2 Samuel 23 13-2 Samuel 23 39
Three of the thirty leading warriors went down at harvest time and came to David at the cave of Adullam, while a company of Philistines was camping in Rephaim Valley.At that time David was in the stronghold, and a Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem.David was extremely thirsty and said,“ If only someone would bring me water to drink from the well at the city gate of Bethlehem!”So three of the warriors broke through the Philistine camp and drew water from the well at the gate of Bethlehem. They brought it back to David, but he refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out to the LORD.David said,“ LORD, I would never do such a thing! Is this not the blood of men who risked their lives?” So he refused to drink it. Such were the exploits of the three warriors.Abishai, Joab’s brother and son of Zeruiah, was leader of the Three. He wielded his spear against three hundred men and killed them, gaining a reputation among the Three.Was he not more honored than the Three? He became their commander even though he did not become one of the Three.Benaiah son of Jehoiada was the son of a brave man from Kabzeel, a man of many exploits. Benaiah killed two sons of Ariel of Moab, and he went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion.He also killed an Egyptian, an impressive man. Even though the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, Benaiah went down to him with a staff, snatched the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and then killed him with his own spear.These were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada, who had a reputation among the three warriors.He was the most honored of the Thirty, but he did not become one of the Three. David put him in charge of his bodyguard.Among the Thirty were Joab’s brother Asahel, Elhanan son of Dodo of Bethlehem,Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,Helez the Paltite, Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,Heleb son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai son of Ribai from Gibeah of the Benjaminites,Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai from the wadis of Gaash,Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan son ofShammah the Hararite, Ahiam son of Sharar the Hararite,Eliphelet son of Ahasbai son of the Maacathite, Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,Igal son of Nathan from Zobah, Bani the Gadite,Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, the armor-bearer for Joab son of Zeruiah,Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,and Uriah the Hethite. There were thirty-seven in all.