David's Mighty Men

These are the names of David's mighty men:

Josheb-Basshebeth, a Tahkemonite,
was chief of the Three;
he raised his spear against eight hundred men,
whom he killed in one encounter.

Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite.
As one of the three mighty men,
he was with David when they taunted
the Philistines gathered at Pas Dammin for battle.
Then the men of Israel retreated,
but he stood his ground and struck down the Philistines
til his hand grew tired and froze to the sword.
The Lord brought about a great victory that day.
The troops returned to Eleazar,
but only to strip the dead.

Next to him as Shammah son of Agee the Hararite.
When the Philistines banded together
at a place where there was a field full of lentils,
Israel's troops fled from them.
But Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field.
He defended it and struck the Philistines down,
and the Lord brought about a great victory.

Abishai the brother of Joab son of Zeruiah
was chief of the Three.
He raised his spear against three hundred men,
whom he killed,
and so he became as famous as the Three.
Was he not held in greater honor than the Three?
He became their commander,
even though he was not included among them.

Benaiah son of Jehoiada
was a valiant fighter from Kabzeel,
who performed great exploits.
He struck down two of Moab's best men.
He also went down into a pit on a snowy day
and killed a lion.
. . . Such were the exploits of Benaiah
son of Jehoiada;
he too was as famous as the three mighty men.
He was held in greater honor than any of the Thirty,
but he was not included among the Three.
And David put him in charge of his bodyguard.

(II Samuel 23:8-12, 18-20, 23)