וְאֵלֶּה דִּבְרֵי דָוִד הָאַחֲרֹנִים נְאֻם דָּוִד בֶּן יִשַׁי וּנְאֻם הַגֶּבֶר הֻקַם עָל מְשִׁיחַ אֱלֹהֵי יַעֲקֹב ונְעִים זְמִרוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל

David sang songs of praise to God over the course of many years; these are David’s last words recorded for posterity. These words, composed at the conclusion of his life, serve as a summation and provide perspective on his life, and include specific words of praise to God. The utterance of David son of Yishai, and the utterance of the man raised on high, of David, who was the anointed king of the God of Jacob, and the sweet singer of Israel. His songs were not intended only for himself, but for the benefit of the entire nation of Israel.

רוּחַ ה' דִּבֶּר בִּי וּמִלָּתוֹ עַל לְשׁוֹנִי

The spirit of the Lord spoke through me, and His word is on my tongue. My words were inspired by a spirit akin to prophecy.

אָמַר אֱלֹהֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל לִי דִבֶּר צוּר יִשְׂרָאֵל מוֹשֵׁל בָּאָדָם צַדִּיק מוֹשֵׁל יִרְאַת אֱלֹהִים

The God of Israel said of me, or on my behalf, the rock, protector, of Israel spoke: The ruler over people is, should be, a righteous one, ruling through the fear of God. Without fear of God, his reign will not be sustainable. This idea was related to David numerous times by the prophets.

וּכְאוֹר בֹּקֶר יִזְרַח שָׁמֶשׁ בֹקֶר לֹא עָבוֹת מִנֹּגַהּ מִמָּטָר דֶּשֶׁא מֵאָרֶץ

Like the morning light that radiates when the sun rises, a morning without clouds; a sky that is even more clear than the aura, the light that comes of the rain, the shining light that follows rain. As a result of this refreshing morning light, grass sprouts from the earth. The reign of the righteous is compared to a beautiful day in which the world is in a state of purity.

כִּי לֹא כֵן בֵּיתִי עִם אֵל כִּי בְרִית עוֹלָם שָׂם לִי עֲרוּכָה בַכֹּל וּשְׁמֻרָה כִּי כָל יִשְׁעִי וְכָל חֵפֶץ כִּי לֹא יַצְמִיחַ

But my house with God is not so, not like a beautiful morning; it is not temporary or dependent upon specific factors, for He has granted me an everlasting covenant, and this covenant remains in effect even during darker times. It is ordered in every sense, organized properly, and protected and everlasting, for He is all my salvation, and all my desire is for God, He will not make it, something negative, or something temporary, grow. Since all my salvation and desire is for God, He will not allow negative occurrences, or for our covenant to become temporary.

וּבְלִיַּעַל כְּקוֹץ מֻנָד כֻּלָּהַם כִּי לֹא בְיָד יִקָּחוּ

But in contrast, the wicked, they are all like distanced thorns, as they cannot be taken by hand; a prickly thorn cannot be easily removed by hand.

וְאִישׁ יִגַּע בָּהֶם יִמָּלֵא בַרְזֶל וְעֵץ חֲנִית ובָאֵשׁ שָׂרוֹף יִשָּׂרְפוּ בַּשָּׁבֶת

A man who touches them, the wicked, will be filled, stabbed, with iron swords and the shaft of a spear, and they will ultimately be utterly burned with fire in their place [shavet], without anyone having to come into physical contact with them. Alternatively, the word shavet refers to a blaze that consumes everything.

אֵלֶּה שְׁמוֹת הַגִּבֹּרִים אֲשֶׁר לְדָוִד יֹשֵׁב בַּשֶּׁבֶת תַּחְכְּמֹנִי רֹאשׁ הַשָּׁלִשִׁי הוּא עֲדִינוֹ הָעֶצְנִי עַל שְׁמֹנֶה מֵאוֹת חָלָל בְּפַעַם אֶחָת

These are the names of the mighty ones of David: The first was Yoshev Bashevet, which was apparently his name or nickname. In the alternate version of this list in I Chronicles (27:1–14), he is referred to as Yashovam. He was a Tahkemonite. This may indicate that he was from an otherwise unknown place called Tahkhemoni. Alternatively, Tahkemonite may be a nickname that attests to his wisdom [ḥokhma]. In I Chronicles (11:11), he is referred to as the son of Hakhmoni. He was head of the officers, the mighty men; he is also known as Adino the Eznite, who stood over eight hundred corpses at one time, in one attack. He achieved elevated status because of his great valor described here.

