23:1  
    [kjv]  Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said,
    [bbe]  Now these are the last words of David. David, the son of Jesse, says, the man who was lifted up on high, the man on whom the God of Jacob put the holy oil, the loved one of Israel's songs, says:
23:2
    [kjv]  The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.
    [bbe]  The spirit of the Lord had voice through me, his word was on my tongue.
23:3  
    [kjv]  The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.
    [bbe]  The God of Israel said, the word of the Rock of Israel came to me: When an upright king is ruling over men, when he is ruling in the fear of God,
23:4  
    [kjv]  And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain.
    [bbe]  It is as the light of the morning, when the sun comes up, a morning without clouds; making young grass come to life from the earth.
23:5  
    [kjv]  Although my house be not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow.
    [bbe]  For is not my house so with God? For he has made with me an eternal agreement, ordered in all things and certain: as for all my salvation and all my desire, will he not give it increase?
23:6
    [kjv]  But the sons of Belial shall be all of them as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands:
    [bbe]  But the evil-doers, all of them, will be like thorns to be pushed away, because they may not be gripped in the hand:
23:7  
    [kjv]  But the man that shall touch them must be fenced with iron and the staff of a spear; and they shall be utterly burned with fire in the same place.
    [bbe]  But anyone touching them has to be armed with iron and the rod of a spear; and they will be burned with fire, every one of them.
23:8  
    [kjv]  These be the names of the mighty men whom David had: The Tachmonite that sat in the seat, chief among the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite: he lift up his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time.
    [bbe]  These are the names of David's men of war: Ishbaal the Hachmonite, chief of the three; his axe was lifted up against eight hundred put to death at one time.
23:9
    [kjv]  And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines that were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away:
    [bbe]  After him was Eleazar, the son of Dodai the Ahohite, one of the three great fighters, who was with David in Pas-dammim when the Philistines came together there for the fight; and when the men of Israel had gone in flight,
23:10  
    [kjv]  He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword: and the LORD wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to spoil.
    [bbe]  He was with David and went on fighting the Philistines till his hand became tired and stiff from gripping his sword: and that day the Lord gave a great salvation, and the people came back after him only to take the goods of the Philistines.
23:11  
    [kjv]  And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentiles: and the people fled from the Philistines.
    [bbe]  After him was Shammah, the son of Ela the Hararite. And the Philistines came together in Lehi, where there was a bit of land full of seed; and the people went in flight from the Philistines.
23:12
    [kjv]  But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the LORD wrought a great victory.
    [bbe]  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.
23:13
    [kjv]  And three of the thirty chief went down, and came to David in the harvest time unto the cave of Adullam: and the troop of the Philistines pitched in the valley of Rephaim.
    [bbe]  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.
23:14 [ 
    [kjv]  And David was then in an hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem.
    [bbe]  And at that time David had taken cover in the strong place, and an armed force of the Philistines was in Beth-lehem.
23:15
    [kjv]  And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!
    [bbe]  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!
23:16
    [kjv]  And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: neverthe............