2 Samuel 23:8-39 - Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

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David's Heroes (continued). The Three and the Thirty (J). (Cf. above.)

2 Samuel 23:8-12. 2 Samuel 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. 2 Samuel 23:9 should read Eleazar ben Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men, was with David at Pas-dammim (1 Samuel 17:1), when the Philistines were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel retreated. Shammah's exploit was when the Philistines were assembled at Lehi (Judges 15:9), not into a troop.

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

2 Samuel 23:18-23. Read 2 Samuel 23:18: And Abishai. was chief of the Thirty,. and had a name among the Thirty, or like that of the Three. In 2 Samuel 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. 2 Samuel 23:22 should be emended at the end like 2 Samuel 23:18.

2 Samuel 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 2 Samuel 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.

Related Commentaries of 2 Samuel 23:8

2 Samuel 23:8-39

8 These be the names of the mighty men whom David had: The Tachmoniteb 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 threec 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 goodlyd 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 brookse 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.