12. but Shammah stood in the middle of the field and fought for it 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 at the cave of Adullam during harvest. The Philistine army had camped in the Valley of Rephaim.
14. At that time David was in the stronghold, and some of the Philistines 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 and took water from the well near the city gate of Bethlehem. Then they brought it to David, but he refused to drink it. He poured it out before the Lord,
17. saying, “May the Lord keep me from drinking this water! It would be like drinking the blood of the men who risked their lives!” So David refused to drink it. These were the brave things that the three warriors did.
18. Abishai, brother of Joab son of Zeruiah, was captain of the Three. Abishai fought three hundred soldiers with his spear and killed them. He became as famous as the Three
19. and was more honored than the Three. He became their commander even though he was not one of them.
20. Benaiah son of Jehoiada was a brave fighter from Kabzeel who did mighty things. He killed two of the best warriors from Moab. He also went down into a pit and killed a lion on a snowy day.
21. Benaiah killed a large Egyptian who had a spear in his hand. Benaiah had a club, but he grabbed the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear.
22. These were the things Benaiah son of Jehoiada did. He was as famous as the Three.
23. He received more honor than the Thirty, but he did not become a member of the Three. David made him leader of his bodyguards.
24. The following men were among the Thirty:Asahel brother of Joab;Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem;
25. Shammah the Harodite;Elika the Harodite;
26. Helez the Paltite;Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa;
27. Abiezer the Anathothite;Mebunnai the Hushathite;
28. Zalmon the Ahohite;Maharai the Netophathite;
29. Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite;Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin;
30. Benaiah the Pirathonite;Hiddai from the ravines of Gaash;