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2 Samuel 23

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1 καὶ οὗτοι οἱ λόγοι Δαυιδ οἱ ἔσχατοι πιστὸς Δαυιδ υἱὸς Ιεσσαι καὶ πιστὸς ἀνήρ ὃν ἀνέστησεν κύριος ἐπὶ χριστὸν θεοῦ Ιακωβ καὶ εὐπρεπεῖς ψαλμοὶ Ισραηλ 2 πνεῦμα κυρίου ἐλάλησεν ἐν ἐμοί καὶ ὁ λόγος αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ γλώσσης μου 3 λέγει ὁ θεὸς Ισραηλ ἐμοὶ ἐλάλησεν φύλαξ Ισραηλ παραβολὴν εἰπόν ἐν ἀνθρώπῳ πῶς κραταιώσητε φόβον θεοῦ 4 καὶ ἐν θεῷ φωτὶ πρωίας ἀνατείλαι ἥλιος τὸ πρωὶ οὐ παρῆλθεν ἐκ φέγγους καὶ ὡς ἐξ ὑετοῦ χλόης ἀπὸ γῆς 5 οὐ γὰρ οὕτως ὁ οἶκός μου μετὰ ἰσχυροῦ διαθήκην γὰρ αἰώνιον ἔθετό μοι ἑτοίμην ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ πεφυλαγμένην ὅτι πᾶσα σωτηρία μου καὶ πᾶν θέλημα ὅτι οὐ μὴ βλαστήσῃ ὁ παράνομος 6 ὥσπερ ἄκανθα ἐξωσμένη πάντες αὐτοί ὅτι οὐ χειρὶ λημφθήσονται 7 καὶ ἀνὴρ οὐ κοπιάσει ἐν αὐτοῖς καὶ πλῆρες σιδήρου καὶ ξύλον δόρατος καὶ ἐν πυρὶ καύσει καυθήσονται αἰσχύνῃ αὐτῶν

1 These are the words of David’s last psalm. Thus speaks David, son of Jesse, thus speaks the man whom the God of Jacob swore to anoint, he who sang as none other sang in Israel. 2 Through me the spirit of the Lord has spoken; his words are on my tongue. 3 What says Israel’s God, Israel’s strong defender? That he who rules among men, governing them justly in the fear of God, 4 shines out like the light of dawn, when the sun rises in a cloudless sky, grows strong like meadow grass watered by the rain. 5 What worth has my kindred in God’s sight, that he should make an everlasting covenant with me, sealed and ratified all of it? Everywhere he preserves me, everywhere grants me my will; no wish of mine but bears fruit. 6 Sinful men he treats like briars, too sturdy to be plucked away with the hand, 7 so that all who would interfere with them go armed with iron-shod poles, setting fire to them at last and burning them away to nothing.[1]

1 Hæc autem sunt verba David novissima. Dixit David filius Isai:

Dixit vir, cui constitutum est de christo Dei Jacob,
egregius psaltes Israël: 2
Spiritus Domini locutus est per me,
et sermo ejus per linguam meam. 3
Dixit Deus Israël mihi,
locutus est fortis Israël:
Dominator hominum,
justus dominator in timore Dei, 4
sicut lux auroræ, oriente sole,
mane absque nubibus rutilat:
et sicut pluviis germinat herba de terra. 5
Nec tanta est domus mea apud Deum,
ut pactum æternum iniret mecum,
firmum in omnibus atque munitum.
Cuncta enim salus mea, et omnis voluntas,
nec est quidquam ex ea quod non germinet. 6
Prævaricatores autem quasi spinæ evellentur universi,
quæ non tolluntur manibus. 7
Et si quis tangere voluerit eas,
armabitur ferro et ligno lanceato,
igneque succensæ comburentur usque ad nihilum.

