2 Samuel 23

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Samuel 23:24

The thirty. This order of knighthood consisted originally of thirty-three men, of whom three were of higher rank, and presided, probably, each over ten, while Joab was chief over them all. This arrangement of men in tens, with an officer over them. was, in fact, the normal rule among the Hebrews. The second triad is unusual, but is explained by the history. In honour of the exploit of bringing the water from the well of Bethlehem, this second order of three was instituted, lower than the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Samuel 23:25

Shammah the Harodite. The town Harod was in the plains of Jezreel, near Mount Gilboa. In 1 Chronicles 11:27 he is called "Shammoth the Harorite," the latter word being an easy corruption of Harodite; and in 1 Chronicles 27:8 he appears as "Shammuth the Izrahite," and has the command of the fifth brigade. "Izrahite" is by some regarded as an error for "the Zarhite," that is, a member of the clan descended from Zerah the son of Judah. But if so, how did he get to Hared? Elika . Omitted... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Samuel 23:26

Helez . He is twice called a Pelonite in Chronicles, and was general of the seventh brigade ( 1 Chronicles 27:10 ), where he is said to have belonged to the tribe of Ephraim. Whether Paltite or Pelonite is right, no one knows; but Beth-Palet was a town in the tribe of Judah, and not in Ephraim. Ira . Ira had the command of the sixth brigade ( 1 Chronicles 27:9 ). Tekoah (see note on 2 Samuel 14:2 ). This Ira is a distinct person from his namesake, David's confidential... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Samuel 23:27

Abiezer . He had the command of the ninth brigade ( 1 Chronicles 27:12 ). Anathoth, now Mata, was a priestly city in Benjamin ( Joshua 21:18 ), the home of Abiathar ( 1 Kings 2:26 ), and the birthplace of Jeremiah ( Jeremiah 1:1 ). Anethothite and Antothite, in the parallel places in Chronicles, are merely different ways of pronouncing the same Hebrew consonants. Mebunnai . Written Sibbechai in 2 Samuel 21:18 , and, as the name is so written in both the parallel places in... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Samuel 23:28

Zalmon . He is called Ilai in 1 Chronicles 11:29 . Ahohite (see note on 1 Chronicles 11:9 ). Maharai the Netophathite. Netophah, in the neighbourhood of Jerusalem ( Ezra 2:22 ), was chiefly inhabited, after the exile, by the singers ( Nehemiah 12:28 ). Robinson identifies it with Beit-Netif, to the south of Jerusalem; but probably erroneously, as Beit-Netif is too far from Bethlehem. Maharai was commander of the tenth brigade, and was a Zarhite, and therefore belonged to the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Samuel 23:29

Heleb . He is called Heled and Heldai in the parallel places in Chronicles, where we are told that he was a descendant of Othniel, and commander of the twelfth brigade. Ittai . He is called Ithai, by a very slight change, in Chronicles. Gibeah is the Geba so closely connected with the history of Saul (see 1 Samuel 13:3 , 1 Samuel 13:15 , etc.). (For Ittai the Philistine, a distinct person, see 2 Samuel 15:19 .) read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Samuel 23:30

Benaiah . He was an Ephraimite, and had the command of the eleventh brigade. Pirathon was a town in Ephraim ( 12:15 ). Hiddai . Called Hurai in 1 Chronicles 11:32 , by the common confusion of d and r . The brooks of Gaash. "Nahale-Gaash," the ravines of Gaash, was probably the name of some village, of which nothing is now known. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Samuel 23:31

Abi-albon. He is called Abiel in 1 Chronicles 11:32 . He belonged to the town of Beth-Arabah ( Joshua 15:61 ; Joshua 18:22 ), called also Arabah ( Joshua 18:18 ), in the wilderness of Judah. Azmaveth the Barhumite. He was of Bahurim, for which see note on 2 Samuel 3:16 . read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Samuel 23:32

Eliahba . He was of Shaalabbin, in the tribe of Dan ( Joshua 19:42 ). St. Jerome calls the place Selebi, the modern Sebbit. Of the sons of Jashen, Jonathan, Shammah the Hararite. In 1 Chronicles 11:34 , "The sons of Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan the son of Shage the Hararite." The word "of" is not in the Hebrew, and is inserted in the Authorized Version to make sense. Really, b'ne, sons, is a careless repetition of the three last letters of the name "Shaalbonite," and should be... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Samuel 23:33

Shammah the Hararite. He was really one of the first three (see 2 Samuel 23:11 ). (For the reading in Chronicles, see above.) A very probable correction would be "Jonathan the son of Shammah, the son of Agee the Hararite." Thus both father and son would be in the number of the thirty, Ahiam . He is called "the son of Sacar" in 1 Chronicles 11:35 . read more

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Samuel 23:24

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Samuel 23:25

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Samuel 23:26

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Samuel 23:27

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Samuel 23:28

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Samuel 23:29

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Samuel 23:30

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Samuel 23:31

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Samuel 23:32

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Samuel 23:33

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