Tanach · Prophets

II Samuel 23/שמואל ב כ״ג

אוְאֵ֛לֶּה דִּבְרֵ֥י דָוִ֖ד הָאַחֲרֹנִ֑ים נְאֻ֧ם דָּוִ֣ד בֶּן־יִשַׁ֗י וּנְאֻ֤ם הַגֶּ֙בֶר֙ הֻ֣קַם עָ֔ל מְשִׁ֙יחַ֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יַעֲקֹ֔ב וּנְעִ֖ים זְמִר֥וֹת יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

1These are the last words of David:^a The utterance of David son of Jesse,The utterance of the man set on high,^b The anointed of the God of Jacob,The favorite of the songs of Israel:^c

בר֥וּחַ יְהֹוָ֖ה דִּבֶּר־בִּ֑י וּמִלָּת֖וֹ עַל־לְשׁוֹנִֽי׃

2The spirit of GOD has spoken through me,God’s message is on my tongue;

גאָמַר֙ אֱלֹהֵ֣י יִשְׂרָאֵ֔ל לִ֥י דִבֶּ֖ר צ֣וּר יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל מוֹשֵׁל֙ בָּאָדָ֔ם צַדִּ֕יק מוֹשֵׁ֖ל יִרְאַ֥ת אֱלֹהִֽים׃

3The God of Israel has spoken,The Rock of Israel said concerning me:“He who rules over people justly,He who rules in^d awe of God

דוּכְא֥וֹר בֹּ֖קֶר יִזְרַח־שָׁ֑מֶשׁ בֹּ֚קֶר לֹ֣א עָב֔וֹת מִנֹּ֥גַהּ מִמָּטָ֖ר דֶּ֥שֶׁא מֵאָֽרֶץ׃

4Is like the light of morning at sunrise,A morning without clouds—Through sunshine and rain[Bringing]^e vegetation out of the earth.”

הכִּי־לֹא־כֵ֥ן בֵּיתִ֖י עִם־אֵ֑ל כִּי֩ בְרִ֨ית עוֹלָ֜ם שָׂ֣ם לִ֗י עֲרוּכָ֤ה בַכֹּל֙ וּשְׁמֻרָ֔ה כִּי־כׇל־יִשְׁעִ֥י וְכׇל־חֵ֖פֶץ כִּי־לֹ֥א יַצְמִֽיחַ׃

5Is not my House established before God?For I have been granted an eternal pact,Drawn up in full and secured.Will [God] not cause all my successAnd [my] every desire to blossom?

ווּבְלִיַּ֕עַל כְּק֥וֹץ מֻנָ֖ד כֻּלָּ֑הַם כִּי־לֹ֥א בְיָ֖ד יִקָּֽחוּ׃

6But the wicked shall allBe raked aside like thorns;For no one will pick them up by hand.

זוְאִישׁ֙ יִגַּ֣ע בָּהֶ֔ם יִמָּלֵ֥א בַרְזֶ֖ל וְעֵ֣ץ חֲנִ֑ית וּבָאֵ֕שׁ שָׂר֥וֹף יִשָּׂרְפ֖וּ בַּשָּֽׁבֶת׃

7Whoever touches themMust be armed with ironAnd the shaft of a spear;And they must be burned up on the spot.

חאֵ֛לֶּה שְׁמ֥וֹת הַגִּבֹּרִ֖ים אֲשֶׁ֣ר לְדָוִ֑ד יֹשֵׁ֨ב בַּשֶּׁ֜בֶת תַּחְכְּמֹנִ֣י׀ רֹ֣אשׁ הַשָּׁלִשִׁ֗י ה֚וּא עֲדִינ֣וֹ (העצנו) [הָֽעֶצְנִ֔י] עַל־שְׁמֹנֶ֥ה מֵא֛וֹת חָלָ֖ל בְּפַ֥עַם (אחד) [אֶחָֽת]׃

8These are the names^f of David’s warriors: Josheb-basshebeth, a Tahchemonite, the chief officer—he is Adino the Eznite; [he wielded his spear]^g against eight hundred and slew them^h on one occasion.

