Miles de Libros Cristianos Gratis. Accede a nuestra Biblioteca Virtual

Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Samuel 23:8

Para un estudio avanzado de: “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of 2 Samuel 23:8” utilice nuestra app.

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 lifted up his spear] against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time.

8 12. The first Three

8. the mighty men ] Used here in a narrower sense, not of the whole body-guard of six hundred. See note on ch. 2Sa 15:18.

The Tachmonite that sat in the seat ] The text is corrupt, and we must follow 1Ch 11:11 in reading Jashobeam the Hachmonite. He joined David at Ziklag (1Ch 12:6), and was afterwards made general of the first division of the army (1Ch 27:2). Jehiel, the tutor of the king’s sons, belonged to the same family (1Ch 27:32).

chief among the captains ] The word translated captains probably means aides-de-camp, or personal attendants on the king. See 1Ki 9:22 (E. V. captains); 2Ki 7:2 ; 2Ki 7:17; 2Ki 7:19 (E. V. lord), 2Ki 9:25, 2Ki 10:25 , 2Ki 15:25. But it is possible that we should alter the text slightly, and read chief of the three (Vulg., E. V., marg.). Cp. 2Sa 23:23. In fact all through this section there is a constant confusion between the words for captain or aide-de-camp, three, and thirty, which are all closely similar in the Heb.

the same was Adino the Eznite ] These words are probably a corruption of some words equivalent to those in 1Ch 11:11, which are needed to complete the sense here: he brandished his spear. The Sept. reads “Adinon the Asonan, he drew his sword.”

eight hundred ] Chr. reads three hundred, perhaps by confusion with 2Sa 23:18. There is no ground for supposing that two different occasions are referred to.

slew at one time ] With the help perhaps of some of his men. Yet cp. Jdg 3:31; Jdg 15:15.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

8 39. David’s Heroes and their exploits

= 1Ch 11:11-41

This section is placed in Chronicles after the account of David’s election as King of Israel and his capture of Zion, and is prefaced by the heading: “These also are the chief of the mighty men whom David had, who shewed themselves strong with him in his kingdom with all Israel, to make him king, according to the word of the Lord concerning Israel.” The list therefore belongs, at any rate in substance, to the earlier part of David’s reign.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

The duplicate of this passage is in 1 Chr. 11, where it is in immediate connection with Davids accession to the throne of Israel, and where the mighty men are named as those by whose aid David was made king. The document belongs to the early part of Davids reign. The text of 2Sa 23:8-9 is perhaps to be corrected by comparison with 1Ch 11:11-12.

Chief among the captains – There is great doubt about the exact meaning of this phrase.

(1) the title is given to two other persons, namely, to Abishai in 2Sa 23:18; 1Ch 11:20, and to Amasa in 1Ch 12:18.

(2) the word translated captain, is of uncertain meaning, and the orthography repeatedly fluctuates throughout this and the duplicate passage in 1 Chr. 11, between Shalish a captain, and Sheloshah three.

(3) if, however, the text of Chronicles be taken as the guide, then the sense of captain will not come into play, but the word will be a numeral throughout, either three or thirty, and will describe Davids band of thirty mighty men, with a certain triad or triads of heroes who were yet more illustrious than the thirty.

In the verse before us, therefore, for chief among the captains, we should render, chief of the thirty.

Eight hundred – The parallel passage in 1 Chronicles has three hundred, as in 2Sa 23:18. Such variations in numerals are very frequent. Compare the numbers in Ezra 2 and Neh. 7.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Verse 8. These be the names of the mighty men] This chapter should be collated with the parallel place, 1Ch 11:11-47; and see Kennicott’s First Dissertation on the printed Hebrew text, pages 64-471.

The Tachmonite that sat in the seat] Literally and properly, Jashobeam the Hachmonite. See 1Ch 11:11.

The same was Adino the Eznite] This is a corruption for he lift up his spear. See 1Ch 11:11.

Eight hundred, whom he slew at one time.] THREE hundred is the reading in Chronicles, and seems to be the true one. The word chalal, which we translate slain, should probably be translated soldiers, as in the Septuagint, ; he withstood three hundred SOLDIERS at one time. See the note on David’s lamentation over Saul and Jonathan, 2Sa 1:21, and Kennicott’s First Dissertation, p. 101. Dr. Kennicott observes: “This one verse contains three great corruptions in the Hebrew text:

1. The proper name of the hero Jashobeam is turned into two common words, rendered, that sat in the seat.

2. The words, he lift up his spear, hu orer eth chanitho, are turned into two proper names wholly inadmissible here: hu Adino haetsni, he was Adino the Eznite; it being nearly as absurd to say that Jashobeam the Hachmonite was the same with Adino the Eznite, as that David the Beth-lehemite was the same with Elijah the Tishbite.

3. The number eight hundred was probably at first three hundred, as in 1Ch 11:11.”

See Kennicott, ubi supr.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

Of the mighty men whom David had, i. e. of his chief and most valiant commanders. And as it was noted upon 2Sa 21:1, that the things related in that chapter were done before Absaloms and Shebas rebellion, though they be mentioned after them; so that opinion is confirmed by this catalogue, which, though placed here, was taken long before, as is manifest from hence, that Asahel and Uriah are named here. And whereas there are some differences between this list and that 1Ch 11, most of them are easily reconciled by these two considerations:

1. That nothing is more common than for one person to have divers names.

2. That as some of the worthies died, and others came in their steads; so this must needs cause some alteration in the latter catalogue, 1Ch 11, from this, which was the former.

The Tachmonite, or, Hachmonite, called Jashobeam, 1Ch 11:11, from his place; or, as here, Josheb-bassebet, i. e. as we render it,

that sat in the seat, i.e. was, under Joab, chief or president of the council of war, or lieutenant (locum tenens).

The same was Adino: this was his proper name.

The Eznite; so called, either from his family, or from the place of his birth or education.

He lift up his spear; which words are fitly supplied out of 1Ch 11:11, where they are expressed. Or thus, he was above eight hundred, i.e. he conquered them. So there is only an ellipsis of the verb substantive, which is most frequent.

At one time; in one battle, which though it be strange, yet cannot seem incredible, supposing him to be a person of extraordinary strength and activity, and his enemies to be weak, or discouraged, and fleeing away; and especially, Gods singular blessing and assistance; all which may very reasonably be supposed.

Object. But this man is said to have slain only three hundred in 1Ch 11:11.

Answ. 1. Possibly he slew eight hundred at one time, and three hundred at another; whereof the former is related here, as being most considerable; and the latter in the Book of Chronicles, which supplies many passages omitted in the former writings.

2. He slew three hundred with his own hands; and the other five hundred, though killed by his men, are said to be slain by him, because he was the chief cause of all their deaths; for he, by his undaunted courage, killing three hundred, put the rest to flight, who were easily slain by his soldiers in the pursuit.

3. Some of the Hebrew writers affirm that these were two distinct persons, being called by differing names; the one the father, and the other the son, who succeeded his father, as in strength and valour, so also in his place of honour and trust.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

8. These be the names of the mightymen whom David hadThis verse should be translated thus: He whosits in the seat of the Tachmonite (that is, of Jashobeam theHachmonite), who was chief among the captains, the same is Adino theEznite; he lift up his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew atone time. The text is corrupt in this passage; the number eighthundred should be three hundred [DAVIDSON,Hermeneutics]. Under Joab he was chief or president of thecouncil of war. The first or highest order was composed of him andhis two colleagues, Eleazar and Shammah. Eleazar seems to have beenleft to fight the Philistines alone; and on his achieving thevictory, they returned to the spoil. In like manner Shammah was leftto stand alone in his glory, when the Lord, by him, wrought a greatvictory. It is not very easy to determine whether the exploits thatare afterwards described were performed by the first or the secondthree.

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

These [be] the names of the mighty men whom David had,…. Besides Joab his general, who is not mentioned; for these were all military men under him, which are distinguished into three classes; the first and highest consisted of three only, who were general officers; and the second also of three, who perhaps were colonels of regiments; and the third of thirty, who were captains of thousands and hundreds:

the Tachmonite that sat in the seat, the chief among the captains: not in the chief seat in the sanhedrim, and was the head of that, and so had the name of Tachmonite, from his wisdom, as the Jewish writers say; but in the council of war, where he presided under the general, or in his absence, and was, perhaps, lieutenant general, and so over all the captains; and therefore was neither David nor Joab, to whom some of the Rabbins apply these words, as observed by Kimchi; or rather he was the chief of the three to whom he belonged; his name, in 1Ch 11:11, is Jashobeam, an Hachmonite, or the son of an Hachmonite, the same as in

1Ch 27:2; and here it may be as well read Josheb-bashebeth the Tachmonite, the same name, with a little variation; which seem to be names given him, taken from his character and office; for his proper name was as follows:

the same [was] Adino the Eznite: so called either from the family he was of, or from the place of his birth; though a learned man thinks it should be read as in the following supplement q,

[he lifted up his spear] against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time; which, though a very extraordinary exploit, yet not more strange, or so strange as that of Shamgar’s slaying six hundred men with an ox goad, Jud 3:31, or as that of Samson’s killing a thousand men with the jawbone of an ass, Jud 15:15: in 1Ch 11:11, the number is only three hundred, which some attempt to reconcile by observing, that not the same person is meant in both places; here he is called Joshebbashebeth, there Jashobeam; here the Tachmonite, there the son of an Hachmonite; nor is he there called Adino the Eznite; but yet it seems plain that in both places the chief of the three worthies of David is meant, and so the same man: others observe, that he engaged with eight hundred, and slew three hundred of them, when the rest fled, and were pursued and killed by his men; and he routing them, and being the occasion of their being slain, the slaying of them all is ascribed to him; or he first slew three hundred, and five hundred more coming upon him, he slew them also: but what Kimchi offers seems to be best, that there were two battles, in which this officer was engaged; at one of them he slew eight hundred, and at the other three hundred; for so what is omitted in the books of Samuel, and of the Kings, is frequently supplied in the books of Chronicles, as what one evangelist in the New Testament omits, another records. The above learned writer r conjectures, that being the first letter of the words for three and eight, and the numeral letter being here reduced to its word at length, through a mistake in the copier, was written , “eight”, instead of

, “three”: the Septuagint version is,

“he drew out his spear against eight hundred soldiers at once,”

and says nothing of slaying them; and seems to be the true sense of the word, as the same learned writer s has abundantly shown.

q Kennicott’s Dissert. 1. so Hillerus in Onomastic. Sacr. p. 230, 231, renders it, “the glory of the spear or spearmen stood against eight hundred”, &c. and Weemse, “his delight was to lift up his spear”. Exercitat. 16. p. 137. r P. 96. s P. 103.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

The following list of David’s heroes we also find in 1 Chron 11:10-47, and expanded at the end by sixteen names (1Ch 11:41-47), and attached in 1Ch 11:10 to the account of the conquest of the fortress of Zion by the introduction of a special heading. According to this heading, the heroes named assisted David greatly in his kingdom, along with all Israel, to make him king, from which it is evident that the chronicler intended by this heading to justify his appending the list to the account of the election of David as king over all the tribes of Israel (1Ch 11:1), and of the conquest of Zion, which followed immediately afterwards. In every other respect the two lists agree with one another, except that there are a considerable number of errors of the text, more especially in the names, which are frequently corrupt in both texts, to that the true reading cannot be determined with certainty. The heroes enumerated are divided into three classes. The first class consists of three, viz., Jashobeam, Eleazar, and Shammah, of whom certain brave deeds are related, by which they reached the first rank among David’s heroes (2Sa 23:8-12). They were followed by Abishai and Benaiah, who were in the second class, and who had also distinguished themselves above the rest by their brave deeds, though they did not come up to the first three (2Sa 23:18-23). The others all belonged to the third class, which consisted of thirty-two men, of whom no particular heroic deeds are mentioned (vv. 24-39). Twelve of these, viz., the five belonging to the first two classes and seven of the third, were appointed by David commanders of the twelve detachments into which he divided the army, each detachment to serve for one month in the year (1 Chron 27). These heroes, among whom we do not find Joab the commander-in-chief of the whole of the forces, were the king’s aides-de-camp, and are called in this respect (2Sa 23:8), though the term (the thirty, 2Sa 23:13, 2Sa 23:23, 2Sa 23:24) was also a very customary one, as their number amounted to thirty in a round sum. It is possible that at first they may have numbered exactly thirty; for, from the very nature of the case, we may be sure than in the many wars in which David was engaged, other heroes must have arisen at different times, who would be received into the corps already formed. This will explain the addition of sixteen names in the Chronicles, whether the chronicler made us of a different list from that employed by the author of the books before us, and one belonging to a later age, or whether the author of our books merely restricted himself to a description of the corps in its earlier condition.

2Sa 23:8-12

Heroes of the first class. – The short heading to our text, with which the list in the Chronicles also beings (1Ch 11:11), simply gives the name of these heroes. But instead of “the names of the mighty men,” we have in the Chronicles “the number of the mighty men.” This variation is all the more striking, from the fact that in the Chronicles the total number is not given at the close of the list as it is in our text. At the same time, it can hardly be a copyist’s error for ( selection), as Bertheau supposes, but must be attributable to the fact that, according to 2Sa 23:13, 2Sa 23:23, and 2Sa 23:24, these heroes constituted a corps which was named from the number of which it originally consisted. The first, Jashobeam, is called “the chief of the thirty” in the Chronicles. Instead of ( Jashobeam), the reading in the Chronicles, we have here ( Josheb-basshebeth), unquestionably a spurious reading, which probably arose, according to Kennicott’s conjecture, from the circumstance that the last two letters of were written in one MS under in the line above (2Sa 23:7), and a copyist took from that line by mistake for . The correctness of the reading Jashobeam is established by 1Ch 27:2. The word is also faulty, and should be corrected, according to the Chronicles, into ( Ben-hachmoni); for the statement that Jashobeam was a son (or descendant) of the family of Hachmon (1Ch 27:32) can easily be reconciled with that in 1Ch 27:2, to the effect that he was a son of Zabdiel. Instead of ( head of the thirty), the reading in the Chronicles, we have here ( head of the three). Bertheau would alter our text in accordance with the Chronicles, whilst Thenius proposes to bring the text of the Chronicles into accordance with ours. But although the many unquestionable corruptions in the verse before us may appear to favour Bertheau’s assumption, we cannot regard either of the emendations as necessary, or even warrantable. The proposed alteration of is decidedly precluded by the recurrence of in 2Sa 23:18, and the alteration of in the Chronicles by the repeated allusion to the , not only in 2Sa 23:15, 42; 2Sa 12:4, and 1Ch 27:6 of the Chronicles, but also in 2Sa 23:13, 2Sa 23:23, and 2Sa 23:24 of the chapter before us. The explanation given of and , as signifying chariot-warriors, is decidedly erroneous;

(Note: This explanation, which we find in Gesenius ( Thes. and Lex.) and Bertheau, rests upon no other authority than the testimony of Origen, to the effect that an obscure writer gives this interpretation of , the rendering of , an authority which is completely overthrown by the writer of the gloss in Octateuch. (Schleussner, Lex. in lxx t. v. p. 338), who gives this explanation of : . Suidas and Hesychius give the same explanation ( s. v. ). Jerome also observes (ad Ezek 23): “It is the name of the second rank next to the king.”)

for the singular is used in all the passages in which the word occurs to signify the royal aide-de-camp (2Ki 7:2, 2Ki 7:17, 2Ki 7:19; 2Ki 9:25; 2Ki 15:25), and the plural the royal body-guard, not only in 2Ki 15:25, but even in 1Ki 9:22, and Exo 14:7; Exo 15:4, from which the meaning chariot-warriors has been derived. Consequently is the head of the king’s aides-de-camp, and the interchange of with the of the Chronicles may be explained on the simple ground that David’s thirty heroes formed his whole body of adjutants. The singular is to be explained in the same manner as (see at 2Sa 8:18). Luther expresses the following opinion in his marginal gloss with regard to the words which follow ( ): “We believe the text to have been corrupted by a writer, probably from some book in an unknown character and bad writing, so that orer should be substituted for adino , and ha – eznib for eth hanitho : ” that is to say, the reading in the Chronicles, “he swung his spear,” should be adopted (cf. 2Sa 23:18). This supposition is certainly to be preferred to the attempt made by Gesenius ( Lex.) and v. Dietrich ( s. v. ) to find some sense in the words by assuming the existence of a verb and a noun , a spear, since these words do not occur anywhere else in Hebrew; and in order to obtain any appropriate sense, it is still necessary to resort to alterations of the text. “ He swung his spear over eight hundred slain at once.” This is not to be understood as signifying that he killed eight hundred men at one blow, but that in a battle he threw his spear again and again at the foe, until eight hundred men had been slain. The Chronicles give three hundred instead of eight hundred; and as that number occurs again in 2Sa 23:18, in the case of Abishai, it probably found its way from that verse into this in the book of Chronicles.

