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.
2. “The Lord’s Spirit spoke through me.His word was on my tongue.
3. The God of Israel spoke.The Rock of Israel said to me:‘The person who rules fairly over people,the person who rules with respect for God,
4. he is like the morning light at dawn.He is like a morning without clouds.He is like sunshine after a rain.The sunshine makes the tender grass grow out of the ground.’
5. “This is how God has cared for my family.God made a lasting agreement with me,good in every way and strong.This agreement is my salvation.This agreement is all I want.Truly, the Lord will make it grow.
6. “But all evil people will be thrown away like thorns.People cannot hold on to thorns.
7. Anyone who touches themuses a tool of iron or a spear.They will be thrown in the fire and burned where they lie.”
8. These are the names of David’s warriors:Josheb-Basshebeth, the Tahkemonite, was head of the Three. He killed 800 men at one time.
9. Next there 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.
10. But Eleazar stayed where he was. He fought the Philistines until he was so tired he could not let go of his sword. The Lord gave a great victory for the Israelites that day. The people came back after Eleazar had won the battle. But they came only to take weapons and armor from the enemy.
11. Next there was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. The Philistines came together to fight. They stood where there was a field full of small peas. Israel’s troops ran away from the Philistines.
12. But Shammah stood in the middle of the field. He fought for the field and killed the Philistines. And the Lord gave a great victory.
13. Once, three of the Thirty, David’s chief soldiers, came down to him during harvest. Now David was at the cave of Adullam. The Philistine army had camped in the Valley of Rephaim.
14. At that time David was in a protected place. And some of the Philistine soldiers were in Bethlehem.
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!”
16. So the three warriors broke through the Philistine army. They took water out of the well near the city gate of Bethlehem. Then they took it to David. But he refused to drink it. He poured it out on the ground before the Lord.