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

Yoshev-Bashevet the Tahkemoni 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 Pelishtim who were gathered there for battle. The Israeli warriors retreated back up their hill, 10 but Eleazar moved forward and attacked the Pelishtim 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 Shama, the Harari. The Pelishtim had assembled in formation where there happened to be a field full of lentils. The Israelis fled from the Pelishtim 12 but Shama remained there in the middle of the field and killed many Pelishtim. 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 Adulam’s cave. There was a Pelishti unit camped in the Refaim valley. 14 At the time, David was in the fortress, and there was another Pelishti unit in Beyt-Lehem (Bethlehem). 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 Pelishti 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 (Joab’s) brother Avishay (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 Kavtse’el was a man of military prowess with many actions to his name. Once he killed ‘The Two’ from Moav (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 Mitsri (Egyptian) warrior with a spear, even though Benayah only held a staff. First he snatched the spear from the Mitsri’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 Asahel,
• Dodo’s son Elhanan from Beyt-Lehem (Bethlehem),
• 25 Shamah and Elika the Harodim,
• 26 Helets the Palti,
• Ikesh’s son Ira the Tekoei,
• 27 Aviezer the Antoti,
• Mevunay the Hushati,
• 28 Tsalmon the Ahohi,
• Maharay the Netofati,
• 29 Ba’anah’s son Helev the Netofati,
• Rivay’s son Itay from Giveah (in Benyamin),
• 30 Benayah the Pireatoni,
• Hiday from the Ga’ash valleys,
• 31 Avi-Alvon the Arvati,
• Azmavet the Barhumi,
• 32 Elyahba the Sha’alvoni,
• Yashen’s sons,
• Yonatan (Jonathan),
• 33 Shamah the Harari,
• Sharar’s son Ahiam the Harari,
• 34 Ahasbay’s son Elifelet the Ma’akati,
• Ahitofel’s son Eliam the Giloni,
• 35 Hetsro the Karmeli,
• Pa’aray the Arbi,
• 36 Natan’s (Nathan’s) son Yigal from Tsovah,
• Bani the Gadi,
• 37 Tselek the Amoni,
• Naharay the Be’eroti who carried the weapons for Tseruyah’s son Yoav (Joab),
• 38 the Yitrim Ira and Garev,
• 39 and Uriyah the Hiti.

There were thirty-seven of them in total.

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

15 Then three of that top thirty went down to David, near the rock at Adulam’s cave. Meanwhile, Pelishtim had encamped in the Refaim Valley. 16 David was in that fortress then, and the Pelishti garrison was in Beyt-Lehem (Bethlehem), 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 Pelishti 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 to drink this water in front of my god,” 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 those three powerful warriors did.

20 Yoav’s (Joab’s) brother Avishay was the head of a group of three. He’d killed three hundred people with his 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 Moav (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 Mitsri (Egyptian) man—well over two metres tall. The Mitsri 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 Mitsri’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 to have authority over his bodyguards.

26 These are the names of the powerful warriors: Asahel (Yoav’s brother), Elhanan (Dodo’s son from Beyt-Lehem (Bethlehem)), 27 Shamot (from Haror), Helets (from Pelon), 28 Ira (Ikesh’s son from Tekoa), Aviezer (from Anatot), 29 Sibkay (from Hushah), Ilay (from Ahoh), 30 Maharay (from Netofah), Heled (Ba’anah’s son from Netofah), 31 Itay (Rivay’s son from Giveah, which belonged to Benyamin’s descendants), Benayah (from Pireaton), 32 Huray (from the valleys near Mt. Ga’ash), Aviel (from Aravah), 33 Azmavet (from Baharum), Elyahba (from Shaalvon), 34 Hashem’s sons (from Gizon), Yonatan (Jonathan) (Shageh’s son from Harar), 35 Ahiam (Sakar’s son from Harar), Elifal (Ur’s son), 36 Hefer (from Mekerat), Ahiyah (from Pelon), 37 Hetsro (from Karmel), Na’aray (Ezbay’s son), 38 Yoel (Joel) (Natan’s (Nathan’s) brother), Mivhar (Hagri’s son), 39 Tselek (the Amoni), Naharay (from Be’erot, armour bearer for Tseruyah’s son Yoav (Joab)), 40 Ira (the Yitri), Garev (the Yitri), 41 Uriyah (Bat-Sheva’s (Bathsheba’s) husband the Hiti), Zavad (Ahlay’s son),