17. David was extremely thirsty and said, “If only someone would bring me water to drink from the well at the city gate of Bethlehem! ”
18. So the Three broke through the Philistine camp and drew water from the well at the gate of Bethlehem. They brought it back to David, but he refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out to the Lord.
19. David said, “I would never do such a thing in the presence of God! How can I drink the blood of these men who risked their lives? ” For they brought it at the risk of their lives. So he would not drink it. Such were the exploits of the three warriors.
20. Abishai, Joab’s brother, was the leader of the Three. He raised his spear against 300 men and killed them, gaining a reputation among the Three.
21. He was more honored than the Three and became their commander even though he did not become one of the Three.
22. Benaiah son of Jehoiada was the son of a brave man from Kabzeel, a man of many exploits. Benaiah killed two sons of Ariel of Moab, and he went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion.
23. He also killed an Egyptian who was seven and a half feet tall. Even though the Egyptian had a spear in his hand like a weaver’s beam, Benaiah went down to him with a club, snatched the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and then killed him with his own spear.
24. These were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada, who had a reputation among the three warriors.
25. He was the most honored of the Thirty, but he did not become one of the Three. David put him in charge of his bodyguard.
26. The fighting men were:Joab’s brother Asahel, Elhanan son of Dodo of Bethlehem,
27. Shammoth the Harorite,Helez the Pelonite,
28. Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,Abiezer the Anathothite,
29. Sibbecai the Hushathite,Ilai the Ahohite,
30. Maharai the Netophathite,Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite,
31. Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah of the Benjaminites,Benaiah the Pirathonite,
32. Hurai from the wadis of Gaash,Abiel the Arbathite,