8 ταῦτα τὰ ὀνόματα τῶν δυνατῶν Δαυιδ Ιεβοσθε ὁ Χαναναῖος ἄρχων τοῦ τρίτου ἐστίν Αδινων ὁ Ασωναῖος οὗτος ἐσπάσατο τὴν ῥομφαίαν αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ ὀκτακοσίους τραυματίας εἰς ἅπαξ 9 καὶ με{T'} αὐτὸν Ελεαζαρ υἱὸς πατραδέλφου αὐτοῦ υἱὸς Σουσίτου ἐν τοῖς τρισὶν δυνατοῖς οὗτος ἦν μετὰ Δαυιδ ἐν Σερραν καὶ ἐν τῷ ὀνειδίσαι αὐτὸν ἐν τοῖς ἀλλοφύλοις συνήχθησαν ἐκεῖ εἰς πόλεμον καὶ ἀνέβησαν ἀνὴρ Ισραηλ 10 αὐτὸς ἀνέστη καὶ ἐπάταξεν ἐν τοῖς ἀλλοφύλοις ἕως οὗ ἐκοπίασεν ἡ χεὶρ αὐτοῦ καὶ προσεκολλήθη ἡ χεὶρ αὐτοῦ πρὸς τὴν μάχαιραν καὶ ἐποίησεν κύριος σωτηρίαν μεγάλην ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ καὶ ὁ λαὸς ἐκάθητο ὀπίσω αὐτοῦ πλὴν ἐκδιδύσκειν 11 καὶ με{T'} αὐτὸν Σαμαια υἱὸς Ασα ὁ Αρουχαῖος καὶ συνήχθησαν οἱ ἀλλόφυλοι εἰς Θηρία καὶ ἦν ἐκεῖ μερὶς τοῦ ἀγροῦ πλήρης φακοῦ καὶ ὁ λαὸς ἔφυγεν ἐκ προσώπου ἀλλοφύλων 12 καὶ ἐστηλώθη ἐν μέσῳ τῆς μερίδος καὶ ἐξείλατο αὐτὴν καὶ ἐπάταξεν τοὺς ἀλλοφύλους καὶ ἐποίησεν κύριος σωτηρίαν μεγάλην

8 And these are the names of David’s champions; first among the first three was Jesbaam the son of Hachamoni (the same that was called Plump as a Wood-worm),[2] who slew eight hundred men in one assault. 9 After him, his cousin Eleazar the Ahohite,[3] one of the three champions that were with David when they defied the Philistines. These had mustered for battle, 10 and the men of Israel had left the field; Eleazar stood there and cut down the Philistines until his arm grew weary and his hand stiff about his sword. A great victory the Lord gave Israel that day, and the men who had fled at first came back to gather up the spoils of the dead. 11 And after him Semma, the son of Age, from Arari. When a company of Philistines had gathered, close by a field of lentils, and routed the Israelites, 12 he stood there in the middle of the field and held it against the Philistines till he defeated them; that day, too, the Lord gave Israel a great victory.

8 Hæc nomina fortium David. Sedens in cathedra sapientissimus princeps inter tres, ipse est quasi tenerrimus ligni vermiculus, qui octingentos interfecit impetu uno. 9 Post hunc, Eleazar filius patrui ejus Ahohites inter tres fortes, qui erant cum David quando exprobraverunt Philisthiim, et congregati sunt illuc in prælium. 10 Cumque ascendissent viri Israël, ipse stetit et percussit Philisthæos donec deficeret manus ejus, et obrigesceret cum gladio: fecitque Dominus salutem magnam in die illa: et populus qui fugerat, reversus est ad cæsorum spolia detrahenda. 11 Et post hunc, Semma filius Age de Arari. Et congregati sunt Philisthiim in statione: erat quippe ibi ager lente plenus. Cumque fugisset populus a facie Philisthiim, 12 stetit ille in medio agri, et tuitus est eum, percussitque Philisthæos: et fecit Dominus salutem magnam.

