| King James Bible | International Standard Version |
| 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, | 1This was David's last composition: The oracle of David, son of Jesse, an oracle by the valiant one who was exalted— anointed by the God of Jacob, the contented psalm writer of Israel. |
| 2The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue. | 2The Spirit of the LORD speaks within me; his word is on 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. | 3The God of Israel has spoken; the Rock of Israel has talked to me. "When one is governing men justly, he fears God while governing. |
| 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. | 4He is like dawn's first light, like bright sun blazing on a cloudless morning, glistening on grassland that flourishes after a rain shower. |
| 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. | 5Is not my dynasty like this with God? Has he not made an eternal covenant with me, preparing every detail of it? And he has made it secure, including my complete salvation, has he not? He has been of continual help, has he not, even with respect to all of my desires? |
| 6But the sons of Belial shall be all of them as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands: | 6But ungodly men are like thorns that are discarded because they cannot be safely handled. |
| 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. | 7Whoever handles them wears heavy duty clothing, carries strong tools, and burns them to ashes on the spot! |
| 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. | 8Here's a list of the names of David's special forces: Josheb-basshebeth the Tahkemonite was head of the Three; he was nicknamed Adino the Eznite because he killed 800 men in a single battle engagement. |
| 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: | 9Next was Dodai the Ahohite's son Eleazar. Eleazar, who also was one of the Three, was with David when they challenged the Philistines. When the Philistines had assembled in battle array, the Israeli army retreated, |
| 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. | 10but Eleazar remained standing right where he was and fought so hard against the Philistines that he became exhausted—he couldn't even let go of his sword! The LORD magnificently delivered them that day. After Eleazar had won the battle, the other soldiers returned, but only to strip the weapons and armor from the dead. |
| 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. | 11Next was Shammah, Agee the Hararite's son. One time the Philistines assembled to fight in a field where lentils had been growing. Israel's army retreated 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. | 12but Shammah stood his ground in the middle of the field, defended it, and killed the Philistines. And the LORD brought about 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. | 13One day while the Philistine army was camping in the valley of giants, three of the 30 leaders joined David at the cave of Adullam. |
| 14And David was then in an hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. | 14David was living in that stronghold at the time, while a Philistine garrison was then at Bethlehem. |
| 15And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate! | 15David expressed his longing, "Oh, how I wish someone would get me a drink of water from the Bethlehem well that's by the city gate!" |
| 16And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, 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. | 16So the Three elite warriors broke through the Philistine ranks, drew some water from the Bethlehem well that was next to the city gate, and brought it back to David. But he refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out in the LORD's presence, |
| 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. | 17and said, "The LORD forbid that I drink this—this is the blood of men who endangered their own lives!" The Three elite warriors did these things. |
| 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. | 18Zeruiah's son Abishai, Joab's brother, was the lieutenant in charge of the platoons. He used his spear to fight and kill 300 men, gaining a reputation distinct from the Three. |
| 19Was he not most honourable of three? therefore he was their captain: howbeit he attained not unto the first three. | 19He was more well-known than the Three, and became their commander, but he never measured up to the 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: | 20Jehoiada's son Benaiah, who was a valiant man, accomplished great things. He was from Kabzeel. He killed two men named Ariel from Moab and then he also went down into a pit and struck down a lion during a snow storm one day. |
| 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. | 21He also killed a soldier from Egypt. Of handsome appearance, the Egyptian carried a spear, but Benaiah attacked him with a staff, snatched the spear out of the Egyptian's hand and killed him with his own spear. |
| 22These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among three mighty men. | 22Benaiah did things like this and gained a reputation comparable to the Three warriors. |
| 23He was more honourable than the thirty, but he attained not to the first three. And David set him over his guard. | 23He was well known among the platoons, but he didn't measure up to the Three. David placed him in charge of his security detail. |
| 24Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, | 24Among the Thirty were Joab's brother Asahel, Dodo's son Elhanan of Bethlehem, |
| 25Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite, | 25Shammah from Harod; Elika from Harod, |
| 26Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, | 26Helez the Paltite, Ikkesh's son Ira from Tekoa, |
| 27Abiezer the Anethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, | 27Abiezer from Anathoth, Mebunnai the Hushathite, |
| 28Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, | 28Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai of Netophah, |
| 29Heleb the son of Baanah, a Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai out of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin, | 29Baanah's son Heleb from Netophah, Ribai's son Ittai from Gibeah of the descendants of Benjamin, |
| 30Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash, | 30Benaiah from Pirathon, Hiddai from the Gaash creeks area, |
| 31Abialbon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite, | 31Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth from Bahurim, |
| 32Eliahba the Shaalbonite, of the sons of Jashen, Jonathan, | 32Eliahba from Shaalbon, Jashen's sons, |
| 33Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite, | 33Shammah's son from Harar, Sharar the Hararite's son Ahiam, |
| 34Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, | 34Ahasbai the Maacathite's son Eliphelet, Ahithophel the Gilonite's son Eliam, |
| 35Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, | 35Hezro from Carmel, Paarai the Arbite, |
| 36Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite, | 36Nathan's son Igal from Zobah, Bani the Gadite, |
| 37Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armourbearer to Joab the son of Zeruiah, | 37Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai from Beeroth (the armor-bearer for Zeruiah's son Joab), |
| 38Ira an Ithrite, Gareb an Ithrite, | 38Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, |
| 39Uriah the Hittite: thirty and seven in all. | 39and Uriah the Hittite—for a total of 37. |
| King James Bible, text courtesy of BibleProtector.com. | The Holy Bible: International Standard Version® Release 2.1 Copyright © 1996-2012 The ISV Foundation
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED INTERNATIONALLY. |
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