2Sa 23:9-10

“ After him (i.e., next to him in rank) was Eleazar the son of Dodai the Ahohite, among the three heroes with David when they defied the Philistines, who had assembled there, and the Israelites drew near.” The Chethib is to be read , Dodai, according to 1Ch 27:4, and the form ( Dodo) in the parallel text (1Ch 11:12) is only a variation in the form of the name. Instead of ( the son of Ahohi) we find ( the Ahohite) in the Chronicles; but the must not be struck out on that account as spurious, for “the son of an Ahohite” is the same as “the Ahohite.” For we must read , according to the Keri and the Chronicles. is not to be altered, since the numerals are sometimes attached to substantives in the absolute state (see Ges. 120, 1). “ The three heroes ” are Jashobeam, Eleazar, and Shammah (2Sa 23:11), who reached the first rank, according to 2Sa 23:19, among the heroes of David. Instead of ( when they defied the Philistines), we find in the Chronicles , “ at Pas-dammim,” i.e., most probably Ephes-dammim (1Sa 17:1), where the Philistines were encamped when Goliath defied the Israelites. Thenius, Bertheau, and Bttcher therefore propose to alter our text so as to make it correspond to that of the Chronicles, and adduce as the reason the fact that in other passages is construed with the accusative, and that , which follows, presupposes the previous mention of the place referred to. But the reasons are neither of them decisive. .evisiced is not construed with the accusative alone, but also with (2Ch 32:17), so that the construction with is quite a possible one, and is not at variance with the idea of the word. again may also be understood as referring to the place, not named, where the Philistines fought with the Israelites. The omission of before is more difficult to explain; and , which we find in the Chronicles, has probably dropped out after . The reading in the Chronicles ( ) is probably only a more exact description of the locality, which is but obscurely indicated in our text by ; for these words affirm that the battle took place where the Israelites had once been defied by the Philistines (1Sa 17:10), and where they repaid them for this defiance in a subsequent conflict. The Philistines are at any rate to be regarded as the subject to , and these words are a circumstantial clause: the Philistines had assembled together there to battle, and the Israelites had advanced to the attack. The heroic act of Eleazar is introduced with “he arose.” He arose and smote the Philistines till his hand was weary and clave to his sword, i.e., was so cramped as to be stiffened to the sword. Through this Jehovah wrought a great salvation for Israel on that day, “and the people (the soldiers) turned after him only to plunder,” sc., because he had put the enemy to flight by himself. does not mean to turn back from flight after him, but is the opposite of , to turn away from a person (1Sa 15:11, etc.), so that it signifies “to turn to a person and follow behind him.” Three lines have dropped out from the parallel text of the Chronicles, in consequence of the eye of a copyist having wandered from in 2Sa 23:9 to in 2Sa 23:11.

2Sa 23:11-12

The third leading hero was Shammah, the son of Age the Hararite ( is probably contracted from , 2Sa 23:33). He also made himself renowned by a great victory over the Philistines. The enemy had gathered together , “ as a troop,” or in a crowd. This meaning of (here and 2Sa 23:13, and possibly also in Psa 68:11) is thoroughly established by the Arabic (see Ges . Thes. p. 470). But it seems to have fallen into disuse afterwards, and in the Chronicles it is explained in 2Sa 23:13 by , and in 2Sa 23:15 by . “On a portion of a field of lentils there,” sc., where the Philistines had gathered together, the people (of Israel) were smitten. Then Shammah stationed himself in the midst of the field, and , “wrested it,” from the foe, and smote the Philistines. Instead of , lentils, we find in the Chronicles , barley, a very inconsiderable difference.

2Sa 23:13-15

To this deed there is appended a similar heroic feat performed by three of the thirty heroes whose names are not given. The Chethib is evidently a slip of the pen for ( Keri and Chronicles). The thirty chiefs are the heroes named afterwards. As has no article either in our text or the Chronicles, the three intended are not the three already mentioned (Jashobeam, Eleazar, and Shammah), but three others out of the number mentioned in 2Sa 23:24. These three came to David in the harvest time unto the cave of Adullam (see at 1Sa 22:1), when a troop of the Philistines was encamped in the valley of Rephaim, and David was on the mountain fortress, and a Philistian post was then in Bethlehem. And David longed for water, and said, “Oh that one would bring me water to drink out of the well of Bethlehem at the gate!” The encampment of the Philistines in the valley of Rephaim, and the position of David on the mountain fortress ( ), render it probable that the feat mentioned here took place in the war with the Philistines described in 2Sa 5:17. Robinson could not discover any well in Bethlehem, “especially none ‘by the gate,’ except one connected with the aqueduct on the south” ( Palestine, vol. ii. p. 158). need not be understood, however, as signifying that the well was in or under the gate; but the well referred to may have been at the gate outside the city. The well to which tradition has given the name of “David’s well” ( cisterna David ), is about a quarter of an hour’s walk to the north-east of Bethlehem, and, according to Robinson ‘s description, is “merely a deep and wide cistern or cavern now dry, with three or four narrow openings cut in the rock.” But Ritter ( Erdk. xvi. p. 286) describes it as “deep with clear cool water, into which there are three openings from above, which Tobler speaks of as bored;” and again as a cistern “built with peculiar beauty, from seventeen to twenty-one feet deep, whilst a house close by is pointed out to pilgrims as Jesse’s house.”

2Sa 23:16-17

The three heroes then broke through the camp of the Philistines at Bethlehem, i.e., the outpost that occupied the space before the gate, fetched water out of the well, and brought it to David. He would not drink it, however, but poured it out upon the ground to the Lord, as a drink-offering for Jehovah. “He poured it out upon the earth, rendering Him thanks for the return of the three brave men” (Clericus). And he said, “Far be it from me, O Jehovah, to do this! The blood of the men who went with their lives (i.e., at the risk of their lives),” sc., should I drink it? The verb is wanting in our text, but is not to be inserted according to the Chronicles as though it had fallen out; the sentence is rather to be regarded as an aposiopesis. after is a vocative, and is not to be altered into according to the of the Chronicles. The fact that the vocative does not occur in other passages after proves nothing. It is equivalent to the oath (1Sa 14:45). The chronicler has endeavoured to simplify David’s exclamation by completing the sentence. , “ for the price of their souls,” i.e., at the risk of their lives. The water drawn and fetched at the risk of their lives is compared to the soul itself, and the soul is in the blood (Lev 17:11). Drinking this water, therefore, would be nothing else than drinking their blood.

2Sa 23:18-19

Heroes of the second class. – 2Sa 23:18, 2Sa 23:19. Abishai, Joab’s brother (see 1Sa 26:6), was also chief of the body-guard, like Jashobeam (2Sa 23:8: the Chethib is correct; see at 2Sa 23:8). He swung his spear over three hundred slain. “He had a name among the three,” i.e., the three principal heroes, Jashobeam, Eleazar, and Shammah. The following words, , make no sense. is an error in writing for , as 2Sa 23:23 shows in both the texts (2Sa 23:25 of the Chronicles): an error the origin of which may easily be explained from the word , which stands immediately before. “He was certainly honoured before the thirty (heroes of David), and became their chief, but he did not come to the three,” i.e., he was not equal to Jashobeam, Eleazar, and Shammah. has the force of an energetic assurance: “ Is it so that,” i.e., it is certainly so (as in 2Sa 9:1; Gen 27:36; Gen 29:15).

2Sa 23:20-23

Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, “Jehoiada the priest” according to 1Ch 27:5, possibly the one who was “prince for Aaron,” i.e., of the family of Aaron, according to 1Ch 12:27, was captain of the Crethi and Plethi according to 2Sa 8:18 and 2Sa 20:23. He was the son of a brave man, rich in deeds ( is evidently an error for in the Chronicles), of Kabzeel in the south of Judah (Jos 15:21). “ He smote the two Ariels of Moab.” The Arabs and Persians call every remarkably brave man Ariel, or lion of God (vid., Bochart, Hieroz. ii. pp. 7, 63). They were therefore two celebrated Moabitish heroes. The supposition that they were sons of the king of the Moabites is merely founded upon the conjecture of Thenius and Bertheau, that the word (sons of) has dropped out before Ariel. “He also slew the lion in the well on the day of the snow,” i.e., a lion which had been driven into the neighbourhood of human habitations by a heavy fall of snow, and had taken refuge in a cistern. The Chethib and are the earlier forms for the Keris substituted by the Masoretes and , and consequently are not to be altered. He also slew an Egyptian of distinguished size. According to the Keri we should read (instead of fo daetsni( ), “ a man of appearance,” i.e., a distinguished man, or a man of great size, (lxx); in the Chronicles it is simplified as , a man of measure, i.e., of great height. This man was armed with a spear or javelin, whereas Benaiah was only armed with a stick; nevertheless the latter smote him, took away his spear, and slew him with his own weapon. According to the Chronicles the Egyptian was five cubits high, and his spear like a weaver’s beam. Through these feats Benaiah acquired a name among the three, though he did not equal them (2Sa 23:22, 2Sa 23:23, as in 2Sa 23:18, 2Sa 23:19); and David made him a member of his privy council (see at 1Sa 22:14).

2Sa 23:24-25

Heroes of the third class. – 2Sa 23:24. “ Asahel, the brother of Joab, among the thirty,” i.e., belonging to them. This definition also applies to the following names; we therefore find at the head of the list in the Chronicles, , “and brave heroes (were).” The names which follow are for the most part not further known. Elhanan, the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, is a different man from the Bethlehemite of that name mentioned in 2Sa 21:19. Shammah the Harodite also must not be confounded with the Shammahs mentioned in 2Sa 23:11 and 2Sa 23:33. In the Chronicles we find Shammoth, a different form of the name; whilst is an error in writing for , i.e., sprung from Harod (Jdg 7:1). This man is called Shamhut in 1Ch 27:8; he was the leader of the fifth division of David’s army. Elika or Harod is omitted in the Chronicles; it was probably dropped out in consequence of the homoioteleuton .

2Sa 23:26

Helez the Paltite; i.e., sprung from Beth-pelet in the south of Judah (Jos 15:27). He was chief of the seventh division of the army (compare 1Ch 27:10 with 1Ch 11:27, though in both passages is misspelt ). Ira the son of Ikkesh of Tekoah in the desert of Judah (2Sa 14:2), chief of the sixth division of the army (1Ch 27:9).

2Sa 23:27

Abiezer of Anathoth (Anata) in Benjamin (see at Jos 18:24), chief of the ninth division of the army (1Ch 27:12). Mebunnai is a mistake in spelling for Sibbechai the Hushathite (compare 2Sa 21:18 and 1Ch 11:29). According to 1Ch 27:11, he was chief of the eighth division of the army.

2Sa 23:28

Zalmon the Ahohite, i.e., sprung from the Benjaminite family of Ahoah, is not further known. Instead of Zalmon we find Ilai in the Chronicles (2Sa 23:29); but which of the two names is the correct one it is impossible to decide. Maharai of Netophah: according to Ezr 2:22 and Neh 7:26, Netophah was a place in the neighbourhood of Bethlehem, but it has not yet been discovered, as Beit Nattif, which might be thought of, is too far from Bethlehem (vid., Rob. Pal. ii. p. 344, and Tobler, Dritte Wanderung, pp. 117-8). According to 1Ch 27:13, Maharai belonged to the Judahite family of Serah, and was chief of the tenth division of the army.

2Sa 23:29

Cheleb, more correctly Cheled (1Ch 11:30; or Cheldai, 1Ch 27:15), also of Netophah, was chief of the twelfth division of the army. Ittai ( Ithai in the Chronicles), the son of Ribai of Gibeah of Benjamin, must be distinguished from Ittai the Gathite (2Sa 15:19). Like all that follow, with the exception of Uriah, he is not further known.

2Sa 23:30

Benaiah of Phir’aton in the tribe of Ephraim, a place which has been preserved in the village of Fer’ata, to the south-west of Nablus (see at Jdg 12:13). Hiddai (wrongly spelt Hudai in the Chronicles), out of the valleys of Gaash, in the tribe of Ephraim by the mountain of Gaash, the situation of which has not yet been discovered (see at Jos 24:30).

2Sa 23:31

Abi-Albon (written incorrectly Abiel in the Chronicles) the Arbathite, i.e., from the place called Beth-haarabah or Arabah (Jos 15:61 and Jos 18:18, Jos 18:22) in the desert of Judah, on the site of the present Kasr Hajla (see at Jos 15:6). Azmaveth of Bahurim: see at 2Sa 16:5.

2Sa 23:32-33

Eliahba of Shaalbon or Shaalbin, which may possibly have been preserved in the present Selbit (see at Jos 19:42). The next two names, and ( Bneyashen Jehonathan and Shammah the Hararite), are written thus in the Chronicles (2Sa 23:34), : “ Bnehashem the Gizonite, Jonathan the son of Sage the Hararite, ” The text of the Chronicles is evidently the more correct of the two, as Bne Jashen Jehonathan does not make any sense. The only question is whether the form is correct, or whether has not arisen merely through a misspelling. As the name does not occur again, all that can be said is that Bne hashem must at any rate be written as one word, and therefore should be pointed differently. The place mentioned, Gizon, is unknown. for probably arose from 2Sa 23:11. Ahiam the son of Sharar or Sacar (Chron.) the Ararite (in the Chronicles the Hararite).

2Sa 23:34

The names in 2Sa 23:34, Eliphelet ben-Ahasbai ben-Hammaacathi, read thus in the Chronicles (2Sa 23:35, 2Sa 23:36): Eliphal ben-Ur; Hepher hammecerathi. We see from this that in ben-Ahasbai ben two names have been fused together; for the text as it lies before us is rendered suspicious partly by the fact that the names of both father and grandfather are given, which does not occur in connection with any other name in the whole list, and partly by the circumstance that cannot properly be written with , which is a Gentile noun. Consequently the following is probably the correct way of restoring the text, , Eliphelet (a name which frequently occurs) the son of Ur; Hepher the Maachathite, i.e., of Maacah in the north-east of Gilead (see at 2Sa 10:6 and Deu 3:14). Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, the clever but treacherous counsellor of David (see at 2Sa 15:12). This name is quite corrupt in the Chronicles.

2Sa 23:35

Hezro the Carmelite, i.e., of Carmel in the mountains of Judah (1Sa 25:2). Paarai the Arbite, i.e., of Arab, also in the mountains of Judah (Jos 15:52). In the Chronicles we find Naarai ben-Ezbi: the latter is evidently an error in writing for ha-Arbi; but it is impossible to decide which of the two forms, Paarai and Naarai, is the correct one.

2Sa 23:36

Jigal the son of Nathan of Zoba (see at 2Sa 8:3): in the Chronicles, Joel the brother of Nathan. Bani the Gadite: in the Chronicles we have Mibhar the son of Hagri. In all probability the names inf the Chronicles are corrupt in this instance also.

2Sa 23:37

Zelek the Ammonite, Nacharai the Beerothite (of Beeroth: see at 2Sa 4:2), the armour-bearer of Joab. Instead of , the Keri and the Chronicles have : the latter reading is favoured by the circumstance, that if more than one of the persons named had been Joab’s armour-bearers, their names would most probably have been linked together by a copulative vav.

2Sa 23:38

Ira and Gareb, both of them Jithrites, i.e., sprung from a family in Kirjath-jearim (1Ch 2:53). Ira is of course a different man from the cohen of that name (2Sa 20:26).

2Sa 23:39

Uriah the Hittite is well known from 2Sa 11:3. “ Thirty and seven in all.” This number is correct, as there were three in the first class (2Sa 23:8-12), two in the second (2Sa 23:18-23), and thirty-two in the third (vv. 24-39), since 2Sa 23:34 contains three names according to the amended text.

Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament

David’s Mighty Men.

B. C. 1054.

8 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. 9 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: 10 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. 11 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. 12 But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the LORD wrought a great victory. 13 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. 14 And David was then in a hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. 15 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! 16 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: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the LORD. 17 And he said, Be it far from me, O LORD, that I should do this: is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men. 18 And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief among three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred, and slew them, and had the name among three. 19 Was he not most honourable of three? therefore he was their captain: howbeit he attained not unto the first three. 20 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man, of Kabzeel, who had done many acts, he slew two lionlike men of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow: 21 And he slew an Egyptian, a goodly man: and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and slew him with his own spear. 22 These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among three mighty men. 23 He was more honourable than the thirty, but he attained not to the first three. And David set him over his guard. 24 Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, 25 Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite, 26 Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, 27 Abiezer the Anethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, 28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, 29 Heleb the son of Baanah, a Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai out of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin, 30 Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash, 31 Abialbon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite, 32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite, of the sons of Jashen, Jonathan, 33 Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite, 34 Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, 35 Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, 36 Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite, 37 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armourbearer to Joab the son of Zeruiah, 38 Ira an Ithrite, Gareb an Ithrite, 39 Uriah the Hittite: thirty and seven in all.

I. The catalogue which the historian has here left upon record of the great soldiers that were in David’s time is intended, 1. For the honour of David, who trained them up in the arts of exercises of war, and set them an example of conduct and courage. It is the reputation as well as the advantage of a prince to be attended and served by such brave men as are here described. 2. For the honour of those worthies themselves, who were instrumental to bring David to the crown, settle and protect him in the throne, and enlarge his conquests. Note, Those that in public stations venture themselves, and lay out themselves, to serve the interests of their country, are worthy of double honour, both to be respected by those of their own age and to be remembered by posterity. 3. To excite those that come after to a generous emulation. 4. To show how much religion contributes to the inspiring of men with true courage. David, both by his psalms and by his offerings for the service of the temple, greatly promoted piety among the grandees of the kingdom (1 Chron. xxix. 6), and, when they became famous for piety, they became famous for bravery.

II. Now these mighty men are here divided into three ranks:–

1. The first three, who had done the greatest exploits and thereby gained the greatest reputation–Adino (v. 8), Eleazar (2Sa 23:9; 2Sa 23:10), and Shammah, 2Sa 23:11; 2Sa 23:12. I do not remember that we read of any of these, or of their actions, any where in all the story of David but here and in the parallel place, 1 Chron. xi. Many great and remarkable events are passed by in the annals, which relate rather the blemishes than the glories of David’s reign, especially after his sin in the matter Uriah; so that we may conclude his reign to have been really more illustrious than it has appeared to us while reading the records of it. The exploits of this brave triumvirate are here recorded. They signalized themselves in the wars of Israel against their enemies, especially the Philistines. (1.) Adino slew 800 at once with his spear. (2.) Eleazar defied the Philistines, as they by Goliath, had defied Israel, but with better success and greater bravery; for when the men of Israel had gone away, he not only kept his ground, but arose, and smote the Philistines, on whom God struck a terror equal to the courage with which this great hero was inspired. His hand was weary, and yet it clave to his sword; as long as he had any strength remaining he held his weapon and followed his blow. Thus, in the service of God, we should keep up the willingness and resolution of the spirit, notwithstanding the weakness and weariness of the flesh–faint, yet pursuing (Judg. viii. 4), the hand weary, yet not quitting the sword. Now that Eleazar had beaten the enemy, the men of Israel, who had gone away from the battle (v. 9), returned to spoil, v. 10. It is common for those who quit the field, when any thing is to be done to hasten to it when any thing is to be gotten. (3.) Shammah met with a party of the enemy, that were foraging, and routed them, 2Sa 23:11; 2Sa 23:12. But observe, both concerning this exploit and the former, it is here said, The Lord wrought a great victory. Note, How great soever the bravery of the instruments is, the praise of the achievement must be given to God. These fought the battles, but God wrought the victory. Let not the strong man then glory in his strength, nor in any of his military operations, but let him that glories glory in the Lord.