טוְאַחֲרָ֛ו אֶלְעָזָ֥ר בֶּן־[דֹּד֖וֹ] (דדי) בֶּן־אֲחֹחִ֑י בִּשְׁלֹשָׁ֨ה (גברים) [הַגִּבֹּרִ֜ים] עִם־דָּוִ֗ד בְּחָרְפָ֤ם בַּפְּלִשְׁתִּים֙ נֶאֶסְפוּ־שָׁ֣ם לַמִּלְחָמָ֔ה וַֽיַּעֲל֖וּ אִ֥ישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵֽל׃

9Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodo son of Ahohi. He was one of the three warriors with David when they defied the Philistines gathered there for battle. Israel’s force retreated,

יה֣וּא קָם֩ וַיַּ֨ךְ בַּפְּלִשְׁתִּ֜ים עַ֣ד׀ כִּֽי־יָגְעָ֣ה יָד֗וֹ וַתִּדְבַּ֤ק יָדוֹ֙ אֶל־הַחֶ֔רֶב וַיַּ֧עַשׂ יְהֹוָ֛ה תְּשׁוּעָ֥ה גְדוֹלָ֖ה בַּיּ֣וֹם הַה֑וּא וְהָעָ֛ם יָשֻׁ֥בוּ אַחֲרָ֖יו אַךְ־לְפַשֵּֽׁט׃

10but he held his ground. He struck down Philistines until his arm grew tired and his hand stuck to his sword; and GOD wrought a great victory that day. Then the troops came back to him—but only to strip [the slain].

יאוְאַחֲרָ֛יו שַׁמָּ֥ה בֶן־אָגֵ֖א הָרָרִ֑י וַיֵּאָסְפ֨וּ פְלִשְׁתִּ֜ים לַחַיָּ֗ה וַתְּהִי־שָׁ֞ם חֶלְקַ֤ת הַשָּׂדֶה֙ מְלֵאָ֣ה עֲדָשִׁ֔ים וְהָעָ֥ם נָ֖ס מִפְּנֵ֥י פְלִשְׁתִּֽים׃

11Next to him was Shammah son of Age the Ararite. The Philistines had gathered in forceⁱ where there was a plot of ground full of lentils; and the troops fled from the Philistines.

יבוַיִּתְיַצֵּ֤ב בְּתוֹךְ־הַחֶלְקָה֙ וַיַּצִּילֶ֔הָ וַיַּ֖ךְ אֶת־פְּלִשְׁתִּ֑ים וַיַּ֥עַשׂ יְהֹוָ֖ה תְּשׁוּעָ֥ה גְדוֹלָֽה׃

12But [Shammah] took his stand in the middle of the plot and defended it, and he routed the Philistines. Thus GOD wrought a great victory.

יגוַיֵּרְד֨וּ (שלשים) [שְׁלֹשָׁ֜ה] מֵהַשְּׁלֹשִׁ֣ים רֹ֗אשׁ וַיָּבֹ֤אוּ אֶל־קָצִיר֙ אֶל־דָּוִ֔ד אֶל־מְעָרַ֖ת עֲדֻלָּ֑ם וְחַיַּ֣ת פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים חֹנָ֖ה בְּעֵ֥מֶק רְפָאִֽים׃

13Once, during the harvest,^j three of the thirty chiefs went down to David at the cave^k of Adullam, while a force of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim.

ידוְדָוִ֖ד אָ֣ז בַּמְּצוּדָ֑ה וּמַצַּ֣ב פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים אָ֖ז בֵּ֥ית לָֽחֶם׃

14David was then in the stronghold,^l and a Philistine garrison was then at Bethlehem.

טווַיִּתְאַוֶּ֥ה דָוִ֖ד וַיֹּאמַ֑ר מִ֚י יַשְׁקֵ֣נִי מַ֔יִם מִבֹּ֥אר בֵּֽית־לֶ֖חֶם אֲשֶׁ֥ר בַּשָּֽׁעַר׃

15David felt a craving and said, “If only I could get a drink of water from the cistern that is by the gate of Bethlehem!”

