2 Samuel 23:11-17

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - 2 Samuel 23:8-38

I. The catalogue which the historian has here left upon record of the great soldiers that were in David's time is intended, 1. For the honour of David, who trained them up in the arts of exercises of war, and set them an example of conduct and courage. It is the reputation as well as the advantage of a prince to be attended and served by such brave men as are here described. 2. For the honour of those worthies themselves, who were instrumental to bring David to the crown, settle and protect... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 23:11

And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite ,.... One who was of the mountainous country, as the Targum, the hill country of Judea, of Hebron, or the parts adjacent; this was the third of the first three; there was one of this name among the thirty, 2 Samuel 23:33 , and the Philistines were gathered together into a troop ; but so they were no doubt at first; R. Isaiah takes it to be the name of a place called Chiyah; as the Targum, Chayatha; and which Kimchi says was a... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 23:12

But he stood in the midst of the ground ,.... The field of lentiles: and defended it ; the field, so that the Philistines could not ravage it, and get food and forage from it: and slew the Philistines ; made a great slaughter among them, entirely routed them, so that they that escaped his sword were obliged to flee: and the Lord wrought a great victory ; to whom the glory of it belonged; a similar fact is ascribed to Eleazar before mentioned in 1 Chronicles 11:13 ; and, indeed,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 23:13

And three of the thirty chiefs went down ,.... Or three that were chief of the thirty, superior to them; which some understand of the three before mentioned, so Josephus F23 Antiqu. l. 7. c. 12. sect. 4. ; and that having related some particular exploits of theirs, here observes one, in which they were all concerned; and others think the three next are meant, of whom Abishai was the chief, Benaiah the next, and the third Asahel; but the first sense is best: and came to David in the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 23:14

And David was then in an hold ,.... In a strong hold; the strong hold of Zion, as Josephus F24 Antiqu. l. 7. c. 12. sect. 4. , or one on a rock near the cave of Adullam, see 1 Chronicles 11:15 , and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem ; which was about six miles from Jerusalem; the valley of Rephaim lay between that and Bethlehem; so far had they got into the land of Judea, and such footing in it, as to have a garrison so near its metropolis. read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 23:15

And David longed, and said ,.... It being harvest time, the summer season, and hot weather, and he thirsty: oh, that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem , which is by the gate ! which he was well acquainted with, being his native place; and which might make it the more desirable, as well as its waters might be peculiarly cool and refreshing, and very excellent, as Kimchi suggests. This well was about a mile from Bethlehem, now called David's well, as some... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 23:16

And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines ,.... Which lay in the valley of Rephaim, between the hold in which David was and the well of Bethlehem; these three men hearing David express himself in the above manner, though without any view that any should risk their lives to obtain it, only in a general way said, oh for a draught of the water of the well of Bethlehem! immediately set out, and made their way through the army of the Philistines to the well: and drew... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 23:17

And he said, be it far from me, O Lord, that one should do this ,.... Drink of the water these men had brought him: is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives ? who risked the shedding of their blood, and went in danger of their lives to get it: therefore he would not drink it : some compare with this the story of Alexander F4 Curt. Hist. l. 7. c. 5. to whom a vessel of water was offered when in extreme thirst, which he refused, because he could not... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Samuel 23:11

A piece of ground full of lentiles - In 1 Chronicles 11:13 ; it is a parcel of ground full of barley. There is probably a mistake of עדשים adashim , lentiles, for שעורים seorim , barley, or vice versa. Some think there were both lentiles and barley in the field, and that a marauding party of the Philistines came to destroy or carry them off, and these worthies defeated the whole, and saved the produce of the field. This is not unlikely. read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Samuel 23:13

And three of the thirty - The word שלשים shalishim , which we translate thirty, probably signifies an office or particular description of men. Of these shalishim we have here thirty-seven, and it can scarcely be said with propriety that we have thirty-seven out of thirty; and besides, in the parallel place, 1 Chronicles 11:11-47, there are sixteen added. The captains over Pharaoh's chariots are termed שלשים shalishim , Exodus 14:7 . The Philistines pitched in ... read more

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