2 Samuel 23:8-23 - David's Faithful Soldiers

⁸ These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb Basshebeth a Tahchemonite, chief of the officers; the same was Adino the Eznite, against eight hundred slain at one time.

⁹ After him was Eleazar the son of Dodai the son of an Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines who were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away. ¹⁰ He arose, and struck the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand froze to the sword; and the LORD worked a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to take spoil.

¹¹ After him was Shammah the son of Agee a Hararite. The Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where there was a plot of ground full of lentils; and the people fled from the Philistines. ¹² But he stood in the midst of the plot, and defended it, and killed the Philistines; and the LORD worked a great victory.

¹³ Three of the thirty chief men went down, and came to David in the harvest time to the cave of Adullam; and the troop of the Philistines was encamped in the valley of Rephaim. ¹⁴ David was then in the stronghold; and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. ¹⁵ David longed, and said, "Oh that one would give me water to drink of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate." ¹⁶ The three mighty men broke through the army 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: but he would not drink of it, but poured it out to the LORD. ¹⁷ He said, "Be it far from me, LORD, that I should do this. Isn't it the blood of the men who went in jeopardy of their lives?" Therefore he would not drink it. The three mighty men did these things.

¹⁸ Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the three. He lifted up his spear against three hundred and killed them, and had a name among the three. ¹⁹ Wasn't he most honorable of the three? Therefore he was made their captain: however he did not attain to the three.

²⁰ Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done mighty deeds. He killed the two ariels of Moab. He also went down and killed a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow. ²¹ He killed 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 killed him with his own spear. ²² Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did these things, and had a name among the three mighty men. ²³ He was more honorable than the thirty, but he did not attain to the three. David set him over his guard.