David's Last Words
1 David son of Jesse was the man whom God made great, whom the God of Jacob chose to be king, and who was the composer of beautiful songs for Israel. These are David's last words:
2 The spirit of the Lord speaks through me;
his message is on my lips.
3 The God of Israel has spoken;
the protector of Israel said to me:
“The king who rules with justice,
who rules in obedience to God,
4 is like the sun shining on a cloudless dawn,
the sun that makes the grass sparkle after rain.”
5 And that is how God will bless my descendants,
because he has made an eternal covenant with me,
an agreement that will not be broken,
a promise that will not be changed.
That is all I desire;
that will be my victory,
and God will surely bring it about.
6 But godless people are like thorns that are thrown away;
no one can touch them barehanded.
7 You must use an iron tool or a spear;
they will be burned completely.
David's Famous Soldiers
(1 Chronicles 11.10-41)8 These are the names of David's famous soldiers: the first was Josheb Basshebeth from Tachemon, who was the leader of “The Three”; he fought with his spear against eight hundred men and killed them all in one battle.
9 The second of the famous three was Eleazar son of Dodo, of the clan of Ahoh. One day he and David challenged the Philistines who had gathered for battle. The Israelites fell back, 10 but he stood his ground and fought the Philistines until his hand was so cramped that he could not let go of his sword. The Lord won a great victory that day. After it was over, the Israelites returned to where Eleazar was and stripped the armor from the dead.
11 The third of the famous three was Shammah son of Agee from Harar. The Philistines had gathered at Lehi, where there was a field of peas. The Israelites fled from the Philistines, 12 but Shammah stood his ground in the field, defended it, and killed the Philistines. The Lord won a great victory that day.
13 Near the beginning of harvest time three of “The Thirty” went down to Adullam Cave, where David was, while a band of Philistines was camping in Rephaim Valley. 14 At that time David was on a fortified hill, and a group of Philistines had occupied Bethlehem. 15 David grew homesick and said, “How I wish someone would bring me a drink of water from the well by the gate at Bethlehem!” 16 The three famous soldiers forced their way through the Philistine camp, drew some water from the well, and brought it back to David. But he would not drink it; instead he poured it out as an offering to the Lord 17 and said, “Lord, I could never drink this! It would be like drinking the blood of these men who risked their lives!” So he refused to drink it.
Those were the brave deeds of the three famous soldiers.
18 Joab's brother Abishai (their mother was Zeruiah) was the leader of “The Famous Thirty.” He fought with his spear against three hundred men and killed them, and became famous among “The Thirty.” 19 He was the most famous of “The Thirty” and became their leader, but he was not as famous as “The Three.”
20 Benaiah son of Jehoiada from Kabzeel was another famous soldier; he did many brave deeds, including killing two great Moabite warriors. He once went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion. 21 He also killed an Egyptian, a huge man who was armed with a spear. Benaiah attacked him with his club, snatched the spear from the Egyptian's hand, and killed him with it. 22 Those were the brave deeds of Benaiah, who was one of “The Thirty.” 23 He was outstanding among them, but was not as famous as “The Three.” David put him in charge of his bodyguard.
24-39 Other members of “The Thirty” included:
Asahel, Joab's brother
Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem
Shammah and Elika from Harod
Helez from Pelet
Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa
Abiezer from Anathoth
Mebunnai from Hushah
Zalmon from Ahoh
Maharai from Netophah
Heleb son of Baanah from Netophah
Ittai son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin
Benaiah from Pirathon
Hiddai from the valleys near Gaash
Abialbon from Arabah
Azmaveth from Bahurim
Eliahba from Shaalbon
The sons of Jashen
Jonathan
Shammah from Harar
Ahiam son of Sharar from Harar
Eliphelet son of Ahasbai from Maacah
Eliam son of Ahithophel from Gilo
Hezro from Carmel
Paarai from Arab
Igal son of Nathan from Zobah
Bani from Gad
Zelek from Ammon
Naharai from Beeroth, Joab's armorbearer
Ira and Gareb from Jattir
Uriah the Hittite.
There were thirty-seven famous soldiers in all.
Lumbo gwe bupelo gwa Dafite
1 Ngono ngwenu, awa ndiwo matama e bupelo a Dafite,
ndebeleko ya Dafite nkololo wa Jesi,
ndebeleko ye nlume wakakudziwa
nzhodziwa we Ndzimu wa Jakubo,
nkwali we njimbo dzinozipa dze Iziraela.
2 Meya ya Yahwe inolebeleka ili mundili,
matama abo amu nlomo wangu.
3 Ndzimu we Iziraela walebeleka,
shongwe ye Iziraela yandidwa ikati,
ha nthu ebusa bathu nge ndulamo,
ebusa nge kutja Ndzimu,
4 unonga tjedza tje zhuba libhuda,
enga zhuba mangwanana kusina makole,
unopenya se vula yana inopenya mu bushwa.
5 Apa nsha wangu auzojalo ku Ndzimu kene?
Ngobe wakathama tjidumano tjisingapele nami,
tjisungo tjisingowosunungugwa,
kugadzabgwe kusingowoshandugwa.
Ndiko kose kwandinoyemula,
ndiko kunowobe kukunda kwangu,
tjoselele Ndzimu unowothama kuti kushingikale.
6 Koga bathu basina Ndzimu banonga mihwa inoposegwa kutjena,
isingake ikabhakhwa nge maboko.
7 Koga nthu unoibhata,
unoshingisa tshipi kene lupa gwe thumo,
inopisiwa nge moto ikalota.