וְאַחֲרָיו אֶלְעָזָר בֶּן דֹּדוֹ בֶּן אֲחֹחִי בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה הַגִּבֹּרִים עִם דָּוִד בְּחָרְפָם בַּפְּלִשְׁתִּים נֶאֶסְפוּ שָׁם לַמִּלְחָמָה וַיַּעֲלוּ אִישׁ יִשְׂרָאֵל

After him was Elazar, son of Dodo, son of an Ahohite, from a place called Ahohi; alternatively, he was from a family whose patriarch was Ahohi. He was among the first three mighty ones with David who imperiled themselves, risked their lives in combat, against the Philistines who had gathered there for war, and the men of Israel went up to battle them.

הוּא קָם וַיַּךְ בַּפְּלִשְׁתִּים עַד כִּי יָגְעָה יָדוֹ וַתִּדְבַּק יָדוֹ אֶל הַחֶרֶב וַיַּעַשׂ ה' תְּשׁוּעָה גְדוֹלָה בַּיּוֹם הַהוּא וְהָעָם יָשֻׁבוּ אַחֲרָיו אַךְ לְפַשֵּׁט

He, Elazar, rose and smote the Philistines until his hand tired from his exertion, and his hand stuck to the sword. The palm of his hand became partially paralyzed and he was unable to loosen his grip on his sword, such that it appeared as though his hand was attached to his sword. The Lord performed a great salvation that day. And once Elazar had killed so many Philistines, the rest of the people did not need to fight. Rather, they followed after him only to strip the slain of their valuables.

וְאַחֲרָיו שַׁמָּא בֶן אָגֵא הָרָרִי וַיֵּאָסְפוּ פְלִשְׁתִּים לַחַיָּה וַתְּהִי שָׁם חֶלְקַת הַשָּׂדֶה מְלֵאָה עֲדָשִׁים וְהָעָם נָס מִפְּנֵי פְלִשְׁתִּים

After him was Shama son of Ageh the highlander. This is the story of his heroism: The Philistines had gathered for a raid, and there was a tract of the field full of lentils, and the people had fled from the Philistines.

וַיִּתְיַצֵּב בְּתוֹךְ הַחֶלְקָה וַיַּצִּילֶהָ וַיַּךְ אֶת פְּלִשְׁתִּים וַיַּעַשׂ ה' תְּשׁוּעָה גְדוֹלָה

He, Shama, stood in the middle of the tract and rescued it; he smote the Philistines, and the Lord delivered a great salvation.

וַיֵּרְדוּ שְׁלֹשָׁה מֵהַשְּׁלֹשִׁים רֹאשׁ וַיָּבֹאוּ אֶל קָצִיר אֶל דָּוִד אֶל מְעָרַת עֲדֻלָּם וְחַיַּת פְּלִשְׁתִּים חֹנָה בְּעֵמֶק רְפָאִים

During that battle, which apparently lasted longer than a few days, or shortly after the battle, the three officers who were the captains of the leaders of thirty, the elite unit of the thirty warriors detailed below, went down. Others explain that the thirty warriors were themselves captains of units. And they came to David during the harvest to the cave of Adulam in which he was camped, and the marauding Philistine raiders were encamped in the Valley of Refaim, which is southwest of Jerusalem.

וְדָוִד אָז בַּמְּצוּדָה וּמַצַּב פְּלִשְׁתִּים אָז בֵית לָחֶם

David was then in the stronghold adjacent to the cave of Adulam, and a Philistine garrison was then in Bethlehem, not far from the Valley of Refaim.

וַיִּתְאַוֶּה דָוִד וַיֹּאמַר מִי יַשְׁקֵנִי מַיִם מִבֹּאר בֵּית לֶחֶם אֲשֶׁר בַּשָּׁעַר

David had a craving, and said: Who will give me water to drink from the cistern of Bethlehem, which is at the gate? David longed to drink from the superior quality water of the well, from which he had certainly drunk as a child.

וַיִּבְקְעוּ שְׁלֹשֶׁת הַגִּבֹּרִים בְּמַחֲנֵה פְלִשְׁתִּים וַיִּשְׁאֲבוּ מַיִם מִבֹּאר בֵּית לֶחֶם אֲשֶׁר בַּשַּׁעַר וַיִּשְׂאוּ וַיָּבִאוּ אֶל דָּוִד וְלֹא אָבָה לִשְׁתּוֹתָם וַיַּסֵּךְ אֹתָם לַה'

When his men heard his request, the three mighty ones breached the Philistine camp, and they drew water from the cistern of Bethlehem, which is at the gate, and they carried it and brought it to David. This action involved exposing themselves to great danger, and perhaps even armed conflict; but he, David, was unwilling to drink it, although he had desired the water greatly, and poured it to the Lord.

