New Century Version NCV
The Complete Jewish Bible CJB
1 These are the last words of David. This is the message of David son of Jesse. The man made great by the Most High God speaks. He is the appointed king of the God of Jacob; he is the sweet singer of Israel:
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Here are David's last words: "This is the speech of David the son of Yishai, the speech of the man who has been raised up, the one anointed by the God of Ya'akov, the sweet singer of Isra'el.
2 "The Lord's Spirit spoke through me, and his word was on my tongue.
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"The Spirit of ADONAI spoke through me, his word was on my tongue.
3 The God of Israel spoke; the Rock of Israel said to me: 'Whoever rules fairly over people, who rules with respect for God,
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The God of Isra'el spoke; the Rock of Isra'el said to me, 'A ruler over people must be upright, ruling in the fear of God;
4 is like the morning light at dawn, like a morning without clouds. He is like sunshine after a rain that makes the grass sprout from the ground.
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like the morning light at sunrise on a cloudless day that makes the grass on the earth sparkle after a rain.
5 "This is how God has cared for my family. God made a lasting agreement with me, right and sure in every way. He will accomplish my salvation and satisfy all my desires.
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"For my house stands firm with God -he made an everlasting covenant with me. It is in order, fully assured, that he will bring to full growth all my salvation and every desire.
6 "But all evil people will be thrown away like thorns that cannot be held in a hand.
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"But the ungodly are like thorn bushes to be pushed aside, every one of them. They cannot be taken in one's hand;
7 No one can touch them except with a tool of iron or wood. They will be thrown in the fire and burned where they lie."
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To touch them one uses pitchfork or spear-shaft, and then only to burn them where they lie."
8 These are the names of David's warriors: Josheb-Basshebeth, the Tahkemonite, was head of the Three. He killed eight hundred men at one time.
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Following are the names of David's warrior-heroes: Yoshev-Bashevet the Tach'kmoni, chief of the three, also known as 'Adino the 'Etzni; he is the one who came against 800 men, whom he killed in a single encounter.
9 Next was Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite. Eleazar was one of the three soldiers who were with David when they challenged the Philistines. The Philistines were gathered for battle, and the Israelites drew back.
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After him was El'azar the son of Dodo the son of Achochi, one of the three warriors with David when they put their lives in jeopardy against the P'lishtim who were there assembled for battle, while the men of Isra'el had gone away.
10 But Eleazar stayed where he was and fought the Philistines until he was so tired his hand stuck to his sword. The Lord gave a great victory for the Israelites that day. The troops came back after Eleazar had won the battle, but only to take weapons and armor from the enemy.
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He stood firm and attacked the P'lishtim until his hand went into spasm, so that he couldn't let go of his sword. ADONAI accomplished a great victory that day; but the people didn't return until he had finished, and then only to plunder the bodies of the dead.
11 Next there was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. The Philistines came together to fight in a vegetable field. Israel's troops ran away from the Philistines,
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After him was Shammah the son of Age the Harari. The P'lishtim had assembled at Lechi, where there was a plot of ground full of lentils; and the people fled from the P'lishtim.
12 but Shammah stood in the middle of the field and fought for it and killed the Philistines. And the Lord gave a great victory.
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But he stood in the middle of the plot and defended it, killing the P'lishtim; and ADONAI brought about a great victory.
13 Once, three of the Thirty, David's chief soldiers, came down to him at the cave of Adullam during harvest. The Philistine army had camped in the Valley of Rephaim.
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During harvest season three of the thirty leaders went down and came to David at the cave of 'Adulam when a company of P'lishtim had set up camp in the Refa'im Valley.
14 At that time David was in the stronghold, and some of the Philistines were in Bethlehem
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At that time David was in the fortress, and the garrison of the P'lishtim was in Beit-Lechem
15 David had a strong desire for some water. He said, "Oh, I wish someone would get me water from the well near the city gate of Bethlehem!"
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David had a craving and said, "I wish someone could give me water to drink from the well by the gate of Beit-Lechem!"
16 So the three warriors broke through the Philistine army and took water from the well near the city gate of Bethlehem. Then they brought it to David, but he refused to drink it. He poured it out before the Lord,
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The three warrior-heroes broke through the army of the P'lishtim, drew water from the well by the gate of Beit-Lechem, took it and brought it to David. But he wouldn't drink it. Instead, he poured it out to ADONAI
17 saying, "May the Lord keep me from drinking this water! It would be like drinking the blood of the men who risked their lives!" So David refused to drink it. These were the brave things that the three warriors did.