2. The next three were distinguished from, and dignified above, the thirty, but attained not to the first three, v. 23. All great men are not of the same size. Many a bright and benign star there is which is not of the first magnitude, and many a good ship not of the first rate. Of this second triumvirate two only are named, Abishai and Benaiah, whom we have often met with in the story of David, and who seem to have been not inferior in serviceableness, though they were in dignity, to the first three. Here is,

(1.) A brave action of these three in conjunction. They attended David in his troubles, when he absconded, in the cave of Adullam (v. 13), suffered with him, and therefore were afterwards preferred by him. When David and his brave men who attended him, who had acted so vigorously against the Philistines, were, by the iniquity of the times, in Saul’s reign, driven to shelter themselves from his rage in caves and strong holds, no marvel that the Philistines pitched in the valley of Rephaim, and put a garrison even in Bethlehem itself, 2Sa 23:13; 2Sa 23:14. If the church’s guides are so misled as to persecute some of her best friends and champions, the common enemy will, no doubt, get advantage by it. If David had had his liberty, Bethlehem would not have been now in the Philistines’ hands. But, being so, we are here told, [1.] How earnestly David longed for the water of the well of Bethlehem. Some make it a public-spirited wish, and that he meant, “O that we could drive the garrison of the Philistines out of Bethlehem, and make that beloved city of mine our own again!” the well being put for the city, as the river often signifies the country it passes through. But if he meant so, those about him did not understand him; therefore it seems rather to be an instance of his weakness. It was harvest-time; the weather was hot; he was thirsty; perhaps good water was scarce, and therefore he earnestly wished, “O that I could but have one draught of the water of the well of Bethlehem!” With the water of that well he had often refreshed himself when he was a youth, and nothing now will serve him but that, though it is almost impossible to come at it. He strangely indulged a humour which he could give no reason for. Other water might quench his thirst as well, but he had a fancy for that above any. It is folly to entertain such fancies and greater folly to insist upon the gratification of them. We ought to check our appetites when they go out inordinately towards those things that really are more pleasant and grateful than other things (Be not desirous of dainties), much more when they are thus set upon such things as only please a humour. [2.] How bravely his three mighty men, Abishai, Benaiah, and another not named, ventured through the camp of the Philistines, upon the very mouth of danger, and fetched water from the well of Bethlehem, without David’s knowledge, v. 16. When he wished for it he was far from desiring that any of his men should venture their lives for it; but those three did, to show, First, How much they valued their prince, and with what pleasure they could run the greatest hardships in his service. David, though anointed king, was as yet an exile, a poor prince that had no external advantages to recommend him to the affection and esteem of his attendants, nor was he in any capacity to prefer or reward them; yet those three were thus zealous for his satisfaction, firmly believing the time of recompence would come. Let us be willing to venture in the cause of Christ, even when it is a suffering cause, as those who are assured that it will prevail and that we shall not lose by it at last. Were they so forward to expose themselves upon the least hint of their prince’s mind and so ambitious to please him? And shall not we covet to approve ourselves to our Lord Jesus by a ready compliance with every intimation of his will given us by his word, Spirit and providence? Secondly, How little they feared the Philistines. They were glad of an occasion to defy them. Whether they broke through the host clandestinely, and with such art that the Philistines did not discover them, or openly, and with such terror in their looks that the Philistines durst not oppose them, is not certain; it should seem, they forced their way, sword in hand. But see, [3.] How self-denyingly David, when he had this far-fetched dear-bought water, poured it out before the Lord, v. 17. First, Thus he would show the tender regard he had to the lives of his soldiers, and how far he was from being prodigal of their blood, Ps. lxxii. 14. In God’s sight the death of his saints is precious. Secondly, Thus he would testify his sorrow for speaking that foolish word which occasioned those men to put their lives in their hands. Great men should take heed what they say, lest any bad use be made of it by those about them. Thirdly, Thus he would prevent the like rashness in any of his men for the future. Fourthly, Thus he would cross his own foolish fancy, and punish himself for entertaining and indulging it, and show that he had sober thoughts to correct his rash ones, and knew how to deny himself even in that which he was most fond of. Such generous mortifications become the wise, the great, and the good. Fifthly, Thus he would honour God and give glory to him. The water purchased at this rate he thought too precious for his own drinking and fit only to be poured out to God as a drink-offering. If it was the blood of these men, it was God’s due, for the blood was always his. Sixthly, Bishop Patrick speaks of some who think that David hereby showed that it was not material water he longed for, but the Messiah, who had the water of life, who, he knew, should be born at Bethlehem, which the Philistines therefore should not be able to destroy. Seventhly, Did David look upon that water as very precious which was got at the hazard of these men’s blood, and shall not we much more value those benefits for the purchasing of which our blessed Saviour shed his blood? Let us not undervalue the blood of the covenant, as those do that undervalue the blessings of the covenant.

(2.) The brave actions of two of them on other occasions. Abishai slew 300 men at once, 2Sa 23:18; 2Sa 23:19. Benaiah did many great things. [1.] He slew two Moabites that were lion-like men, so bold and strong, so fierce and furious. [2.] He slew an Egyptian, on what occasion it is not said; he was well armed but Benaiah attacked him with no other weapon than a walking staff, dexterously wrested his spear out of his hand, and slew him with it, v. 21. For these and similar exploits David preferred him to be captain of the life-guard or standing forces, v. 23.

3. Inferior to the second three, but of great note, were the thirty-one here mentioned by name, v. 24, c. Asahel is the first, who was slain by Abner in the beginning of David’s reign, but lost not his place in this catalogue. Elhanan is the next, brother to Eleazar, one of the first three, &lti>v. 9. The surnames here given them are taken, as it should seem, from the places of their birth or habitation, as many surnames with us originally were. From all parts of the nation, the most wise and valiant were picked up to serve the king. Several of those who are named we find captains of the twelve courses which David appointed, one for each month in the year, 1 Chron. xxvii. Those that did worthily were preferred according to their merits. One of them was the son of Ahithophel (v. 34), the son famous in the camp as the father at the council-board. But to find Uriah the Hittite bringing up the rear of these worthies, as it revives the remembrance of David’s sin, so it aggravates it, that a man who deserved so well of his king and country should be so ill treated. Joab is not mentioned among all these, either, (1.) to be mentioned; the first, of the first three sat chief among the captains, but Joab was over them as general. Or, (2.) Because he was so bad that he did not deserve to be mentioned; for though he was confessedly a great soldier, and one that had so much religion in him as to dedicate of his spoils to the house of God (1 Chron. xxvi. 28), yet he lost as much honour by slaying two of David’s friends as ever he got by slaying his enemies.

Christ, the Son of David, has his worthies too, who like David’s, are influenced by his example, fight his battles against the spiritual enemies of his kingdom, and in his strength are more than conquerors. Christ’s apostles were his immediate attendants, did and suffered great things for him, and at length came to reign with him. They are mentioned with honour in the New Testament, as these in the Old, especially, Rev. xxi. 14. Nay, all the good soldiers of Jesus Christ have their names better preserved than even these worthies have; for they are written in heaven. This honour have all his saints.

Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary

Three Great Exploits, 2Sa 23:8-12 AND 1Ch 11:10-14

These parallel passages introduce an account of some of David’s most heroic mighty men, and discuss the deed by which they became renowned. The Chronicles account has a bit more introduction, showing that they were men whose loyalty was long standing and persistent for their king. They were among those few hundred who early on resorted to David when he fled from Saul.

The first of these mentioned was the chief of the captains. Scholars have determined that poor translation has resulted in a rendering of his name, (which was Jashobeam) by translating “that sat in the seat,” which is what his name means. It should read, in the Samuel account, “The Tachmonite (or Hachmonite), Jashobeam, chief etc.” He was called Adino the Eznite because of his slaying of several hundred in one battle. Adino means “a slender spear”, and may also have been wrongly rendered in translation, as many scholars think. The two accounts also give two different numbers of his slain, which is probably to be accounted for by a scribal error.

Eleazar was the second of three chief mighty men. He is called the Ahohite, which is a reference to his town or family. He gained his fame by making a lone stand against the Philistines when the men of Israel had withdrawn. He fought so long and hard that his hand was cramped around the hilt of his sword so that he could not release it when the battle was over. He won the day, and Israel returned to take up the spoil after him, His hand cleaving to the sword has been used as an analogy of the Christian holding fast to the sword of the Lord until he is unable to let go of it (Eph 6:17).

The engagement against the Philistines in which Shammah proved his prowess in war occurred in a field at Pas-dammim. This was in the Philistine plain and the site of several bloody conflicts. The name means “bloody boundary.” The field was planted with lentils according to Samuel, barley in Chronicles. Lentils was a cereal crop, as was barley, so that both may have been growing in the field. Shammah stood and defended the field against the Philistines, and the Lord gave Israel a great victory as a result. These incidents show what the Lord can do with one person devoted to His cause.

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

CRITICAL AND EXPOSITORY NOTES.

2Sa. 23:8. Tachmonite Rather, Ben Hachmoni, of the family of Hachmon, not as in 1Ch. 27:32, a son, because in 2Sa. 23:2 of that chapter, Zabdiel is mentioned as his father. Chief, not leader, but most distinguished. (Erdmann.) Captains, or knights. (Erdmann.) Eight hundred. This is not to be understood as signifying that he killed eight hundred men at one blow, but that in a battle he threw his spear again and again at the foe, until eight hundred men had been slain. The Chronicles gives three hundred instead of eight hundred; and as that number occurs again in 2Sa. 23:18, it probably found its way from that verse into this in the book of Chronicles.

2Sa. 23:9-11. There are some variations between the reading here and in the parallel account in 1 Chronicles 11, but many of the apparent discrepancies are easily accounted for when we remember that they may be independent records, and are not necessarily copied one from the other. Only to spoil, i.e., they had nothing to do but enter in and enjoy the fruits of the victory. Hararite, perhaps the mountaineer. (Wordsworth). A troop. Erdmann, Ewald, and Thenius translate this word as the name of the place, viz., Lehi. (See Jdg. 15:9). Lentiles. In the Chronicles it is added there was barley there. Doubtless the field (or large plain) was sown with both; the independence of the two writers is thus shown. (Wordsworth).

2Sa. 23:13. Three of the thirty chiefs; or, the three chiefs of the thirty. The thirty are those enumerated at the end of the chapter. Thirty-one (or thirty-two) are there mentioned, and more in Chronicles, but this was evidently a name for a certain corps of men, which, as Kiel suggests, possibly at first numbered exactly thirty, but which would at times receive additions in the different wars in which David was engaged. Adullam. According to the situation here described, this exploit occurred in the Philistine war, narrated in 2Sa. 5:17, sq. (Erdmann).

2Sa. 23:15. Well of Bethlehem. An ancient cistern, with four or five holes in the solid rock, at about ten minutes distance to the north of the eastern corner of the hill of Bethlehem, is pointed out by the natives as Bir-DaoudDavids well. Dr. Robinson doubts the identity of the well; but others think that there are no good grounds for doing so. Certainly, considering this to be the ancient well, Bethlehem must have once extended ten minutes further to the north, and must have lain, in times of old, not as now on the summit, but on the northern rise of the hill; for the well is by, or (1Ch. 11:7) at the gate. (Jamieson). I find in the descriptions of travellers that the common opinion is, that Davids captains had come from the south-east, in order to obtain, at the risk of their lives, the so much longed for water; while it is supposed that David was then himself in the great cave that is not far from the south-east of Bethlehem; which cave is generally held to have been that of Adullam. But (Jos. 15:35). Adullam lay in the valleythat is, in the undulating plain at the western base of the mountains of Judea, and consequently to the south-west of Jerusalem. Be this as it may, Davids three men had, in any case, to break through the host of the Philistines in order to reach the well; and the position of Bir-Daoud agrees well with this. (Van de Velde). Dr. Thomson (Land and the Book) says that Bethlehem is now poorly supplied with water.

2Sa. 23:17. In jeopardy, etc., for the price of their souls, i.e., at the risk of their lives. The water drawn and fetched at the risk of their lives is compared to the soul itself, and the soul is in the blood. (Lev. 17:11.) Drinking this water, therefore, would be nothing else than drinking their blood. (Keil.)

2Sa. 23:19. Chief among three. As the historian says further on that, neither Abishai nor Benniah attained unto the three (so the Heb.); it seems better to read here chief among thirty, i.e., they distinguished themselves among those heroes, but were not so renowned as those mentioned in 2Sa. 23:8-12.

2Sa. 23:20. Lion-like men. Literally, Ariels, or Lions of God. The Arabs and Persians so designate every remarkably brave men, and these were doubtless two celebrated Moabitish warriors. Pit, or Cistern. The lion had been driven into the neighbourhood of human habitations by a heavy fall of snow, and had taken refuge in a cistern. (Keil and others.)

2Sa. 23:21. An Egyptian. Better The Egyptian, some well-known man, celebrated for his strength and stature. A goodly man, lit. a man of appearances or (as in Chronicles) a man of measure.

2Sa. 23:22. Three mighty. Here also it seems necessary to read Thirty instead of Three. (See on 2Sa. 23:19.)

2Sa. 23:24-39. Most of these names are not further known. Shammah. Must not be confounded with the Shammahs mentioned in 2Sa. 23:11; 2Sa. 23:33. (Keil.) Ittai. Must be distinguished from the Gathite. (Keil.) Eliphelet, etc. Many Hebrew scholars consider that there is here a slight error, as there is no reason why the grandfathers name should be given in addition to that of the father, and it better suits the grammatical form of some of the words to readEliphelet the son of Ur; Hepher the Maachathite, thus adding one to the list.

2Sa. 23:39. Thirty-seven. This number is correct, as there were three in the first class (2Sa. 23:8-12), two in the second (2Sa. 23:18-23), and thirty-two in the third (2Sa. 23:24-39), since 2Sa. 23:34 contains three names according to the amended text. (Kiel.) (See above on Eliphelet).

MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.2Sa. 23:8-39

THE MIGHTY MEN AND THE WELL OF BETHLEHEM

I. There is a loyalty in noble natures which seeks occasions of self-sacrifice. Satan very greatly belied even our fallen human nature when he said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life (Job. 2:4). Here he shows either his ignorance or his malice, for millions of men and women have proved its falsity. No generation has ever lived upon the earth in which some have not been found willing to risk their lives, not merely in obedience to the voice of conscience, or out of gratitude to Christ and for the sake of spreading His gospel, but as Davids mighty men did here, with a devotion which seemed on the watch for an opportunity to manifest its depth. We should have good reason to admire these warriors if they had fought their way to Bethlehems gate to rescue their master from the hands of the Philistines, or to procure for him some necessary food or drink. Such a deed would have entitled them to receive the well-done of faithful servants and would have established their claim to Davids grateful love. But in braving death to gratify a passing wish of their king they went far beyond the strictest requirements of duty, and their conduct is a striking proof of the fact that the noblest natures find their purest gratification in self-sacrificein laying all that they have and are at the feet of another.

II. Those who are the objects of deep affection should be watchful of the claims they make upon it. Davids desire was perfectly natural and lawful, and it was not wrong to express it. But it was certainly somewhat inconsiderate, seeing that he must have known the kind of men who surrounded him. Probably, however, he did not dream that the utterance of his wish would have such a result, and we may well believe that his experience now made him more careful in the future when such brave and loving friends were near. It behoves all who are deeply and tenderly loved to be very mindful how strong such love is and how much it will do and bear for the object of its love. True it is that self-devotion raises and gladdens the soul that exercises it, but none but the utterly mean man could use this truth to excuse his own selfishness. Let such an one remember that he loses in proportion as the other gains, and let all be so anxious to find out and gratify the desires of those who love them as to have no room to express their own.

III. Heroic deeds have a tendency to beget others after their kind. It is quite possible that Davids mighty men became what they were through association with him. He had set them many noble examples of bravery and self-forgetfulness, and they had been apt pupils of a worthy master. And now their deed of loyal daring begets in him one of the same kind. When men thus seek to equal and out-do each other in bringing their lower nature into subjection to the higher, and in seeking who shall be the greater in acts of loving service, then, indeed, is a warfare carried on which is all gain and no loss, and where both sides gain a victory worth having.

