2 Samuel 23:8-17

Legacy Standard Bible

David’s Mighty Men

^8 (A)These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-basshebeth a Tahchemonite, chief of the ^[a]captains, he was called Adino the Eznite, because of eight hundred slain by him at one time; ⁹ and after him was Eleazar the son of ^(B)Dodo the ^(C)son of Ahohi, one of the three mighty men with David when they ^[b]reproached the Philistines who were gathered together there to battle and the men of Israel had gone up to retreat. ^10 (D)He arose and struck the Philistines until his hand was weary and ^[c]clung to the sword, and ^(E)Yahweh brought about a great salvation that day; and the people returned after him only to strip the slain.

¹¹ Now after him was Shammah the son of Agee a ^(F)Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered ^[d]into a troop where there was a portion of the field full of lentils; and the people fled from before the Philistines. ¹² But he took his stand in the midst of that portion and delivered it and struck down the Philistines. So ^(G)Yahweh brought about a great salvation.

¹³ Then three of the thirty chief men went down and came to David in the harvest time to the ^(H)cave of Adullam, while the troop of the Philistines was camping in ^(I)the valley of Rephaim. ¹⁴ And David was then ^(J)in the fortress, while the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. ^15 (K)Then David had a craving and said, “Oh that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!” ^16 (L)So the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines and drew water from the well of Bethlehem which was by the gate, and carried it and brought it to David. Nevertheless, he was not willing to drink it, but ^(M)poured it out to Yahweh; ¹⁷ and he said, “Be it far from me, O Yahweh, that I should do this. ^(N)Shall I drink the blood of the men who went ^[e]at the risk of their lives?” Therefore he was not willing to drink it. These things the three mighty men did.