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Chapter 22
David's Song of Praise
1David sang to the LORD the words of this song when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul.
2He said:
“The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
3my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield and the hornHorn here symbolizes strength. of my salvation.
He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior—
from violent men you save me.
4I call to the LORD, who is worthy of praise,
and I am saved from my enemies.
5“The waves of death swirled about me;
the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.
6The cords of the graveHebrew Sheol coiled around me;
the snares of death confronted me.
7In my distress I called to the LORD;
I called out to my God.
From his temple he heard my voice;
my cry came to his ears.
8“The earth trembled and quaked,
the foundations of the heavensHebrew; Vulgate and Syriac (see also Psalm 18:7) mountains shook;
they trembled because he was angry.
9Smoke rose from his nostrils;
consuming fire came from his mouth,
burning coals blazed out of it.
10He parted the heavens and came down;
dark clouds were under his feet.
11He mounted the cherubim and flew;
he soaredMany Hebrew manuscripts (see also Psalm 18:10); most Hebrew manuscripts appeared on the wings of the wind.
12He made darkness his canopy around him—
the darkSeptuagint and Vulgate (see also Psalm 18:11); Hebrew massed rain clouds of the sky.
13Out of the brightness of his presence
bolts of lightning blazed forth.
14The LORD thundered from heaven;
the voice of the Most High resounded.
15He shot arrows and scattered the enemies,
bolts of lightning and routed them.
16The valleys of the sea were exposed
and the foundations of the earth laid bare
at the rebuke of the LORD,
at the blast of breath from his nostrils.
17“He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
he drew me out of deep waters.
18He rescued me from my powerful enemy,
from my foes, who were too strong for me.
19They confronted me in the day of my disaster,
but the LORD was my support.
20He brought me out into a spacious place;
he rescued me because he delighted in me.
21“The LORD has dealt with me according to my righteousness;
according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me.
22For I have kept the ways of the LORD;
I have not done evil by turning from my God.
23All his laws are before me;
I have not turned away from his decrees.
24I have been blameless before him
and have kept myself from sin.
25The LORD has rewarded me according to my righteousness,
according to my cleannessHebrew; Septuagint and Vulgate (see also Psalm 18:24) to the cleanness of my hands in his sight.
26“To the faithful you show yourself faithful,
to the blameless you show yourself blameless,
27to the pure you show yourself pure,
but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd.
28You save the humble,
but your eyes are on the haughty to bring them low.
29You are my lamp, O LORD;
the LORD turns my darkness into light.
30With your help I can advance against a troopOr can run through a barricade;
with my God I can scale a wall.
31“As for God, his way is perfect;
the word of the LORD is flawless.
He is a shield
for all who take refuge in him.
32For who is God besides the LORD?
And who is the Rock except our God?
33It is God who arms me with strengthDead Sea Scrolls, some Septuagint manuscripts, Vulgate and Syriac (see also Psalm 18:32); Masoretic Text who is my strong refuge
and makes my way perfect.
34He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;
he enables me to stand on the heights.
35He trains my hands for battle;
my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
36You give me your shield of victory;
you stoop down to make me great.
37You broaden the path beneath me,
so that my ankles do not turn.
38“I pursued my enemies and crushed them;
I did not turn back till they were destroyed.
39I crushed them completely, and they could not rise;
they fell beneath my feet.
40You armed me with strength for battle;
you made my adversaries bow at my feet.
41You made my enemies turn their backs in flight,
and I destroyed my foes.
42They cried for help, but there was no one to save them—
to the LORD, but he did not answer.
43I beat them as fine as the dust of the earth;
I pounded and trampled them like mud in the streets.
44“You have delivered me from the attacks of my people;
you have preserved me as the head of nations.
People I did not know are subject to me,
45and foreigners come cringing to me;
as soon as they hear me, they obey me.
46They all lose heart;
they come tremblingSome Septuagint manuscripts and Vulgate (see also Psalm 18:45); Masoretic Text they arm themselves. from their strongholds.
47“The LORD lives! Praise be to my Rock!
Exalted be God, the Rock, my Savior!
48He is the God who avenges me,
who puts the nations under me,
49who sets me free from my enemies.
You exalted me above my foes;
from violent men you rescued me.