OUTLINES AND SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS

I. The three warriors must be surveyed as servants of David, men engaged to obey his commands and execute his will to the utmost of their power. And their conduct then appears very admirable, as far removed as can well be imagined from that calculating and niggardly obedience which betrays a disposition to do the least possible, to render as little to a master as that master can be prevailed on to accept. David might have summoned the bravest of his battalions and bidden them attempt the forcing a passage to the well, but he simply uttered a wish, and it was sufficient for the bold and true-hearted men. There is an example set to every man who is called upon for obedience, which fits the history before us to be inscribed on our kitchens, our shops, and our churches. The example lies in their not having waited for a command, but acted on a wish, and there is no man to whom the term servant appliesand it applies to every man, at least with reference to Godwho would not do well to ponder the example. Consider men generally as the servants of God. He dealeth with us as with children, rather not laying down an express precept for every possible case, but supposing in us a principle which will always lead to our considering what will be pleasing to Himself, and to our taking His pleasure as our rule.
And the Christian should search for the least indication of Gods will, and give it all the form of a positive statute. II. Then what care should there be that nothing may be said in joke which may be taken in earnest, nothing even hinted at as our belief or desire which we would not have acted upon by those who hear our words. It is specially to children that this remark applies; for they may be supposed to have all that submissiveness to authority and that willingness to oblige which distinguished Davids warriors, as well as the inability of discriminating a casual expression from an actual direction. There may occur precisely what occurred with Davids servants. It is not that the monarch has commanded his warriors to dare death or even wished them to undertake the rash and perilous enterprise. It is only that, without reflection or thought, he gave utterance to something that was passing in his mind, and that those about him overheard the inconsiderate expression. And do you mark that young person, who is devoting himself with uncalculating eagerness to some worldly pursuit. The parent never wished him thus to squander his powers; the parent never thought that he would. but was apt to give words to feelings which he would never have breathed, had he remembered the possibility of their being received as genuine, or interpreted as laudable. III. But the genuineness of the repentance of David is proved by his refusal to derive benefit from his sin And we are now concerned with the question as to what is binding on a man, if, with the advantages, procured by a fault, lying at his disposal, the water from the well of Bethlehem sparkling before him, he become convinced of his fault? Is he to drink of the water, to enjoy the advantages? It may often be a hard question, but we do not see how there can be any true penitence, where what has been wrongfully obtained is kept and used. Let the case be that which is not unlikely to occur amid the complicated interests of a great mercantile community. We cannot think it enough to give large sums in charity as an atonement or reparation. Zaccheus made an accurate distinction between restitution and almsgiving; he would give alms of that only which had been honourably obtained; the rest he returned, with large interest, to those from whom it had been unfairly procured. And though it might be impossible for the trader to make restitution precisely to the parties who have been injured, we do not see how, with his conscience accusing him of having done wrong, he can lawfully appropriate any share of the profits any more than David could have lawfully drunk of the water procured at his ill-advised wish.Canon Melville.

A knightly deed this! But was it not rather foolhardiness, if not downright servility, and was not this expending courage recklessly, and dealing wastefully with human life? This question resembles that with which Judas Iscariot presumed to censure the anointing of Mary at Bethany. True love has its measure in itself, and in its modes of manifestation puts itself beyond all criticism.Krummacher.

In Davids conduct to the heroes that bring him water from Bethlehem at the risk of their lives are set forth these three things:I. Noble modesty, which regards the love-offering of ones neighbour as too dear and valuable for ones self and declines to receive it. II. Sincere humility before the Lord, which lays the honour at His feet as He to whom alone it belongs. III. A clear view and tender estimation of the infinite moral worth of human life in mens relations towards one another and towards God.Erdmann.

Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell

Davids Mighty Men. 2Sa. 23:8-39

8 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 lifted up his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time.

9 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:

10 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.
11 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 lentils: and the people fled from the Philistines.

12 But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the Lord wrought a great victory.
13 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.
14 And David was then in a hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Beth-lehem.

15 And David longed, and said, Oh, that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Beth-lehem, which is by the gate!

16 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: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the Lord.

17 And he said, Be it far from me, O Lord, that I should do this: is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men.

18 And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief among three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred, and slew them, and had the name among three.

19 Was he not most honorable of three? therefore he was their captain: howbeit he attained not unto the first three.

20 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man, of Kabzeel, who had done many acts, he slew two lionlike men of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow:
21 And he slew an Egyptian, a goodly man: and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptians hand, and slew him with his own spear.
22 These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among three mighty men.

23 He was more honorable than the thirty, but he attained not to the first three. And David set him over his guard.

24 Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Beth-lehem,

25 Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,
26 Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,
27 Abiezer the Anethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,
28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,
29 Heleb the son of Baanah, a Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai out of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin,
30 Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash,
31 Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,
32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite, of the sons of Jashen, Jonathan.
33 Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite,
34 Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,
35 Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Abrite,
36 Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite,
37 Zelek the Ammonite, Nahari the Beerothite, armor-bearer to Joab the son of Zeruiah,
38 Ira an Ithrite, Gareb an Ithrite,
39 Uriah the Hittite: thirty and seven in all.

Who were Davids mighty men? 2Sa. 23:8-39

David had a fine list of officers who were responsible for many of the affairs of state, and they were listed on two occasions (2Sa. 8:14-18; 2Sa. 20:23-26). In addition to these leaders, David had three chief officers, and thirty-four other mighty men. The officers are listed here and also in 1 Chronicles 11 and 1 Chronicles 27. A comparison of the listings of the names is as follows:

A listing is as follows:

2 Samuel 23

1 Chronicles 11[ 2]

1 Chronicles 27

Adino

Jashobeam

Eleazar

Dodai

Shammah

Abishai

Benaiah

Asahel

Elhanan

Shammah

Shammoth

Shamhuth

Elika

Helez

Ira

Abiezer

Mebunnai

Sibbecai

Zalmon

Ilai

Maharai

Heleb

Heled

Heldai

Ittai

Ithai

Benaiah

Hiddai

Hurai

Abi-albon

Abiel

Azmaveth

Eliahba

(The sons of) Jashen

(The sons of) Hashem

Jonathan

Ahiam

Eliphelet

Eliphal

Shammah of

Hepher

Harar

Eliam

Abijah

Hezro

Paarai

Naarai

Igal

Joel

Bani

Mibhar

Zelek

Naharai

Ira

Gareb

Uriah

[2] In 1 Chronicles 11 sixteen additional names are given.

How had these men attained to their rank? 2Sa. 23:8

Adoni had won his rank as chief among the captains when he had slain 800 men on one occasion (2Sa. 23:8). Eleazar, another of the three mighty men of David, had fought so valiantly that his hand had tensed; and when the battle was done, he could not unclasp his sword (2Sa. 23:10). Shammah had stood his ground in the midst of a field and achieved a mighty victory against the Philistines (2Sa. 23:11-12). Others had performed similar feats of courage and valor which had earned them places of leadership in Davids army.

When had the three mighty men befriended David? 2Sa. 23:13-17

Three of Davids thirty chief men had gone down to the well at Bethlehem to get some of the water from the well in order to quench Davids thirst. David must have longed for a taste of this water when he was fleeing from Saul and staying in Adullam (1Sa. 22:1). It was while David was there that his parents had come to him. He must have reminisced on the occasion and thought how good would be the taste of some water from the well from which he had drunk as a lad at home in Bethlehem. Three of his mighty men broke through the lines of the Philistines and got the water out of the well which was by the gate of Bethlehem and brought some of it to David. David refused to drink of it and poured it out before the Lord. David did not do this because he did not appreciate the sacrifice the men had made in getting it for him, but he felt unworthy to drink the water after they had risked their lives to get it. He poured it out as an offering to the Lord. These three mighty men had endeared themselves to David by putting their lives in jeopardy to do a service for him.

What other feats had his mighty men performed? 2Sa. 23:18

Abishai, Jacobs brother, who had led a third of Davids army when they put down the revolt of Absaloms army, had slain 300 men at one time, This had built quite a reputation for him (2Sa. 23:18). Benaiah had slain two lion-like men of Moab and had also gone down and killed a lion in the midst of a pit in the time of snow (2Sa. 23:20). He had also killed an Egyptian who had a reputation as a fierce fighter (2Sa. 23:21). The reference to his killing a lion in the midst of the snow is a unique reference to some of the circumstances of the land. Lions were not common and it must have been a mountain lion. It must have been killed in the heights where snow would be most likely to fall. Reference was made to Asahel in Davids list of mighty men (2Sa. 23:24), although he had died quite early at the hands of Abner (2Sa. 2:18). Uriah, the Hittite, the husband of Bathsheba, was also mentioned. He had indeed proved himself to be a valiant soldier, and his death arose out of the tragic circumstances of Davids sin with Bathsheba (2Sa. 23:39).

Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

(8) These be the names.Here, in the summary at the close of Davids reign, is very naturally given a list of his chief heroes. A duplicate of this list, with several variations, and with sixteen more names, is given in 1Ch. 11:10-47, which is useful in correcting such clerical errors as have arisen in both. The list in Chronicles is given in connection with Davids becoming king over all Israel; but in both cases the list is not to be understood as belonging precisely to any definite time, but rather as a catalogue of the chief heroes who distinguished themselves at any time in the life of David.

The Tachmonite that sat in the seat.The text of this verse has undergone several alterations, which may be corrected by the parallel passage in Chronicles. This clause should read, Jashobeam the Hachmonite, as in 1Ch. 11:11. Jashobeam came to David at Ziklag (1Ch. 12:1; 1Ch. 12:6), and afterwards became the general of the first division of the army (1Ch. 27:2), being immediately followed by Dodo. One of the same family was tutor to Davids sons (1Ch. 27:32).

The captains.The word for captain and the word for three are much alike, and the text here and in Chronicles perpetually fluctuates between the two. Probably the sense here is that Jashobeam was the chief of the three who stood highest in rank among the heroes.

No mention is made in either list of Joab, because, as commander-in-chief, he stood in a rank by himself.

The same was Adino the Eznite.It is difficult to attach any meaning to these words in their connection, and they are generally considered as a corruption of the words in 1Ch. 11:11, he lifted up his spear, which are required and are inserted here in the English. For eight hundred Chronicles has three hundred, as in 2Sa. 23:18. Variations in numbers are exceedingly common, but the probability is in favour of the correctness of the text here. This large number was slain by Jashobeam and the men under his command in one combat.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

DAVID’S MIGHTY MEN, 2Sa 23:8-39.

This list and that of 1Ch 11:10-47, are substantially the same. This assumes to give the names, and that the number, of David’s heroes; but a comparison of the two records shows numerous discrepancies in the names, and also in the orthography: Chronicles also adds sixteen names after the mention of Uriah the Hittite, with which this list ends. Undoubtedly there are corruptions in the text of both records; and it seems very clear that the writer of Chronicles had access to documents which the writer of Samuel never made use of. “As the names and deeds of Mohammed’s many companions were long held in very distinct remembrance, and special records were devoted to describing them, David’s heroes, too, who had vied with him in valour and self-sacrifice for the community of Israel and the religion of Jehovah, lived on, linked forever with his memory.” Ewald.

This list is divided into three classes: the first composed of three most distinguished heroes, (2Sa 23:8-12😉 the second composed of two, (2Sa 23:18-23😉 the third of thirty-two, (2Sa 23:24-39😉 making thirty-seven in all.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

8. Tachmonite Better, son of the Hackmonite, as in Chronicles.

That sat in the seat , Josheb-basshebeth. This is evidently a corruption of the name Jashobeam, which appears in Chronicles, some transcriber having, as Kennicott supposes, carelessly inserted from the preceding verse in the place of .

Captains The original word, or , shalishim, designates a superior order of soldiers who fought from chariots, (Exo 14:7; Exo 15:4,) and were also a part of the royal body-guard. 1Ki 9:22; 2Ki 10:25. In 2Ki 7:2; 2Ki 7:17; 2Ki 7:19, it is translated lord. From 2Sa 23:18 it appears that Abishai was also a chief among this order of soldiers. Ewald thinks that David’s army had thirty officers of this kind, and hence the name shalishim, a thirty man, or one of thirty.

Adino the Eznite Most recent critics agree that these words are not to be taken as a proper name. Gesenius makes them mean, He brandished it, his spear, but his criticism is too arbitrary. Better is the supposition that it is a spurious reading for , lifted up his spear, which agrees with Chronicles.

Eight hundred Chronicles has three hundred. Which is the correct reading it is impossible to decide. The supposition of Kimchi that in one battle he killed eight hundred and in another three hundred is mere conjecture.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

The Mighty Men Of David ( 2Sa 23:8-39 ).

Prior to the song and last words of David we were given a taster about David’s mighty men who had disposed of the ‘giants’ of the Philistines (2Sa 21:15-22). Now we are introduced to them in their full glory. It is a reminder that while God’s purpose is wonderful, sure and everlasting, the greatest wonder of it is that it is carried forward through human beings. Thus in one sense we have learned that David had triumphed through the almighty power of YHWH, but in another sense we now learn that he had done so because God had provided him with mighty men who were his faithful servants, although even here it is stressed that their victories were of YHWH (2Sa 23:10; 2Sa 23:12).

Initially we will look at the exegesis of the text without looking at the underlying problems, which will mainly be dealt with by way of note, for our aim is to interpret the passage in its context. And what the text appears to indicate is that the mighty men were made up of an initial Three consisting of especially outstanding warriors (who almost formed an army in themselves), a second Three consisting of warriors almost, but not quite, as outstanding, and then the noble Thirty, although in the last case the number must not be taken too literally, for it was more of a title for the group than a number to be taken literally, and would alter up and down as men were slain and others were incorporated. These were David’s elite force, and would also probably each act as captains of their own military units (compare 1 Chronicles 27) when a battle was in prospect.

Analysis.

a These are the names of the mighty men whom David had (2Sa 23:8 a).

b The Three Mighty Men (2Sa 23:8-12).

c The exploit at the well at Bethlehem illustrative of the mighty men (2Sa 23:13-17).

b The Second Three (2Sa 23:18-23).

a The names of the mighty men (2Sa 23:24-34).

The Names Of David’s Mighty Men.

2Sa 23:8 a

‘These are the names of the mighty men whom David had.’

As can be seen the passage commences with a description of what it is all about. Its aim is to provide a roll of honour of the names of David’s mighty men, his principle champions and officers who, throughout his career, were the bulwark humanly speaking of his success. These were the men who bore the brunt of bringing in the ‘kingdom of YHWH’ under David, and they are worthy of all honour. They are a reminder that God does not forget the names of those who are faithful in His service.

The First Three.

The first Three are Adino the Ezrite, Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite (his father being earlier well known as an officer of David – 1Ch 27:4), and Shammah, the son of Agee, a Hararite. Adino appears to have been given the technical title ‘the Tachcemonite (‘wise commander’) indicating his superior rank, a title which previously belonged to Jashoboam, who was entitled ‘the Chacmonite’, an abbreviation of the previously mentioned title.

2Sa 23:8 b

“The one who sat in the seat, (or Josheb-basshebeth) the Tachcemonite,

Chief of the captains,

The same was Adino the Eznite,

Against eight hundred slain at one time.”

As we consider the first Three we are immediately faced with a problem of translation in respect of the first of the Three. For if we follow most translations the first warrior would appear to have had two names, Josheb-basshebeth and Adino, which was of course a possibility, with the former possibly being a name given to him when he took up his senior military post. Alternatively some would translate as, ‘The one who sat (yosheb) in the place of honour (ba-shebeth), the shrewd one (one made wise – tachcemoni), chief of the captains, he was Adino the Eznite.’ Next to Joab the commander-in-chief he would be leader of the war council. His most famous feat was to stand up to and slay eight units of the enemy on one particular day. He may, of course, have had the assistance of his armourbearers and a number of warriors

Jashoboam the Chacmoni mentioned in 1Ch 11:11; 1Ch 27:2 previously held the same position prior to Adino, also being entitled ‘the shrewd (chacmoni)’. ‘Tachcemoni’ was, in fact, probably the ancient technical title, preserved by the writer in Samuel, describing the military leader who was second to the commander-in-chief, with ‘Chacmoni’ being the post-exilic ‘modernisation’.

2Sa 23:9-10

“And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the son of an Ahohite,

One of the three mighty men with David,

When they defied the Philistines who were there gathered together to battle,

And the men of Israel were gone away.

He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary,

And his hand clave to the sword,

And YHWH wrought a great victory that day,

And the people returned after him only to take spoil.”

The second member of the first Three was Eleazar, the son of Dodai, the son of an Ahohite. In 1Ch 27:4 Dodai (Dodo) the Ahohite was captain of the second month’s division of on duty warriors, and was seemingly Eleazar’s father. This would appear to indicate that in contrast with 1Ch 27:4 these statistics in Samuel must mainly be seen as referring to a later period in David’s reign, although as we shall see the names of ‘the Thirty’ do include warriors whose deaths have previously been recorded which may be an explanation of why more than thirty are named. The dead heroes may, however, have deliberately been kept on the roll (note that they come first and last). This late date for the names of ‘The Three’ would also help to explain why Jashobeam the Chacmonite has been replaced by Adino the Eznite, the present ‘Tachcemoni’.

Eleazar’s outstanding feat was that along with David and two other mighty men he had defied the Philistines after the main Israelite forces had withdrawn, and had fought until he was very weary and his hand adhered to his sword as he slew Philistine after Philistine. But even so the credit for the victory was to be given to YHWH. It was in the last analysis He Who had wrought a great victory that day. Then once the battle was over, the remainder of the people returned in order to collect spoil, as they will.

The fact of ‘the hand adhering to the sword’ due to unusually heavy fighting. resulting in the swordsman being unable to release his grip on the sword, (either as a result of congealed blood or cramp, or both) is testified to elsewhere. Thus a highland sergeant at Waterloo in 1815, who suffered from the same problem, had to have his hand released by a blacksmith after the battle, while Sheikh Ali Amad experienced a similar phenomenon after his exhaustive massacre of numerous Christians at Mount Lebanon in 1860.

2Sa 23:11-12

And after him was Shammah the son of Agee a Hararite.

And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop,

Where was a plot of ground full of lentils,

And the people fled from the Philistines.

But he stood in the midst of the plot,

And defended it, and slew the Philistines,

And YHWH wrought a great victory.’

The third member of the first Three was Shammah the son of Agee a Hararite. When a troop of Philistines entered Israel seeking spoil and advanced on a plot of ground in Israel containing growing lentils, he stood and defended it even though all the local people had fled, and he ‘slaughtered the Philistines’, with the result that YHWH was seen as having wrought a great victory. These three mighty men were thus ample evidence that YHWH was with David and had made provision for his success. They had been chosen to play their part in seeking to establish and secure the kingdom of God in Israel, and ensure the containment of the Philistines. It was such men who were seen as responsible under YHWH for David’s continuing success. They were God’s host.

Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett

List of David’s Heroes

v. 8. These be the names of the mighty men, the heroes, whom David had: The Tachmonite that sat in the seat, chief among the captains, he belonged to the family of Hachmon, 1Ch 27:32, and his name was Jashobeam, the most distinguished of the king’s guard, the most eminent of the three greatest heroes. The same was Adino the Eznite; he lifted up his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time. That was the greatest feat of this hero.

v. 9. And after him, next in the list, 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, when they had marched against the Philistines, to meet them in battle.

v. 10. He arose and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword, cramped around the sword-hilt from excessive weariness; and the Lord wrought a great victory that day; and the people, who had apparently fallen back, returned after him only to spoil.

v. 11. And after him was Shammah, the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, at Lehi or Ramath-lehi, where was a piece of ground full of lentils; and the people fled from the Philistines.

v. 12. But he stood in the midst of the ground, determined to hold it against the enemy, and defended it, and slew the Philistines; and the Lord wrought a great victory, for this was His gift.

v. 13. And three of the thirty chief, of the knights of David, went down, and came to David in the harvest time, unto the cave of Adullam, 1Sa 22:1; and the troop of the Philistines, a plundering party, pitched in the Valley of Rephaim, 1Sa 5:12.

v. 14. And David was then in an hold, in a mountain stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem, their camp was near Bethlehem.

v. 15. And David longed, he had a strong desire, and said, Oh, that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem which is by the gate! The water of this well, which David had so often tasted as a lad, was exceptionally good, and he longed for it with the desire of home-sickness.

v. 16. And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, thrusting aside the enemies who tried to hinder their passage, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate, some little distance outside, and took it, and brought it to David. Nevertheless, he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the Lord, as a drink-offering to Jehovah, to whom alone it ought to belong.

v. 17. And he said, Be it far from me, O Lord, that I should do this, namely, drink the water thus obtained. Is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? They had brought it at the price of their lives, at the risk of their souls, and therefore it had the value of their blood, it was too precious to drink. Therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men.

v. 18. And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief among three, also distinguished for exceptional feats of valor. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred, brandishing it in battle, and slew them, and had the name among three.

v. 19. Was he not most honorable of three, among all the knights of David? Therefore he was their captain, becoming their leader; howbeit, he attained not unto the first three, the heroes whose exploits were described above.

v. 20. And Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, the priest, who was captain of David’s body-guard, 2Sa 8:18; 2Sa 20:23, the son of a valiant, or honorable, honest, man, of Kabzeel, who had done many acts, having many feats to his credit; he slew two lion like men of Moab, two famous Moabite heroes; he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow, when the lion, searching for food, had fallen into a cistern or into a trap set for him.

v. 21. And He slew an Egyptian, a certain well-known enemy, a goodly man; and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, showing both bravery and skill in snatching the weapon out of the enemy’s hand, and slew him with his own spear.

v. 22. These things did Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among three mighty men, among the heroes of David.

v. 23. He was more honorable than the thirty, honored above the other knights, but he attained not to the first three. And David set him over his guard, 2Sa 8:18; 2Sa 20:23.

v. 24. Asahel, the brother of Joab, was one of the thirty, a member of the corps of David’s knights, 2Sa 2:18; Elhanan, the son of Dodo of Bethlehem;

v. 25. Shammah the Harodite; Elika the Harodite;

v. 26. Helez the Paltite; Ira, the son of Ikkesh, the Tekoite;

v. 27. Abiezer the Anethothite; Mebunnai the Hushathite;

v. 28. Zalmon the Ahohite; Maharai the Netophathite;

v. 29. Heleb, the son of Baanah, a Netophathite; Ittai, the son of Ribai, out of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin;

v. 30. Benaiah the Pirathonite; Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash;

v. 31. Abialbon the Arbathite; Azmaveth the Barhumite;

v. 32. Eliahba the Shaalbonite, of the sons of Jashen, Jonathan:

v. 33. Shammah the Hararite; Ahiam, the son of Sharar, the Hararite;

v. 34. Eliphelet, the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite; Eliam, the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite;

v. 35. Hezrai the Carmelite; Paarai the Arbite;

v. 36. Igal, the son of Nathan of Zobah; Bani the Gadite;

v. 37. Zelek the Ammonite; Nahari the Beerothite, armor-bearer to Joab, the son of Zeruiah;

v. 38. Ira, an Ithrite; Gareb, an Ithrite;

v. 39. Uriah the Hittite: thirty and seven in all, namely, Joab as the commander-in-chief, three heroes of the first degree, three heroes of the second degree, and the thirty knights of David. As the names of these faithful followers of David were here entered into the catalog of heroes, so the names of the true servants of Christ are entered into the book of life, to be read on the last day, when all such men will receive the reward of mercy.

Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann

2Sa 23:8. These be the names of the mighty men As there are variations between this list of David’s mighty men, and that in 1Ch 11:10 we shall omit our remarks upon those variations till we come to that chapter of the Chronicles; referring our reader in the mean time to the first volume of Kennicott’s Dissertation. Note; Every faithful believer is one of the worthies of Israel, fighting under the banners of Jesus, strong in the Lord and in the power oh his might, victorious over the powers of sin and Satan; and written great, not in the annals of time indeed, but in the annals of eternity, in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. Lord, may my name be found written there!

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

FIFTH SECTION
Davids Heroes

2Sa 23:8-39

8These be [are] the names of the mighty men whom David had: The Tachmonite that sat in the seat [margin, Josheb-basshebeth the Tachmonite], chief among the captains [margin, head of the three], the same was Adino the Eznite [om. the same was A. the E.]; he lift up his spear [write without italics] against eight hundred whom he slew [slain] at one time. 9And 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 [probably: he was with David at Pasdammim, and the P. were there assembled] to battle, and the men of Israel were 10gone away [went up]. He arose and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword; and the Lord [Jehovah] wrought a great victory [deliverance] that day, and the people returned after him only to spoil. 11And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop [or, to Lehi], where was [and there was there] a piece of ground full of lentiles, and the people fled from the Philistines. 12But [And] he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended [saved] it, and slew [smote] the Philistines; and the Lord [Jehovah] wrought a great victory [deliverance].

13And three of the thirty chief went down, and came to David in the harvest-time unto the cave of Adullam; and the troops of the Philistines pitched [encamped] in the valley of Rephaim. 14And David was then in an hold, and the [a] garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. 15And David longed and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate! 16And the three mighty men broke 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; nevertheless [and] he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the Lord [Jehovah], 17And he said [And said], Be it far from me, O Lord [Jehovah forbid] that I should do this; is not this [shall I drink] the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore [and] he would not drink it.

These things did these [the] three mighty men.

18And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief among three [better, chief of the thirty]. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred and slew them [300 slain], and had the [a] name among three [the thirty]. Was he 19not [He was] most honourable of three [the thirty], therefore he was [and became] their captain, howbeit [and] he attained not unto the first [om. first] three.

20And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of [om. the son of] a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done many acts [man, who had done many acts, of Kabzeel], he slew two lion-like men of Moab. He went down also [And he went down] and slew a [the] lion in the midst of a [the] pit in time [in a day] of snow. 21And he slew an Egyptian, a goodly man [or, a man of great stature], and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, but [and] he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptians hand, and slew him with his own spear. 22These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the [a] name among three mighty men [among the thirty heroes]. 23He was more honourable than the thirty, but he attained not to the first [om. first] three. And David set him over his guard [made him of his privy council].

24Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty, Elhanan the son of Dodo of 25Bethlehem, Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite, 26Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Anethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, 27Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, Heleb the son of Baanah a [the] 28Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai, out of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin, 29Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash [or, of Nahale-Gaash], 30Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite, of, 31the sons of Jashon [probably, Hashem the Gizonite], Jonathan, Shammah the 32, 33Hararite [or, Jonathan the son of Shammah (Shage) the Hararite], Ahiam the 34son of Sharar the Hararite [Ararite], Eliphalet the son of Ahasbai, the son of [or, Hepher] the Maachathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, 35Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite, 36Zelek the Ammonite, Nahari the Beerothite, armour-bearer to Joab the son of Zeruiah, 37, 38Ira an [the] Ithrite, Gareb an [the] Ithrite, Uriah the Hittite; thirty and seven in all.

EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL

2Sa 23:8. Superscription. These are the names of the heroes that David had. In the parallel section 1Ch 11:10-41 there are two superscriptions. 2Sa 11:10 has: And these are the heads [chiefs] of the heroes that David had, who stood stoutly by him in his kingdom with all Israel, to make him king. With these words the Chronicler attaches the following list of heroes to the account of the choice of David by all the Tribes (2Sa 23:1-3), comp. 2Sa 5:1-3, thus giving a reason for inserting the list here. Further the list follows immediately the narrative of the conquest of Zion and the choice of Jerusalem as capital, 2Sa 23:4-9 (2Sa 5:6-10), especially to illustrate the remark in 2Sa 23:9 : and David grew greater and greater (comp. 2Sa 5:10).Besides the fuller superscription, which assigns the list its historical position, the Chronicler has a second simpler one, 2Sa 23:11 a: And this is the number of the heroes that David had. The Gibborim [Heroes, Mighty men], elsewhere given in round numbers at six hundred men, formed a standing central corps, which (just as the body-guard, the Cherethites and Pelethites) remained near David and at his personal disposal. On the origin and development of this corps comp. 1Sa 22:2; 1Sa 23:13; 1Sa 25:13; 1Sa 27:2; 1Sa 30:9-24; 2Sa 10:7; 2Sa 15:18; 2Sa 16:16; 2Sa 20:7, and Ewalds Hist. of Israel, III. 122, 140; 189 sq. [Germ. ed.] The first superscription in Chron.: these are the heads of the heroes (2Sa 23:10), corresponds exactly with the list, which gives not the names (2 Sam., 2Sa 23:8) nor the number (1 Chron., 2Sa 23:11) of the heroes, but only the chief among them. The list in Chron. gives no number, though the superscription (2Sa 23:11) states this to be the number of the heroes, while the list in 2 Samuel 23. speaking only of names on the superscription, gives at the close the whole number as thirty-seven. As in our list only thirty-seven out of six hundred Gibborim are mentioned, we may conjecture (with Then., after Chron.) that the word heads has here fallen out after names [the names of the heads of the heroes]. Otherwise the term Gibborim must be taken in a narrower sense (heroes among the heroes) [which is the more probable explanation.Tr]. Neither the form nor the content of the list indicates a division into three classes (as held by most expositors); there is only a triple gradation in respect to the bravery of the heroes, first, three of the first rank (2Sa 23:8-12), then two, distinguished for bravery, hut not attaining to the three (2Sa 23:18-23), and finally thirty-two, of whom no deeds are mentioned. The five of the first and second ranks, and seven of the third, altogether twelve, were named by David leaders of the twelve divisions into which he divided the army, each of which had to do service one month in the year (1Ch 27:1-15). In the list in 1 Chron. (1Ch 11:41-47) occur sixteen names that are lacking here. In other respects the two lists agree materially, only that in both there is a considerable number of textual errors.

2Sa 23:8-12. The three greatest heroes, Jashobeam, Eleazar, Shammah, and their deeds.

2Sa 23:8. Our text has Josheb-basshebeth, while Chron., has Jashobeam; the latter (according to 1Ch 27:2) is the correct reading.14 Instead of Tachmoni read the son of Hachmoni as in Chron.; comp. 1Ch 27:32, where it is said: Jehiel the son of Hachmoni was with the sons of the king; this Jehiel was perhaps a brother of Jashobeam. Comp. also 1Ch 27:32, where Jashobeam is called the son of Zabdiel; but this is no discrepancy, since Zabdiel might he the proper name, and Hachmoni the patronymic but better known name of the father (Bttch.).Head of the knights (body-guardsmen). Head here is not = leader (which would be according to the usage of our books, comp. 2Sa 23:19, Bttch.), but = chief, most distinguished. Shalishim or riders (knights); this word ()15 is to be taken with Thenius as meaning the most distinguished warriors, standing nearest the persons of kings and generals; the name [lit.: third man] it may be conjectured, had its origin in the fact that from these warriors was chosen the man who, when the king or general went to battle, stood with him in the chariot (along with the driver) as third man. With this agrees (Then. p. 276) 2Ki 9:25, where Jehu says to his Shalish: Remember how I and thou rode together after Ahab; and so in the pictures at Nineveh (Layard), in which the principal personage, drawing the bow, is covered by the shield of a warrior on his left, while the driver stands in front of the two. According to Exo 14:7 (comp. 2Sa 15:4) every chariot was in unusual wise provided with a shalish [Eng. A. V. captain]. From Eze 23:15, these favored men seem (later, at least) to have been distinguished by a special dress. From these shalishim (who afterwards formed a special Corps, near the person of the king, 2Ki 10:25) the kings seem to have chosen their adjutants, comp. 2Ki 7:2 (2Sa 17:19); 2Sa 9:25; 2Sa 15:25, and in 1Ki 9:22 they appear as a special military rank or office. The term signifies, therefore, not: chariot warriors, three on a chariot, nor: (with a different pointing) the 30 leaders of the 600 Gibborim [Heroes] (Ew., Berth.), nor: regulars drawn up three deep, that is, superior soldiers (Bttch.), but: shalish16-corps, shalish-men, lifeguardsmen, knights (Luther, in Kings). [The meaning of shalish is obscure, but here it seems better to adopt the reading three. Jashobeam was chief or most eminent of the three highest, which agrees best with the context. So margin of Eng. A. V.Tr.]The text of the next following words [Eng. A. V.: the same was A. the E.] is corrupt and unintelligible, and is to be read (after 2Sa 23:18 and Chron. 2Sa 23:11): he brandished his spear.17 Instead of 800 Chron. has 300, taken probably from 2Sa 23:18, in order to soften the seemingly monstrous number 800. At one time = in one battle. Eight hundred slain (), not warriors, as Kennicott (according to Thenius) renders: he brandished his spear over 800 warriors, was their leader. The meaning is, either that in one battle he swung his spear till he had killed 800 men (Ew., Berth., Bttch., Keil), or that after the battle he brandished his spear over those that were killed by him and his men, as symbol of victory over them (Thenius). [For various forced interpretations of the verse see citations in Wordsworth and Philippson.Tr.]

2Sa 23:9 sqq. After him, next him in the list, was Eleazar with David; comp. 2Sa 23:11. The son of Dodai, as the text reads (pointed according to 1Ch 27:4). The margin has Dodo, 1Ch 11:12 [so Eng. A. V. here]. The son of an Ahohite, in Chron. the Ahohite. Among the three heroes,18 that is, the renowned trio, Jashobeam, Eleazar and Shammah (2Sa 23:11).Instead of our text19 read with Chron.: with David (Chron.: he was with David) at Pas-dammim, and the Philistines, etc. Pas-dammim is probably the same place with Ephes-dammim, 1Sa 17:1.And the Philistines had there assembled to battle. The words from and the men of Israel went up (2Sa 23:9) to and the Philistines were gathered together to Lehi [Eng. A. V.: into a troop] (2Sa 23:11) have fallen out of the text of Chron.20 so that the name of the third hero Shammah is there wanting, as his deed (2Sa 23:11-12) falls to Eleazar.The verb went up [Eng. A. V. wrongly: were gone away] denotes simply the marching of the men of Israel against the Philistines; it is unnecessary to add: in flight (Then.). The flight or holding back of the Israelites (involved in the and the people returned, 2Sa 23:10), inasmuch as it occurred after the advance to battle (wherefore Eleazar undertook the contest with the Philistines alone), is not expressly mentioned in the concise narrative, but is first indicated by the returned. If the word went up had been intended to indicate flight to higher positions earlier occupied (Then.), then necessarily a corresponding additional statement would have been made, such as Bttcher too boldly conjectures: they went up on the mountain and lost heart. A correct explanation of the returned is given by Josephus [Ant. 7, 12, 4]: when the Israelites fled, he alone remained, and by the Vulgate, in its addition in 2Sa 23:10 : and the people, who had fled, returned. [There is not necessarily any hint in the text that the people had fled; the returned might refer to the withdrawal from pursuit of the defeated enemy. Bib.-Com., suggests that this view (as in Eng. A. V.: gone away) may have arisen from the misapplication in 1Ch 11:13 of the phrase the people fled to this battle, whereas it belongs to Shammahs exploit.Tr.]

2Sa 23:10. He arose, that is, when the others had fallen back. Josephus: he alone remained. And smote the Philistines till his hand clave to the sword, his hand was cramped around the sword-hilt by weariness. Jehovah wrought great deliverance, that is, a great victory [observe the theocratic form of the Heb. expression: a victory is a deliverance or salvation from God.Tr]. And the people returned after him.21 After this exploit the people had nothing to do but to follow for the purpose of plundering, to strip the slain (Sept.).

2Sa 23:11 sqq. The third principal hero, Shammah. Another of this name (not to mention the incorrect reading in 2Sa 23:33) is given in 2Sa 23:25, and called the Harodite. Here a Hararite is no doubt to be taken as the same with the Hararite, 2Sa 23:33, since in the parallel passage, 1Ch 11:34, the same name Agee is given. Therefore we read: Shammah the son of Agee, the Hararite.And the Philistines were assembled at Lehi.22 So we must render [and not: into a troop], because the words there and assembled both presuppose the name of a place (Then., Ewald). Chron. has: to battle, no doubt from 2Sa 23:9.Lehi (= jaw-bone) = Ramath Lehi, where Samson smote the Philistines with the jaw-bone of an ass, Jdg 15:9; Jdg 15:14; Jdg 15:17; Jdg 15:19. In Josephus time the place was still called Siagon (, jaw-bone, Ant. 5, 8, 8, 9). The Philistines had encamped in a lentil-field, because they found provision there (instead of lentils, Chron. has barley [probably both barley and lentils were found there.Tr.]). The Israelites had fallen back. Then Shammah planted himself in the field, took it from the Philistines and smote them. A situation like that of 2Sa 23:9-10, is here described in short, sharp strokes, and the heros victory extolled as the immediate gift of God.