13 καὶ κατέβησαν τρεῖς ἀπὸ τῶν τριάκοντα καὶ ἦλθον εἰς Κασων πρὸς Δαυιδ εἰς τὸ σπήλαιον Οδολλαμ καὶ τάγμα τῶν ἀλλοφύλων παρενέβαλον ἐν τῇ κοιλάδι Ραφαϊμ 14 καὶ Δαυιδ τότε ἐν τῇ περιοχῇ καὶ τὸ ὑπόστημα τῶν ἀλλοφύλων τότε ἐν Βαιθλεεμ 15 καὶ ἐπεθύμησεν Δαυιδ καὶ εἶπεν τίς ποτιεῖ με ὕδωρ ἐκ τοῦ λάκκου τοῦ ἐν Βαιθλεεμ τοῦ ἐν τῇ πύλῃ τὸ δὲ σύστημα τῶν ἀλλοφύλων τότε ἐν Βαιθλεεμ 16 καὶ διέρρηξαν οἱ τρεῖς δυνατοὶ ἐν τῇ παρεμβολῇ τῶν ἀλλοφύλων καὶ ὑδρεύσαντο ὕδωρ ἐκ τοῦ λάκκου τοῦ ἐν Βαιθλεεμ τοῦ ἐν τῇ πύλῃ καὶ ἔλαβαν καὶ παρεγένοντο πρὸς Δαυιδ καὶ οὐκ ἠθέλησεν πιεῖν αὐτὸ καὶ ἔσπεισεν αὐτὸ τῷ κυρίῳ 17 καὶ εἶπεν ἵλεώς μοι κύριε τοῦ ποιῆσαι τοῦτο εἰ αἷμα τῶν ἀνδρῶν τῶν πορευθέντων ἐν ταῖς ψυχαῖς αὐτῶν πίομαι καὶ οὐκ ἠθέλησεν πιεῖν αὐτό ταῦτα ἐποίησαν οἱ τρεῖς δυνατοί

13 Once, when it was harvest-time, these three, the foremost of the Thirty, were at the king’s side in the cave of Odollam; the Philistines had encamped in the Valley of the Giants, 14 and David kept close in his stronghold. The Philistines had a garrison at this time in Bethlehem: 15 and now David, overcome with longing, said aloud, Oh for a cup of water from the well by Bethlehem gate! 16 Whereupon the three champions broke through the Philistine lines, drew water from the well by the gate of Bethlehem, and brought it to David. Instead of drinking it, he poured it out as a libation to the Lord; 17 The Lord be merciful to me, said he, never that! That were to drink men’s blood; they brought it at the peril of their lives; it is not for my drinking. Such were the feats of the three first champions.

13 Necnon et ante descenderant tres qui erant principes inter triginta, et venerant tempore messis ad David in speluncam Odollam: castra autem Philisthinorum erant posita in Valle gigantum. 14 Et David erat in præsidio: porro statio Philisthinorum tunc erat in Bethlehem. 15 Desideravit ergo David, et ait: O si quis mihi daret potum aquæ de cisterna quæ est in Bethlehem juxta portam! 16 Irruperunt ergo tres fortes castra Philisthinorum, et hauserunt aquam de cisterna Bethlehem, quæ erat juxta portam, et attulerunt ad David: at ille noluit bibere, sed libavit eam Domino, 17 dicens: Propitius sit mihi Dominus, ne faciam hoc: num sanguinem hominum istorum qui profecti sunt, et animarum periculum bibam? Noluit ergo bibere. Hæc fecerunt tres robustissimi.

18 καὶ Αβεσσα ἀδελφὸς Ιωαβ υἱὸς Σαρουιας αὐτὸς ἄρχων ἐν τοῖς τρισίν καὶ αὐτὸς ἐξήγειρεν τὸ δόρυ αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τριακοσίους τραυματίας καὶ αὐτῷ ὄνομα ἐν τοῖς τρισίν 19 ἐκ τῶν τριῶν ἐκείνων ἔνδοξος καὶ ἐγένετο αὐτοῖς εἰς ἄρχοντα καὶ ἕως τῶν τριῶν οὐκ ἦλθεν 20 καὶ Βαναιας υἱὸς Ιωδαε ἀνὴρ αὐτὸς πολλοστὸς ἔργοις ἀπὸ Καβεσεηλ καὶ αὐτὸς ἐπάταξεν τοὺς δύο υἱοὺς Αριηλ τοῦ Μωαβ καὶ αὐτὸς κατέβη καὶ ἐπάταξε τὸν λέοντα ἐν μέσῳ τοῦ λάκκου ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῆς χιόνος 21 αὐτὸς ἐπάταξεν τὸν ἄνδρα τὸν Αἰγύπτιον ἄνδρα ὁρατόν ἐν δὲ τῇ χειρὶ τοῦ Αἰγυπτίου δόρυ ὡς ξύλον διαβάθρας καὶ κατέβη πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐν ῥάβδῳ καὶ ἥρπασεν τὸ δόρυ ἐκ τῆς χειρὸς τοῦ Αἰγυπτίου καὶ ἀπέκτεινεν αὐτὸν ἐν τῷ δόρατι αὐτοῦ 22 ταῦτα ἐποίησεν Βαναιας υἱὸς Ιωδαε καὶ αὐτῷ ὄνομα ἐν τοῖς τρισὶν τοῖς δυνατοῖς 23 ἐκ τῶν τριῶν ἔνδοξος καὶ πρὸς τοὺς τρεῖς οὐκ ἦλθεν καὶ ἔταξεν αὐτὸν Δαυιδ εἰς τὰς ἀκοὰς αὐτοῦ