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and said, "ADONAI! Heaven forbid that I should do such a thing! Am I to drink the blood of men who went and put their lives in jeopardy?"- and he would not consent to drink it. These are the things the three warrior-heroes did.
18 Abishai, brother of Joab son of Zeruiah, was captain of the Three. Abishai fought three hundred soldiers with his spear and killed them. He became as famous as the Three
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Avishai the brother of Yo'av, the son of Tz'ruyah, was chief of these three. He raised his spear against 300 men and killed them; thus he had a reputation even among the three.
19 and was more honored than the Three. He became their commander even though he was not one of them
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He had the most honor of these three and was therefore made their leader; however, he did not achieve the status of the first three
20 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was a brave fighter from Kabzeel who did mighty things. He killed two of the best warriors from Moab. He also went down into a pit and killed a lion on a snowy day.
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B'nayah the son of Y'hoyada, the son of a valiant man of Kavtze'el, was a man of many exploits. He struck down two lion-hearted men of Mo'av. One day when it was snowing, he went down into a pit and killed a lion.
21 Benaiah killed a large Egyptian who had a spear in his hand. Benaiah had a club, but he grabbed the spear from the Egyptian's hand and killed him with his own spear
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Here is how he killed an Egyptian, a man of intimidating appearance: the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, and he went down to him with only a stick, seized the spear from the Egyptian's hand and killed him with his own spear
22 These were the things Benaiah son of Jehoiada did. He was as famous as the Three.
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These are things that B'nayah the son of Y'hoyada did that earned him a name among the three warrior-heroes.
23 He received more honor than the Thirty, but he did not become a member of the Three. David made him leader of his bodyguards.
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He had more honor than the thirty, but he did not achieve the status of the first three. David put him in command of his personal guard.
24 The following men were among the Thirty: Asahel brother of Joab; Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem;
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'Asah'el the brother of Yo'av was one of the thirty, Elchanan the son of Dodo of Beit-Lechem,
25 Shammah the Harodite; Elika the Harodite;
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Shammah the Harodi, Elika the Harodi,
26 Helez the Paltite; Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa;
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Heletz the Palti, 'Ira son of 'Ikesh from T'koa,
27 Abiezer the Anathothite; Mebunnai the Hushathite;
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Avi'ezer from 'Anatot, M'vunai the Hushati,
28 Zalmon the Ahohite; Maharai the Netophathite;
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Tzalmon the Achochi, Mahrai the N'tofati,
29 Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite; Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin;
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Helev the son of Ba'anah the N'tofati, Ittai the son of Rivai from Giv'ah, of the people of Binyamin,
30 Benaiah the Pirathonite; Hiddai from the ravines of Gaash;
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B'nayahu from Pir'aton, Hiddai from the vadis of Ga'ash,
31 Abi-Albon the Arbathite; Azmaveth the Barhumite;
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Avi-'Alvon the 'Arvati, 'Azmavet the Barchumi,
32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite; the sons of Jashen; Jonathan
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Elyachba the Sha'alvoni, of the sons of Yashen, Y'honatan,
33 son of Shammah the Hararite; Ahiam son of Sharar the Hararite;
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Shammah the Harari, Achi'am the son of Sharar the Arari,
34 Eliphelet son of Ahasbai the Maacathite; Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite;
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Elifelet the son of Achasbai the son of the Ma'akhati, Eli'am the son of Achitofel from Giloh, thirty-seven in all.
35 Hezro the Carmelite; Paarai the Arbite;
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Hetzrai from Karmel, Pa'arai the Arbi,
36 Igal son of Nathan of Zobah; the son of Hagri
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Yig'al the son of Natan of Tzovah, Bani the Gadi
37 Zelek the Ammonite; Naharai the Beerothite, who carried the armor of Joab son of Zeruiah;
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Tzelek the 'Amoni, Nachrai the Be'eroti, armor-bearer for Yo'av the son of Tz'ruyah,
38 Ira the Ithrite; Gareb the Ithrite
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'Ira the Yitri, Garev the Yitri, an
39 and Uriah the Hittite. There were thirty-seven in all.
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Uriyah the Hitti
Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.