2 Samuel 23:8-12

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 23:8

These be the names of the mighty men whom David had ,.... Besides Joab his general, who is not mentioned; for these were all military men under him, which are distinguished into three classes; the first and highest consisted of three only, who were general officers; and the second also of three, who perhaps were colonels of regiments; and the third of thirty, who were captains of thousands and hundreds: the Tachmonite that sat in the seat, the chief among the captains : not in the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 23:9

And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite ,.... Or the son of Ahohi, perhaps the same with Ahoah, a descendant of Benjamin, 1 Chronicles 8:4 ; this Eleazar was the next to the Tachmonite, the second worthy of the first class: one of the three mighty men with David ; the second of the three valiant men that were with David in his wars, and fought with him, and for him: when they defied the Philistines ; clapped their hands at them, gloried over them, daring them to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Samuel 23:10

He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary ,.... He rose up when the Israelites fled, and stood his ground alone, and fought with the Philistines, and smote them with his sword, until his hand was weary with smiting: and his hand clave unto the sword ; which was contracted by holding it so long, and grasping it so hard, that it could not easily be got out of it; or through the quantity of blood which ran upon his hand, as it was shed, so Josephus F20 Antiqu. l. 7.... 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

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Samuel 23:8

These be the names of the mighty men - This chapter should be collated with the parallel place, 1 Chronicles 11:11-47; and see Kennicott's First Dissertation on the printed Hebrew text, pages 64-471. The Tachmonite that sat in the seat - Literally and properly, Jashobeam the Hachmonite. See 1 Chronicles 11:11 . The same was Adino the Eznite - This is a corruption for he lift up his spear. See 1 Chronicles 11:11 . Eight hundred , whom ... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - 2 Samuel 23:9

When they defied the Philistines that were there gathered - This is supposed to refer to the war in which David slew Goliath. 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

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - 2 Samuel 23:8

These be the names. A similar list is given in 1 Chronicles 11:10-47 , with several variations, and sixteen more names. It is given there in connection with David's elevation to the throne of all Israel, and the conquest of Jerusalem. Such catalogues might possibly be revised from time to time, and new names inserted as there were vacancies caused by death. And this seems to have been the ease with the list in Chronicles, which contains the names of all who were admitted during David's... read more

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