2 Samuel 23:19

19 Was he not the most honored of the Three? He became their commander even though he did not become one of the Three.

2 Samuel 23:19 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 23:19

Was he not most honourable of three?
&c.] He was; who, besides the exploit here mentioned, did many other things; he went down with David into Saul's camp, and took away his spear and cruse, which were at his bolster, ( 1 Samuel 26:6-12 ) ; he relieved David when in danger from Ishbibenob the giant, ( 2 Samuel 21:16 2 Samuel 21:17 ) ; he beat the Edomites, and slew eighteen thousand of them in the valley of salt, ( 1 Chronicles 18:12 ) :

therefore he was their captain;
of the other two, or was head over them, took rank before them:

howbeit he attained not unto the [first] three;
for fortitude, courage, and warlike exploits, namely, to the Tachmonite, Eleazar, and Shammah.

2 Samuel 23:19 In-Context

17 David said, "Lord, I would never do such a thing! Is this not the blood of men who risked their lives?" So he refused to drink it. Such were the exploits of the three warriors.

18 Abishai, Joab's brother and son of Zeruiah, was leader of the Three. He raised his spear against 300 [men] and killed them, gaining a reputation among the Three.

19 Was he not the most honored of the Three? He became their commander even though he did not become one of the Three.

20 Benaiah son of Jehoiada was the son of a brave man from Kabzeel, a man of many exploits. Benaiah killed two sons of Ariel of Moab, and he went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion.

21 He also killed an Egyptian, a huge man. Even though the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, Benaiah went down to him with a club, snatched the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and then killed him with his own spear