Old Testament

New Testament

2 Samuel 23:11-21 Lexham English Bible (LEB)

11. Next to him was Shamma, the son of Agee the Hararite. When the Philistines assembled at Lehi, a plot of the field was there filled with lentils, and the army fled there from the presence of the Philistines.

12. But he took a stand in the middle of the plot of land and defended it. He killed the Philistines, and Yahweh brought about a great victory.

13. Then three of the thirty leaders went down and came to David at the time of the harvest to the cave of Adullam, while a group of the Philistines were camping in the valley of the Rephaim.

14. Now at that time, David was in the stronghold, and a garrison of the Philistines was in Bethlehem at that same time.

15. David said longingly, “Oh that someone would bring me a drink of water from the well of Bethlehem that is at the gate.”

16. So three of the mighty warriors broke into the camp of the Philistines, and they drew water from the well of Bethlehem that was at the gate, and they carried it and brought it to David. But he was not willing to drink it, but poured it out to Yahweh.

17. He said, “Far be it from me before Yahweh that I should do this. Is this not the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives?” So he was not willing to drink it. These things the three mighty warriors did.

18. Now Abishai the brother of Joab the son of Zeruiah was himself the leader of the thirty. He was wielding his spear against three hundred slain and gained a name among the thirty.

19. Among the thirty, is it not that he was honored and became a commander for them? But he did not come up to the three.

20. Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of Ish-Hai, was a great man of deeds from Kabzeel. He struck down two sons of Ariel of Moab, and he went down and killed a lion in the middle of a pit on a snowy day.

21. He also killed a good-looking Egyptian man, in whose hand was a spear. He went down against him with the staff and snatched the spear from the hand of the Egyptian and killed him with his spear.

Read complete chapter 2 Samuel 23