Commentary
Old Testament : Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1 Samuel
2 Samuel
1 Kings
2 Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Ezra
Nehemiah
Esther
Job
Psalms
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
The Song of Songs
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations
Ezekiel
Daniel
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Obadiah
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi
![](images/minus.gif)
Text -- 2 Samuel 23:1-38 (NET)
![](images/arrow_open.gif)
Strongs On/Off
Context
David’s Final Words
23:1 These are the final words of David : “The oracle of David son of Jesse , the oracle of the man raised up as the ruler chosen by the God of Jacob , Israel’s beloved singer of songs :
23:2 The Lord’s spirit spoke through me; his word was on my tongue .
23:3 The God of Israel spoke , the protector of Israel spoke to me. The one who rules fairly among men , the one who rules in the fear of God ,
23:4 is like the light of morning when the sun comes up , a morning in which there are no clouds . He is like the brightness after rain that produces grass from the earth .
23:5 My dynasty is approved by God , for he has made a perpetual covenant with me, arranged in all its particulars and secured . He always delivers me, and brings all I desire to fruition .
23:6 But evil people are like thorns – all of them are tossed away , for they cannot be held in the hand .
23:7 The one who touches them must use an iron instrument or the wooden shaft of a spear . They are completely burned up right where they lie !”
David’s Warriors
23:8 These are the names of David’s warriors : Josheb-Basshebeth, a Tahkemonite , was head of the officers . He killed eight hundred men with his spear in one battle.
23:9 Next in command was Eleazar son of Dodo , the son of Ahohi . He was one of the three warriors who were with David when they defied the Philistines who were assembled there for battle . When the men of Israel retreated ,
23:10 he stood his ground and fought the Philistines until his hand grew so tired that it seemed stuck to his sword . The Lord gave a great victory on that day . When the army returned to him , the only thing left to do was to plunder the corpses.
23:11 Next in command was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite . When the Philistines assembled at Lehi, where there happened to be an area of a field that was full of lentils , the army retreated before the Philistines .
23:12 But he made a stand in the middle of that area . He defended it and defeated the Philistines ; the Lord gave them a great victory .
23:13 At the time of the harvest three of the thirty leaders went down to David at the cave of Adullam . A band of Philistines was camped in the valley of Rephaim .
23:14 David was in the stronghold at the time , while a Philistine garrison was in Bethlehem .
23:15 David was thirsty and said , “How I wish someone would give me some water to drink from the cistern in Bethlehem near the gate !”
23:16 So the three elite warriors broke through the Philistine forces and drew some water from the cistern in Bethlehem near the gate . They carried it back to David , but he refused to drink it. He poured it out as a drink offering to the Lord
23:17 and said , “O Lord , I will not do this ! It is equivalent to the blood of the men who risked their lives by going .” So he refused to drink it. Such were the exploits of the three elite warriors .
23:18 Abishai son of Zeruiah , the brother of Joab , was head of the three . He killed three hundred men with his spear and gained fame among the three .
23:19 From the three he was given honor and he became their officer , even though he was not one of the three .
23:20 Benaiah son of Jehoida was a brave warrior from Kabzeel who performed great exploits . He struck down the two sons of Ariel of Moab . He also went down and killed a lion in a cistern on a snowy day .
23:21 He also killed an impressive-looking Egyptian . The Egyptian wielded a spear , while Benaiah attacked him with a club . He grabbed the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear .
23:22 Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoida , who gained fame among the three elite warriors .
23:23 He received honor from the thirty warriors, though he was not one of the three elite warriors. David put him in charge of his bodyguard .
23:24 Included with the thirty were the following: Asahel the brother of Joab , Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem ,
23:25 Shammah the Harodite , Elika the Harodite ,
23:26 Helez the Paltite , Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa ,
23:27 Abiezer the Anathothite , Mebunnai the Hushathite ,
23:28 Zalmon the Ahohite , Maharai the Netophathite ,
23:29 Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite , Ittai son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin ,
23:30 Benaiah the Pirathonite , Hiddai from the wadis of Gaash ,
23:31 Abi-Albon the Arbathite , Azmaveth the Barhumite ,
23:32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite , the sons of Jashen , Jonathan
23:33 son of Shammah the Hararite , Ahiam son of Sharar the Hararite ,
23:34 Eliphelet son of Ahasbai the Maacathite , Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite ,
23:35 Hezrai the Carmelite , Paarai the Arbite ,
23:36 Igal son of Nathan from Zobah , Bani the Gadite ,
23:37 Zelek the Ammonite , Naharai the Beerothite (the armor-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah ),
23:38 Ira the Ithrite , Gareb the Ithrite
![](images/advanced.gif)
![](images/advanced.gif)
![](images/advanced.gif)
Names, People and Places, Dictionary Themes and Topics
![](images/arrow_open.gif)
Names, People and Places:
Dictionary Themes and Topics:
David |
Abishai |
Messiah |
Captain |
POETRY, HEBREW |
SAMUEL, BOOKS OF |
JOSHAVIAH |
AMASAI |
JOSHAPHAT |
TEXT OF THE OLD TESTAMENT |
MECHERATHITE |
Courage |
Giants |
Armies |
Shammah |
Benaiah |
Bethlehem |
Philistines |
Jashobeam |
Ira |
more
![](images/cmt_minus_head.gif)
expand allCommentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes
NET Notes -> 2Sa 23:1; 2Sa 23:1; 2Sa 23:3; 2Sa 23:5; 2Sa 23:5; 2Sa 23:7; 2Sa 23:8; 2Sa 23:8; 2Sa 23:9; 2Sa 23:9; 2Sa 23:9; 2Sa 23:10; 2Sa 23:10; 2Sa 23:11; 2Sa 23:11; 2Sa 23:12; 2Sa 23:13; 2Sa 23:13; 2Sa 23:13; 2Sa 23:14; 2Sa 23:17; 2Sa 23:17; 2Sa 23:17; 2Sa 23:18; 2Sa 23:18; 2Sa 23:19; 2Sa 23:20; 2Sa 23:20; 2Sa 23:21; 2Sa 23:21; 2Sa 23:23; 2Sa 23:24; 2Sa 23:29; 2Sa 23:33; 2Sa 23:35; 2Sa 23:37
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
NET Notes: 2Sa 23:5 Heb “for all my deliverance and every desire, surely does he not make [it] grow?”
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
NET Notes: 2Sa 23:7 Heb “and with fire they are completely burned up in [the place where they] remain.” The infinitive absolute is used before the finite verb...
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
NET Notes: 2Sa 23:8 The translation follows some LXX mss (see 1 Chr 11:11 as well) in reading הוּא עוֹרֵר ...
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
NET Notes: 2Sa 23:11 The Hebrew text is difficult here. The MT reads לַחַיָּה (lachayyah), which implies a rare use of the ...
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
NET Notes: 2Sa 23:18 Heb “and he was wielding his spear against three hundred, [who were] slain, and to him there was a name among the three.”
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
NET Notes: 2Sa 23:20 Heb “the two of Ariel, Moab.” The precise meaning of אריאל is uncertain; some read “warrior.” Th...
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
NET Notes: 2Sa 23:29 The translation follows many medieval Hebrew mss in reading חֵלֶד (kheled; cf. NAB, NIV, NLT) rather than the MT ח...
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)
NET Notes: 2Sa 23:35 The translation follows the Qere and many medieval Hebrew mss in reading חֶצְרַי (khetsrai; cf. KJV, NAB) ra...
![](images/cmt_minus.gif)