2 Samuel 23:8-39

His Mighty Men

8 ¹These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-basshebeth a Tahchemonite, chief of the captains, he was called Adino the Eznite, because of eight hundred slain by him at one time;

9 and after him was Eleazar the son of ²Dodo the ³Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David when they defied the Philistines who were gathered there to battle and the men of Israel had withdrawn.

10 ⁴He arose and struck the Philistines until * his hand was weary and clung to the sword, and ⁵the LORD brought about a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to strip the slain.

11 Now after him was Shammah the son of Agee a ⁶Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered into a troop where there was a plot of ground full of lentils, and the people fled from the Philistines.

12 But he took his stand in the midst of the plot, defended it and struck the Philistines; and ⁷the LORD brought about a great victory.

13 Then three of the thirty chief men went down and came to David in the harvest time to the ⁸cave of Adullam, while the troop of the Philistines was camping in ⁹the valley of Rephaim.

14 David was then ¹⁰in the stronghold, while the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem

15 ¹¹David 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 ¹²So 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 ¹³poured it out to the LORD;

17 and he said, "Be it far from me, O LORD, that I should do this. ¹⁴Shall 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 ¹⁵Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was ¹⁶chief 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 ¹⁷Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of ¹⁸Kabzeel, 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 ¹⁹Benaiah 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.

24 ²⁰Asahel the brother of Joab was among the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,

25 ²¹Shammah the ²²Harodite, Elika the Harodite,

26 Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the ²³Tekoite,

27 Abiezer the ²⁴Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,

28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the ²⁵Netophathite,

29 ²⁶Heleb the son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai of ²⁷Gibeah of the sons of Benjamin,

30 Benaiah a ²⁸Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of ²⁹Gaash,

31 Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the ³⁰Barhumite,

32 Eliahba the ³¹Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan,

33 ³²Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Ararite,

34 Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of ³³the Maacathite, ³⁴Eliam the son of ³⁵Ahithophel the Gilonite,

35 ³⁶Hezro the ³⁷Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,

36 Igal the son of Nathan of ³⁸Zobah, Bani the Gadite

37 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the ³⁹Beerothite, armor bearers of Joab the son of Zeruiah,

38 Ira the ⁴⁰Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite

39 ⁴¹Uriah the Hittite; thirty-seven * in all.

2 Samuel 23:8-39 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 Chronicles 11:11-47
• 2. 1 Chronicles 27:4
• 3. 1 Chronicles 8:4
• 4. 1 Chronicles 11:13
• 5. 1 Samuel 11:13; 1 Samuel 19:5
• 6. 2 Samuel 23:33
• 7. 2 Samuel 23:10
• 8. 1 Samuel 22:1
• 9. 2 Samuel 5:18
• 10. 1 Samuel 22:4, 5
• 11. 1 Chronicles 11:17
• 12. 1 Chronicles 11:18
• 13. Genesis 35:14
• 14. Leviticus 17:10
• 15. 2 Samuel 10:10, 14; 2 Samuel 18:2
• 16. 1 Chronicles 11:20, 21
• 17. 2 Samuel 8:18; 2 Samuel 20:23
• 18. Joshua 15:21
• 19. 2 Samuel 23:20
• 20. 2 Samuel 2:18; 1 Chronicles 27:7
• 21. 1 Chronicles 11:27
• 22. Judges 7:1
• 23. 2 Samuel 14:2
• 24. Joshua 21:18
• 25. 2 Kings 25:23
• 26. 1 Chronicles 11:30
• 27. Joshua 18:28
• 28. Judges 12:13, 15
• 29. Joshua 24:30
• 30. 2 Samuel 3:16
• 31. Joshua 19:42
• 32. 2 Samuel 23:11
• 33. 2 Samuel 10:6, 8; 2 Samuel 20:14
• 34. 2 Samuel 11:3
• 35. 2 Samuel 15:12
• 36. 1 Chronicles 11:37
• 37. Joshua 15:55
• 38. 2 Samuel 8:3
• 39. 2 Samuel 4:2
• 40. 1 Chronicles 2:53
• 41. 2 Samuel 11:3, 6

Footnotes

• [a]. Or "three"
• [b]. Lit "reproached"
• [c]. Lit "gone up"
• [d]. Lit "his hand clung"
• [e]. Lit "salvation"
• [f]. Possibly, at Lehi
• [g]. Lit "salvation"
• [h]. So two Heb mss and Syriac; M.T. "three"
• [i]. Lit "slain ones"
• [j]. Lit "smote"
• [k]. Or "two lion-like heroes"
• [l]. Lit "smote"
• [m]. Lit "a man of appearance"