2 Samuel 23:13

13 Then three of the thirty chief men went down at harvest time and came to David at the cave of Adullam. And the troop of Philistines encamped in the Valley of Rephaim.

2 Samuel 23:13 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 23:13

And three of the thirty chiefs went down
Or three that were chief of the thirty, superior to them; which some understand of the three before mentioned, so Josephus ^F23; and that having related some particular exploits of theirs, here observes one, in which they were all concerned; and others think the three next are meant, of whom Abishai was the chief, Benaiah the next, and the third Asahel; but the first sense is best:

and came to David in the harvest time, unto the cave of Adullam;
not when he was there, upon his flight from Saul, ( 1 Samuel 22:1 ) ; but after he was king, when engaged in war with the Philistines; perhaps wheat harvest is here meant:

and the troop of the Philistines pitched in the valley of Rephaim;
the army of the Philistines, as the Targum; of the valley of Rephaim, (See Gill on Joshua 15:8).

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FOOTNOTES:

F23 Antiqu. l. 7. c. 12. sect. 4.

2 Samuel 23:13 In-Context

11 And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. The Philistines had gathered together into a troop where there was a piece of ground full of lentils. Then the people fled from the Philistines.

12 But he stationed himself in the middle of the field, defended it, and killed the Philistines. And the Lord brought about a great victory.

13 Then three of the thirty chief men went down at harvest time and came to David at the cave of Adullam. And the troop of Philistines encamped in the Valley of Rephaim.

14 David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem

15 And David said with longing, "Oh, that someone would give me a drink of the water from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!"