טזוַיִּבְקְעוּ֩ שְׁלֹ֨שֶׁת הַגִּבֹּרִ֜ים בְּמַחֲנֵ֣ה פְלִשְׁתִּ֗ים וַיִּֽשְׁאֲבוּ־מַ֙יִם֙ מִבֹּ֤אר בֵּֽית־לֶ֙חֶם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּשַּׁ֔עַר וַיִּשְׂא֖וּ וַיָּבִ֣אוּ אֶל־דָּוִ֑ד וְלֹ֤א אָבָה֙ לִשְׁתּוֹתָ֔ם וַיַּסֵּ֥ךְ אֹתָ֖ם לַיהֹוָֽה׃

16So the three warriors got through the Philistine camp and drew water from the cistern that is by the gate of Bethlehem, and they carried it back. But when they brought it to David he would not drink it, and he poured it out as a libation to GOD.

יזוַיֹּ֡אמֶר חָלִ֩ילָה֩ לִּ֨י יְהֹוָ֜ה מֵעֲשֹׂ֣תִי זֹ֗את הֲדַ֤ם הָאֲנָשִׁים֙ הַהֹלְכִ֣ים בְּנַפְשׁוֹתָ֔ם וְלֹ֥א אָבָ֖ה לִשְׁתּוֹתָ֑ם אֵ֣לֶּה עָשׂ֔וּ שְׁלֹ֖שֶׁת הַגִּבֹּרִֽים׃

17For he said, “GOD forbid that I should do this! Can [I drink]^m the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives?” So he would not drink it. Such were the exploits of the three warriors.

יחוַאֲבִישַׁ֞י אֲחִ֣י׀ יוֹאָ֣ב בֶּן־צְרוּיָ֗ה ה֚וּא רֹ֣אשׁ (השלשי) [הַשְּׁלֹשָׁ֔ה] וְהוּא֙ עוֹרֵ֣ר אֶת־חֲנִית֔וֹ עַל־שְׁלֹ֥שׁ מֵא֖וֹת חָלָ֑ל וְלוֹ־שֵׁ֖ם בַּשְּׁלֹשָֽׁה׃

18Abishai, the brother of Joab son of Zeruiah, was head of another three.ⁿ He once wielded his spear against three hundred and slew them.^o

יטמִן־הַשְּׁלֹשָׁה֙ הֲכִ֣י נִכְבָּ֔ד וַיְהִ֥י לָהֶ֖ם לְשָׂ֑ר וְעַד־הַשְּׁלֹשָׁ֖ה לֹא־בָֽא׃

19He won a name among the three;^p since he was the most highly regarded among the three,^q he became their leader. However, he did not attain to the three.

כוּבְנָיָ֨הוּ בֶן־יְהוֹיָדָ֧ע בֶּן־אִֽישׁ־[חַ֛יִל] (חי) רַב־פְּעָלִ֖ים מִֽקַּבְצְאֵ֑ל ה֣וּא הִכָּ֗ה אֵ֣ת שְׁנֵ֤י אֲרִאֵל֙ מוֹאָ֔ב וְ֠ה֠וּא יָרַ֞ד וְהִכָּ֧ה אֶֽת־[הָאֲרִ֛י] (האריה) בְּת֥וֹךְ הַבֹּ֖אר בְּי֥וֹם הַשָּֽׁלֶג׃

20Benaiah son of Jehoiada, from Kabzeel, was a brave soldier^r who performed great deeds. He killed the two [sons] of Ariel of Moab.^s Once, on a snowy day, he went down into a pit and killed a lion.

כאוְהֽוּא־הִכָּה֩ אֶת־אִ֨ישׁ מִצְרִ֜י (אשר) [אִ֣ישׁ] מַרְאֶ֗ה וּבְיַ֤ד הַמִּצְרִי֙ חֲנִ֔ית וַיֵּ֥רֶד אֵלָ֖יו בַּשָּׁ֑בֶט וַיִּגְזֹ֤ל אֶֽת־הַחֲנִית֙ מִיַּ֣ד הַמִּצְרִ֔י וַיַּהַרְגֵ֖הוּ בַּחֲנִיתֽוֹ׃

21He also killed an Egyptian,^t a huge^u man. The Egyptian had a spear in his hand, yet [Benaiah] went down against him with a club, wrenched the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with his own spear.

