The Exploit of the Three

15

Three of the thirty leaders went down to the rock and came to David during harvest season at the cave of 'Adulam when the army of the P'lishtim had set up camp in the Refa'im Valley.

16

At that time David was in the fortress, and the garrison of the P'lishtim was in Beit-Lechem.

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David had a craving and said, "I wish someone could give me water to drink from the well by the gate of Beit-Lechem!"

18

The three broke through the army of the P'lishtim, drew water from the well by the gate of Beit-Lechem, took it and brought it to David. But David would not drink it; instead, he poured it out to ADONAI

19

and said, "My God forbid that I should do such a thing! Am I to drink the blood of these men who went and put their lives in jeopardy? They risked their lives to bring it!"- and he would not consent to drink it. These are the things the three warrior-heroes did.

20

Avishai the brother of Yo'av was chief of these three. He raised his spear against 300 men and killed them; thus he had a reputation even among the three.

21

Of the three in the second rank he had the most honor and was therefore made their leader; however, he did not achieve the status of the first three.

22

B'nayah the son of Y'hoyada, the son of a valiant man of Kavtze'el, was a man of many exploits. He struck down two lion-hearted men of Mo'av. One day when it was snowing, he went down into a pit and killed a lion.

23

Here is how he killed an Egyptian, a man who was very tall, seven-and-a-half feet: the Egyptian had a spear in his hand the size of a weaver's beam; he went down to him with only a stick, seized the spear from the Egyptian's hand and killed him with his own spear.

24

These are things that B'nayah the son of Y'hoyada did that earned him a name among the three warrior-heroes.

25

He had more honor than the thirty, but he did not achieve the status of the first three. David put him in command of his personal guard.

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