23:1

וְאֵלֶּה דִּבְרֵי דָוִד הָאַחֲרֹנִים נְאֻם דָּוִד בֶּן־יִשַׁי וּנְאֻם הַגֶּבֶר הֻקַם עָל מְשִׁיחַ אֱלֹהֵי יַעֲקֹב וּנְעִים זְמִרוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל׃

Now these are the last words of David: The saying of David the son of Jesse, And the saying of the man raised on high, The anointed of the God of Jacob, And the sweet singer of Israel:

¹

23:2

רוּחַ יְהוָה דִּבֶּר־בִּי וּמִלָּתוֹ עַל־לְשׁוֹנִי׃

The spirit of the LORD spoke by me, And His word was upon my tongue.

¹

23:3

אָמַר אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לִי דִבֶּר צוּר יִשְׂרָאֵל מוֹשֵׁל בָּאָדָם צַדִּיק מוֹשֵׁל יִרְאַת אֱלֹהִים׃

The God of Israel said, The Rock of Israel spoke to me: ‘Ruler over men shall be The righteous, even he that ruleth in the fear of God,

¹

23:4

וּכְאוֹר בֹּקֶר יִזְרַח־שָׁמֶשׁ בֹּקֶר לֹא עָבוֹת מִנֹּגַהּ מִמָּטָר דֶּשֶׁא מֵאָרֶץ׃

And as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, A morning without clouds; When through clear shining after rain, The tender grass springeth out of the earth.’

¹

23:5

כִּי־לֹא־כֵן בֵּיתִי עִם־אֵל כִּי בְרִית עוֹלָם שָׂם לִי עֲרוּכָה בַכֹּל וּשְׁמֻרָה כִּי־כָל־יִשְׁעִי וְכָל־חֵפֶץ כִּי־לֹא יַצְמִיחַ׃

For is not my house established with God? For an everlasting covenant He hath made with me, Ordered in all things, and sure; For all my salvation, and all my desire, Will he not make it to grow?

¹

23:6

וּבְלִיַּעַל כְּקוֹץ מֻנָד כֻּלָּהַם כִּי־לֹא בְיָד יִקָּחוּ׃

But the ungodly, they are as thorns thrust away, all of them, For they cannot be taken with the hand;

¹

23:7

וְאִישׁ יִגַּע בָּהֶם יִמָּלֵא בַרְזֶל וְעֵץ חֲנִית וּבָאֵשׁ שָׂרוֹף יִשָּׂרְפוּ בַּשָּׁבֶת׃

But the man that toucheth them Must be armed with iron and the staff of a spear; And they shall be utterly burned with fire in their place.

¹

23:8

אֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת הַגִּבֹּרִים אֲשֶׁר לְדָוִד יֹשֵׁב בַּשֶּׁבֶת תַּחְכְּמֹנִי רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁלִשִׁי הוּא עֲדִינוֹ העצנו [הָעֶצְנִי] עַל־שְׁמֹנֶה מֵאוֹת חָלָל בְּפַעַם אחד [אֶחָת׃]

These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-basshebeth a Tahchemonite, chief of the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite; [he lifted up his spear] against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time.

²

23:9

ואחרו [וְאַחֲרָיו] אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן־דדי [דֹּדוֹ] בֶּן־אֲחֹחִי בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה גברים [הַגִּבֹּרִים] עִם־דָּוִד בְּחָרְפָם בַּפְּלִשְׁתִּים נֶאֶסְפוּ־שָׁם לַמִּלְחָמָה וַיַּעֲלוּ אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל׃

And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the son of an Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they jeoparded their lives against the Philistines that were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away;

¹

23:10

הוּא קָם וַיַּךְ בַּפְּלִשְׁתִּים עַד כִּי־יָגְעָה יָדוֹ וַתִּדְבַּק יָדוֹ אֶל־הַחֶרֶב וַיַּעַשׂ יְהוָה תְּשׁוּעָה גְדוֹלָה בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא וְהָעָם יָשֻׁבוּ אַחֲרָיו אַךְ־לְפַשֵּׁט׃

he stood firm, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand did cleave unto the sword; and the LORD wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to strip the slain.

