2 Samuel 23 Study Notes

23:15 Probably David’s vocalized wish came not only from his thirst, but from his desire that his hometown would once again know the peace that allowed people to drink from the well at the city gate freely.

23:16-17 Three of the warriors under David’s command took their leader’s wish as a challenge and made the twenty-five-mile round-trip journey at the risk of their lives to secure water from . . . Bethlehem. Whether the three in this story are the Three in vv. 8-12 or among the Thirty in vv. 24-39 is not certain. David’s response revealed the depth to which he was moved by his men’s loyalty and bravery. The water from Bethlehem’s well was a precious gift because of the sacrifice the men made to get it. Consequently, it was a fitting sacrifice to David’s God. David’s act turned the water into a drink offering (Gn 35:14; Lv 23:13; Nm 15:7-10; 28:7-15).

23:18 Abishai, Joab’s brother, played a leading role in David’s rise to power and kingship (10:10; 18:2-3).

23:20 Benaiah was a well-known warrior (8:18; 20:23). Despite his position in a pit and severe weather that hampered both his dexterity and his mobility, he killed a lion.

23:24 Asahel was a soldier who was killed by Abner during Israel’s civil war following Saul’s death (2:18-23).

23:25 Harodite may designate a person from the Harod Valley that leads from the Jezreel Valley down to Beth-shan (1Sm 31:10) in the Jordan Valley.

23:26 A Tekoite was a person from Tekoa, seven miles south of Jerusalem (Am 1:1).

23:27 Anathoth, located in Benjamin, was later the prophet Jeremiah’s hometown (Jr 1:1).

23:29 Gibeah of the Benjaminites was Saul’s hometown and capital, a fact that shows David had some following even there.

23:34 According to 11:3, Eliam was Bathsheba’s father. If this is the same Eliam, then Ahithophel, counselor to David and Absalom (15:31; 16:20-23; 17:1-3,23), would be Bathsheba’s grandfather.

23:36 Zobah may have been the Aramean city-state that David conquered (8:3-6). Gadite probably designates someone from Gad’s territory east of the Jordan River.

23:37 David subdued Ammon on his eastern border; at some point Zelek, another foreigner, joined David’s forces.

23:39 The text intentionally ends with the mention of Uriah the Hethite. Uriah was another foreigner among David’s mighty men. He gave his life for David under the most evil of circumstances (11:14-17). The fact that there were thirty-seven members of the Thirty may be explained in one of two ways: either “Thirty” was a title rather than a specific figure, or the extra men were brought in to replace those who fell in battle.