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2 Samuel 23

KJV · Chapter 23/24

1Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said,

2The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.

3The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.

4And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain.

5Although my house be not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow.

6But the sons of Belial shall be all of them as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands:

7But the man that shall touch them must be fenced with iron and the staff of a spear; and they shall be utterly burned with fire in the same place.

8These be the names of the mighty men whom David had: The Tachmonite that sat in the seat, chief among the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite: he lift up his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time.

9And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines that were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away:

10He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword: and the Lord wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to spoil.

11And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentiles: and the people fled from the Philistines.

12But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the Lord wrought a great victory.

13And three of the thirty chief went down, and came to David in the harvest time unto the cave of Adullam: and the troop of the Philistines pitched in the valley of Rephaim.

14And David was then in an hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Beth–lehem.

15And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Beth–lehem, which is by the gate!

16And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Beth–lehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the Lord.

17And he said, Be it far from me, O Lord, that I should do this: is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men.

18And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief among three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred, and slew them, and had the name among three.

19Was he not most honourable of three? therefore he was their captain: howbeit he attained not unto the first three.

20And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man, of Kabzeel, who had done many acts, he slew two lionlike men of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow:

21And he slew an Egyptian, a goodly man: and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and slew him with his own spear.

22These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among three mighty men.

23He was more honourable than the thirty, but he attained not to the first three. And David set him over his guard.

24Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Beth–lehem,

25Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,

26Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,

27Abiezer the Anethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,

28Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,

29Heleb the son of Baanah, a Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai out of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin,

30Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash,

31Abi–albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,

32Eliahba the Shaalbonite, of the sons of Jashen, Jonathan,

33Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite,

34Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,

35Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,

36Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite,

37Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armourbearer to Joab the son of Zeruiah,

38Ira an Ithrite, Gareb an Ithrite,

39Uriah the Hittite: thirty and seven in all.

📖 Chapter study

Summary

David's poetic 'last words' about just rule are recorded, followed by a detailed list of his mightiest warriors ('the thirty'), including the heroic feat of three men who risked their lives to bring David water from a besieged well.

Explanation

This chapter serves as a tribute both to David's final words of wisdom and to the men who made his reign possible — a reminder that no great leader rules alone. David's act of pouring out the water brought at such great risk, rather than drinking it, shows reverence: he considers that water too sacred, bought with the risk of blood, to be consumed casually. It is a lesson about recognizing and honoring others' sacrifice rather than taking it for granted.

Fun facts

  • Uriah the Hittite — Bathsheba's husband, killed on David's orders in chapter 11 — appears in this roll of honor among the 37 mighty warriors, making his betrayal all the more tragic in light of his proven loyalty.
  • Benaiah, one of the warriors listed, killed a lion inside a pit on a snowy day — a feat so remarkable that Solomon later appointed him commander of the whole army (1 Kings 2:35).