¹

23:11

וְאַחֲרָיו שַׁמָּא בֶן־אָגֵא הָרָרִי וַיֵּאָסְפוּ פְלִשְׁתִּים לַחַיָּה וַתְּהִי־שָׁם חֶלְקַת הַשָּׂדֶה מְלֵאָה עֲדָשִׁים וְהָעָם נָס מִפְּנֵי פְלִשְׁתִּים׃

And after him was Shammah the son of Age the Ararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a plot of ground full of lentils; and the people fled from the Philistines.

¹

23:12

וַיִּתְיַצֵּב בְּתוֹךְ־הַחֶלְקָה וַיַּצִּילֶהָ וַיַּךְ אֶת־פְּלִשְׁתִּים וַיַּעַשׂ יְהוָה תְּשׁוּעָה גְדוֹלָה׃

But he stood in the midst of the plot, and defended it, and slew the Philistines; and the LORD wrought a great victory.

23:13

וַיֵּרְדוּ שלשים [שְׁלֹשָׁה] מֵהַשְּׁלֹשִׁים רֹאשׁ וַיָּבֹאוּ אֶל־קָצִיר אֶל־דָּוִד אֶל־מְעָרַת עֲדֻלָּם וְחַיַּת פְּלִשְׁתִּים חֹנָה בְּעֵמֶק רְפָאִים׃

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 were encamped in the valley of Rephaim.

¹

23:14

וְדָוִד אָז בַּמְּצוּדָה וּמַצַּב פְּלִשְׁתִּים אָז בֵּית לָחֶם׃

And David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Beth-lehem.

¹

23:15

וַיִּתְאַוֶּה דָוִד וַיֹּאמַר מִי יַשְׁקֵנִי מַיִם מִבֹּאר בֵּית־לֶחֶם אֲשֶׁר בַּשָּׁעַר׃

And David longed, and said: ‘Oh that one would give me water to drink of the well of Beth-lehem, which is by the gate! ’

¹

23:16

וַיִּבְקְעוּ שְׁלֹשֶׁת הַגִּבֹּרִים בְּמַחֲנֵה פְלִשְׁתִּים וַיִּשְׁאֲבוּ־מַיִם מִבֹּאר בֵּית־לֶחֶם אֲשֶׁר בַּשַּׁעַר וַיִּשְׂאוּ וַיָּבִאוּ אֶל־דָּוִד וְלֹא אָבָה לִשְׁתּוֹתָם וַיַּסֵּךְ אֹתָם לַיהוָה׃

And the three mighty men broke 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; but he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the LORD.

¹

23:17

וַיֹּאמֶר חָלִילָה לִּי יְהוָה מֵעֲשֹׂתִי זֹאת הֲדַם הָאֲנָשִׁים הַהֹלְכִים בְּנַפְשׁוֹתָם וְלֹא אָבָה לִשְׁתּוֹתָם אֵלֶּה עָשׂוּ שְׁלֹשֶׁת הַגִּבֹּרִים׃

And he said: ‘Be it far from me, O LORD, that I should do this; shall I drink the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives?’ therefore he would not drink it. These things did the three mighty men.

¹

23:18

וַאֲבִישַׁי אֲחִי יוֹאָב בֶּן־צְרוּיָה הוּא רֹאשׁ השלשי [הַשְּׁלֹשָׁה] וְהוּא עוֹרֵר אֶת־חֲנִיתוֹ עַל־שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת חָלָל וְלוֹ־שֵׁם בַּשְּׁלֹשָׁה׃

And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred and slew them, and had a name among the three.

23:19

מִן־הַשְּׁלֹשָׁה הֲכִי נִכְבָּד וַיְהִי לָהֶם לְשָׂר וְעַד־הַשְּׁלֹשָׁה לֹא־בָא׃

He was most honourable of the three; therefore he was made their captain; howbeit he attained not unto the first three.

