11 on the verses in this chapter.

V 9,10, Eleazar stood and defended a barley field with David and two other men after all the others had fled. He had gripped his sword so long he couldn’t let go. (A friend of mine was ship wrecked and clung to a board till he couldn’t let go.)

V 11,12, Shammah alone did a similar deed to defend a field of lentils.

V 13-17. Three men broke through the Philistine line to get water for David while he was in exile at the cave Adullam, 1 Sam. 22:1. Pouring the water out was not disrespectful to the three, but was an offering to God, recognizing their risk & devotion.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

V 18,19. It is interesting to see how many other times Abishai, Joab’s brother and David’s nephew, distinguished himself. 1 Sam. 26:6-9; 2 Sam. 2:24; 10:10-14; 18:2; 20:10; 21:17; 1 Chr. 18:12, and other offers of assistance.

 

V 20-23. Benaiah killed two giants, a lion in a pit in difficult weather conditions,  and an Egyptian seven and a half feet tall with his own huge spear. He had been over David’s special guard, 20:23, and became Solomon’s chief general, 1 Ki. 2:35.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

v 24-38. The thirty men were apparently a sort of legion of honor, and as one died, someone was selected to take his place. Asahel, another of Joab's brother is so honored, but Joab is not. He had been very loyal and helpful to David most of his life, but nearing David’s death, defected to Adonijah 1 Ki. 1:7. It should be noted that Ittai of verse 29 is not Ittai the Hittite who was from Gath, and led one of David’s armies, 18:3.A more complete notice about Asahel, who died early in his career (2 Sam 2:16-23), is to be presumed lost at this point. Elhanan is the first of the Thirty.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

v 39. It is a shame that David tried to cover up his own sin by having his loyal and valuable soldier, Uriah, slain by the enemy, 2 Sam. 11.