וַיֹּאמֶר חָלִילָה לִּי ה' מֵעֲשֹׂתִי זֹאת הֲדַם הָאֲנָשִׁים הַהֹלְכִים בְּנַפְשׁוֹתָם וְלֹא אָבָה לִשְׁתּוֹתָם אֵלֶּה עָשׂוּ שְׁלֹשֶׁת הַגִּבֹּרִים

He said: Far be it from me, Lord, that I do this. Isn’t this the blood of the men who went to risk their lives? It is inappropriate that I drink this water that was acquired at such risk of life. He was unwilling to drink it. The three mighty ones performed these. This incident illustrates not only their courage and strength, but also their allegiance to David, as they hastened to fulfill his every wish, even when it involved an incursion into the heart of the enemy camp.

וַאֲבִישַׁי אֲחִי יוֹאָב בֶּן צְרוּיָה הוּא רֹאשׁ הַשְּׁלֹשָׁה וְהוּא עוֹרֵר אֶת חֲנִיתוֹ עַל שְׁלֹשׁ מֵאוֹת חָלָל וְלוֹ שֵׁם בַּשְּׁלֹשָׁה

Avishai, brother of Yoav, son of Tzeruya, was head of the three. He wielded his spear against three hundred slain; he had renown among the three exceptional warriors of David mentioned above.

מִן הַשְּׁלֹשָׁה הֲכִי נִכְבָּד וַיְהִי לָהֶם לְשָׂר וְעַד הַשְּׁלֹשָׁה לֹא בָא

He, Avishai, was more honored than the three, Adino, Elazar, and Shama, who were presumably the warriors who entered Bethlehem; and he became their commander although he had not gone and entered Bethlehem with the three. He was not merely an individual warrior, he was one of David’s military commanders, and his status was elevated above that of the three mighty warriors. Other commentaries explain that the three warriors who infiltrated Bethlehem were not the three listed initially. In this manner, the number of warriors listed coincides with the number mentioned in the summary at the conclusion of the passage.

וּבְנָיָהוּ בֶן יְהוֹיָדָע בֶּן אִישׁ חַיִל רַב פְּעָלִים מקַבְצְאֵל הוּא הִכָּה אֵת שְׁנֵי אֲרִאֵל מוֹאָב וְהוּא יָרַד וְהִכָּה אֶת הָאֲרִי בְּתוֹךְ הַבֹּאר בְּיוֹם הַשָּׁלֶג

Benaya son of Yehoyada was the son of a valiant and accomplished famous military man from the village of Kavtze’el; he, Benaya, smote two champions, or towers, of Moav, and he went down alone and smote the lion trapped inside the cistern on the day of the snow.

וְהוּא הִכָּה אֶת אִישׁ מִצְרִי אִישׁ מַרְאֶה וּבְיַד הַמִּצְרִי חֲנִית וַיֵּרֶד אֵלָיו בַּשָּׁבֶט וַיִּגְזֹל אֶת הַחֲנִית מִיַּד הַמִּצְרִי וַיַּהַרְגֵהוּ בַּחֲנִיתוֹ

He smote an Egyptian man, an imposing man of formidable appearance; in the hand of the Egyptian there was a spear. He, Benaya, went out to him armed with a staff, or a branch, and snatched the spear from the hand of the Egyptian, and killed him with his spear.

אֵלֶּה עָשָׂה בְּנָיָהוּ בֶּן יְהוֹיָדָע וְלוֹ שֵׁם בִּשְׁלֹשָׁה הַגִּבֹּרִים

These, Benaya son of Yehoyada accomplished, and he had renown among the three mighty ones.

מִן הַשְּׁלֹשִׁים נִכְבָּד וְאֶל הַשְּׁלֹשָׁה לֹא בָא וַיְשִׂמֵהוּ דָוִד אֶל מִשְׁמַעְתּוֹ

He, Benaya, was honored more than the thirty listed below, but he did not reach the prowess of the three exceptional warriors of David, and David installed him over his guard, his elite units that were subject to his direct orders. Benaya was the commander of the Keretites and over the Peletites, David’s armed guard.

