David’s Mighty Men
The list begins with leading warriors whose courage holds when others fall back. Eleazar and Shammah stand fast against the Philistines, and in both scenes the LORD gives the victory.
T8hese are the names of David’s mighty men: 9Next in command was Eleazar son of Dodo the Ahohite. As one of the three mighty men, he went with David to taunt the Philistines who had gathered for battle at Pas-dammim. The men of Israel retreated, 10but Eleazar stood his ground and struck the Philistines until his hand grew weary and stuck to his sword. The LORD brought about a great victory that day. Then the troops returned to him, but only to plunder the dead. 11And after him was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. When the Philistines had banded together near a field full of lentils, Israel’s troops fled from them. 12But Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field, defended it, and struck down the Philistines. So the LORD brought about a great victory.
Three chiefs break through enemy lines to bring David water from Bethlehem, answering a passing longing at great cost. David refuses to drink it and pours it out to the LORD because their risk has made it too precious for ordinary use.
13At harvest time, three of the thirty chief men went down to David at the cave of Adullam, while a company of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. 14At that time David was in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was at Bethlehem. 15David longed for water and said, “Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!” 16So the three mighty men broke through the Philistine camp, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem, and brought it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out to the LORD, 17saying, “Far be it from me, O LORD, to do this! Is this not the blood of the men who risked their lives?” So he refused to drink it.
Abishai and Benaiah are singled out for remarkable feats and for the honor they win among David’s warriors. They are renowned and highly placed, yet the distinction of the Three remains unique.
18Now Abishai, the brother of Joab and son of Zeruiah, was chief of the Three, and he wielded his spear against three hundred men, killed them, and won a name along with the Three. 19Was he not more honored than the Three? And he became their commander, even though he was not included among the Three. 20And Benaiah son of Jehoiada was a man of valor from Kabzeel, a man of many exploits. He struck down two champions of Moab, and on a snowy day he went down into a pit and killed a lion. 21He also struck down an Egyptian, a huge man. Although the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club, snatched the spear from his hand, and killed the Egyptian with his own spear. 22These were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada, who won a name along with the three mighty men. 23He was most honored among the Thirty, but he did not become one of the Three. And David appointed him over his guard.
The chapter closes by naming the members of the Thirty one by one, ending with Uriah the Hittite. The long list lets remembered service stand beside remembered exploits.
24Now these were members of the Thirty: 25Shammah the Harodite, 26Helez the Paltite, 27Abiezer the Anathothite, 28Zalmon the Ahohite, 29Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite, 30Benaiah the Pirathonite, 31Abi-albon the Arbathite, 32Eliahba the Shaalbonite, 33Jonathan son of Shammah the Hararite, 34Eliphelet son of Ahasbai the Maacathite, 35Hezro the Carmelite, 36Igal son of Nathan of Zobah, 37Zelek the Ammonite, 38Ira the Ithrite, 39and Uriah the Hittite.