2 Samuel 23 - ESV - Bible Reading / Study Notes

2 Samuel 23

The Last Words of David

23:1 Now these are the last words of David:

  The oracle of David, the son of Jesse,
    the oracle of the man who was raised on high,
  the anointed of the God of Jacob,
    the sweet psalmist of Israel:¹
2   “The Spirit of the LORD speaks by me;
    his word is on my tongue.
3   The God of Israel has spoken;
    the Rock of Israel has said to me:
  When one rules justly over men,
    ruling in the fear of God,
4   he dawns on them like the morning light,
    like the sun shining forth on a cloudless morning,
    like rain² that makes grass to sprout from the earth.
5   “For does not my house stand so with God?
    For he has made with me an everlasting covenant,
    ordered in all things and secure.
  For will he not cause to prosper
    all my help and my desire?
6   But worthless men³ are all like thorns that are thrown away,
    for they cannot be taken with the hand;
7   but the man who touches them
    arms himself with iron and the shaft of a spear,
    and they are utterly consumed with fire.”⁴

David’s Mighty Men

8 These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-basshebeth a Tahchemonite; he was chief of the three.⁵ He wielded his spear⁶ against eight hundred whom he killed at one time.

9 And next to him among the three mighty men was Eleazar the son of Dodo, son of Ahohi. He was with David when they defied the Philistines who were gathered there for battle, and the men of Israel withdrew. 10 He rose and struck down the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clung to the sword. And the LORD brought about a great victory that day, and the men returned after him only to strip the slain.

11 And next to him was Shammah, the son of Agee the Hararite. The Philistines gathered together at Lehi,⁷ where there was a plot of ground full of lentils, and the men fled from the Philistines. 12 But he took his stand in the midst of the plot and defended it and struck down the Philistines, and the LORD worked a great victory.

13 And three of the thirty chief men went down and came about harvest time to David at the cave of Adullam, when a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. 14 David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then at Bethlehem. 15 And David said longingly, “Oh, that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem that is by the gate!” 16 Then the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate and carried and brought it to David. But he would not drink of it. He poured it out to the LORD 17 and said, “Far be it from me, O LORD, that I should do this. Shall I drink the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives?” Therefore he would not drink it. These things the three mighty men did.

18 Now Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the thirty.⁸ And he wielded his spear against three hundred men⁹ and killed them and won a name beside the three. 19 He was the most renowned of the thirty¹⁰ and became their commander, but he did not attain to the three.

20 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was a valiant man¹¹ of Kabzeel, a doer of great deeds. He struck down two ariels¹² of Moab. He also went down and struck down a lion in a pit on a day when snow had fallen. 21 And he struck down 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 killed him with his own spear. 22 These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and won a name beside the three mighty men. 23 He was renowned among the thirty, but he did not attain to the three. And David set him over his bodyguard.

24 Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, 25 Shammah of Harod, Elika of Harod, 26 Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh of Tekoa, 27 Abiezer of Anathoth, Mebunnai the Hushathite, 28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai of Netophah, 29 Heleb the son of Baanah of Netophah, Ittai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the people of Benjamin, 30 Benaiah of Pirathon, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash, 31 Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth of Bahurim, 32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan, 33 Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite, 34 Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai of Maacah, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, 35 Hezro¹³ of Carmel, Paarai the Arbite, 36 Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite, 37 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai of Beeroth, the armor-bearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah, 38 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, 39 Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.

Footnotes

[1] 23:1 Or the favorite of the songs of Israel
[2] 23:4 Hebrew from rain
[3] 23:6 Hebrew worthlessness
[4] 23:7 Hebrew consumed with fire in the sitting
[5] 23:8 Or of the captains
[6] 23:8 Compare 1 Chronicles 11:11; the meaning of the Hebrew expression is uncertain
[7] 23:11 Or gathered together as a camp
[8] 23:18 Two Hebrew manuscripts, Syriac; most Hebrew manuscripts three
[9] 23:18 Or slain ones
[10] 23:19 Compare 1 Chronicles 11:21; Hebrew Was he the most renowned of the three?
[11] 23:20 Or the son of Ishhai
[12] 23:20 The meaning of the word ariel is unknown
[13] 23:35 Or Hezrai

Commentary

v1: David was the man chosen and anointed by God as the king of Israel, and the sweet psalmist of Israel.

Jonathan Edwards describes David thus: ‘those holy songs of his he has there left us, are nothing else but the expressions and breathings of devout and holy affections; such as an humble and fervent love to God, admiration of His glorious perfections and wonderful works, earnest desires, thirsting and pantings of soul after God, delight and joy in God, a sweet and melting gratitude to God, for His great goodness, a holy exultation and triumph of soul in the favour sufficiency, and faithfulness of God, his love to, and delight in the saints, the excellent of the earth, his great delight in the word and ordinances of God, his grief for his own and others’ sins, and his fervent zeal for God, and against the enemies of God and His Church.’ (Religious Affections)

v2-3: David had the privilege that God spoke to him and through him. This implies a responsibility of each one to hear what God is saying. Where the word on my tongue is for another, I must be faithful to deliver it.

In particular, leaders are called to be faithful and righteous.

v4: The man of utter integrity; transparently pure, with a blameless testimony.

v5-7: David had endured the problem of a rebellious household; Absalom, Amnon, Abishai, Joab, Michal; all were related to him, but none were godly.

In contrast, the best people around David were not his family, and some were not Israelites; Ittai, Hushai. Barzillai, Zadok, Abiathar. See also v37, 39.

Other "mighty men" are listed. They were used by God, called to a particular task, and honoured as faithful men.

v8: Josheb-Basshebeth was victorious over 800 at one time.

v9-12: Eleazar and Shammah stood when others fled; they fought and saw victory. They remained faithful even in great weariness, Judg 8.4-5; 1 Cor 16.9; Heb 10.36. We see that opposition and opportunity go together.

v13-17: The three men went in jeopardy of their lives; Rom 16.3-4; Heb 11.36-37. They went because David was worth it; for us Christ is worth everything. Our personal well-being must take second place.

v18-19: Abishai, brother of Joab, was also honoured. Although not numbered amongst the "Three", he had a special leadership role.

The list of mighty men matches the list in 1 Chr 27, so some of these men became leaders of the 12 military divisions; Jashobeam son of Zabdiel (v8; 1 Chr 27.2); Eleazar, son of Dodo (v9; 1 Chr 27.4); Shammah, son of Agee (Shamhuth son the Izrahite) (v11; 1 Chr 27.8). These men had proved faithful, and were given extra responsibility (Matt 25.23).

v20-39: The other mighty men are similarly listed;

Benaiah son of Jehoiada (v20-23; 1 Chr 27.6); he was mighty among the thirty, and did a series of exploits; Christ's servants are those who continue to serve, and are not satisfied with a single opportunity for service.
Asahel, brother of Joab (v24; 1 Chr 27.7); Helez the Paltite (Helez the Pelonite) (v26; 1 Chr 27.10); Ira the son of Ikkesh (v24; 1 Chr 27.9); Abiezer from Anathoth (v27; 1 Chr 27.12); Mebunnai (Sibbecai) (v27; 1 Chr 27.11; see 21.18); Maharai the Netophathite (v28; 1 Chr 27.13); Heled son of Baanah (v29; 1 Chr 27.15); Benaiah the Pirathonite (v30; 1 Chr 27.14).
The deaths of Asahel and Uriah are recorded, reminding us that these are men; whilst we may admire their faithfulness, and learn from their lives, our faith must be in Christ.