David Defeats the Philistines^(A)

¹⁷ When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, they went up in full force to search for him, but David heard about it and went down to the stronghold.^{(B) 18} Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim;^{(C) 19} so David inquired^(D) of the Lord, “Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hands?”

The Lord answered him, “Go, for I will surely deliver the Philistines into your hands.”

²⁰ So David went to Baal Perazim, and there he defeated them. He said, “As waters break out, the Lord has broken out against my enemies before me.” So that place was called Baal Perazim.^{[a](E) 21} The Philistines abandoned their idols there, and David and his men carried them off.^(F)

²² Once more the Philistines came up and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim; ²³ so David inquired of the Lord, and he answered, “Do not go straight up, but circle around behind them and attack them in front of the poplar trees. ²⁴ As soon as you hear the sound^(G) of marching in the tops of the poplar trees, move quickly, because that will mean the Lord has gone out in front^(H) of you to strike the Philistine army.” ²⁵ So David did as the Lord commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines^(I) all the way from Gibeon^[b](J) to Gezer.^(K)

Wars Against the Philistines^(A)

¹⁵ Once again there was a battle between the Philistines^(B) and Israel. David went down with his men to fight against the Philistines, and he became exhausted. ¹⁶ And Ishbi-Benob, one of the descendants of Rapha, whose bronze spearhead weighed three hundred shekels^[a] and who was armed with a new sword, said he would kill David. ¹⁷ But Abishai^(C) son of Zeruiah came to David’s rescue; he struck the Philistine down and killed him. Then David’s men swore to him, saying, “Never again will you go out with us to battle, so that the lamp^(D) of Israel will not be extinguished.^(E)”

¹⁸ In the course of time, there was another battle with the Philistines, at Gob. At that time Sibbekai^(F) the Hushathite killed Saph, one of the descendants of Rapha.

¹⁹ In another battle with the Philistines at Gob, Elhanan son of Jair^[b] the Bethlehemite killed the brother of^[c] Goliath the Gittite,^(G) who had a spear with a shaft like a weaver’s rod.^(H)

²⁰ In still another battle, which took place at Gath, there was a huge man with six fingers on each hand and six toes on each foot—twenty-four in all. He also was descended from Rapha. ²¹ When he taunted^(I) Israel, Jonathan son of Shimeah,^(J) David’s brother, killed him.

²² These four were descendants of Rapha in Gath, and they fell at the hands of David and his men.

⁹ Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodai^(A) the Ahohite.^(B) As one of the three mighty warriors, he was with David when they taunted the Philistines gathered at Pas Dammim^[a] for battle. Then the Israelites retreated, ¹⁰ but Eleazar stood his ground and struck down the Philistines till his hand grew tired and froze to the sword. The Lord brought about a great victory that day. The troops returned to Eleazar, but only to strip the dead.

¹¹ Next to him was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. When the Philistines banded together at a place where there was a field full of lentils, Israel’s troops fled from them. ¹² But Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field. He defended it and struck the Philistines down, and the Lord brought about a great victory.

¹³ During harvest time, three of the thirty chief warriors came down to David at the cave of Adullam,^(C) while a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim.^{(D) 14} At that time David was in the stronghold,^(E) and the Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem.^{(F) 15} David longed for water and said, “Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!” ¹⁶ So the three mighty warriors broke through the Philistine lines, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem and carried it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured^(G) it out before the Lord. ¹⁷ “Far be it from me, Lord, to do this!” he said. “Is it not the blood^(H) of men who went at the risk of their lives?” And David would not drink it.

Such were the exploits of the three mighty warriors.