2 Samuel 23:20

THE EXPLOITS OF BENAIAH

"And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was a valiant man of Kabzeel, a doer of great deeds; he smote two ariels of Moab. He also went down and slew a lion in a pit on a day when snow had fallen. And he slew an Egyptian, a handsome man. The Egyptian had a spear in his hand, but Benaiah went down to him with a staff, and snatched the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and slew him with his own spear. These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and won a name beside the three mighty men. He was renowned among the thirty, but he did not attain to the three. And David set him over his bodyguard."

This concludes the special record of the unusually brilliant and sensational achievements of certain individuals among the mighty men. The others are named, but their deeds are not especially mentioned. It is significant that a duplicate list of these mighty men appears in 1 Chronicles 11:10-45, with some variations, but essentially the same; and then an additional list of sixteen members of the "thirty" is also appended. This suggests that, as members of the thirty were lost in battle, they were replaced, keeping the company up to its normal size. The report in Chronicles also states that this group gave David, "Strong support in his kingdom" (1 Chronicles 11:10).

"He smote two ariels of Moab" (2 Samuel 23:20). The meaning of ariels is unknown; the common guesses suppose that it might mean lions or lion-like men.

THE NAMES OF THE MIGHTY MEN OF THE THIRTY (2 Samuel 23:24-39)

"Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty" (2 Samuel 23:24). He was one of the three sons of Zeruiah, David's sister, who lost his life when he tried to kill Abner (2 Samuel 2:18-23). Joab avenged Asahel's death by murdering Abner (2 Samuel 3:26-30).

"Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem" (2 Samuel 23:24). This son of Dodo should not be confused with Eleazer the son of Dodo (2 Samuel 23:9). The Wycliffe Bible Encyclopedia distinguishes them as sons of different Dodo's.[17]

"Shammah of Harod" (2 Samuel 23:25). Isaacs identified this Shammah with the one mentioned in 2 Samuel 23:11, but pointed out that 1 Chronicles 11:10ff ascribes that deed of bringing David the water from Bethlehem to Eleazer the son of Dodo."[18] Another of the mighty men had the same name (2 Samuel 23:33).

"Elika of Harod" (2 Samuel 23:25). We are given no additional information about Elika.

"Helez the Paltite" (2 Samuel 23:26). "From 1 Chronicles 11:27, it appears that this man was an Ephraimite and captain of the seventh monthly course (1 Chronicles 27:10)."[19]

"Ira the son of Ikkesh" (2 Samuel 23:26). Ira is also mentioned in 1 Chronicles 11:28, but no additional information is given.

"Abiezer of Anathoth" (2 Samuel 23:27). 1 Chronicles 27:12 states that he was a Benjaminite with twenty four thousand men in his division. His was the Ninth course.

"Mebunnai the Hushathite" (2 Samuel 23:27). "This man's name appears only here in this form; but he is elsewhere called Sibbechai (2 Samuel 21:18; 1 Chronicles 20:4), or Sibbecai 1 Chronicles 11:29; 27:11)."[20]

"Zalmon the Ahohite" (2 Samuel 23:28). "He may have been named Zalmon to indicate his strength; he is called Ilai in 1 Chronicles 11:29)."[21] "A mountain near Shechem was called Zalmon."[22] "The name means shady or ascent."[23] We might have called him "a mountain of a man."

"Maharai of Netophah" (2 Samuel 23:28). See 1 Chronicles 11:30. "He was one of the twelve monthly captains in David's reign, serving in the tenth month. He came of the family of Zerah from Netophah in Judah, serving in the tenth month over 24,000 men (1 Chronicles 27:13)."[24]

"Heleb the son of Baanah of Netophah" (2 Samuel 23:29). "This man is called Heled in 1 Chronicles 11:30 and Heldai in 1 Chronicles 27:15. He also was one of the monthly captains over 24,000 men in the twelfth month."[25]

"Ittai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the Benjaminites" (2 Samuel 23:29). "The name means plowman or living. He is called Ithai in 1 Chronicles 11:31."[26]

"Benaiah of Pirathon" (2 Samuel 23:30). Lockyer gives two possible meanings of this name. "Either Jehovah hath built or is intelligent."[27] He is mentioned again in 1 Chronicles 11:31,27:14, where we learn that he commanded one of the twelve divisions of 24,000 men who were called on a monthly basis to serve David the king. His tour of duty in that capacity was in the eleventh month. He belonged to the tribe of Ephraim.

"Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash" (2 Samuel 23:30). "His name means mighty or joyful."[28] Gaash was in Ephraim.