18 Abisai, too, Joab’s brother, son of Sarvia, was one of three champions; he it was that engaged three hundred men with his own spear, and slew them. His name stood as one of three, 19 and among these he was foremost, leading the others, but he could not rival the first three. 20 There was Banaias, too, whose father, Joiada of Cabseel, was a warrior famous for his exploits. Banaias it was that slew the two heroes of Moab;[4] he also went down into a cavern on a day of snow, and killed a lion there. 21 And there was an Egyptian he slew, a wondrous man to see, that carried a great spear; Banaias went into battle with a club, and killed the Egyptian with his own spear, wresting it from his hand. 22 Such were the feats of Banaias, son of Joiada; 23 he, too, was one of the three champions that were foremost among the Thirty, but he could not rival the first three. He was the man David appointed to carry out his secret commands.

18 Abisai quoque frater Joab filius Sarviæ, princeps erat de tribus: ipse est qui levavit hastam suam contra trecentos, quos interfecit: nominatus in tribus, 19 et inter tres nobilior, eratque eorum princeps, sed usque ad tres primos non pervenerat. 20 Et Banaias filius Jojadæ viri fortissimi, magnorum operum, de Cabseel. Ipse percussit duos leones Moab, et ipse descendit, et percussit leonem in media cisterna in diebus nivis. 21 Ipse quoque interfecit virum ægyptium, virum dignum spectaculo, habentem in manu hastam: itaque cum descendisset ad eum in virga, vi extorsit hastam de manu Ægyptii, et interfecit eum hasta sua. 22 Hæc fecit Banaias filius Jojadæ. 23 Et ipse nominatus inter tres robustos, qui erant inter triginta nobiliores: verumtamen usque ad tres non pervenerat: fecitque eum sibi David auricularium, a secreto.

24 καὶ ταῦτα τὰ ὀνόματα τῶν δυνατῶν Δαυιδ βασιλέως Ασαηλ ἀδελφὸς Ιωαβ οὗτος ἐν τοῖς τριάκοντα Ελεαναν υἱὸς Δουδι πατραδέλφου αὐτοῦ ἐν Βαιθλεεμ 25 Σαμαι ὁ Αρουδαῖος Ελικα ὁ Αρωδαῖος 26 Ελλης ὁ Φελωθι Ιρας υἱὸς Εκκας ὁ Θεκωίτης 27 Αβιεζερ ὁ Αναθωθίτης ἐκ τῶν υἱῶν τοῦ Ασωθίτου 28 Σελμων ὁ Αωίτης Μοορε ὁ Νετωφαθίτης 29 Ελα υἱὸς Βαανα ὁ Νετωφαθίτης Εθθι υἱὸς Ριβα ἐκ Γαβαεθ υἱὸς Βενιαμιν 30 Βαναιας ὁ Φαραθωνίτης Ουρι ἐκ Ναχαλιγαιας 31 Αβιηλ υἱὸς τοῦ Αραβωθίτου Αζμωθ ὁ Βαρσαμίτης 32 Ελιασου ὁ Σαλαβωνίτης υἱοὶ Ιασαν Ιωναθαν 33 Σαμμα ὁ Αρωδίτης Αχιαν υἱὸς Σαραδ ὁ Αραουρίτης 34 Αλιφαλεθ υἱὸς τοῦ Ασβίτου υἱὸς τοῦ Μααχατι Ελιαβ υἱὸς Αχιτοφελ τοῦ Γελωνίτου 35 Ασαραι ὁ Καρμήλιος Φαραϊ ὁ Ερχι 36 Ιγααλ υἱὸς Ναθαν ἀπὸ δυνάμεως υἱὸς Γαδδι 37 Ελιε ὁ Αμμανίτης Γελωραι ὁ Βηρωθαῖος αἴρων τὰ σκεύη Ιωαβ υἱοῦ Σαρουιας 38 Ιρας ὁ Ιεθιραῖος Γαρηβ ὁ Ιεθιραῖος 39 Ουριας ὁ Χετταῖος πάντες τριάκοντα καὶ ἑπτά

