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Now these be the lastwords of David. David the son of Jessesaid, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweetpsalmist of Israel, said,
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The Spirit of the LORDspake by me, and his word was in my tongue.
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The God of Israelsaid, the Rock of Israelspake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.
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And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sunriseth, even a morningwithoutclouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain.
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Although my house be not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlastingcovenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow.
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But the sons of Belial shall be all of them as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands:
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But the man that shall touch them must be fenced with iron and the staff of a spear; and they shall be utterlyburned with fire in the same place.
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These be the names of the mighty men whom David had: The Tachmonite that sat in the seat, chief among the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite: he lift up his spear against eighthundred, whom he slew at onetime.
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And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines that were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away:
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He arose, and smote the Philistinesuntil his hand was weary, and his handclave unto the sword: and the LORDwrought a greatvictory that day; and the peoplereturnedafter him only to spoil.
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And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of groundfull of lentiles: and the peoplefledfrom the Philistines.
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But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the LORDwrought a greatvictory.
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And three of the thirtychief went down, and came to David in the harvest time unto the cave of Adullam: and the troop of the Philistinespitched in the valley of Rephaim.
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And David was then in an hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem.
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And Davidlonged, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!
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And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drewwaterout of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the LORD.
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And he said, Be it far from me, O LORD, that I should do this: is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men.
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And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief among three. And he lifted up his spear against threehundred, and slew them, and had the name among three.
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Was he not most honourable of three? therefore he was their captain: howbeit he attained not unto the first three.
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And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiantman, of Kabzeel, who had done manyacts, he slewtwo lionlike men of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow:
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And he slew an Egyptian, a goodlyman: 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 slew him with his own spear.
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These things didBenaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among three mighty men.
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He was more honourable than the thirty, but he attained not to the first three. And Davidset him over his guard.
24Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,
25Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,
26Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,
27Abiezer the Anethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,
28Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,
29Heleb the son of Baanah, a Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai out of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin,
30Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash,
31Abialbon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,
32Eliahba the Shaalbonite, of the sons of Jashen, Jonathan,
33Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite,
34Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,
35Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,
36Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite,
37Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armourbearer to Joab the son of Zeruiah,