8 These are the names of David’s top warriors:

Yoshev-Bashshevet the Tahkemonite was the head of ‘The Three’. One time he attacked and killed eight hundred men with his spear.

9 Next after him was Eleazar, the son of Ahohi’s son Dodo. Once he was among the three powerful warriors with David when they taunted the Philistines who were gathered there for battle. The Israeli warriors retreated back up their hill, 10 but Eleazar moved forward and attacked the Philistines until his arm became weak, and his hand cramped around his sword. Yahweh achieved a great victory that day, and the other warriors only returned afterwards to plunder the dead.

11 Then there was Agge’s son Shamma, the Hararite. The Philistines had assembled in formation where there happened to be a field full of lentils. The Israelis fled from the Philistines 12 but Shamma remained there in the middle of the field and killed many Philistines. So the field was saved, and Yahweh achieved a great victory.

13 Once as it was approaching harvest time, three of ‘The Thirty’ went to where David had been staying at Adullam’s cave. There was a Philistine unit camped in the Refaim valley. 14 At the time, David was in the fortress, and there was another Philistine unit in Beyt-Lehem. 15 David was thirsty one day and asked, “Who’ll get me a drink of water from the Beyt-Lehem well by the gate?” 16 So the three powerful warriors broke through the Philistine camp and got water from the Beyt-Lehem well near the gate. They carried it back to David, but he wouldn’t drink it—pouring it out instead as an offering to Yahweh, 17 saying, “Far be it for me, Yahweh, to drink this—the blood of the men who risked their lives.” So he wasn’t willing to drink it.

Those were some of the things done by ‘The Three’ powerful warriors.

18 Yoav’s brother Abishai (Tseruyah’s sons) was the head over ‘The Three’. Once he was used his spear to kill three hundred fighters, so he was more famous than ‘The Three’. 19 He was more honoured than ‘The Three’ and became their leader even though he wasn’t one of ‘The Three’.

20 Yehoyada’s son Benayah from Kavtsael was a man of military prowess with many deeds to his name. Once he killed ‘The Two’ from Moab, and another time he went down in a pit on a snowy day and killed the lion in the pit. 21 He also killed an impressive Egyptian warrior with a spear, even though Benayah only held a staff. First he snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand, then he killed him with his own spear. 22 Those were some of the things that Benayah did. He became famous alongside ‘The Three’. 23 (He was more honoured than ‘The Thirty’ but never entered ‘The Three’.) David appointed him over his bodyguard.

24 The following were among ‘The Thirty’:

• Yoav’s other brother Asah-El,
• Dodo’s son Elhanan from Beyt-Lehem,
• 25 Shammah and Elika the Harodites,
• 26 Helets the Paltite,
• Ikkesh’s son Ira the Tekoite,
• 27 Aviezer the Anatotite,
• Mevunnai the Hushatite,
• 28 Tsalmon the Ahohite,
• Maharai the Netofatite,
• 29 Baanah’s son Helev the Netofatite,
• Rivai’s son Ittai from Gibeah (in Benyamin),
• 30 Benayah the Piratonite,
• Hiddai from the Gaash valleys,
• 31 Avi-Albon the Arbatite,
• Azmavet the Barhumite,
• 32 Elyahba the Shaalvonite,
• Yashen’s sons,
• Yonatan,
• 33 Shammah the Hararite,
• Sharar’s son Ahiam the Hararite,
• 34 Ahasbai’s son Elifelet the Maacatite,
• Ahitofel’s son Eliam the Gilonite,
• 35 Hezrai the Carmelite,
• Paarai the Arbite,
• 36 Natan’s son Yigal from Tsovah,
• Bani the Gadite,
• 37 Tselek the Ammonite,
• Naharai the Beerotite who carried the weapons for Tseruyah’s son Yoav,
• 38 the Yitrites Ira and Garev,
• 39 and Uriyyah the Hittite.

There were thirty-seven of them in total.

10 The following were the leaders of David’s powerful warriors who together with all Yisrael, strengthened his kingdom and established him as king, just as Yahweh had said. 11 So these are David’s powerful warriors: Yashaveam (a Hakmonite and the leader of the thirty) once used his spear against three hundred men in a single battle and killed them all. 12 Next was Eleazar (an Ahohite, son of Dodo) who was one of the top three powerful warriors. 13 He was with David at Pas-Dammim when the Philistines had assembled there for battle near a part of the countryside where barley was growing. At first, the Israelis fled from the Philistines, 14 but then they took their stand in the middle of the barley and proceeded to defeat the Philistines as Yahweh saved them through a stunning victory.

15 Then three of that top thirty went down to David, near the rock at Adullam’s cave. Meanwhile, Philistines had encamped in the Refaim Valley. 16 David was in that stronghold then, and the Philistine garrison was in Beyt-Lehem 17 and David was thirsty and asked, “Who’ll get me water to drink from the well by the Beyt-Lehem gate?” 18 So those three broke through the Philistine camp, and they drew water from the well at the Beyt-Lehem gate, and they brought it back to David. But David wasn’t willing to drink it, and he poured it out on the ground as an offering to Yahweh. 19 “Far be it from me before my God to drink this water,” he said. “Could I drink the blood of these men who risked their lives to bring it?” So he wasn’t prepared to drink it. Those were some of the things that those three powerful warriors did.

20 Yoav’s brother Abshai, was the head of a group of three. He had killed three hundred with is spear and had a reputation among the three.[fn] 21 He was honoured more than the other two and became the leader of that second group of three, but didn’t enter the first Three.

22 Yehoyada’s son Benayah from Kavtse’el was a powerful warrior who did amazing things. He struck down Ariel’s two sons from Moab. Another time, he climbed down into a pit on a snowy day and killed the lion that was trapped in the pit. 23 He also killed a huge Egyptian man—well over 2m tall. The Egyptian was carrying a spear like a weaver’s beam, but Benayah went down to take him on with a staff. He forced the spear from the Egyptian’s grasp, and then killed him with it. 24 So that was what Benayah (Yehoyada’s son) did that gave him a reputation among the three powerful warriors. 25 Actually, he was honoured more than the Thirty, yet he didn’t make it to the first Three, but David appointed him over his bodyguards.

26 These are the names of the powerful warriors: Asahel (Yoav’s brother), Elhanan (Dodo’s son from Beyt-Lehem), 27 Shammot (from Haror), Helets (from Pelon), 28 Ira (Ikkesh’s son from Tekoa), Aviezer (from Anatot), 29 Sibbekai (from Hushah), Ilai (from Ahoh), 30 Maharai (from Netofah), Heled (Baanah’s son from Netofah), 31 Itai (Rivai’s son from Giveah which belonged to Benyamin’s descendants), Benayah (from Piraton), 32 Hurai (from the valleys near Mt. Gaash), Aviel (from Aravah), 33 Azmavet (from Baharum), Elyahba (from Shaalvon), 34 Hashem’s sons (from Gizon), Yonatan (Shagee’s son from Harar), 35 Ahiam (Sakar’s son from Harar), Elifal (Ur’s son), 36 Hefer (from Mekerat), Ahiyyah (from Pelon), 37 Hezro (from Karmel), Naarai (Ezbai’s son), 38 Yoel (Natan’s brother), Mivhar (Hagri’s son), 39 Tselek (the Ammonite), Naharai (from Beerot, armour bearer for Tseruyah’s son Yoav), 40 Ira (the Yitrite), Garev (the Yitrite), 41 Uryyah (Bat-Sheba’s husband the Hittite), Zavad (Ahlai’s son),