1 Sử Ký 19 8-1 Sử Ký 19 19
On hearing this, David sent Joab out with the entire army of fighting men.The Ammonites came out and drew up in battle formation at the entrance to their city, while the kings who had come were by themselves in the open country.Joab saw that there were battle lines in front of him and behind him; so he selected some of the best troops in Israel and deployed them against the Arameans.He put the rest of the men under the command of Abishai his brother, and they were deployed against the Ammonites.Joab said,“ If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you are to rescue me; but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will rescue you.Be strong, and let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. The Lord will do what is good in his sight.”Then Joab and the troops with him advanced to fight the Arameans, and they fled before him.When the Ammonites realized that the Arameans were fleeing, they too fled before his brother Abishai and went inside the city. So Joab went back to Jerusalem.After the Arameans saw that they had been routed by Israel, they sent messengers and had Arameans brought from beyond the Euphrates River, with Shophak the commander of Hadadezer’s army leading them.When David was told of this, he gathered all Israel and crossed the Jordan; he advanced against them and formed his battle lines opposite them. David formed his lines to meet the Arameans in battle, and they fought against him.But they fled before Israel, and David killed seven thousand of their charioteers and forty thousand of their foot soldiers. He also killed Shophak the commander of their army.When the vassals of Hadadezer saw that they had been routed by Israel, they made peace with David and became subject to him. So the Arameans were not willing to help the Ammonites anymore. (niv)
2 Sa-mu-ên 23 8-2 Sa-mu-ên 23 39
These are the names of David’s mighty warriors: Josheb-Basshebeth, a Tahkemonite, was chief of the Three; he raised his spear against eight hundred men, whom he killed in one encounter.Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite. As one of the three mighty warriors, he was with David when they taunted the Philistines gathered at Pas Dammim for battle. Then the Israelites retreated,but 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.Next 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.But 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.During harvest time, three of the thirty chief warriors came down to David at the cave of Adullam, while a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim.At that time David was in the stronghold, and the Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem.David longed for water and said,“ Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!”So 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 it out before the Lord.“ Far be it from me, Lord, to do this!” he said.“ Is it not the blood 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.Abishai the brother of Joab son of Zeruiah was chief of the Three. He raised his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed, and so he became as famous as the Three.Was he not held in greater honor than the Three? He became their commander, even though he was not included among them.Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant fighter from Kabzeel, 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.And 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.Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada; he too was as famous as the three mighty warriors.He 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.Among the Thirty were: Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem,Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,Helez the Paltite, Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa,Abiezer from Anathoth, Sibbekai the Hushathite,Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin,Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai from the ravines of Gaash,Abi-Albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathanson of Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam son of Sharar the Hararite,Eliphelet son of Ahasbai the Maakathite, Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,Igal son of Nathan from Zobah, the son of Hagri,Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, the armor-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah,Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithriteand Uriah the Hittite. There were thirty-seven in all. (niv)