עֲשָׂהאֵל אֲחִי יוֹאָב בַּשְּׁלֹשִׁים; אֶלְחָנָן בֶּן דֹּדוֹ בֵּית לָחֶם;

Asael brother of Yoav, who was killed by Avner (2:18–23), was among the thirty, as were Elhanan son of Dodo of Bethlehem,

שַׁמָּה הַחֲרֹדִי; אֱלִיקָא הַחֲרֹדִי ;

Shama the Harodite, Elika the Harodite, from Harod;

חֶלֶץ הַפַּלְטִי ; עִירָא בֶן עִקֵּשׁ הַתְּקוֹעִי ;

Heletz the Paltite, Palti being the name of his family or the name of a place, Ira son of Ikesh the Tekoite, from the city of Tekoa,

אֲבִיעֶזֶר הָעַנְּתֹתִי ; מְבֻנַּי הַחֻשָׁתִי;

Aviezer the Anatotite, from the city of Anatot in the territory of Benjamin, Mevunai the Hushatite,

צַלְמוֹן הָאֲחֹחִי ; מַהְרַי הַנְּטֹפָתִי ;

Tzalmona the Ahohite, the name of a family in the tribe of Benjamin, Maharai the Netofatite, from Netofa,next to Jerusalem,

חֵלֶב בֶּן בַּעֲנָה הַנְּטֹפָתִי; אִתַּי בֶּן רִיבַי מִגִּבְעַת בְּנֵי בִנְיָמִן;

Helev son of Baana the Netofatite, Itai son of Rivai of Giva, of the children of Benjamin,

בְּנָיָהוּ פִּרְעָתֹנִי ; הִדַּי מִנַּחֲלֵי גָעַשׁ;

Benaya, a Piratonite, from Piratonin the portion of Ephraim, Hidai of Nahalei Gaash;

אֲבִי עַלְבוֹן הָעַרְבָתִי; עַזְמָוֶת הַבַּרְחֻמִי ;

Avi Alvon the Arvatite, Azmavet the Barhumite, from Bahurim, adjacent to Jerusalem from the east,

אֶלְיַחְבָּא הַשַּׁעַלְבֹנִי ; בְּנֵי יָשֵׁן יְהוֹנָתָן ;

Elyahba the Shaalvonite, from Shaalavin; of the sons of [benei] Yashen, Yehonatan was one; alternatively, Yehonatan from Benei Yashen;

שַׁמָּה הַהֲרָרִי; אֲחִיאָם בֶּן שָׁרָר הָארָרִי;

Shama the Hararite, Ahiam son of Sharar the Ararite,

אֱלִיפֶלֶט בֶּן אֲחַסְבַּי בֶּן הַמַּעֲכָתִי; אֱלִיעָם בֶּן אֲחִיתֹפֶל ;

Elifelet, son of Ahasbai, son of the Maakhatite; Eliam son of Ahitofel the Gilonite, the eminent advisor who was from Gilo (see 15:12). Eliam was the father of Bathsheba, and became David’s father-in-law, perhaps against his will (see 11:3);

חֶצְרַי הַכַּרְמְלִי; פַּעֲרַי הָאַרְבִּי ;

Hezrai the Carmelite; Paarai the Arbite, from the city of Arav,

יִגְאָל בֶּן נָתָן מִצֹּבָה; בָּנִי הַגָּדִי ;

Yigal son of Natan of Tzova, Bani the Gadite from the eastern side of the Jordan,

צֶלֶק הָעַמֹּנִי; נַחְרַי הַבְּאֵרֹתִי נֹשֵׂא כְּלֵי יוֹאָב בֶּן צְרֻיָה ;

Tzelek the Amonite, Naharai the Be’erotite, who was the armor-bearer to Yoav son of Tzeruya. The terms Amonite and Be’erotite may indicate that these individuals were not Jewish.

עִירָא הַיִּתְרִי; גָּרֵב הַיִּתְרִי ;

Ira the Yitrite, Garev the Yitrite, who may have been from the same tribe or family;

אוּרִיָּה הַחִתִּי כֹּל שְׁלֹשִׁים וְשִׁבְעָה

and Uriya the Hitite. In all, there were thirty-seven mighty men, exceptional fighters who gained prominence throughout Israel, including senior army officers. However, only thirty names are listed here, plus the three officers who were their commanders. It is possible that the four additional mighty men were commanders who did not actually participate in battles, e.g., Yoav, David’s general, who is mentioned here only parenthetically. However, even if he did not always participate in battles, he was certainly a capable fighter, as evidenced in his killing of Amasa.Another possibility may be that the warriors not listed were of lower rank than those mentioned here, and that is why their names are not mentioned. The unlisted warriors may have been individuals who are mentioned elsewhere (21:15–21; see Rav Yosef Kara; Rav Yosef Caspi).