50Therefore I will praise you, O LORD, among the nations;
I will sing praises to your name.
51He gives his king great victories;
he shows unfailing kindness to his anointed,
to David and his descendants forever.”
Chapter 23
The Last Words of David
1These are the last words of David:
“The oracle of David son of Jesse,
the oracle of the man exalted by the Most High,
the man anointed by the God of Jacob,
Israel's singer of songsOr Israel's beloved singer:
2“The Spirit of the LORD spoke through me;
his word was on my tongue.
3The God of Israel spoke,
the Rock of Israel said to me:
‘When one rules over men in righteousness,
when he rules in the fear of God,
4he is like the light of morning at sunrise
on a cloudless morning,
like the brightness after rain
that brings the grass from the earth.’
5“Is not my house right with God?
Has he not made with me an everlasting covenant,
arranged and secured in every part?
Will he not bring to fruition my salvation
and grant me my every desire?
6But evil men are all to be cast aside like thorns,
which are not gathered with the hand.
7Whoever touches thorns
uses a tool of iron or the shaft of a spear;
they are burned up where they lie.”
David's Mighty Men
8These are the names of David's mighty men:
Josheb-Basshebeth,Hebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts suggest Ish-Bosheth, that is, Esh-Baal (see also 1 Chron. 11:11 Jashobeam). a Tahkemonite,Probably a variant of Hacmonite (see 1 Chron. 11:11) was chief of the Three; he raised his spear against eight hundred men, whom he killedSome Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:11); Hebrew and other Septuagint manuscripts Three; it was Adino the Eznite who killed eight hundred men in one encounter.
9Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite. As one of the three mighty men, he was with David when they taunted the Philistines gathered at Pas DammimSee 1 Chron. 11:13; Hebrew gathered there. for battle. Then the men of Israel retreated,
10but he stood his ground and struck down the Philistines till his hand grew tired and froze to the sword. The LORD brought about a great victory that day. The troops returned to Eleazar, but only to strip the dead.
11Next to him was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. When the Philistines banded together at a place where there was a field full of lentils, Israel's troops fled from them.
12But Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field. He defended it and struck the Philistines down, and the LORD brought about a great victory.
13During harvest time, three of the thirty chief men came down to David at the cave of Adullam, while a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim.
14At that time David was in the stronghold, and the Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem.
15David longed for water and said, “Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!”
16So the three mighty men broke through the Philistine lines, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem and carried it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out before the LORD.
17“Far be it from me, O LORD, to do this!” he said. “Is it not the blood of men who went at the risk of their lives?” And David would not drink it.
Such were the exploits of the three mighty men.
18Abishai the brother of Joab son of Zeruiah was chief of the Three.Most Hebrew manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:20); two Hebrew manuscripts and Syriac Thirty He raised his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed, and so he became as famous as the Three.
19Was he not held in greater honor than the Three? He became their commander, even though he was not included among them.
20Benaiah son of Jehoiada was a valiant fighter from Kabzeel, who performed great exploits. He struck down two of Moab's best men. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion.
21And he struck down a huge Egyptian. Although the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club. He snatched the spear from the Egyptian's hand and killed him with his own spear.
22Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada; he too was as famous as the three mighty men.
23He was held in greater honor than any of the Thirty, but he was not included among the Three. And David put him in charge of his bodyguard.
24Among the Thirty were:
Asahel the brother of Joab,
Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem,
25Shammah the Harodite,
Elika the Harodite,
26Helez the Paltite,
Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa,
27Abiezer from Anathoth,
MebunnaiHebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:29) Sibbecai the Hushathite,
28Zalmon the Ahohite,
Maharai the Netophathite,
29HeledSome Hebrew manuscripts and Vulgate (see also 1 Chron. 11:30); most Hebrew manuscripts Heleb son of Baanah the Netophathite,
Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin,
30Benaiah the Pirathonite,
HiddaiHebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:32) Hurai from the ravines of Gaash,
31Abi-Albon the Arbathite,
Azmaveth the Barhumite,
32Eliahba the Shaalbonite,
the sons of Jashen,
Jonathan
33son ofSome Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:34); Hebrew does not have son of. Shammah the Hararite,
Ahiam son of ShararHebrew; some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:35) Sacar the Hararite,
34Eliphelet son of Ahasbai the Maacathite,
Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,
35Hezro the Carmelite,
Paarai the Arbite,
36Igal son of Nathan from Zobah,
the son of Hagri,Some Septuagint manuscripts (see also 1 Chron. 11:38); Hebrew Haggadi
37Zelek the Ammonite,
Naharai the Beerothite, the armor-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah,
38Ira the Ithrite,
Gareb the Ithrite
39and Uriah the Hittite.
