2 Samuel 23:13-23

13 Then three of the thirty chief men went down and came to David in the harvest time to the ¹cave of Adullam, while the troop of the Philistines was camping in ²the valley of Rephaim.

14 David was then ³in the stronghold, while the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem

15 ⁴David had a craving and said, "Oh that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem which is by the gate!"

16 ⁵So the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines, and drew water from the well of Bethlehem which was by the gate, and took it and brought it to David. Nevertheless he would not drink it, but ⁶poured it out to the LORD;

17 and he said, "Be it far from me, O LORD, that I should do this. ⁷Shall I drink the blood of the men who went in jeopardy of their lives?" Therefore he would not drink it. These things the three mighty men did.

18 ⁸Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was ⁹chief of the thirty. And he swung his spear against three hundred and killed them, and had a name as well as the three.

19 He was most honored of the thirty, therefore he became their commander; however, he did not attain to the three

20 Then ¹⁰Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of ¹¹Kabzeel, who had done mighty deeds, killed the two sons of Ariel of Moab. He also went down and killed a lion in the middle of a pit on a snowy day.

21 He killed an Egyptian, an impressive man. Now the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, but he went down to him with a club and snatched the spear from the Egyptian's hand and killed him with his own spear

22 These things ¹²Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did, and had a name as well as the three mighty men.

23 He was honored among the thirty, but he did not attain to the three. And David appointed him over his guard.

2 Samuel 23:13-23 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO SECOND SAMUEL 23

In this chapter are recorded the last words of David under a divine inspiration, 2Sa 23:1-7; and an account is given of his great men, famous for warlike exploits, particularly of three mighty men who did very marvellous things, 2Sa 23:8-17; and of two others next unto them, which belonged to another class of three, 2Sa 23:18-23; and then of thirty one more, 2Sa 23:24-39; who are all mentioned by name.

Cross References

• 1. 1 Samuel 22:1
• 2. 2 Samuel 5:18
• 3. 1 Samuel 22:4, 5
• 4. 1 Chronicles 11:17
• 5. 1 Chronicles 11:18
• 6. Genesis 35:14
• 7. Leviticus 17:10
• 8. 2 Samuel 10:10, 14; 2 Samuel 18:2
• 9. 1 Chronicles 11:20, 21
• 10. 2 Samuel 8:18; 2 Samuel 20:23
• 11. Joshua 15:21
• 12. 2 Samuel 23:20

Footnotes

• [a] So two Heb mss and Syriac; M.T. "three"
• [b] Lit "slain ones"
• [c] Lit "smote"
• [d] Or "two lion-like heroes"
• [e] Lit "smote"
• [f] Lit "a man of appearance"