"Abialbon the Arbathite" (2 Samuel 23:31). This one of David's heroes is mentioned in the Chronicles list under the name of Abiel (1 Chronicles 11:32). "His name may mean father of strength. Presumably, he was from Betharabah (Joshua 15:6,61; 18:22)."[29]

"Azmaveth of Bahurim" (2 Samuel 23:31). Two or three other Biblical characters wore this name which is sometimes said to mean counsel. He appears again in 1 Chronicles 11:33; and "Some identify him as the same Azmaveth whom David placed over his treasures (1 Chronicles 27:25)."[30]

"Eliahba of Shalbon" (2 Samuel 23:32). This hero also is mentioned in 1 Chronicles 11:33; and. "His name means, whom God hides."[31] In view of all the dangerous exploits of this group, the name might well have been applied to all of them.

"The sons of Jashen, Jonathan" (2 Samuel 23:32). The name means God gave,[32] or, as we might say, "The gift of God." His name appears again in 1 Chronicles 11:34, where he is identified as "a son of Shagee the Hatafire." Such difficulties are common in this section of the O.T. We have already cited at least seven or eight uses of the word "son," grandson, or descendant of being among them. This was a very common name in the O.T., there being at least a dozen characters who were named Jonathan.

"Shammah the Hararite" (2 Samuel 23:33). Two of David's mighty men bore this name, one of "the three" (1 Samuel 23:11) and this one "of the thirty." He is called Shammoth in 1 Chronicles 11:27 and Shammuth in 1 Chronicles 27:8, where we learn that he commanded 24,000 men in the fifth month for David.

"Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite" (2 Samuel 23:33). Little is known of this man. He is called "the son of Sacar" (1 Chronicles 11:35), which is probably a variation of the same name.

"Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai of Maacah" (2 Samuel 23:34). This name is variously spelled. David must have had a special love for this hero, because he named one of his sons born in Jerusalem Eiphelet (1 Chronicles 3:8).

"Eliam the son of Ahithophel of Gilo" (2 Samuel 23:34). This man, the father of Bathsheba, stood in relation to David as a father-in-law. He is called Amiel in other passages, which is only a variation of Eliam. "The name means, my God is a kinsman."[33] The presence of Bathseba's father in the list of David's thirty heroes adds further to David's shame in violating her. Her grandfather Ahithophel was David's principal counselor; her father and her husband (Uriah) were both among his thirty mighty men.

"Hezro of Carmel" (2 Samuel 23:35). "This name is also spelled Hezrai (1 Chronicles 11:37); it means enclosed or beautiful."[34]

"Paarai the Arbite" (2 Samuel 23:35). "The name means devotee of Peor. He was one of David's thirty-seven valiant men and undoubtedly the same person as Naarai of 1 Chronicles 11:37."[35]

"Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah" (2 Samuel 23:36). "Zobah was a part of Syria,"[36] and thus we must reckon Igal as among the foreigners who supported David. "The name `Igal' means `God redeems'."[37] This was also the name of one of the unfaithful spies sent out to Canaan by Moses (Numbers 13:7).

"Bani the Gadite" (2 Samuel 23:36). This name is not in the list given in 1 Chronicles 11; but the lists may be viewed as supplementary. There is no need for deleting the name of Bani from the list. It might easily have been omitted by accident from the roster in 1Chronicles. It is significant that many of the tribes of Israel and even a number of foreign countries were represented among David's top ranking soldiers. Bani was of the trans-Jordanic tribe of Gad.

"Zelek the Ammonite" (2 Samuel 23:37). Here is another foreigner. Cook listed, "Igal of Zobah, Zelek the Ammonite, Nahari the Beerothite and Uriah the Hittite as the foreigners in this list."[38]

"Naharai of Beeroth the armor-bearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah" (2 Samuel 23:37). Beeroth was one of the four cities of the Hivites who deluded Joshua into a treaty of peace with them (Joshua 9:17). It is now el Bireh, located eight miles north of Jerusalem."[39]

"Armor-bearer of Joab" (2 Samuel 23:37). Some have marveled that Joab is not in this list of the "thirty-Seven" mighty men,' but he is in it. He is mentioned in 2 Samuel 23:18,24,37, the only man to be mentioned three times. He was David's great commander-in-chief who stood prominently above the mighty "thirty-seven."

"Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite" (2 Samuel 23:38). Ithrites was the name given to one of the families descended from Kiriath-jearim (1 Chronicles 2:53). Two members of David's mighty men (and bodyguard), Ira and Gareb, came from this family (2 Samuel 23:38; 1 Chronicles 11:40) and may have originated from the town of Jattir (1 Samuel 30:27)."[40] "Jattir is located in the mountains of Judah."[41]

"Uriah the Hittite, thirty seven in all" (2 Samuel 23:39). There is little need to comment on Uriah at this point, since many things concerning him have already been mentioned in Second Samuel. He was the Hittite husband of Bathsheba whom David ordered to be murdered by the hand of Joab in a vain effort to hide David's adultery with Uriah's wife.