all the warriors went and recovered the bodies of Saul and his sons ¹  and brought them to Jabesh. They buried their remains ²  under the oak tree in Jabesh and fasted for seven days.

The horses’ ¹  hooves pounded the ground; ²  the stallions galloped madly. ³ 

Benaiah son of Jehoida was a brave warrior ¹  from Kabzeel who performed great exploits. He struck down the two sons of Ariel of Moab. ²  He also went down and killed a lion in a cistern on a snowy day.

Benaiah son of Jehoiada was a brave warrior from Kabzeel who performed great exploits. He struck down the two sons of Ariel of Moab; ¹  he also went down and killed a lion inside a cistern on a snowy day.

Even Saul went to his home in Gibeah. With him went some brave men whose hearts God had touched.

Joab reported the number of warriors ¹  to the king. In Israel there were 800,000 sword-wielding warriors, and in Judah there were 500,000 soldiers.

¹ Then Saul said to David, “Here’s my oldest daughter, Merab. I want to give her to you in marriage. Only be a brave warrior ²  for me and fight the battles of the Lord.” For Saul thought, “There’s no need for me to raise my hand against him. Let it be the hand of the Philistines!”

Absalom instructed his servants, “Look! When Amnon is drunk ¹  and I say to you, ‘Strike Amnon down,’ kill him then and there. Don’t fear! Is it not I who have given you these instructions? Be strong and courageous!” ² 

Eighteen thousand Benjaminites, all of them capable warriors, fell dead.

From Benjamin, Eliada, a skilled warrior, led 200,000 men who were equipped with bows and shields,

How can you men of Moab say, ‘We are heroes, men who are mighty in battle?’

The shields of his warriors are dyed red; ¹  the mighty soldiers are dressed in scarlet garments. ²  The metal fittings ³  of the chariots ⁴  shine like ⁵  fire ⁶  on the day of battle; ⁷  the soldiers brandish ⁸  their spears. ⁹ 

Cush was the father of ¹  Nimrod; he began to be a valiant warrior on the earth.

Meshelemiah had sons and relatives who were respected – eighteen in all.

That day twenty-five thousand ¹  sword-wielding Benjaminites fell in battle, all of them capable warriors. ² 

So the assembly sent 12,000 capable warriors ¹  against Jabesh Gilead. ²  They commanded them, “Go and kill with your swords ³  the inhabitants of Jabesh Gilead, including the women and little children.

Why will your soldiers ¹  be defeated? ²  They will not stand because I, the Lord, will thrust ³  them down.

quenched raging fire, ¹  escaped the edge of the sword, gained strength in weakness, ²  became mighty in battle, put foreign armies to flight,

David assembled in Jerusalem ¹  all the officials of Israel, including the commanders of the tribes, the commanders of the army divisions that served the king, the commanders of units of a thousand and a hundred, the officials who were in charge of all the property and livestock of the king and his sons, the eunuchs, and the warriors, including the most skilled of them.

For he says: “By my strong hand I have accomplished this, by my strategy that I devised. I invaded the territory of nations, ¹  and looted their storehouses. Like a mighty conqueror, ²  I brought down rulers. ³