BENAIAH (‘Jah hath built’). 1 . A brave soldier from Kabzeel in Judah ( 2 Samuel 23:20 ff.), captain of David’s bodyguard ( 2 Samuel 8:18; 2 Samuel 20:23 ). He became a partisan of Solomon’s and carried’ the mighty men,’ ‘the Cherethites and Pelethites,’ with him ( 1 Kings 1:7-8; 1 Kings 1:38 ). He played an important role in the young king’s coronation ( 1 Kings 1:38; 1 Kings 1:44 ), and was subsequently ordered to dispatch Joab, whose place as commander-in-chief he then filled ( 1 Kings 2:28-35 ). 2 . One of the thirty who formed the second class of David’s heroes ( 2 Samuel 23:22 ). He came from Pirathon in Mt. Ephraim ( 2 Samuel 23:30 , cf. Judges 12:15 ). 1 Chronicles 27:14 assigns to him the command of the course for the eleventh month, with twenty-four thousand Ephraimites under him. 3 . Some ten obscure persons of this name appear in 1 Chronicles 4:36; 1 Chronicles 15:18; 1 Chronicles 15:20; 1 Chronicles 15:24; 1 Chronicles 16:5-6 , 2 Chronicles 20:14; 2 Chronicles 31:13 , Ezra 10:25; Ezra 10:30; Ezra 10:35; Ezra 10:43 , Ezekiel 11:1; Ezekiel 11:13 .

J. Taylor.