3
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
like the morning light at sunrise on a cloudless day that makes the grass on the earth sparkle after a rain.
5
"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 the ungodly are like thorn bushes to be pushed aside, every one of them. They cannot be taken in one's hand;
7
To touch them one uses pitchfork or spear-shaft, and then only to burn them where they lie."
8
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
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
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
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 he stood in the middle of the plot and defended it, killing the P'lishtim; and ADONAI brought about a great victory.
13
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.