2Sa 23:13-17. Exploit of three other principal heroes of David, whose names are not given. Instead of the text: thirty, the marginal reading three is to be taken (with Chron. and all the Versions). As the Art. is lacking both here and in Chron., the heroes here named are not the chief three above (De Wette, Jos.), but other three out of the list, 2Sa 23:24 sqq.23And three of the Shalish-men (that is, the life-guardsmen, knights, see on 2Sa 23:8) went down, that is, from the heights of the mountains of Judah. The masoretic text has: three of the thirty, but instead of thirty we are to read shalish-men (Then.), as in 2Sa 23:8.[There is no need to change the text. We have here an anecdote of three of the thirty afterwards mentioned. Perhaps this anecdote interrupts the list proper, in which Abishai should follow immediately after Shammah (Wellh.); but it is also possible that Abishai and Benaiah were two of the three here engaged.Tr.]three of the knights, captains [Eng. A. V.: three of the thirty chief]. The is to be rendered as in 2Sa 23:8 (head), but is here postposed as apposition (=captains). The text, however, is difficult.24 In the harvest-time (25), for which Chron. has: on the rock; but there is no reason to reject our text as spurious, since the rendering in harvest-time is not set aside by the context (Then.).To the cave of Adullam, see 1Sa 22:1. According to the situation here described this exploit occurred in the Philistine war narrated in 2Sa 5:17 sq.And the troop (, Num 35:3; Psa 68:11 [10]; 1Sa 18:18) of the Philistines encamped in the valley of Rephaim. Thenius thinks that (on account of the post, garrison of 2Sa 23:14) the host of Chron., as a larger body, is to be read instead of the troop of our passage; but this cannot be established. On the valley Rephaim see on 1 Sam. 5:18.

2Sa 23:14. On the post () see 1Sa 13:23; 1Sa 14:1; 1Sa 14:4.26 2Sa 23:15. Who will give me to drink? that is, Oh that some one would, etc., (Ew. 329 a). Clericus explains this exclamation of David from his desire to see Bethlehem soon freed from the enemys siege; but this does not accord with the idea of appetite that especially belongs to this verb. The connection does not indicate that David wished to refresh himself after a hot fight (Ew.). Perhaps the water was bad or failed, and he had a longing desire for water from the well at the gate, which was perhaps particularly good. The traditional Davids Well lies half an English mile from the present Bethlehem, and is, according to Ritter (Erdk. xvi. 286) deep, and well provided with clear, cool water. Comp. Tobler, Bethlehem, p. 10.

2Sa 23:16. The camp of the Philistines was in the valley of Rephaim in the direction from Adullam towards Bethlehem; comp. the local statements in 1Sa 22:1, 2Sa 5:18.David would not drink the water, but poured it out to the Lord, not in thanksgiving for the preservation of the heroes (Jos.), nor as prayer for forgiveness of his fault in sending them into such deadly peril (Kennicott), but to honor the Lord (Vulg.), as an offering to the Lord, to whom alone it ought to belong, since it was too costly for David.

2Sa 23:17. His reason: Far be it from me, O Lord! to do this. One would expect here the usual form of an oath:27 the Lord forbid that I should do this (1Ch 11:19, Syr., Chald., Then.). But, rightly remarks Bttcher, the Chronicler and the modern critics have failed to note the difference in the situation. Here David pours out a drink-offering to Jahwe, and in connection with it, invokes him; here, therefore, the elsewhere unusual vocative is necessary.Should I [or, shall I] drink the blood of the men, etc? Not: The blood of the men, etc? (interrogation with aposiopesis, Ew. 30 3 a), which would be too unclear (Bttch.). The words do not permit Movers28 rendering: is it not the blood? [so Eng. A. V.]. The verb drink29 must be supplied, and the sense is: should I drink this water, which has the same value for me as the blood of these heroes, since they brought it at the price of their souls, at the risk of their lives? According to Lev 17:11 the soul [life] is in the blood; to drink this water would be equivalent to drinking the blood of these men.

2Sa 23:18-23. Feats of two other heroes of David.

2Sa 23:18 sqq. Abishai, see 1Sa 26:6. He was (as Jashobeam), a chief man, captain of the shalish-corps. (Erdmann retains the text (Kethib) shalish, Eng. A. V. follows the margin (Qeri): chief of (the) three; but it seems better to read: chief of the thirty. Abishai and Benaiah attained to fame and distinction among the thirty, without reaching to the three (2Sa 23:8-12).Tr.] He brandished his spear over, etc., as in 2Sa 23:8. And he had a name among the three, Jashobeam, Eleazar and Shammah. Among these greatest heroes he had a name for heroic bravery.

2Sa 23:19. But also above the Shalish-corps (knights) was he honored. Our text reads: above the three he was honored, but, while the three at the end of 2Sa 23:18 is to be maintained against Thenius (who would unnecessarily change it to Shalish), here it must be regarded as a scribal error, and changed to Shalish, partly because of the following words: and he became their captain, partly because of the relation of these words (which indicate his position) to the chief of the Shalish in 2Sa 23:18.The text here is as to one word (30) unintelligible, and must be changed after Chron., so as to read: above the Shalish he was doubly honored, so that he became their leader, which answered to his position as chief of the Shalish-corps (2Sa 23:18). But to the three (first) he attained not, they were beyond him in bravery and heroic achievement. [Dr. Erdmann thus, by somewhat arbitrary changes of text, brings out of this list a Shalish-corps with Abishai as captain; but we hear nothing elsewhere of such a corps, and it seems foreign to the design of this list to mention it. Moreover, the statement in 2Sa 23:23 concerning Benaiah seems to be parallel to that in 2Sa 23:19 concerning Abishai, and 2Sa 23:23 gives a clear and appropriate sense, in accordance with which it is better to render 2Sa 23:19 : He was more honorable than the thirty, and became their captain, but did not attain to the three. Thus, between the three and the thirty we have the two eminent soldiers, Abishai and Benaiah, of whom the first was made Captain of the Thirty, and the second Privy Councillor. The change of text required in order to give this reading (that is, to conform 2Sa 23:19 to 2Sa 23:23) is slight, involving only the alteration of ah to im.Tr.]

2Sa 23:20-23. Benaiah; first, his person and character. The son of Jehoiada, according to 1Ch 27:5 the priest Jehoiada (compare 2Sa 12:27); he was (2Sa 8:18; 2Sa 20:23) the commander of the body-guard (Cherethites and Pelethites), and became (1Ki 1:35) in Joabs stead commander-in-chief of the army. He was the son of an honorable man. As both texts have the son, it is not to be stricken out (Ew., Berth., Then., Btttch.), though of the Versions only the Chald. has it. Not: the son of a valiant manthat would not suit the priest Jehoiadabut: of an upright, honest, capable31 man (as in Num 24:18; 1Ki 1:52; Rth 4:11; Pro 12:4; Pro 30:10; Pro 30:29). [It is not probable that, after the name of his father has been given, he would then be described afresh by this general phrase: son of a man of force; in spite of the concurrence of the two texts (Sam. and Chron.) in retaining the word son, it is better to omit it.Tr.].He was rich in deeds. Of Kabzeel, in the south of Judah, Jos 15:21; Neh 11:25.His deeds: 1) He slew the two Ariels [Eng. A. V.: two lion like men] of Moab. Thenius (after the Sept., with a slight alteration32) renders: he slew the two sons of Ariel, the Moabite. So also Ewald, who conjectures that Ariel was a name of honor of a king of Moab. But as both texts have the same reading, the renderings of Sept. and Targ. are mere conjectures. Nor can our text be translated: two lions of God33 (God-lions) (De W., Bttch.) = monstrous lions; poetical expressions such as mountains of God, cedars of God (Psa 36:7 [Psa 36:6]; Psa 80:11 [Psa 80:10]) [= great mountains, goodly cedars] are not suitable to wild beasts and to historical prose (Then.). Among the Arabians and Persians Lion of God is the designation of a hero, comp. Boch. Hieroz. II. 7, 63, ed. Rosenmller; Indian princes call themselves Dvasinha, god-lions (Ew.). It was two famous Moabite heroes that Benaiah conquered and killed. Why is it so improbable (Then. [Wellh.]) that this name should have been given to two contemporary men of a nation? This exploit belongs, therefore, in the history of the Moabite war, of which we otherwise know little.2) He went down and slew the lion in the pit.The word () denotes a lion-animal, a beast that looks like a lion (Bttcher).34 The Art. points out that the fact was generally known. On the day of snow, on a snowy day, when more snow than usual had fallen, and the lion, having approached human habitations to seek food, fell into an ordinary cistern, or a pit dug to catch him.3) 2Sa 23:21. And he slew the Egyptian; the Art. denotes that the man was known according to this account. He was a man35 of appearance, that is, a large man. Chron. has: a man of measure, = a man of great height. Which is the original reading must be left undetermined; both denote gigantic stature, Chron, adding: he was five cubits high, and his spear as a weavers beam. The heroic nature of Benaiahs deed consisted in his going down with a staff to the Egyptian, who was armed with a spear. We must suppose that there was a battle, in which Benaiah stood with Israel on a height, while the Egyptian and the enemy were below in the plain; he showed his skill and strength by snatching the spear out of the Egyptians hand and killing him with it.

2Sa 23:22. His name also (as Abishais) was renowned among the three chief heroes (comp. 2Sa 23:18) [here, as there, it seems better to read: among the thirty.36Tr.].

2Sa 23:23. Here (as in verse 19) instead, of the thirty of the text, we are to read Shalish (knights).Above the knights he was honored (as Abishai), but also he came not up to the three, the first-named three heroes.And David made him his privy-councillor.See on 1Sa 22:14. On his high military position see 2Sa 8:18 and 2Sa 20:23.[As above remarked, it is simpler to retain the text here (as in Eng. A. V.), and make 2Sa 23:19 conform to it.Tr.]

2Sa 23:24-39. The remaining heroes [thirty-two in number], who belonged to the corps of Shalishim, and, in comparison with the above-named, formed the third grade.

2Sa 23:24. Asahel, Joabs brother;37 see 2Sa 2:18. He was one of the Shalishim [the text reads thirty], and this designation among the Shalish applies to all the following names. Chron. has as superscription: and brave heroes were (Asahel, etc.).Elhanan, the son of Dodo, is to be distinguished from the Bethlehemite Elhanan mentioned in 2Sa 21:19. Instead of Bethlehem read Bethlehemite; Chron. has of Bethlehem [so Eng. A. V.].

2Sa 23:25. Shammah, Chron. has the Harorite; here correctly the Harodite, of Harod, Jdg 7:1; Chron. writes the name Shammoth (1Ch 27:8 : Shamhuth).Elika, wanting in Chron., omitted by reason of the identical Harodite in the two clauses.

2Sa 23:26. Helez the Paltite, of Beth-pelet in the south of Judah, Jos 15:27; Neh 11:26. In 1Ch 11:27; 1Ch 27:10 stands by error the Pelonite.Ira, of Tekoa in the wilderness of Judah, see 2Sa 14:2, comp. 1Ch 27:9.

2Sa 23:27. Abiezer, of Anathoth in Benjamin, Jos 21:8; Jer 1:1, comp. 1Ch 27:12.Instead of Mebunnai read Sibbekai (1Ch 11:29) the Hushathite, 2Sa 21:18; comp. 1Ch 27:11.

2Sa 23:28. Zalmon, of the Benjaminite family Ahoha; Chron. (2Sa 23:29) has llai [perhaps corrupted from Zalmon].Maharai, of Netophah near Bethlehem (Ezr 2:22; Neh 7:26; comp. 2Ki 25:23), now Beit Nettif (Rob. II. 600 [Am. ed. II. 15, 223], Tobler, 3 Wand. 117 sq.).

2Sa 23:29. Heleb, according to 1Ch 11:30; 1Ch 27:15 Heled = Heldai, also of Netophah.Ittai, Chron. Ithai, not to be confounded with the Ittai of 2Sa 15:19 [since this was a Benjaminite, and the other a Gittite.Tr.].

2Sa 23:30. Benaiah; read the Pirathonite38 (Chron.), of Pirathon in Ephraim, now Ferata, near Nablus, comp. Jdg 12:13.Hiddai (1Ch 11:32 : Hurai), of Nahale-Gaash [Eng. A. V. less well: brooks of Gaash], near the mountain Gaash in Benjamin, Jos 24:30; Jdg 2:9.

2Sa 23:31. Abi-Albon (Chron.: Abiel39) of Beth-ha-arabah = Arabah, Jos 15:61; Jos 18:18; Jos 18:22, in the wilderness of Judah.Azmaveth of Bahurim, see 2Sa 16:5; Chron. has: the Baharumite for Bahurimite (Thenius), see 2Sa 3:16.

2Sa 23:32 sqq. Eliahba, of Shaalbon = Shaalbin, Jos 19:42, perhaps the present Selbit.Instead of the following text, Chron. has Benehashem the Gizonite, Jonathan the son of Shagee the Hararite. This is probably the correct text, since Bene Jashen Jonathan [Eng. A. V.: of the sons of Jashen, Jonathan] gives no sense; but probably the Bene [sons] has gotten into the text by erroneous repetition from the preceding word [Shaalboni], so that we must read simply: Hashem. The locality of Gizon is unknown. Shammah has probably gotten in here from 2Sa 23:11, in place of Ben-Agee.Ahiam, the son of Sharar (Chron. Sakar, comp. 1Ch 26:4); the Ararite (Chron. Hararite [so Eng. A. V.]).

2Sa 23:34. Eliphelet (Chron.: Eliphal, the t having fallen out). It is surprising that the text here gives not only the father, but also the grandfather, which is not done elsewhere in the list; nor does the word son suit before the gentilic name the Maachathite. Chron. here (2Sa 23:35 sq.) has: Eliphal (-phelet) the son of Ur, Hepher the Mekarathite. The first part of the Sam. text might have arisen from that of Chron.40 (not the converse, Thenius), while the latter part of our text is to be preferred, so that the reading will be: Eliphelet the son of Ur, Hepher the Maachathite, of Maachah in Gilead, see on 2Sa 10:6; comp. Deu 3:14 and 2Ki 25:23.Eliam, son of Ahithophel the Gilonite; Chron. has an entirely different text: Ahijah the Pelonite. On Ahithophel see on 2Sa 15:12. [This Eliam is supposed by some to be the father of Bathsheba (2Sa 11:3).Tr.]

2Sa 23:35. Hezro, as in the text and in Chron. [the margin has Hezrai, and so Eng. A. V.; Bib. Com. thinks this name the same with the Hezron of 1Ch 2:5, the ancestor of Nabal the Carmelite.Tr.]; the Carmelite, of Carmel, 1Sa 25:2 [south of Judah].Paarai, of Arab on the mountains of Judah, Jos 15:52. Chron. has: Naari the son of Ezbai, both names doubtless scribal errors [it is hardly possible to determine the correct reading here.Tr.].

2Sa 23:36. Jigal [Eng. A. V.: Igal] the son of Nathan, of Zobah. Chron.: Joel the brother of Nathan. The designation brother instead of the usual son is suspicious from its reference to the prophet Nathan, whom, the of Zobah (in Syria) does not suit. Whether Jigal [Igal] or Joel is the original name must be left undetermined.41Bani the Gadite; Chron.: Mibhar the son of Hagri, probably a corruption of our text.42

2Sa 23:37. Zelek the Ammonite, a foreigner, as Igal of Zobah in Syria.Naharai [Eng. A. V.: Nahari] the Beerothite, of Beeroth (see on 2Sa 4:2), armor-bearer to Joab. The text has the Plu. armor-bearers, but the Sing. (Qeri and Chron.) is to be preferred. If several armor-bearers were meant, their names would be connected by and.

2Sa 23:38. Ira and Gareb, both Ithrites of Kirjath jearim, comp. 1Ch 2:53, see on 2Sa 20:26.

2Sa 23:39. Uriah, also a foreigner, comp. 2Sa 11:3.In all 37; not including Joab, who, as Commander-in-chief of the whole army, is not named, but after correcting the text of 2Sa 23:34, and reading three names there instead of two. Otherwise there would be only 36 names.43 [This seems a better explanation of the numbers than the supposition that one name in a second triad (2Sa 23:18-23) has been omitted (Bib.-Com., Phil.), for which there is no good ground.In 1Ch 11:41-47 follow sixteen additional names, probably heroes that took the place of those that died, or were added when the number was no longer limited to thirty (Bib.-Comm.).Tr.].

HISTORICAL AND THEOLOGICAL

1. The heroes of David here enumerated as the most prominent and important, and of whom particular exploits are narrated, represent Davids whole heroic army, with which he carried on the Lords wars, and gained the Lords victories; they are the heads and leaders of the people in arms, which with its king fought the heathen nations as enemies of Jehovahs king and kingdom in Israel (comp. 1 Chronicles 27). Their deeds are deeds of God, whereby He works great deliverance for his people and their king against their enemies (2Sa 23:10; 2Sa 23:12).

2. As the Prophetic Office is the organ of Gods immediate word of revelation to the theocratic king and the chosen people, so is the Body of Heroes the instrument whereby Gods kingdom in Israel is protected against heathen powers, and triumphs over them. To the School of the Prophets, which gathered around Samuel, and whence came the heroes of the word and the Spirit, answers the School of Heroes gathered about David, whence came those whose forms are here slightly sketched. In them is mirrored the splendor of the royal power and glory of the Anointed of the Lord, to whom, as the visible representative of God among His people, they are devoted body and soul, and in whose person they serve the invisible Lord and King of His people with inviolate fidelity even unto death. These heroes know themselves to be the banner-, shield-, and armor-bearers of him who stands at their head, not by human commission, but by divine investitureto be the divinely-appointed watchmen and guardians of hearth, throne and altar, of the noblest and most inalienable possessions of their people, against attacks from without and from within. As the armed population of the land they form the brazen wall of defence of Gods kingdom, and the respect-compelling hedge-row of the soil in which their people ripens in body and spirit towards its God-appointed destiny. Such a rich consciousness must have given Davids warriors a peculiar exaltation of feeling; it imparted to them the true knightly sense, which alone up to the present hour has conferred true nobility on the profession of the soldier (F. W. Krummacher).

