Bible Gateway passage: 2 Samuel 23:8-39 - New International Version (2025)

David’s Mighty Warriors^(A)

⁸These are the names of David’s mighty warriors:^(B)

Josheb-Basshebeth,^[a](C) a Tahkemonite,^[b] was chief of the Three; he raised his spear against eight hundred men, whom he killed^[c] in one encounter.

⁹Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodai^(D) the Ahohite.^(E) As one of the three mighty warriors, he was with David when they taunted the Philistines gathered at Pas Dammim^[d] for battle. Then the Israelites retreated, ¹⁰but Eleazar stood his ground and struck down the Philistines till his hand grew tired and froze to the sword. The Lord brought about a great victory that day. The troops returned to Eleazar, but only to strip the dead.

¹¹Next to him was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. When the Philistines banded together at a place where there was a field full of lentils, Israel’s troops fled from them. ¹²But Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field. He defended it and struck the Philistines down, and the Lord brought about a great victory.

¹³During harvest time, three of the thirty chief warriors came down to David at the cave of Adullam,^(F) while a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim.^{(G) 14}At that time David was in the stronghold,^(H) and the Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem.^{(I) 15}David longed for water and said, “Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!” ¹⁶So the three mighty warriors broke through the Philistine lines, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem and carried it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured^(J) it out before the Lord. ¹⁷“Far be it from me, Lord, to do this!” he said. “Is it not the blood^(K) of men who went at the risk of their lives?” And David would not drink it.

Such were the exploits of the three mighty warriors.

¹⁸Abishai^(L) the brother of Joab son of Zeruiah was chief of the Three.^[e] He raised his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed, and so he became as famous as the Three. ¹⁹Was he not held in greater honor than the Three? He became their commander, even though he was not included among them.

²⁰Benaiah^(M) son of Jehoiada, a valiant fighter from Kabzeel,^(N) performed great exploits. He struck down Moab’s two mightiest warriors. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion. ²¹And he struck down a huge Egyptian. Although the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club. He snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear. ²²Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada; he too was as famous as the three mighty warriors. ²³He was held in greater honor than any of the Thirty, but he was not included among the Three. And David put him in charge of his bodyguard.

Footnotes

1. 2 Samuel 23:8 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts suggest Ish-Bosheth, that is, Esh-Baal (see also 1 Chron. 11:11 Jashobeam).
2. 2 Samuel 23:8 Probably a variant of Hakmonite (see 1 Chron. 11:11)
3. 2 Samuel 23:8 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:11); Hebrew and other Septuagint manuscripts Three; it was Adino the Eznite who killed eight hundred men
4. 2 Samuel 23:9 See 1 Chron. 11:13; Hebrew gathered there.
5. 2 Samuel 23:18 Most Hebrew manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:20); two Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac Thirty
6. 2 Samuel 23:27 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 21:18; 1 Chron. 11:29); Hebrew Mebunnai
7. 2 Samuel 23:29 Some Hebrew manuscripts and Vulgate (see also 1 Chron. 11:30); most Hebrew manuscripts Heleb
8. 2 Samuel 23:30 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:32) Hurai
9. 2 Samuel 23:33 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:34); Hebrew does not have son of.
10. 2 Samuel 23:33 Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:35) Sakar
11. 2 Samuel 23:36 Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:38); Hebrew Haggadi

Cross references

1. 2 Samuel 23:8 : 23:8-39pp — 1Ch 11:10-41
2. 2 Samuel 23:8 : S 2Sa 17:10
3. 2 Samuel 23:8 : 1Ch 27:2
4. 2 Samuel 23:9 : 1Ch 27:4
5. 2 Samuel 23:9 : 1Ch 8:4
6. 2 Samuel 23:13 : S Ge 38:1; S Jos 12:15
7. 2 Samuel 23:13 : S Jos 17:15
8. 2 Samuel 23:14 : 1Sa 22:4-5; S 2Sa 5:17
9. 2 Samuel 23:14 : Ru 1:19
10. 2 Samuel 23:16 : S Ge 35:14
11. 2 Samuel 23:17 : Lev 17:10-12
12. 2 Samuel 23:18 : S 1Sa 26:6
13. 2 Samuel 23:20 : S 2Sa 8:18; 1Ch 27:5
14. 2 Samuel 23:20 : Jos 15:21
15. 2 Samuel 23:24 : S 2Sa 2:18
16. 2 Samuel 23:25 : Jdg 7:1
17. 2 Samuel 23:26 : 1Ch 27:10
18. 2 Samuel 23:26 : 1Ch 27:9
19. 2 Samuel 23:27 : 1Ch 27:12
20. 2 Samuel 23:27 : S Jos 21:18
21. 2 Samuel 23:28 : 1Ch 27:13
22. 2 Samuel 23:28 : 2Ki 25:23; Ezr 2:22; Ne 7:26; Jer 40:8
23. 2 Samuel 23:29 : 1Ch 27:15
24. 2 Samuel 23:29 : S Jos 15:57
25. 2 Samuel 23:30 : S Jdg 12:13
26. 2 Samuel 23:30 : Jos 24:30
27. 2 Samuel 23:31 : 2Sa 3:16
28. 2 Samuel 23:34 : S Dt 3:14
29. 2 Samuel 23:34 : S 2Sa 11:3
30. 2 Samuel 23:34 : S 2Sa 15:12
31. 2 Samuel 23:35 : S Jos 12:22
32. 2 Samuel 23:36 : S 1Sa 14:47
33. 2 Samuel 23:37 : S Jos 9:17
34. 2 Samuel 23:38 : 1Ch 2:53
35. 2 Samuel 23:39 : 2Sa 11:3