Verse-by-verse explanation

  1. 2 Samuel 23:1This introduces David’s last words, described as the anointed of the God of Jacob and the sweet psalmist of Israel — a kind of final poetic testament.
  2. 2 Samuel 23:2David declares that the Spirit of the Lord spoke through him, and God’s word was on his tongue.
  3. 2 Samuel 23:3God, the Rock of Israel, reveals that there will be a just ruler, one who rules in the fear of God — an ideal of leadership that points beyond David himself.
  4. 2 Samuel 23:4This just ruler is compared to the morning light without clouds, which makes the grass spring up from the earth after rain — an image of blessing and life.
  5. 2 Samuel 23:5Even acknowledging that his own house is not perfect before God, David trusts in the everlasting covenant God made with him, the source of all his hope and joy.
  6. 2 Samuel 23:6In contrast, the wicked are compared to discarded thorns, which no one can hold in their hand.
  7. 2 Samuel 23:7Whoever touches these thorns must arm himself with iron, and in the end they are completely burned where they lie.
  8. 2 Samuel 23:8This begins the list of David’s mightiest warriors: the chief among them killed eight hundred men at one time.
  9. 2 Samuel 23:9Eleazar is remembered for standing firm with David when the Israelites provoked the Philistines gathered for battle.
  10. 2 Samuel 23:10Eleazar fought until his hand grew numb, clinging to the sword, and the Lord gave a great victory that day, with the people returning only to gather the spoil.
  11. 2 Samuel 23:11Shammah is remembered for another battle, when the Philistines gathered in a field of lentils and the people of Israel fled before them.
  12. 2 Samuel 23:12Shammah stood alone in the middle of the field, defended that piece of ground, and the Lord granted another great victory.
  13. 2 Samuel 23:13Three of the thirty chief warriors go down to the cave of Adullam to find David, while the Philistines camped in the valley of Rephaim.
  14. 2 Samuel 23:14At that time David was in a stronghold, and a Philistine garrison occupied Bethlehem.
  15. 2 Samuel 23:15David expresses a simple longing: to drink water from the well of Bethlehem, near the gate of his hometown.
  16. 2 Samuel 23:16David refuses to drink the water brought by his three mightiest warriors, who had fetched it by breaking through the enemy camp, and pours it out as an offering — to him, drinking something obtained at such risk would be like drinking the blood of the men who had risked their lives for it.
  17. 2 Samuel 23:17David refuses to drink the water, saying it would be like drinking the blood of the men who had risked their lives for it, and pours it out as an offering to the Lord.
  18. 2 Samuel 23:18Abishai, Joab’s brother, is also singled out as a leader among the warriors, having killed three hundred men single-handedly with his spear.
  19. 2 Samuel 23:19Despite his fame, Abishai did not reach the level of the three mightiest warriors mentioned before him.
  20. 2 Samuel 23:20Benaiah is remembered for extraordinary feats: he killed two mighty warriors of Moab and went down into a pit to kill a lion on a day of snow.
  21. 2 Samuel 23:21Benaiah also killed an impressive Egyptian warrior, disarming him with a staff and using the man’s own spear to kill him.
  22. 2 Samuel 23:22These feats earned Benaiah a place of distinction among David’s mightiest warriors.
  23. 2 Samuel 23:23Benaiah was the most respected among the thirty warriors, though he too did not reach the first three, and David placed him in charge of his personal guard.
  24. 2 Samuel 23:24A longer list of David’s thirty mighty warriors begins, including Asahel, Joab’s brother, and Elhanan of Bethlehem.
  25. 2 Samuel 23:25These names are part of the list of the Thirty, David’s most respected group of warriors — a roster of heroes that closes, in all, with thirty-seven names.
  26. 2 Samuel 23:26Helez and Ira join the list of the Thirty; Ira, of Tekoa, is from the same town as the wise woman Joab brought to reconcile David with Absalom.
  27. 2 Samuel 23:27Two more names from the list of David’s Thirty mighty men — Anathoth, the home of Abiezer, is the same town from which the prophet Jeremiah would come, centuries later.
  28. 2 Samuel 23:28Two more warriors from the list of the Thirty — Netophah, the home of Maharai, was known for supplying elite soldiers to David’s army.
  29. 2 Samuel 23:29The list continues with Heleb son of Baanah, of Netophah, and Ittai son of Ribai, of Gibeah, of the tribe of Benjamin.
  30. 2 Samuel 23:30This Benaiah is different from Benaiah son of Jehoiada, commander of David’s guard, mentioned a few verses earlier — same name, different warrior.
  31. 2 Samuel 23:31Two more names from the long list of David’s Thirty warriors — soldiers from towns scattered across the whole territory of Israel.
  32. 2 Samuel 23:32This Jonathan shares his name with Saul’s son, David’s great friend — but here he is just another soldier from the group of the Thirty mighty men.
  33. 2 Samuel 23:33The list continues with Shammah of Harar, and Ahiam son of Sharar, also of Harar.
  34. 2 Samuel 23:34The list includes Eliphelet, grandson of a Maachathite, and Eliam son of Ahithophel — the same counselor who betrayed David alongside Absalom.
  35. 2 Samuel 23:35Two more warriors, from Carmel and from Arba, round out the list of the Thirty — almost none of these names appear anywhere else in the Bible.
  36. 2 Samuel 23:36This Nathan, father of Igal, is not the prophet who confronted David about Bathsheba — he is simply another man with the same name, common at the time.
  37. 2 Samuel 23:37The list continues with Zelek the Ammonite, and Naharai of Beeroth, who carried Joab’s armor.
  38. 2 Samuel 23:38Ira and Gareb close out almost the entire list of the Thirty — only one more name remains, the last and most surprising of all: Uriah the Hittite.
  39. 2 Samuel 23:39Uriah the Hittite appears in the final list of David’s thirty mightiest warriors — the same man David had killed in chapter 11. Closing the list with this name is a quiet irony in the text, reminding the reader who Uriah really was before he became a victim.

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