Babhayani bakasima ba Dafite
(1 Zwiyitikalo 11:10-41)8 Awa ndiwo mazina e babhayani bakasima Dafite baakabe anabo: We kutanga wakabe ali Jehoshibhashebeti we Ntakemoni wakabe ali nlauli we batungamili batatu, wakagwa nge thumo lile kabulaya babhayani bali makumi ali zhanakadzi (800) nge tjibaka tjing'ompela.
9 Wakabe entobeledza mu balume batatu bakasima wakabe ali Eleazari nkololo wa Dodo ali nkololo wa Ahohi. Wakabe ana Dafite pabakadadila Bafilisitiya bakabe bakakubunganila kugwa, ngono Baiziraela bakabgwilila shule. 10 Iye kama katemelela Bafilisitiya kudzina tjiazha tjitje tjinyala, tjibuya tjinamatila bukano. Ngono Yahwe bakapa kukunda kukulu kwazo zhuba ilelo, babhayani bakashandukila kuna Eleazari, bewotapa koga zwibhayano mu bafi.
11 Unontobeledza wakabe ali Shama, nkololo wa Agi we Nharari. Bafilisitiya bakabe bakubunganila ku Lehi, kwabe kuna nnda we ipimbo, ngono babhayani be Iziraela bakatizha Bafilisitiya. 12 Koga Shama kama kapilimala ali pakati kwe nnda kutjigwila, katemelela Bafilisitiya, ngono Yahwe bakampa kukunda kukulu kwazo.
13 Mu tjibaka tjekuvuna, babhayani bali batatu mu bakulu bali makumi matatu (30) bakayenda, bakanoswika kuna Dafite ku guwu le Adulamu, kwakabe goko le Bafilisitiya lakakotokelapo mu nkuku we Refaimu. 14 Ipapo Dafite wakabe ali mu dizhilo, ngono babhayani be Bafilisitiya bali ku Bhetelehema. 15 Ngono Dafite kalebeleka nge ishubu kati, “Ungati mmwe unganondipa vula ang'wa mu tshima le Bhetelehema lipa nkoba.” 16 Ndizo babhayani batatu bakasima bakapalama goko le Bafilisitiya, bakanotjela vula mu tshima le Bhetelehema lakabe lili pa nkoba, bakaitola bakazha nayo kuna Dafite. Koga kasi ing'we akaitebulila pasi kupa Yahwe. 17 Kalebeleka eti, “Yahwe, andingang'we vula iyeyi! Ndowobe ndinga ndinong'wa malopa e balume ibaba balonga butjilo gwabo mu mbatsha!” Ndizo kasiing'we.
Ezwi ndizo zwakathamwa nge babhayani batatu bakabe bana tjilopa. 18 Ipapo Abishayi nnung'una wa Joabu nkololo wa Zeruya wakabe ali ntungamili we babhayani bali makumi matatu (30) wakagwa nge thumo lile kabulaya babhayani bali mazana matatu (300), kabe ne tjilumbi kupinda batatu. 19 Apa aazobe ne tjilumbi kupinda butatu kene? Wakathang'wa nlauli we bali makumi matatu (30). Ngono kasibe mwe we batatu be kutanga.
20 Bhenaya nkololo wa Jehoyada wakabe ali nlume una tjilopa edwa ku Kabuzele ali nthami we mishingo mikulu, wakabulaya Balume bakasima mu ngwa bali babili be Moabu. Kabuya kangina mu gomba kabulaya shumba mu zhuba lakabe lawa kapuku. 21 Kakale kabulaya nlume mbuya we N'egipiti. N'egipiti wakabe akabhata thumo nge luboko, koga Bheneya kayenda kunli akabhata swimbo, kashwabula thumo mu luboko gwe N'egipiti, kambulaya nge thumo lile. 22 Ezwi ndizo zwakathamwa ndi Bhenaya nkololo wa Jehoyada ekowana tjilumbi se balume batatu bana tjilopa. 23 Bhenaya wakawana tjilumbi muna bali makumi matatu (30), koga kasitongolizana ne batatu be kutanga. Dafite kanthama nkulu mu balisi babe.
24 Asahele nnung'una wa Joabu wakabe ali mmwe we bali makumi matatu (30) na Elihanani nkololo wa Dodo we Bhetelehema, 25 na Shama we Nharode na Elika we Harode 26 na Helezi we Npaliti na Ira nkololo wa Ikeshi edwa ku Tekowa, 27 na Abiezera edwa ku Anatoti na Mebhunayi we Nhushahi, 28 na Zalimoni we Nhohi na Maharayi edwa ku Netofa, 29 na Helebu nkololo wa Bhaana edwa ku Netofa na Itai nkololo wa Ribhai edwa ku Gibeya we Bhenjamini, 30 na Bhenaya edwa ku Pirathoni na Hidai edwa ku nkuku we Gaashi, 31 na Abialiboni we N'arabhati na Azimaveti edwa ku Bhahurimu 32 na Eliabha edwa ku Shaalibhoni nkololo wa Jasheni na Jonatani, 33 na Shama we Nharari na Ahiamu nkololo wa Sharari we Nharari, 34 na Elifeleti nkololo wa Ahasibai edwa ku Maaka, na Eliamu nkololo wa Ahithofele edwa ku Gilo, 35 na Hezero edwa ku Karimeli, na Paarai we N'ariba, 36 na Igali nkololo wa Nathani edwa ku Zobha na Bhani we N'gadi, 37 na Zeleke we N'amoni na Naharayi edwa ku Bheeroti nsengi we zwibhayano zwa Joabu nkololo wa Zeruya 38 na Ira we N'itheri na Garebu we N'itheri 39 na Uriya we Nhiti: Babhayani bose bakasima bakabe bali makumi matatu ana kutendeka (37).