15. Once when David was at the rock near the cave of Adullam, the Philistine army was camped in the valley of Rephaim. The Three (who were among the Thirty—an elite group among David’s fighting men) went down to meet him there.
16. David was staying in the stronghold at the time, and a Philistine detachment had occupied the town of Bethlehem.
17. David remarked longingly to his men, “Oh, how I would love some of that good water from the well by the gate in Bethlehem.”
18. So the Three broke through the Philistine lines, drew some water from the well by the gate in Bethlehem, and brought it back to David. But David refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out as an offering to the lord.
19. “God forbid that I should drink this!” he exclaimed. “This water is as precious as the blood of these men who risked their lives to bring it to me.” So David did not drink it. These are examples of the exploits of the Three.
20. Abishai, the brother of Joab, was the leader of the Thirty. He once used his spear to kill 300 enemy warriors in a single battle. It was by such feats that he became as famous as the Three.
21. Abishai was the most famous of the Thirty and was their commander, though he was not one of the Three.
22. There was also Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant warrior from Kabzeel. He did many heroic deeds, which included killing two champions of Moab. Another time, on a snowy day, he chased a lion down into a pit and killed it.
23. Once, armed only with a club, he killed an Egyptian warrior who was 71/2 feet tall and who was armed with a spear as thick as a weaver’s beam. Benaiah wrenched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with it.
24. Deeds like these made Benaiah as famous as the three mightiest warriors.
25. He was more honored than the other members of the Thirty, though he was not one of the Three. And David made him captain of his bodyguard.
26. David’s mighty warriors also included:Asahel, Joab’s brother;Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem;
27. Shammah from Harod;Helez from Pelon;
28. Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa;Abiezer from Anathoth;
29. Sibbecai from Hushah;Zalmon from Ahoah;
30. Maharai from Netophah;Heled son of Baanah from Netophah;
31. Ithai son of Ribai from Gibeah (in the land of Benjamin);Benaiah from Pirathon;
32. Hurai from near Nahale-gaash;Abi-albon from Arabah;
33. Azmaveth from Bahurim;Eliahba from Shaalbon;