1   And these are Dauides last wordes. Dauid the sonne of Isai sayd: The man sayd, to whom it was appointed concerning the Christ of the God of Iacob, the excellent Psalmist of Israel:

2   The Spirit of our Lord hath spoken by me, and his wordes by my tongue.

3   The God of Israel sayd to me, the Strong one of Israel hath spoken, the Dominatour of men, the iust ruler in the feare of God.

4   As the light of the mourning when the sunne ryseth, early without cloudes glistereth, and as by rayne grasse springeth out of the earth.

5    ^noteNeither is my house so great with God, that he should enter with me an eternal couenant firme in al thinges & assured. For al my saluation, and al my wil: neither is there ought therof that springeth not.

6   And transgressors shal be plucked vp as thornes euery one: which are not taken with handes.

7   And if a man wil touch them, he shal be armed with yron and a lance staffe, and kindled with fyre they shal be burnt vnto nothing.

8   These be the names of the valiantes of Dauid. Sitting in his chaire the wisest prince amongest three, he is as it were the most tender litle worme of the wood, which killed eight hundred at one brunt.

9   After him, Eleazar the sonne of his vncle the Ahohite among the three valiantes, that were with Dauid when they defyed the Philisthijms, and were gathered thither into battel.

10   And when the men of Israel were gone vp, he stood and stroke the Philistians til his hand faynted, and waxed stiffe with the sword: and our Lord made a great victorie that day: and the people, that was fled, returned to take away of the spoyles of them that were slayne.

11   And after him Semma the sonne of

Dauid. Age of Arari. And the Philisthijms were gathered together in their ward: for there was there a filde ful of rice. And when the people was fled from the face of the Philisthijms.

12   he stood in the middes of the filde, and defended it, and stroke the Philisthians: and our Lord gaue great saluation.

13   Moreouer also before there went downe three which were princes among thirtie, and came to Dauid in the haruest time into the caue of Odollam: and the campe of the Philistianes was placed in the Vale of the giantes.

14   And Dauid was in a hold: moreouer the ward of the Philisthianes was then in Bethlehem.

15   Dauid ^note therfore desyred, & sayd: O that some man would geue me drinke of the water out of the cesterne, that is in Bethlehem beside the gate.

16   Three valiantes therfore brake into the campe of the Philistianes, and drew water out of the cesterne of Bethlehem, that was beside the gate, and brought it to Dauid: but he would not drinke, but ^note offered it to our Lord,

17   saying: Our Lord be merciful to me, that I doe not this thing: shal I drinke the bloud of these men that went, & the peril of their liues? Therfore he would not drinke. These thinges did the three strongest.

18   Abisai also the brother of Ioab the sonne of Saruia, was prince of three, it is he that lifted vp his speare agaynst three hundred, whom he slewe, renowned among three,

19   and the noblest of three, and he was the chiefe of them, but to the three first he raught not.

20   And Banaias the sonne of Ioiada the most valiant man of great workes, of Cabseel: he stroke the two lions of Moab, and he went downe, and stroke the lyon in the middes of the cesterne in the dayes of snow.

21   He also stroke the Ægyptian, a man worthie to be a spectacle, hauing in his hand a speare: therfore when he came downe to him with a rod, by force he wrested the speare out of the hand of the Ægyptian, and slewe him with his owne speare.

22   These thinges did Banaias the sonne of Ioiada.

23   And he renowmed among the three valiantes, which were the nobler among thirtie: but vnto the three he raught not: and Dauid made him of his secrete counsel.

24   Asael the brother of Ioab among the thirtie, Elahanan the sonne of his vncle of Bethlehem.

25   Semma of Harodi, Elica of Harori,

26   Heles of Phalti, Hira the sonne of Acces of Thecua,

27   Abiezer of Anathoth, Mobonnai of Husati,

28   Selmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,

29   Heled the sonne of Baana, he also a

Dauid. Netophathite, Ithai the sonne of Ribai of Gabaath of the children of Benjamin,

30   Banaia the Pharathonite, Heddai of the Torrent Gaas,

31   Abialbon the Arbathite, Azmaueth of Beromi,

32   Eliaba of Salaboni: The sonnes of Iassen, Ionathan,

33   Semma of Orori, Ahiam the sonne of Sarar the Ararite,

34   Eliphelet the sonne of Aasbai the sonne of Machati, Eliam the sonne of Achitophel the Gelonite,

35   Hesrai of Carmel, Pharai of Arbi,

36   Igaal the sonne of Nathan of Soba, Bonni of Gadi,

37   Selec of Ammoni, Naharai the Berothite the squyer of Ioab the sonne of Saruia,

38   Ira the Iethrite, Gareb he also a Iethrite,

39   Vrias the Hetheire. Al thirtie seuen.

Previous section

Next section