Bible in Basic English
And David, moved by a strong desire, said, If only someone would give me a drink of water from the water-hole of Beth-lehem, by the doorway into the town!
And the three men, forcing their way through the Philistine army, got water from the water-hole of Beth-lehem, by the doorway into the town, and took it back to David: but he would not take it, but, draining it out, made an offering of it to the Lord.
And he said, Far be it from me, O Lord, to do this; how may I take as my drink the life-blood of men who have put their lives in danger? So he would not take it. These things did the three great men of war.
And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the thirty. He put to death three hundred with his spear, and he got for himself a name among the thirty.
Was he not the noblest of the thirty? so he was made their captain: but he was not equal to the first three.
And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, a fighting man of Kabzeel, had done great acts; he put to death the two sons of Ariel of Moab: he went down into a hole and put a lion to death in time of snow:
And he made an attack on an Egyptian, a tall man: and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a stick, and pulling the spear out of the hands of the Egyptian, put him to death with that same spear.
These were the acts of Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, who had a great name among the thirty men of war.
He was honoured over the rest of the thirty, but he was not equal to the first three. And David put him over the fighting men who kept him safe.
Asahel, the brother of Joab, was one of the thirty; and Elhanan, the son of Dodai, of Beth-lehem,
Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,
Helez the Paltite, Ira, the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,
Abiezer the Anathothite, Sibbecai the Hushathite,
Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,
Heldai, the son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai, the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin,
Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the valleys of Gaash,
Abiel the Arbathite, Azmaveth of Bahurim,
Eliahba the Shaalbonite, Jashen the Gunite,
Jonathan, the son of Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam, the son of Sharar the Hararite,
Eliphelet, the son of Ahasbai the Maacathite, Eliam, the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,
Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Archite,
Igal, the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite,
Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, who had the care of the arms of Joab, son of Zeruiah,
Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,
Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in number.
— 2 Samuel 23:15-1964, Bible in Basic English
“And David longed, and said: O that some man would get me a drink of the water out of the cistern, that is in Bethlehem, by the gate. And the three valiant men broke through the camp of the Philistines, and drew water out of the cistern of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and brought it to David: but he would not drink, but offered it to the Lord, Saying: The Lord be merciful to me, that I may not do this: shall I drink the blood of these men that went, and the peril of their lives? therefore he would not drink. These things did these three mighty men. Abisai also the brother of Joab, the son of Sarvia, was chief among three: and he lifted up his spear against three hundred whom he slew, and he was renowned among the three, And the noblest of three, and was their chief, but to the three first he attained not. And Banaias the son of Joiada a most valiant man, of great deeds, of Cabseel: he slew the two lions of Moab, and he went down, and slew a lion in the midst of a pit, in the time of snow. He also slew an Egyptian, a man worthy to be a sight, having a spear in his hand: but he went down to him with a rod, and forced the spear out of the hand of the Egyptian, and slew him with his own spear. These things did Banaias the son of Joiada. And he was renowned among the three valiant men, who were the most honourable among the thirty: but he attained not to the first three: and David made him of his privy council. Asael the brother of Joab was one of the thirty, Elehanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem. Semma of Harodi, Elica of Harodi, Heles of Phalti, Hira the son of Acces of Thecua, Abiezer of Anathoth, Mobonnai of Husati, Selmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, Heled the son of Baana, also a Netophathite, Ithai the son of Ribai of Gabaath of the children of Benjamin, Banaia the Pharathonite, Heddai of the torrent Gaas, Abialbon the Arbathite, Azmaveth of Beromi, Eliaba of Salaboni. The sons of Jassen, Jonathan, Semma of Orori, Aliam the son of Sarar the Arorite, Eliphelet the son of Aasbai the son of Machati, Eliam the son of Achitophel the Gelonite, Hesrai of Carmel, Pharai of Arbi, Igaal the son of Nathan of Soba, Bonni of Gadi, Selec of Ammoni, Naharai the Berothite, armourbearer of Joab the son of Sarvia, Ira the Jethrite, Gareb also a Jethrite; Urias the Hethite, thirty and seven in all. ”
But he kept his place in the middle of the bit of land, and kept back their attack and overcame the Philistines: and the Lord gave a great salvation.
And three of the thirty went down at the start of the grain-cutting, and they came to David at the strong place of Adullam; and the band of Philistines had taken up their position in the valley of Rephaim.
And at that time David had taken cover in the strong place, and an armed force of the Philistines was in Beth-lehem.
And David, moved by a strong desire, said, If only someone would give me a drink of water from the water-hole of Beth-lehem, by the doorway into the town!
And the three men, forcing their way through the Philistine army, got water from the water-hole of Beth-lehem, by the doorway into the town, and took it back to David: but he would not take it, but, draining it out, made an offering of it to the Lord.
And he said, Far be it from me, O Lord, to do this; how may I take as my drink the life-blood of men who have put their lives in danger? So he would not take it. These things did the three great men of war.
And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the thirty. He put to death three hundred with his spear, and he got for himself a name among the thirty.
Was he not the noblest of the thirty? so he was made their captain: but he was not equal to the first three.
And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, a fighting man of Kabzeel, had done great acts; he put to death the two sons of Ariel of Moab: he went down into a hole and put a lion to death in time of snow:
And he made an attack on an Egyptian, a tall man: and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a stick, and pulling the spear out of the hands of the Egyptian, put him to death with that same spear.
These were the acts of Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, who had a great name among the thirty men of war.
He was honoured over the rest of the thirty, but he was not equal to the first three. And David put him over the fighting men who kept him safe.
Asahel, the brother of Joab, was one of the thirty; and Elhanan, the son of Dodai, of Beth-lehem,
Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,
Helez the Paltite, Ira, the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,
Abiezer the Anathothite, Sibbecai the Hushathite,
Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,
Heldai, the son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai, the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin,
Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the valleys of Gaash,
Abiel the Arbathite, Azmaveth of Bahurim,
Eliahba the Shaalbonite, Jashen the Gunite,
Jonathan, the son of Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam, the son of Sharar the Hararite,
Eliphelet, the son of Ahasbai the Maacathite, Eliam, the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,
Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Archite,
Igal, the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite,
Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, who had the care of the arms of Joab, son of Zeruiah,
Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,
Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in number.