1. These are the last wordsof David the son of Jesse.The God of Jacob chose Davidand made him a great king.The Mighty God of Israelloved him.When God told him to speak,David said:
2. The Spirit of the Lordhas told me what to say.
3. Our Mighty Rock,the God of Jacob, told me,“A ruler who obeys Godand does right
4. is like the sunriseon a cloudless day,or like rain that sparkleson the grass.”
5. I have ruled this way,and God will never breakhis promise to me.God's promise is completeand unchanging;he will always help meand give me what I hope for.
6. But evil people are pulled uplike thorn bushes.They are not dug up by hand,
7. but with a sharp spearand are burnt on the spot.
8. These are the names of David's warriors:Ishbosheth the son of Hachmon was the leader of the Three Warriors. In one battle, he killed eight hundred men with his spear.
9. The next one of the Three Warriors was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite. One time when the Philistines were at war with Israel, he and David dared the Philistines to fight them. Every one of the Israelite soldiers turned and ran,
10. except Eleazar. He killed Philistines until his hand was cramped, and he couldn't let go of his sword. When Eleazar finished, all the Israelite troops had to do was come back and take the enemies' weapons and armour. The Lord gave Israel a great victory that day.
11. Next was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. One time the Philistines brought their army together to destroy a crop of peas growing in a field near Lehi. The rest of Israel's soldiers ran away from the Philistines,
12. but Shammah stood in the middle of the field and killed the Philistines. The crops were saved, and the Lord gave Israel a great victory.
13. One year at harvest time, the Three Warriors went to meet David at Adullam Cave. The Philistine army had set up camp in Rephaim Valley
14. and had taken over Bethlehem. David was in his fortress,
15. and he was very thirsty. He said, “I wish I had a drink from the well by the gate at Bethlehem.”