15. Three of the Thirty chiefs went down to the rock, to David, who was in the cave of Adullam while the Philistines were encamped in the valley of Rephaim.
16. David was then in the stronghold, and a Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem.
17. David had a strong craving, and said, “If only someone would give me a drink of water from the cistern by the gate of Bethlehem!”
18. Thereupon the Three broke through the encampment of the Philistines, drew water from the cistern by the gate of Bethlehem, and carried it back to David. But David refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out to the Lord,
19. saying, “God forbid that I should do such a thing! Could I drink the blood of these men who risked their lives? For at the risk of their lives they brought it.” So he refused to drink it. Such deeds as these the Three warriors performed.
20. Abishai, the brother of Joab, was the chief of the Thirty; he brandished his spear over three hundred, whom he had slain. He made a name beside the Three,
21. but was twice as famous as any of the Thirty, becoming their leader. However, he did not attain to the Three.
22. Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, a valiant man of mighty deeds, from Kabzeel, killed the two sons of Ariel of Moab. Also, he went down and killed the lion in the cistern on a snowy day.
23. He likewise slew the Egyptian, a huge man five cubits tall. The Egyptian carried a spear that was like a weaver’s beam, but Benaiah came against him with a staff; he wrested the spear from the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with that spear.
24. Such deeds as these Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, performed, and he made a name beside the Three warriors,