¹

23:20

וּבְנָיָהוּ בֶן־יְהוֹיָדָע בֶּן־אִישׁ־חי [חַיִל] רַב־פְּעָלִים מִקַּבְצְאֵל הוּא הִכָּה אֵת שְׁנֵי אֲרִאֵל מוֹאָב וְהוּא יָרַד וְהִכָּה אֶת־האריה [הָאֲרִי] בְּתוֹךְ הַבֹּאר בְּיוֹם הַשָּׁלֶג׃

And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done mighty deeds, he smote the two altar-hearths of Moab; he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow;

¹

23:21

וְהוּא־הִכָּה אֶת־אִישׁ מִצְרִי אשר [אִישׁ] מַרְאֶה וּבְיַד הַמִּצְרִי חֲנִית וַיֵּרֶד אֵלָיו בַּשָּׁבֶט וַיִּגְזֹל אֶת־הַחֲנִית מִיַּד הַמִּצְרִי וַיַּהַרְגֵהוּ בַּחֲנִיתוֹ׃

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.

23:22

אֵלֶּה עָשָׂה בְּנָיָהוּ בֶּן־יְהוֹיָדָע וְלוֹ־שֵׁם בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה הַגִּבֹּרִים׃

These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had a name among the three mighty men.

23:23

מִן־הַשְּׁלֹשִׁים נִכְבָּד וְאֶל־הַשְּׁלֹשָׁה לֹא־בָא וַיְשִׂמֵהוּ דָוִד אֶל־מִשְׁמַעְתּוֹ׃

He was more honourable than the thirty, but he attained not to the first three. And David set him over his guard.

¹

23:24

עֲשָׂה־אֵל אֲחִי־יוֹאָב בַּשְּׁלֹשִׁים אֶלְחָנָן בֶּן־דֹּדוֹ בֵּית לָחֶם׃

Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Beth-lehem;

23:25

שַׁמָּה הַחֲרֹדִי אֱלִיקָא הַחֲרֹדִי׃

Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite;

23:26

חֶלֶץ הַפַּלְטִי עִירָא בֶן־עִקֵּשׁ הַתְּקוֹעִי׃

Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite;

23:27

אֲבִיעֶזֶר הָעַנְּתֹתִי מְבֻנַּי הַחֻשָׁתִי׃

Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite;

23:28

צַלְמוֹן הָאֲחֹחִי מַהְרַי הַנְּטֹפָתִי׃

Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite;

23:29

חֵלֶב בֶּן־בַּעֲנָה הַנְּטֹפָתִי אִתַּי בֶּן־רִיבַי מִגִּבְעַת בְּנֵי בִנְיָמִן׃

Heleb the son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin;

23:30

בְּנָיָהוּ פִּרְעָתֹנִי הִדַּי מִנַּחֲלֵי גָעַשׁ׃

Benaiah a Pirathonite, Hiddai of Nahale-gaash;

23:31

אֲבִי־עַלְבוֹן הָעַרְבָתִי עַזְמָוֶת הַבַּרְחֻמִי׃

Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite;

23:32

אֶלְיַחְבָּא הַשַּׁעַלְבֹנִי בְּנֵי יָשֵׁן יְהוֹנָתָן׃

Eliahba the Shaalbonite, of the sons of Jashen, Jonathan;

23:33

שַׁמָּה הַהֲרָרִי אֲחִיאָם בֶּן־שָׁרָר הָארָרִי׃

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

23:34

אֱלִיפֶלֶט בֶּן־אֲחַסְבַּי בֶּן־הַמַּעֲכָתִי אֱלִיעָם בֶּן־אֲחִיתֹפֶל הַגִּלֹנִי׃

Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maacathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite;

23:35

חצרו [חֶצְרַי] הַכַּרְמְלִי פַּעֲרַי הָאַרְבִּי׃

Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite;

23:36

יִגְאָל בֶּן־נָתָן מִצֹּבָה בָּנִי הַגָּדִי׃

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

23:37

צֶלֶק הָעַמֹּנִי נַחְרַי הַבְּאֵרֹתִי נשאי [נֹשֵׂא] כְּלֵי יוֹאָב בֶּן־צְרֻיָה׃

Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armour-bearer to Joab the son of Zeruiah;

23:38

עִירָא הַיִּתְרִי גָּרֵב הַיִּתְרִי׃

Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite;

23:39

אוּרִיָּה הַחִתִּי כֹּל שְׁלֹשִׁים וְשִׁבְעָה׃

Uriah the Hittite. Thirty and seven in all.

¹