24 And these were the men who belonged to the Thirty; Asael, Joab’s brother, and his cousin, Elehanan of Bethlehem; 25 Semma from Harodi, Elica from Harodi; 26 Heles from Phalti; Hira, son of Acces, from Thecua; 27 Abiezer from Anathoth; Mobonnai from Husati; 28 Selmon the Ahohite; Maharai the Netophathite; 29 Heled, son of Baana, also from Netophath; Ithai, son of Ribai, from Gabaath in Benjamin; 30 Banaia the Pharathonite; Heddai from the valley of Gaas; 31 Abialbon the Arbathite; Azmaveth from Beromi; 32 Eliaba from Salaboni; the sons of Jassen, Jonathan, 33 Semma from Orori; Aiam, son of Sarar, the Arorite; 34 Eliphelet, son of Asbai, son of Machati; Eliam, son of Achitophel, the Gelonite; 35 Hesrai from Carmel; Pharai from Arbi; 36 Igaal, son of Nathan, from Soba; Bonni from Gadi; 37 Selec from Ammoni; Naharai the Berothite, that was squire to Joab the son of Sarvia; 38 Ira and Gareb, the Jethrites, 39 and Urias the Hethite; thirty-seven names in all.

24 Asaël frater Joab inter triginta, Elehanan filius patrui ejus de Bethlehem, 25 Semma de Harodi, Elica de Harodi, 26 Heles de Phalti, Hira filius Acces de Thecua, 27 Abiezer de Anathoth, Mobonnai de Husati, 28 Selmon Ahohites, Maharai Netophathites, 29 Heled filius Baana, et ipse Netophathites, Ithai filius Ribai de Gabaath filiorum Benjamin, 30 Banaia Pharathonites, Heddai de torrente Gaas, 31 Abialbon Arbathites, Azmaveth de Beromi, 32 Eliaba de Salaboni. Filii Jassen, Jonathan, 33 Semma de Orori, Ajam filius Sarar Arorites, 34 Eliphelet filius Aasbai filii Machati, Eliam filius Achitophel Gelonites, 35 Hesrai de Carmelo, Pharai de Arbi, 36 Igaal filius Nathan de Soba, Bonni de Gadi, 37 Selec de Ammoni, Naharai Berothites armiger Joab filii Sarviæ, 38 Ira Jethrites, Gareb et ipse Jethrites, 39 Urias Hethæus: omnes triginta septem.

[1] vv. 1-7. The Latin version of David’s canticle disagrees in several places with the Hebrew text, and also with the (widely different) version given in the Septuagint Greek; it seems likely that there was some early corruption in the manuscripts.

[2] ‘Jesbaam the son of Hachamoni’; so the Latin version transliterates the name in I Par. 11.11; here, evidently finding the same names slightly distorted in the Hebrew original, it has translated them as if they were common nouns, ‘a very wise man sitting in a chair’. The phrase ‘the same that was called Plump as a Wood-worm’ is an attempt to translate two words of uncertain signification in the Hebrew text, which possibly conceal a fresh proper name. Some think they are a corruption of the words ‘he lifted his spear’ (as in Paralipomena).

[3] ‘His cousin’; this may also be read as a proper name, ‘the son of Dodo’. So also in verse 24 below.

[4] ‘Two heroes’; the Hebrew word here used, of uncertain significance, is translated as ‘lions’ in the Latin version here, and transliterated as ‘ariels’ in I Par. 11.22.

Knox Translation Copyright © 2013 Westminster Diocese
Nihil Obstat. Father Anton Cowan, Censor.
Imprimatur. +Most Rev. Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster. 8th January 2012.
Re-typeset and published in 2012 by Baronius Press Ltd