2 Samuel 23:23

23 that were among the thirty nobler men; nevertheless he came not (up) to the first three. And David made him a counsellor of private to himself. (indeed some said he was the most famous of The Thirty; nevertheless he came not up to, or rivaled, The Three. And David made him his personal counsellor/the head of his bodyguard.)

2 Samuel 23:23 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 23:23

He was more honourable than the thirty
Whose names are after recorded:

but he attained not to the [first] three;
the first triumvirate, Jashobeam, Eleazar, and Shammah; he was not equal to them for fortitude, courage, and military exploits:

and David set him over his guard;
his bodyguard, the Cherethites and Pelethites, ( 2 Samuel 8:18 ) ( 20:23 ) ; who are called in the Hebrew text "his hearing" ^F13, because they hearkened to his orders and commands, and obeyed them.

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FOOTNOTES:

F13 (wtemvm la) "ad auditum suum", Pagninus, Montanus.

2 Samuel 23:23 In-Context

21 Also he killed a man of Egypt, a man worthy of beholding, having a spear in his hand; and so when he had gone down with a rod to that man, by might he wrung out the spear from the hand of the man of Egypt, and killed him with his own spear. (And he killed an Egyptian man, a man worthy of beholding, who had a spear in his hand; for he had gone down to that man with a staff, and by might he wrung the spear out of the hand of the Egyptian, and then killed him with his own spear.

22 Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, did these things; and he was named among [the] three strong men (and he had a famous name among The Thirty),

23 that were among the thirty nobler men; nevertheless he came not (up) to the first three. And David made him a counsellor of private to himself. (indeed some said he was the most famous of The Thirty; nevertheless he came not up to, or rivaled, The Three. And David made him his personal counsellor/the head of his bodyguard.)

24 Asahel, the brother of Joah, was among the thirty men; Elhanan, the son of his father's brother, of Bethlehem; (And other members of The Thirty; Asahel, Joah's brother; and Elhanan, the son of Dodo, of Bethlehem;)

25 Shammah, of Harodites; Elika, of Harodites;