Was he not most honourable of three? therefore he was their captain: howbeit he attained not unto the first three.
The fist three. The mighty men or champions in David's military staff were divided into three classes-the highest, Jashobeam, Eleazar and Shammah. The distinguished position this warrior, who was in the first class of David's mighties, arose from the gallant service which, along with Eleazar, he rendered to the king, by enabling him to maintain a successful stand against a troop of Philistine. The second class, Abishai, Benaiah, and Asahel; and the third class, the thirty, of which Asahel was the chief.