There were thirty-seven in all.
Chapter 24
David Counts the Fighting Men
1Again the anger of the LORD burned against Israel, and he incited David against them, saying, “Go and take a census of Israel and Judah.”
2So the king said to Joab and the army commandersSeptuagint (see also verse 4 and 1 Chron. 21:2); Hebrew Joab the army commander with him, “Go throughout the tribes of Israel from Dan to Beersheba and enroll the fighting men, so that I may know how many there are.”
3But Joab replied to the king, “May the LORD your God multiply the troops a hundred times over, and may the eyes of my lord the king see it. But why does my lord the king want to do such a thing?”
4The king's word, however, overruled Joab and the army commanders; so they left the presence of the king to enroll the fighting men of Israel.
5After crossing the Jordan, they camped near Aroer, south of the town in the gorge, and then went through Gad and on to Jazer.
6They went to Gilead and the region of Tahtim Hodshi, and on to Dan Jaan and around toward Sidon.
7Then they went toward the fortress of Tyre and all the towns of the Hivites and Canaanites. Finally, they went on to Beersheba in the Negev of Judah.
8After they had gone through the entire land, they came back to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days.
9Joab reported the number of the fighting men to the king: In Israel there were eight hundred thousand able-bodied men who could handle a sword, and in Judah five hundred thousand.
10David was conscience-stricken after he had counted the fighting men, and he said to the LORD, “I have sinned greatly in what I have done. Now, O LORD, I beg you, take away the guilt of your servant. I have done a very foolish thing.”
11Before David got up the next morning, the word of the LORD had come to Gad the prophet, David's seer:
12“Go and tell David, ‘This is what the LORD says: I am giving you three options. Choose one of them for me to carry out against you.’”
13So Gad went to David and said to him, “Shall there come upon you threeSeptuagint (see also 1 Chron. 21:12); Hebrew seven years of famine in your land? Or three months of fleeing from your enemies while they pursue you? Or three days of plague in your land? Now then, think it over and decide how I should answer the one who sent me.”
14David said to Gad, “I am in deep distress. Let us fall into the hands of the LORD, for his mercy is great; but do not let me fall into the hands of men.”
15So the LORD sent a plague on Israel from that morning until the end of the time designated, and seventy thousand of the people from Dan to Beersheba died.
16When the angel stretched out his hand to destroy Jerusalem, the LORD was grieved because of the calamity and said to the angel who was afflicting the people, “Enough! Withdraw your hand.” The angel of the LORD was then at the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.
17When David saw the angel who was striking down the people, he said to the LORD, “I am the one who has sinned and done wrong. These are but sheep. What have they done? Let your hand fall upon me and my family.”
David Builds an Altar
18On that day Gad went to David and said to him, “Go up and build an altar to the LORD on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.”
19So David went up, as the LORD had commanded through Gad.
20When Araunah looked and saw the king and his men coming toward him, he went out and bowed down before the king with his face to the ground.
21Araunah said, “Why has my lord the king come to his servant?”
“To buy your threshing floor,” David answered, “so I can build an altar to the LORD, that the plague on the people may be stopped.”
22Araunah said to David, “Let my lord the king take whatever pleases him and offer it up. Here are oxen for the burnt offering, and here are threshing sledges and ox yokes for the wood.
23O king, Araunah gives all this to the king.” Araunah also said to him, “May the LORD your God accept you.”
24But the king replied to Araunah, “No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the LORD my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.”
So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen and paid fifty shekelsThat is, about 1 1/4 pounds (about 0.6 kilogram) of silver for them.
25David built an altar to the LORD there and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings.Traditionally peace offerings Then the LORD answered prayer in behalf of the land, and the plague on Israel was stopped.

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