{"meta":{"source":"Prime Bible","sourceUrl":"https://primebible.com","license":"Public domain (translation text); see citation policy at /citation-policy","organization":"501(c)(3) nonprofit — EIN 41-2531951","canonicalUrl":"https://primebible.com/kjv/2-samuel/23","llmTxt":"https://primebible.com/llms.txt","generatedAt":"2026-05-27T00:35:30.840Z"},"reference":{"translation":"KJV","book":"2 Samuel","bookSlug":"2-samuel","chapter":23,"testament":"OLD"},"navigation":{"previousChapter":22,"nextChapter":24,"totalChapters":24,"totalVerses":39},"verses":[{"verseNumber":1,"text":"Now these <i>be</i> the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man <i>who was</i> raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said,"},{"verseNumber":2,"text":"The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word <i>was</i> in my tongue."},{"verseNumber":3,"text":"The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men <i>must be</i> just, ruling in the fear of God."},{"verseNumber":4,"text":"And <i>he shall be</i> as the light of the morning, <i>when</i> the sun riseth, <i>even</i> a morning without clouds; <i>as</i> the tender grass <i>springing</i> out of the earth by clear shining after rain."},{"verseNumber":5,"text":"Although my house <i>be</i> not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all <i>things</i>, and sure: for <i>this is</i> all my salvation, and all <i>my</i> desire, although he make <i>it</i> not to grow."},{"verseNumber":6,"text":"But <i>the sons</i> of Belial <i>shall be</i> all of them as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands:"},{"verseNumber":7,"text":"But the man <i>that</i> shall touch them must be fenced with iron and the staff of a spear; and they shall be utterly burned with fire in the <i>same</i> place."},{"verseNumber":8,"text":"These <i>be</i> the names of the mighty men whom David had: The Tachmonite that sat in the seat, chief among the captains; the same <i>was</i> Adino the Eznite: <i>he lift up his spear</i> against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time."},{"verseNumber":9,"text":"And after him <i>was</i> Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, <i>one</i> of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines <i>that</i> were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away:"},{"verseNumber":10,"text":"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."},{"verseNumber":11,"text":"And after him <i>was</i> 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."},{"verseNumber":12,"text":"But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the LORD wrought a great victory."},{"verseNumber":13,"text":"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."},{"verseNumber":14,"text":"And David <i>was</i> then in an hold, and the garrison of the Philistines <i>was</i> then <i>in</i> Bethlehem."},{"verseNumber":15,"text":"And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, which <i>is</i> by the gate!"},{"verseNumber":16,"text":"And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that <i>was</i> by the gate, and took <i>it</i>, and brought <i>it</i> to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the LORD."},{"verseNumber":17,"text":"And he said, Be it far from me, O LORD, that I should do this: <i>is not this</i> 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."},{"verseNumber":18,"text":"And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief among three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred, <i>and</i> slew <i>them</i>, and had the name among three."},{"verseNumber":19,"text":"Was he not most honourable of three? therefore he was their captain: howbeit he attained not unto the <i>first</i> three."},{"verseNumber":20,"text":"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:"},{"verseNumber":21,"text":"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."},{"verseNumber":22,"text":"These <i>things</i> did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among three mighty men."},{"verseNumber":23,"text":"He was more honourable than the thirty, but he attained not to the <i>first</i> three. And David set him over his guard."},{"verseNumber":24,"text":"Asahel the brother of Joab <i>was</i> one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,"},{"verseNumber":25,"text":"Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,"},{"verseNumber":26,"text":"Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,"},{"verseNumber":27,"text":"Abiezer the Anethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,"},{"verseNumber":28,"text":"Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,"},{"verseNumber":29,"text":"Heleb the son of Baanah, a Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai out of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin,"},{"verseNumber":30,"text":"Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash,"},{"verseNumber":31,"text":"Abialbon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,"},{"verseNumber":32,"text":"Eliahba the Shaalbonite, of the sons of Jashen, Jonathan,"},{"verseNumber":33,"text":"Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite,"},{"verseNumber":34,"text":"Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,"},{"verseNumber":35,"text":"Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,"},{"verseNumber":36,"text":"Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite,"},{"verseNumber":37,"text":"Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armourbearer to Joab the son of Zeruiah,"},{"verseNumber":38,"text":"Ira an Ithrite, Gareb an Ithrite,"},{"verseNumber":39,"text":"Uriah the Hittite: thirty and seven in all."}],"citation":{"inline":"2 Samuel 23 (KJV)","markdown":"[2 Samuel 23](https://primebible.com/kjv/2-samuel/23)","sbl":"Prime Bible. *The Bible.* KJV. https://primebible.com/kjv/2-samuel/23 (accessed 2026-05-27)."}}