2 Samuel 23:8–23

Exploits of David’s Warriors

⁸These are the names of David’s warriors: ^l

Josheb-basshebeth the Tahchemonite was chief of the officers. ^mHe wielded his spear ⁿagainst 800 men that he killed at one time.

⁹After him, Eleazar son of Dodo son of an Ahohite was among the three warriors with David when they defied the Philistines. The men of Israel retreated in the place they had gathered for battle, ¹⁰but Eleazar stood his ground and attacked the Philistines until his hand was tired and stuck to his sword. The Lord brought about a great victory that day. Then the troops came back to him, but only to plunder the dead.

¹¹After him was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. The Philistines had assembled in formation where there was a field full of lentils. The troops fled from the Philistines, ¹²but Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field, defended it, and struck down the Philistines. So the Lord brought about a great victory.

¹³Three of the 30 leading warriors went down at harvest time and came to David at the cave of Adullam, ^owhile a company of Philistines was camping in the Valley of Rephaim. ¹⁴At that time David was in the stronghold, ^pand a Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem. ¹⁵David was extremely thirsty ^qand said, “If only someone would bring me water to drink from the well at the city gate of Bethlehem!” ¹⁶So three of the warriors broke through the Philistine camp and drew water from the well at the gate of Bethlehem. They brought it back to David, but he refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out to the Lord. ¹⁷David said, “Lord, I would never do such a thing! Is this not the blood of men who risked their lives?” So he refused to drink it. Such were the exploits of the three warriors.

¹⁸Abishai, Joab’s brother and son of Zeruiah, ^rwas leader of the Three. ^sHe raised his spear against 300 men and killed them, gaining a reputation among the Three. ¹⁹Was he not more honored than the Three? He became their commander even though he did not become one of the Three. ^t

²⁰Benaiah son of Jehoiada ^uwas the son of a brave man from Kabzeel, a man of many exploits. Benaiah killed two sons ^vof Ariel ^wof Moab, and he went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion. ²¹He also killed an Egyptian, a huge man. Even though the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, Benaiah went down to him with a club, snatched the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and then killed him with his own spear. ²²These were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada, who had a reputation among the three warriors. ²³He was the most honored of the Thirty, but he did not become one of the Three. David put him in charge of his bodyguard.