2. A beautiful and touching proof of the love and fidelity that bound these heroes of David to their lord is given in the reckless devotion with which they put their lives in peril to gratify a casually expressed wish of his. Though in form it may seem to be a piece of foolhardiness, the moral kernel in it is the faithful, self-sacrificing love, which perils even life for a neighbor, and shuns no danger, in order to serve him.

4. In Davids conduct to the heroes that bring him water from Bethlehem at the risk of their lives, are set forth these things: 1) Noble modesty, which regards the love-offering of ones neighbor as too dear and valuable for ones-self, and declines to receive it; 2) Sincere humility before the Lord, which lays the honor at His feet, as He to whom alone it belongs: 3) A clear view and tender estimation of the infinite moral worth of human life in mens relations towards one another and towards God.

HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL

Where heroism and bravery put themselves exclusively in the service of God and subserve only the aims of His kingdom, the Lord causes great things to be performed through them, and often a victory to be torn from the enemies of His kingdom that they had already gained.Even the military calling God has chosen and sanctified through His word, that through it in times of sore conflict of right against wrong and of truth against falsehood He may work great deliverance.A military hero should seek his highest honor in dedicating his sword to the Lord, and as a servant of God helping to work deliverance for his fatherland and his people against their enemies.Often in history does God the Lord use one mans heroism and bravery to make a people great from small beginnings, or to lift it up from disgrace and downfall, or to turn its defeats into victory and triumph. Examples are furnished by every period of history.

The source of true heroism is life-communion with God, wherein deeds of arms are 1) undertaken in His fear, 2) performed for the ends of His kingdom, 3) crowned with glorious results.A threefold garland of victory for the hero, who 1) bravely repulses the pressing foe, 2) mightily strikes down the foe that is already victorious and triumphing in advance, and 3) lifts up again his peoples sunken courage.Happy the people that has heroes, who 1) advance in Gods strength, 2) courageously stake their life for Gods honor and the peoples welfare, and 3) are counted worthy by God to work great deliverance for their people.Hail to the throne that is encompassed by heroes, who 1) find their highest nobility in the real knighthood that roots itself in true fear of God, 2) with humble heroism defend altar and throne, 3) seek their highest honor in being Gods instruments for the aims of His kingdom and for the revelation of His power and righteousness, and 4) set the whole people an example of self-devoting love and fidelity, and of unterrified courage.

Tueb. B.: Even the soldiers calling is well-pleasing to God, especially when he wages the Lords wars.Cramer: Bravery and other gifts of God should be directed not to arrogance and display and oppression of the poor, but to the maintenance and propagation of the kingdom of God and of His righteousness.

2Sa 23:10. Through bodily strength, however great, nothing can be performed where God does not give the success (Jer 9:23).

2Sa 23:12. Starke: We may indeed glory in and praise heroes for their heroic deeds; but it must be so done that God shall keep His honor and His glory (Psa 115:1).

2Sa 23:16. F. W. Krummacher: A knightly deed this! But was it not rather foolhardiness, if not downright servility, and was not this expending courage recklessly, and dealing wastefully with human life? This question resembles that with which Judas Iscariot presumed to censure the anointing of Mary at Bethany. True love has its measure in itself, and in its modes of manifestation puts itself beyond all criticism.The joyfully self-sacrificing deed of the three heroes regarded not so much the man David, as rather the anointed of the Lord, and so the Lord Himself. [Hardly.Tr.].Schlier: Davids pious mind would have no right over the life of his men; that the Lord alone had, to whom all belongs. We have no right to claim for ourselves the sweat and blood of others; men do not exist for us, but we exist for others. We should not get ourselves served, but should rather serve others.Genuine fear of God shows itself in this, that one serves another in self-devoting and self-sacrificing love, such as was mutually shown by David and these three heroes.

[2Sa 23:15-17. The well by the gate of Bethlehem. Davids circumstances. Recollections of youth, longing for the water he used to drink when a boy at home. Strong affections which a great soldier awakens in his followersthey are eager to gratify his slightest wish. Romance of military lifebrave men love sometimes to go off on an unpractical adventure. Davids regard for human life; affectionate gratitude to his men; generous sentiments overcoming bodily appetite; devout desire to honor Jehovah.Tr.]

Footnotes:

[14]According to Kennicott the two last letters of stood in a MS. under the of the preceding line (2Sa 23:7). and a transcriber by mistake attached the latter word instead of to . [Or, it may be that the here is corruption of in Chron., and passed from 2Sa 23:8 into 2Sa 23:7. Sept. = for (Wellh.). See on 2Sa 23:7.Tr.]

[15]So read here and in Chron. instead of our text; so in 2Sa 23:13; 2Sa 23:23-24, and 1Ch 11:15; 1Ch 11:42; 1Ch 12:4; 1Ch 27:6 (instead of ). [Or, perhaps better here .Tr.]

[16]In the – is Adj. ending (as in and ), denoting rank. Ew. 177 a, 164.

[17][Some hold that is corruption of , and that = spear (comp. Arab. and ), but this last is altogether uncertain.Tr.]

[18]The Qeri and Chron. insert the Art. before . But there is nothing strange in the absence of the Art., as Bttcher remarks against Thenius, who would read , thinking it necessary on account of following references (2Sa 23:12; 2Sa 23:16 sqq.). On the stat. abs. of the Numeral before the Subst, see Ges. 120, 1.

[19]Against our text Isaiah 1) the following there, which supposes a preceding name of a place, 2) takes not , but the Accus. (2Sa 21:21; 1Sa 17:10; 1Sa 17:25 sq., 36), 3) the failure of the Rel. Pron. before were assembled. Instead of read and the Philistines.

[20]By erroneous passage from (2Sa 23:9) to the similar (2Sa 23:11).

[21]Vulg.: populus qui fugerat reversus est. According to Thenius an who had fled (comp. 2Sa 23:11) seems to have fallen out after the people. If this be rightly taken as probable (Ew.), then there is the less propriety in explaining the went up with Thenius as above mentioned.

[22]The masoretic pointing came no doubt from the in 2Sa 23:13. [ would be the proper name Lehi with local, = to Lehi.Tr.]

[23]This is favored also by the , which introduces them as other persons.

[24]Of the Versions is found only in the Chald., and Thenius would thence regard it as an [inserted] explanation of the preceding word. But it is perhaps better to detach the from the preceding word (which would then end in -, as in 2Sa 23:8), prefix it to , then insert (as in Chron., omitting ), and render: descended three of the knights from the top of the rock.

[25][This phrase cannot be rendered: in the harvest-time, and it would seem better, therefore, to adopt the reading of Chron., or Erdmanns suggestion in the preceding note.Tr.]

[26][The hold in which David found himself, was a strong-hold or fortress near the cave of Adullam.Tr.]

[27] (1Sa 24:7; 1Sa 26:11) instead of .

[28]This would require: .

[29] (Sept., Vulg.) may easily have fallen out after by homoteleuton.

[30] is not to be taken as a question, equivalent to a lively asseveration (= is it so that? = certainly, comp. 2Sa 9:1; Gen 27:36; Gen 29:15); he was certainly honoredfor what is a question doing in the midst of this perfectly smooth narration? (Then.); nor is it to be explained as having arisen from the preceding and an inserted . Instead of this unintelligible reading the text of Chronicles is to be taken, only pointed , in two, double. Comp. Ewald 269 b. [It is easier to suppose an insertion than to get it out of , though the presence of the latter in Chron. is not easily explained. Wellh. suggests behold, he for .Tr.]

[31] is certainly scribal error for (Chron.).

[32]He inserts and reads instead of .

[33] , more fully . [The reading of Vulg.: two lions of Moab is less likely on account of the following special mention of a lion. The Ariel of Isa 29:1 is different.Tr.]

[34] (Keth.) as distinguished from (Qeri). [This distinction of Bttchers is hardly sustained by usage.Tr.]

[35]Instead of read Qeri (Chron.).Instead of Chron. has . [As (Sam.) means a goodly man (so Eng. A. V.), not a large man (Erdmann), the reading of Chronicles is to be preferred.Tr.]

[36][Wellh.: among the thirty heroes.Tr.]

[37][Kennicott and Bttcher think that Asahel forms a second triad with Abishai and Benaiah, and ought to be separated from the list, but the text is against this. The early death of Asahel (2Sa 2:32) would make it likely that his place would be filled up, and so account [in part] for the number 31 [32] in the list (Bib.-Com.).For the Captains of the several months see 1Ch 27:1-15.Tr.]

[38]And omit the of [this is unnecessary.Tr.]

[39][This reading is preferred by Bib.-Com., Abialbon being regarded as a corruption of Shaalboni below, which 15 MSS. of Kennicott write . Wellh. suggests Abibaal = Abiel.Tr.]

[40]The may have come from .

[41][The reading son of Ahinathan in some MSS. of Chron. is probably merely an attempt to conform this clause to the others.Tr.]

[42]The is probably out of and the out of .

[43][Wellhausen: More successful corrections in this list will be possible only when the proper names of the Old Testament, together with the variations of the Sept., have been all collected and thoroughly worked up.Tr.]

Fuente: A Commentary on the Holy Scriptures, Critical, Doctrinal, and Homiletical by Lange

(8) 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. (9) 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: (10) 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. (11) 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. (12) But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the LORD wrought a great victory. (13) 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. (14) And David was then in an hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. (15) 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! (16) 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: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the LORD. (17) And he said, Be it far from me, O LORD, that I should do this: is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men. (18) And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief among three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred, and slew them, and had the name among three. (19) Was he not most honourable of three? therefore he was their captain: howbeit he attained not unto the first three. (20) And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man, of Kabzeel, who had done many acts, he slew two lionlike men of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow: (21) And he slew an Egyptian, a goodly man: and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and slew him with his own spear. (22) These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among three mighty men. (23) He was more honourable than the thirty, but he attained not to the first three. And David set him over his guard. (24) Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, (25) Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite, (26) Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, (27) Abiezer the Anethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, (28) Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, (29) Heleb the son of Baanah, a Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai out of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin, (30) Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash, (31) Abialbon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite, (32) Eliahba the Shaalbonite, of the sons of Jashen, Jonathan, (33) Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite, (34) Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, (35) Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, (36) Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite, (37) Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armourbearer to Joab the son of Zeruiah, (38) Ira an Ithrite, Gareb an Ithrite, (39) Uriah the Hittite: thirty and seven in all.

I do not think it needful to swell the Commentary unnecessarily; and therefore include all these verses in one reading, and shall not detain the Reader with long observations upon them. As the HOLY GHOST hath thought proper to record the names of David’s worthies in this manner, I beg the Reader will remember, that if I pass them by without particular observation, it is not because they merit it not, but because I aim to compress, as much as possible, all my notes and observations within the narrowest compass. They may serve to remind us, that if the worthies of David were meriting of so much honour as to have their names recorded in the book of GOD; how much more shall the worthies of JESUS, David’s LORD, have their names written in the book of life. The water of Bethlehem, which David longed for, seems to have had a gospel signification. By the spirit of prophecy David knew that CHRIST, the well of life to his people, should be born in Bethlehem. In this sense the passage is very sweet and instructive: and serves to teach us how the souls of thirsty sinners are made to long for this blessed water, and how very sure it is that the LORD JESUS will be to them a well of water springing up unto everlasting life. Joh 4:14 ; Rev 21:1Rev 21:1 .

Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

2Sa 23:8 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.

Ver. 8. These be the names of the mighty men which David had. ] Who strengthened themselves with him in his kingdom, 1Ch 11:10 being valiant and godly men. Joab is not once mentioned among them for his wickednesses; though some have thought that he was meant by this Tachmonite that sat in the seat as president of the council of war. But this is expressly said to be Adino, his proper name, the Eznite, from the country where he was born or bred, the son of one Tachmoni. 1Ch 11:11 Some render it thus, These are the valiant men which David, sitting in the chair of state, had. Christ also had his worthies, and still hath, whose names are written in heaven.

“ Ite nunc fortes: superata tellus

Sidera donat. ”

– Boet., lib. iv. metr. 7.

Herehence the heathens borrowed their heroes, their Argonauts, Jason with his fifty-four mighties: Castor, Pollux, Typhis, Hercules, &c. Dei Simia Satan haec effinxit.

He lift up his spear against eight hundred. ] Whom he routed and put to flight, so that they were slain; himself with his own hands killing three hundred of them upon the place. 1Ch 11:11 Scanderbeg was such another.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

the mighty men. Hebrew. gibbor. App-14. This rehearsal comes at the end of David’s reign, immediately before the setting up of the kingdom under

Solomon. Even so will it be, at the time of the end, with the true David.

The Tachmonite that sat in the seat. Authorized Version margin and Revised Version text = “Josheb-bassebet the Tachmonite”. Really = Ish-bosheth, put for Ish-baal = ” man of Baal, son of a Hachmonite “(compare 1Ch 11:11), altered later to Adino. Compare St. Peter’s exploit (Act 2), and Stephen’s (2Sa 6:7).

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

Davids Mighty Men

2Sa 23:8-17

Davids yearning for the water of the well of Bethlehem was very natural. He could almost see the ancient well-head, where as a lad he had gone with his mother to draw water. In the scorching heat that beat down on the hillside that sultry afternoon, nothing seemed so desirable as a draught from those cool depths. So does the exile yearn for home, and the backslider for his early blessedness. But, thank God, we cannot wish for the Water of Life-if we wish with all our heart-without having it. To wish is to enjoy. Our Mighty Savior has broken through the Philistines, and has won for us access to the springs of eternal blessedness.

It was very noble of David to refuse to drink that which had been obtained at such cost. Self-control and thoughtfulness for others are graces that bind mens hearts to their leaders. Moreover, Davids example suggests a quite different call which modern conditions make upon us for the exercise of similar self-control. Should we not refuse to make any use of wine and strong drink which have cost, and are costing, the lives of myriads? God forbid that any of us should enjoy, for our selfish pleasures, the deadliest foe of human happiness, purity and hope.

Fuente: F.B. Meyer’s Through the Bible Commentary

Eznite

i.e. one belonging to Etsen.

Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes

am 2949-2989, bc 1055-1015, An, Ex, Is, 436-476, The Tachmonite. or, Josheb-bassebet, the Tachmonite, head of the three. 1Ch 11:11, 1Ch 11:12, 1Ch 27:2, 1Ch 27:32, It is highly probable that in this version instead of yoshaiv bashshaiveth tachkemoni, we should read yoshavam ben chachmoni, “Joshebeam, son of Hachmoni;’ and instead of hoo adino haetzni, hoo orair eth chanitho, “he lift up his spear,” which are the readings in the parallel place in Chronicles, where it is also, “three hundred,” instead of “eight hundred.”

whom he slew: Heb. slain

Reciprocal: Jos 23:10 – One man 2Sa 10:7 – all the host 2Sa 17:8 – mighty men 2Sa 23:13 – three 1Ki 1:8 – the mighty 1Ch 11:10 – the chief 1Ch 19:8 – Joab

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

2Sa 23:8. These be the names of the mighty men whom David had Who helped to raise David to his dignity, and to preserve him in it, being continually with him in all his wars. There is a list of them also 1 Chronicles 11., different from this in several particulars. But Abarbinel thinks this creates no difficulty, if we do but observe that there he distinguishes them into three classes. Those that had always been with him; those that came to him at Ziklag, a little before he was made king of Judah; and those that came to him in Hebron, after he was made king of all Israel. It was proper that the memories of all these should be preserved. But here, in this book, the writer intended only to mention the most excellent of his heroes, who were always with him in his wars; and for whose sake he composed the preceding song of praise to God. Add to this, that this catalogue, though placed here, was taken long before many of the preceding events, as is manifest from hence, that Asahel and Uriah are named in it. It must be observed also, that it was very common for one person to have divers names, and that as some of the worthies died, and others arose in their stead, a great alteration must of course take place in the latter catalogue from the former. We may learn from hence, how much religion tends to inspire men with true courage. David, both by his writings and example, greatly promoted piety among the grandees of his kingdom. And when they became famous for piety, they became famous for bravery.

The Tachmonite that sat in the seat He sat in the counsel of war, next to Joab, being, it is thought, his lieutenant-general. Chief among the captains The principal commander after Joab. The same was Adino This was his proper name, and he probably was of the family of the Eznites. He lifted up his spear These words are properly supplied out of 1Ch 11:11, where they are expressed. Against eight hundred In the above-mentioned place of 1 Chronicles it is only three hundred. Whom he slew at one time In one battle, which, though it be strange, cannot be incredible, supposing him to be a person of extraordinary strength and activity, and his enemies to be discouraged and fleeing away.

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

1Sa 23:8-29. Davids Heroes (continued).The Three and the Thirty (J). (Cf. above.)

2Sa 23:8-12. 2Sa 23:8 must be emended to read, instead of Josheb, etc., Ishbaal the Hachmonite, chief of the three, he lifted up his spear against eight hundred, etc. 2Sa 23:9 should read Eleazar ben Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men, was with David at Pas-dammim (1Sa 17:1), when the Philistines were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel retreated. Shammahs exploit was when the Philistines were assembled at Lehi (Jdg 15:9), not into a troop.

2Sa 23:13-17. Read 2Sa 23:13 : And three of the thirty went down and came to the rock to David to the hold of Adullam, SBOT.

2Sa 23:18-23. Read 2Sa 23:18 : And Abishai . . . was chief of the Thirty, . . . and had a name among the Thirty, or like that of the Three. In 2Sa 23:20, the text is hopelessly corrupt; but apparently Benaiah slew two young lions and a lion, Ariel having arisen through the mistaken combination of ari, lion with letters belonging to another word. 2Sa 23:22 should be emended at the end like 2Sa 23:18.