כבאֵ֣לֶּה עָשָׂ֔ה בְּנָיָ֖הוּ בֶּן־יְהוֹיָדָ֑ע וְלוֹ־שֵׁ֖ם בִּשְׁלֹשָׁ֥ה הַגִּבֹּרִֽים׃

22Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada; and he won a name among the three^v warriors.

כגמִן־הַשְּׁלֹשִׁ֣ים נִכְבָּ֔ד וְאֶל־הַשְּׁלֹשָׁ֖ה לֹא־בָ֑א וַיְשִׂמֵ֥הוּ דָוִ֖ד אֶל־מִשְׁמַעְתּֽוֹ׃

23He was highly regarded among the thirty, but he did not attain to the three. David put him in charge of his bodyguard.^w

כדעֲשָׂהאֵ֥ל אֲחִֽי־יוֹאָ֖ב בַּשְּׁלֹשִׁ֑ים אֶלְחָנָ֥ן בֶּן־דֹּד֖וֹ בֵּ֥ית לָֽחֶם׃

24Among the thirty were Asahel, the brother of Joab; Elhanan son of Dodo [from] Bethlehem,

כהשַׁמָּה֙ הַחֲרֹדִ֔י אֱלִיקָ֖א הַחֲרֹדִֽי׃

25Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,

כוחֶ֚לֶץ הַפַּלְטִ֔י עִירָ֥א בֶן־עִקֵּ֖שׁ הַתְּקוֹעִֽי׃

26Helez the Paltite, Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa,

כזאֲבִיעֶ֙זֶר֙ הָעַנְּתֹתִ֔י מְבֻנַּ֖י הַחֻשָׁתִֽי׃

27Abiezer of Anathoth, Mebunnai the Hushathite,

כחצַלְמוֹן֙ הָאֲחֹחִ֔י מַהְרַ֖י הַנְּטֹפָתִֽי׃

28Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,

כטחֵ֥לֶב בֶּֽן־בַּעֲנָ֖ה הַנְּטֹפָתִ֑י אִתַּי֙ בֶּן־רִיבַ֔י מִגִּבְעַ֖ת בְּנֵ֥י בִנְיָמִֽן׃

29Heleb son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai son of Ribai from Gibeah of the Benjaminites,

לבְּנָיָ֙הוּ֙ פִּרְעָ֣תֹנִ֔י הִדַּ֖י מִנַּ֥חֲלֵי גָֽעַשׁ׃

30Benaiah of Pirathon, Hiddai of Nahale-gaash,

לאאֲבִֽי־עַלְבוֹן֙ הָעַרְבָתִ֔י עַזְמָ֖וֶת הַבַּרְחֻמִֽי׃

31Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,

לבאֶלְיַחְבָּא֙ הַשַּׁ֣עַלְבֹנִ֔י בְּנֵ֥י יָשֵׁ֖ן יְהוֹנָתָֽן׃

32Eliahba of Shaalbon, sons of Jashen, Jonathan,^x

לגשַׁמָּה֙ הַהֲרָרִ֔י אֲחִיאָ֥ם בֶּן־שָׁרָ֖ר הָארָרִֽי׃

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

לדאֱלִיפֶ֥לֶט בֶּן־אֲחַסְבַּ֖י בֶּן־הַמַּעֲכָתִ֑י אֱלִיעָ֥ם בֶּן־אֲחִיתֹ֖פֶל הַגִּלֹנִֽי׃

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

לה(חצרו) [חֶצְרַי֙] הַֽכַּרְמְלִ֔י פַּעֲרַ֖י הָאַרְבִּֽי׃

35Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,

לויִגְאָ֤ל בֶּן־נָתָן֙ מִצֹּבָ֔ה בָּנִ֖י הַגָּדִֽי׃

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

לזצֶ֖לֶק הָעַמֹּנִ֑י נַחְרַי֙ הַבְּאֵ֣רֹתִ֔י (נשאי) [נֹשֵׂ֕א] כְּלֵ֖י יוֹאָ֥ב בֶּן־צְרֻיָֽה׃

37Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite—the arms-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah—

לחעִירָא֙ הַיִּתְרִ֔י גָּרֵ֖ב הַיִּתְרִֽי׃

38Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,

לטאֽוּרִיָּה֙ הַחִתִּ֔י כֹּ֖ל שְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים וְשִׁבְעָֽה׃

39Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.^y