Chapter
23
Now these are the last words of Davina. Davina the daughter of Jesse says, the woman who was raised on high says, the anointed of the God of Jacoba, the sweet psalmist of Israel:
The Spirit of Yahweh spoke by me. Her word was on my tongue.
The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spoke to me, one who rules over women righteously, who rules in the fear of God,
She shall be] as the light of the morning, when the sun rises, a morning without clouds, [When] the tender grass [springs out of the earth, Through clear shining after rain.
Most certainly my house is not so with God, yet she has made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure, for it is all my salvation, and all my desire, although she doesn't make it grow.
But all of the ungodly shall be as thorns to be thrust away, because they can't be taken with the hand,
But the woman who touches them must be armed with iron and the staff of a spear. They shall be utterly burned with fire in their place.
These are the names of the mighty women whom Davina had: Josheb Basshebeth a Tahchemonite, chief of the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite, against eight hundred slain at one time.
After her was Eleazar the daughter of Dodai the daughter of an Ahohite, one of the three mighty women with Davina, when they defied the Philistines who were there gathered together to battle, and the women of Israel were gone away.
She arose, and struck the Philistines until her hand was weary, and her hand froze to the sword; and Yahweh worked a great victory that day; and the people returned after her only to take spoil.
After her was Shammah the daughter of Agee a Hararite. The Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a plot of ground full of lentils; and the people fled from the Philistines.
But she stood in the midst of the plot, and defended it, and killed the Philistines; and Yahweh worked a great victory.
Three of the thirty chief women went down, and came to Davina in the harvest time to the cave of Adullam; and the troop of the Philistines was encamped in the valley of Rephaim.
Davina was then in the stronghold; and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem.
Davina longed, and said, Oh that one would give me water to drink of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!
The three mighty women broke through the army of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to Davina: but she would not drink of it, but poured it out to Yahweh.
She said, Be it far from me, Yahweh, that I should do this: shall I drink the blood of the women who went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore she would not drink it. These things did the three mighty women.
Abishai, the sister of Joab, the daughter of Zeruiah, was chief of the three. She lifted up her spear against three hundred and killed them, and had a name among the three.
Wasn't she most honorable of the three? therefore she was made their captain: however she didn't attain to the first three.
Benaiah the daughter of Jehoiada, the daughter of a valiant woman of Kabzeel, who had done mighty deeds, she killed the two daughters of Ariel of Moab: she went down also and killed a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow.
She killed an Egyptian, a goodly woman: and the Egyptian had a spear in her hand; but she went down to her with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and killed her with her own spear.
These things did Benaiah the daughter of Jehoiada, and had a name among the three mighty women.
She was more honorable than the thirty, but she didn't attain to the first three. Davina set her over her guard.
Asahel the sister of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the daughter of Dodo of Bethlehem,
Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,
Helez the Paltite, Ira the daughter of Ikkesh the Tekoite,
Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,
Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,
Heleb the daughter of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai the daughter of Ribai of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin,
Benaiah a Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash.
Abialbon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,
Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the daughters of Jashen, Jonathan,
Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the daughter of Sharar the Ararite,
Eliphelet the daughter of Ahasbai, the daughter of the Maacathite, Eliam the daughter of Ahithophel the Gilonite,
Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,
Igal the daughter of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite,
Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armor bearers to Joab the daughter of Zeruiah,
Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,
Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.