2Sa 23:24-39. Note that the Three are men of whom we learn nothing elsewhere, apparently remarkable for nothing but personal strength and skill in hand-to-hand fighting They would enjoy public importance and popularity comparable to those accorded to famous cricketers and footballers nowadays; the Thirty enjoyed the same distinction in a less degree. They indeed include men of note in other ways: Asahel ben Zeruiah; also a son of Ahithophel, and Uriah the Hittite, besides Abishai, and Benaiah, the Captain of the Bodyguard. But the bulk of the Thirty are otherwise unknown. Joab, the most powerful man and the finest military commander in Israel, David himself not excepted, belongs to neither body; but his armour-bearers belong to the Thirty; that indicates the value of the distinction. According to 2Sa 23:39 the Thirty numbered thirty-seven. Possibly the original number was not adhered to; or the list may include some who were slain like Asahel and Uriah, together with those who replaced them.

Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible

23:8 These [be] the names of the mighty men whom David had: The Tachmonite that sat in the {e} 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.

(e) As one of the king’s counsel.

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes

E. Thirty-seven Mighty Men 23:8-39

One might conclude from 1Sa 22:2 that David’s army, made up as it was of malcontents and distressed debtors, would not have been able to accomplish anything. This list testifies to God’s blessing on David and Israel militarily by enabling his warriors to accomplish supernatural feats and to become mighty men in war. Again, God’s supernatural blessing is what this section illustrates.

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)

1. Selected adventures of outstanding warriors 23:8-23

There were three warriors who received higher honor than all the rest (2Sa 23:8-12): Josheb-basshebeth, Eleazar, and Shammah. What their relationship to The Thirty was is hard to determine. [Note: B. Mazar, "The Military Elite of King David," Vetus Testamentum 13 (1963):310-20.] One writer assumed they were over The Thirty. [Note: Merrill, Kingdom of . . ., p. 282.] Three unnamed men from The Thirty received special mention (2Sa 23:13-17). Two others also received great esteem (2Sa 23:18-23): Abishai, and Benaiah. This was evidently the same Benaiah who became the head of David’s bodyguard (2Sa 20:23), a position similar to the one that David had occupied in Saul’s army (1Sa 22:14).

Josheb-basshebeth is an example of a spiritual warrior with exceptional strength (cf. Eph 6:10). Eleazar demonstrated unusual stamina and persistence (cf. Isa 40:31). Shammah’s greatness lay in his supernatural steadfastness (cf. Eph 6:14). The three warriors who took David’s wish for water as their command and took a calculated risk (not wild recklessness) showed remarkable sacrifice, dedication, and loyalty (cf. Mat 6:33). These are all qualities necessary in, and available to, spiritual warriors of all ages by God’s grace. Perhaps the writer also mentioned the feats of Abishai and Benaiah because they feature in the preceding narrative. As Jesus had his circles of intimates (Peter, James, and John, the Twelve, and the Seventy), so did David.

Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)

CHAPTER XXIX.

LAST BATTLES AND THE MIGHTY MEN.

2Sa 21:15-22; 2Sa 23:8-39.

IN entering on the consideration of these two portions of the history of David, we must first observe that the events recorded do not appear to belong to the concluding portion of his reign. It is impossible for us to assign a precise date to them, or at least to most of them, but the displays of physical activity and courage which they record would lead us to ascribe them to a much earlier period. Originally, they seem to have formed parts of a record of David’s wars, and to have been transferred to the Books of Samuel and Chronicles in order to give a measure of completeness to the narrative. The narrative in Chronicles is substantially the same as that in Samuel, but the text is purer. From notes of time in Chronicles it is seen that some at least of the encounters took place after the war with the children of Ammon.

Why have these passages been inserted in the history of the reign of David? Apparently for two chief purposes. In the first place, to give us some idea of the dangers to which he was exposed in his military life, dangers manifold and sometimes overwhelming, and all but fatal; and thus enable us to see how wonderful were the deliverances he experienced, and prepare us for entering into the song of thanksgiving which forms the twenty-second chapter, and of which these deliverances form the burden. In the second place, to enable us to understand the human instrumentality by which he achieved so brilliant a success, the kind of men by whom he was helped, the kind of spirit by which they were animated, and their intense personal devotion to David himself. The former purpose is that which is chiefly in view in the end of the twenty-first chapter, the latter in the twenty-third. The exploits themselves occur in encounters with the Philistines, and may therefore be referred partly to the time after the slaughter of Goliath, when he first distinguished himself in warfare, and the daughters of Israel began to sing, “Saul hath slain his thousands, but David his tens of thousands;” partly to the time in his early reign when he was engaged driving them out of Israel, and putting a bridle on them to restrain their inroads; and partly to a still later period. It is to be observed that nothing more is sought than to give a sample of David’s military adventures, and for this purpose his wars with the Philistines alone are examined. If the like method had been taken with all his other campaigns, – against Edom, Moab, and Ammon; against the Syrians of Rehob, and Maacah, and Damascus, and the Syrians beyond the river, – we might borrow the language of the Evangelist, and say that the world itself would not have been able to contain the books that should be written.

Four exploits are recorded in the closing verses of the twenty-first chapter, all with “sons of the giant,” or, as it is in the margin, of Kapha. The first was with a man who is called Ishbi-benob, but there is reason to suspect that the text is corrupt here, and in Chronicles this incident is not mentioned. The language applied to David, ” avid and his servants went down,” would lead us to believe that the incident happened at an early period, when the Philistines were very powerful in Israel, and it was a mark of great courage to “go down” to their plains, and attack them in their own country. To do this implied a long journey, over steep and rough roads, and it is no wonder if between the journey and the fighting David “waxed faint.” Then it was that the son of the giant, whose spear or spear- head weighed three hundred shekels of brass, or about eight pounds, fell upon him “with a new sword, and thought to have slain him.” There is no noun in the original for sword; all that is said is, that the giant fell on David with something new, and our translators have made it a sword. The Revised Version in the margin gives “new armour.” The point is evidently this, that the newness of the thing made it more formidable. This could hardly be said of a common sword, which would be really more formidable after it had ceased to be quite new, since, by having used it, the owner would know it better and wield it more perfectly. It seems better to take the marginal reading “new armour,” that is, new defensive armour, against which the weary David would direct his blows in vain. Evidently he was in the utmost peril of his life, but was rescued by his nephew Abishai, who killed the giant. The risk to which he was exposed was such that his people vowed they would not let him go out with them to battle any more, lest the light of Israel should be quenched.

During the rest of that campaign the vow seems to have been respected, for the other three giants were not slain by David personally, but by others. As to other campaigns, David usually took his old place as leader of the army, until the battle against Absalom, when his people prevailed on him to remain in the city.

Three of the four duels recorded here took place at Gob, – a place not now known, but most probably in the neighbourhood of Gath. In fact, all the encounters probably took place near that city. One of the giants slain is said in Samuel, by a manifest error, to have been Goliath the Gittite; but the error is corrected in Chronicles, where he is called the brother of Goliath. The very same expression is used of his spear as in the case of Goliath: ”the staff of whose spear was like a weaver’s beam.” Of the fourth giant it is said that he defied Israel, as Goliath had done. Of the whole four it is said that “they were born to the giant in Gath.” This does not necessarily imply that they were all sons of the same father, “the giant” being used generically to denote the race rather than the individual.

But the tenor of the narrative and many of its expressions carry us back to the early days of David. There seems to have been a nest at Gath of men of gigantic stature, brothers or near relations of Goliath. Against these he was sent, perhaps in one of the expeditions when Saul secretly desired that he should fall by the hand of the Philistines. If it was in this way that he came to encounter the first of the four, Saul had calculated well, and was very nearly carrying his point. But though man proposes, God disposes. The example of David in his encounter with Goliath, even at this early period, had inspired several young men of the Hebrews, and even when David was interdicted from going himself into battle, others were raised up to take his place. Every one of the giants found a match either in David or among his men. It was indeed highly perilous work; but David was encompassed by a Divine Protector, and being destined for high service in the kingdom of God, he was “immortal till his work was done.”

We have said that these were but samples of David’s trials, and that they were probably repeated again and again in the course of the many wars in which he was engaged. One can see that the danger was often very imminent, making him feel that his only possible deliverance must come from God. Such dangers, therefore, were wonderfully fitted to exercise and discipline the spirit of trust. Not once or twice, but hundreds of times, in his early experience he would find himself constrained to cry to the Lord. And protected as he was, delivered as he was, the conviction would become stronger and stronger that God cared for him and would deliver him to the end. We see from all this how unnecessary it is to ascribe all the psalms where David is pressed by enemies either to the time of Saul or to the time of Absalom. There were hundreds of other times in his life when he had the same experience, when he was reduced to similar straits, and his appeal lay to the God of his life.

And this was in truth the healthiest period of his spiritual life. It was amid these perilous but bracing experiences that his soul prospered most. The north wind of danger and difficulty braced him to spiritual self- denial and endurance; the south wind of prosperity and luxurious enjoyment was what nearly destroyed him. Let us not become impatient when anxieties multiply around us, and we are beset by troubles, and labours, and difficulties. Do not be tempted to contrast your miserable lot with that of others, who have health while you are sick, riches while you are poor, honour while you are despised, ease and enjoyment while you have care and sorrow. By all these things God desires to draw you to Himself, to discipline your soul, to lead you away from the broken cisterns that can hold no water to the fountain of living waters. Guard earnestly against the unbelief that at such times would make your hands hang down and your heart despond; rally your sinking spirit. “Why art thou cast down, O my soul, and why art thou disquieted within me?” Remember the promise, “I will never leave you nor forsake you;” and one day you shall have cause to look back on this as the most useful, the most profitable, the most healthful, period of your spiritual life.

We pass to the twenty-third chapter, which tells us of David’s mighty men. The narrative, at some points, is not very clear; but we gather from it that David had an order of thirty men distinguished for their valour; that besides these there were three of super-eminent merit, and another three, who were also eminent, but who did not attain to the distinction of the first three. Of the first three, the first was Jashobeam the Hachmonite (see 1Ch 11:11), the second Eleazar, and the third Shammah. Of the second three, who were not quite equal to the first, only two are mentioned, Abishai and Benaiah; thereafter we have the names of the thirty. It is remarkable that Joab’s name does not occur in the list, but as he was captain of the host, he probably held a higher position than any. Certainly Joab was not wanting in valour, and must have held the highest rank in a legion of honour.

Of the three mighties of the first rank, and the two of the second, characteristic exploits of remarkable courage and success are recorded. The first of the first rank, whom the Chronicles call Jashobeam, lifted up his spear against three hundred slain at one time. (In Samuel the number is eight hundred.) The exploit was worthy to be ranked with the famous achievement of Jonathan and his armour-bearer at the pass of Michmash. The second, Eleazar, defied the Philistines when they were gathered to battle, and when the men of Israel had gone away he smote the Philistines till his hand was weary. The third, Shammah, kept the Philistines at bay on a piece of ground covered with lentils, after the people had fled, and slew the Philistines, gaining a great victory.

Next we have a description of the exploit of three of the mighty men when the Philistines were in possession of Bethlehem, and David in a hold near the cave of Adullam (see 2Sa 5:15-21). The occasion of their exploit was an interesting one. Contemplating the situation, and grieved to think that his native town should be in the enemy’s hands, David gave expression to a wish – “Oh that someone would give me water to drink of the well of Bethlehem which is before the gate!” It was probably meant for little more than the expression of an earnest wish that the enemy were dislodged from their position – that there were no obstruction between him and the well, that access to it were as free as in the days of his youth. But the three mighty men took him at his word, and breaking through the host of the Philistines, brought the water to David. It was a singular proof of his great personal influence; he was so loved and honoured that to gratify his wish these three men took their lives in their hands to obtain the water. Water got at such a cost was sacred in his eyes; it was a thing too holy for man to turn to his use, so he poured it out before the Lord.

Next we have a statement bearing on two of the second three. Abishai, David’s nephew, who was one of them, lifted up his spear against three hundred and slew them. Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, slew two lion-like men of Moab (the two sons of Ariel of Moab, R.V.); also, in time of snow, he slew a lion in a pit; and finally he slew an Egyptian, a powerful man, attacking him when he had only a staff in his hand, wrenching his spear from him, and killing him with his own spear. The third of this trio has not been mentioned; some conjecture that he was Amasa (“chief of the captains” -“the thirty,” R.V., 1Ch 12:18), and that his name was not recorded because he deserted David to side with Absalom. Amoi .g the other thirty, we cannot but be struck with two names – Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, and apparently the father of Bathsheba; and Uriah the Hittite. The sin of David was all the greater if it involved the dishonour of men who had served him so bravely as to be enrolled in his legion of honour.

With regard to the kind of exploits ascribed to some of these men, a remark is necessary. There is an appearance of exaggeration in statements that ascribe to a single warrior the routing and killing of hundreds through his single sword or spear. In the eyes of some such statements give the narrative an unreliable look, as if the object of the writer had been more to give clat to the warriors than to record the simple truth. But this impression arises from our tendency to ascribe the conditions of modern warfare to the warfare of these times. In Eastern history, cases of a single warrior putting a large number to flight, and even killing them, are not uncommon. For though the strength of the whole number was far more than a match for his, the strength of each individual was far inferior; and if the mass of them were scarcely armed, and the few who had arms were far inferior to him, the result would be that after some had fallen the rest would take to flight; and the destruction of life in a retreat was always enormous. The incident recorded of Eleazar is very graphic and truth-like. “He smote the Philistines until his hand was weary and his hand clave unto his sword.” A Highland sergeant at Waterloo had done such execution with his basket-handled sword, and so much blood had coagulated round his hand, that it had to be released by a blacksmith, so firmly were they glued together. The style of Eastern warfare was highly favourable to deeds of great courage being done by individuals, and in the terrific panic which followed their first successes prodigious slaughter often ensued. Under present conditions of fighting such things cannot be done.

The glimpse which these little notices give us of King David and his knights is extremely interesting. The story of Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table bears a resemblance to it. We see the remarkable personal influence of David, drawing to himself so many men of spirit and energy, firing them by his own example, securing their warm personal attachment, and engaging them in enterprises equal to his own. How far they shared his devotional spirit we have no means of judging. If the historian reflects the general sentiment in recording their victories when he says, once and again, ”The Lord wrought a great victory that day” (2Sa 23:10; 2Sa 23:12), we should say that trust in God must have been the general sentiment. “If it had not been the Lord that was on our side, . . . they had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us.” It is no wonder that David soon gained a great military renown. Such a king, surrounded by such a class of lieutenants, might well spread alarm among all his enemies. One who, besides having such a body of helpers, could claim the assistance of the Lord of hosts, and could enter battle with the shout, “Let God arise; and let His enemies be scattered; and let them also that hate Him flee before Him,” might well look for universal victory. Trustworthy generals, we are told, double the value of the troops; and the soldiers that were led by such leaders, trusting in the Lord of hosts, could hardly fail of triumph.

And thus, too, we may see how David came to be thoroughly under the influence of the military spirit, and of some of the less favourable features of that spirit. Accustomed to such scenes of bloodshed, he would come to think lightly of the lives of his enemies. A hostile army he would be prone to regard as a kind of infernal machine, an instrument of evil only, and therefore to be destroyed. Hence the complacency he expresses in the destruction of his enemies. Hence the judgment he calls down on those who thwarted and opposed him. If, in the songs of David, this feeling sometimes disappears, and the expressed desire of his heart is that the nations may be glad and sing for joy, that the people may praise God, that all the people may praise Him, this seems to be in the later period of his life, when all his enemies had been subdued, and he had rest on every side. Even in earnest and spiritually-minded men, religion is often coloured by their worldly calling; and in no case more so, sometimes for better and sometimes for worse, than in those who follow the profession of arms.

But in all this military career and influence of David, may we not trace a type of character which was realized in a far higher sphere, and to far grander purpose, in the career of Jesus, David’s Son? David on an earthly level is Jesus on a higher. Every noble quality of David, his courage, his activity, his affection, his obedience and trust toward God, his devotion to the welfare of others, reappears purer and higher in Jesus. If David is surrounded by his thirty mighties and his two threes, so is Jesus by His twelve apostles. His seventy disciples, and pre-eminently the three apostles who went with Him into the innermost scenes. If David’s men are roused by his example to deeds of daring like his own, so the apostles and disciples go into the world to teach, to fight, to heal, and to bless, as Christ had done before them. Looking back from the present moment to David’s time, what young man of spirit but feels that it would have been a great joy to belong to his company, much better than to be among those who were always carping and criticizing, and laughing at the men who shared his danger and sacrifices? And does anyone think that, when another cycle of ages has gone past, he will have occasion to congratulate himself that while he lived on earth he had nothing to do with Christ and earnest Christians, that he bore no part in any Christian battle, that he kept well away from Christ and His staff, that he preferred the service and pleasure of the world? Surely no. Shall any of us, then, deliberately do to-day what we know we shall repent to-morrow? Is it not certain that Jesus Christ is an unrivalled Commander, pure and noble above all His fellows, that His life was the most glorious ever led on earth, and that His service is by far the most honourable? We do not dwell at this moment on the great fact that only in His faith and fellowship can any of us escape the wrath to come, or gain the favour of God. We ask you to say in what company you can spend your lives to most profit, under whose influence you may receive the highest impulses, and be made to do the best service for God and man? It must have been interesting in David’s time to see his people ”willing in the day of his power,” to see young men flocking to his standard in the beauties of holiness, like dewdrops from the womb of the morning. And still more glorious is the sight when young men, even the highest born and the highest gifted, having had grace to see who and what Jesus Christ is, find no manner of life worthy to be compared in essential dignity and usefulness with His service, and, in spite of the world, give themselves to Him. Oh that we could see many such rallying to His standard, contrasting, as St. Paul did, the two services, and counting all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus their Lord!

Fuente: Expositors Bible Commentary

Disfruta de miles de canciones cristianas en exclusiva sólo en Bibles