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Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

2 Samuel 23

2 Samuel 23:1

Now, these be the last words of David. David, the son of Jesse, said, he uttered a divine, oracular saying based on immediate inspiration, AND THE MAN WHO WAS RAISED UP ON HIGH, from his lowly position as the son of a shepherd, THE ANOINTED OF THE GOD OF JACOB, who had the royal dignity conferred on... [ Continue Reading ]

2 Samuel 23:2

The spirit of the Lord spake by me, using him as His instrument to convey the divine truths to men, in his writings and psalms, AND HIS WORD WAS IN MY TONGUE, for the Spirit acts through the Word.... [ Continue Reading ]

2 Samuel 23:3

The God of Israel said, He who chose Israel for His possession, THE ROCK OF ISRAEL SPAKE TO ME, He who is unchangeable, faithful, and trustworthy, HE THAT RULETH OVER MEN MUST BE JUST, RULING IN THE FEAR OF GOD, literally, "a ruler over men just, a ruler in the fear of God" (there will be), that is,... [ Continue Reading ]

2 Samuel 23:4

And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain. The picture is that of a cloudless, beautiful morning after a night of ram, when all the plants, refreshed with moisture, respo... [ Continue Reading ]

2 Samuel 23:5

Although my house be not so with God (the sentence is a question, like 2 Samuel 7:18, expressing David's surprise over the goodness of God which was shown to his family), YET HE HATH MADE WITH ME AN EVER LASTING COVENANT, ORDERED IN ALL THINGS, AND SURE, 2 Samuel 7:12 ff. the declaration of God orde... [ Continue Reading ]

2 Samuel 23:6

But the sons of Belial, the godless, vain, and worthless scoundrels, SHALL BE ALL OF THEM AS THORNS THRUST AWAY BECAUSE THEY CANNOT BE TAKEN WITH HANDS, they are so hurtful and dangerous that one does not take his bare hands to handle them, but uses tools;... [ Continue Reading ]

2 Samuel 23:7

but the man that shall touch them must be fenced with iron and the staff of a spear, in order to avoid all contact with them; AND THEY SHALL BE UTTERLY BURNED WITH FIRE IN THE SAME PLACE, so that there will be an end to them. The reference is to the final judgment upon the godless and unbelievers, M... [ Continue Reading ]

2 Samuel 23:8

These be the names of the mighty men, the heroes, WHOM DAVID HAD: THE TACHMONITE THAT SAT IN THE SEAT, CHIEF AMONG THE CAPTAINS, he belonged to the family of Hachmon, 1 Chronicles 27:32, and his name was Jashobeam, the most distinguished of the king's guard, the most eminent of the three greatest he... [ Continue Reading ]

2 Samuel 23:9

And after him, next in the list, WAS ELEAZAR, THE SON OF DODO THE AHOHITE, ONE OF THE THREE MIGHTY MEN WITH DAVID, WHEN THEY DEFIED THE PHILISTINES THAT WERE THERE GATHERED TOGETHER TO BATTLE, AND THE MEN OF ISRAEL WERE GONE AWAY, when they had marched against the Philistines, to meet them in battle... [ Continue Reading ]

2 Samuel 23:10

He arose and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword, cramped around the sword-hilt from excessive weariness; AND THE LORD WROUGHT A GREAT VICTORY THAT DAY; AND THE PEOPLE, who had apparently fallen back, RETURNED AFTER HIM ONLY TO SPOIL.... [ Continue Reading ]

2 Samuel 23:11

And after him was Shammah, the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, at Lehi or Ramath-lehi, WHERE WAS A PIECE OF GROUND FULL OF LENTILS; AND THE PEOPLE FLED FROM THE PHILISTINES.... [ Continue Reading ]

2 Samuel 23:12

But he stood in the midst of the ground, determined to hold it against the enemy, AND DEFENDED IT, AND SLEW THE PHILISTINES; AND THE LORD WROUGHT A GREAT VICTORY, for this was His gift.... [ Continue Reading ]

2 Samuel 23:13

And three of the thirty chief, of the knights of David, WENT DOWN, AND CAME TO DAVID IN THE HARVEST TIME, UNTO THE CAVE OF ADULLAM, 1 Samuel 22:1; AND THE TROOP OF THE PHILISTINES, a plundering party, PITCHED IN THE VALLEY OF REPHAIM, 1 Samuel 5:12.... [ Continue Reading ]

2 Samuel 23:14

And David was then in an hold, in a mountain stronghold, AND THE GARRISON OF THE PHILISTINES WAS THEN IN BETHLEHEM, their camp was near Bethlehem.... [ Continue Reading ]

2 Samuel 23:15

And David longed, he had a strong desire, AND SAID, OH, THAT ONE WOULD GIVE ME DRINK OF THE WATER OF THE WELL OF BETHLEHEM WHICH IS BY THE GATE! The water of this well, which David had so often tasted as a lad, was exceptionally good, and he longed for it with the desire of home-sickness.... [ Continue Reading ]

2 Samuel 23:16

And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, thrusting aside the enemies who tried to hinder their passage, AND DREW WATER OUT OF THE WELL OF BETHLEHEM THAT WAS BY THE GATE, some little distance outside, AND TOOK IT, AND BROUGHT IT TO DAVID. NEVERTHELESS, HE WOULD NOT DRINK TH... [ Continue Reading ]

2 Samuel 23:17

And he said, Be it far from me, O Lord, that I should do this, namely, drink the water thus obtained. IS NOT THIS THE BLOOD OF THE MEN THAT WENT IN JEOPARDY OF THEIR LIVES? They had brought it at the price of their lives, at the risk of their souls, and therefore it had the value of their blood, it... [ Continue Reading ]

2 Samuel 23:18

And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief among three, also distinguished for exceptional feats of valor. AND HE LIFTED UP HIS SPEAR AGAINST THREE HUNDRED, brandishing it in battle, AND SLEW THEM, AND HAD THE NAME AMONG THREE.... [ Continue Reading ]

2 Samuel 23:19

Was he not most honorable of three, among all the knights of David? THEREFORE HE WAS THEIR CAPTAIN, becoming their leader; HOWBEIT, HE ATTAINED NOT UNTO THE FIRST THREE, the heroes whose exploits were described above.... [ Continue Reading ]

2 Samuel 23:20

And Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, the priest, who was captain of David's body-guard, 2 Samuel 8:18; 2 Samuel 20:23, THE SON OF A VALIANT, or honorable, honest, man, OF KABZEEL, WHO HAD DONE MANY ACTS, having many feats to his credit; HE SLEW TWO LION LIKE MEN OF MOAB, two famous Moabite heroes; HE W... [ Continue Reading ]

2 Samuel 23:21

And He slew an Egyptian, a certain well-known enemy, A GOODLY MAN; AND THE EGYPTIAN HAD A SPEAR IN HIS HAND; BUT HE WENT DOWN TO HIM WITH A STAFF, AND PLUCKED THE SPEAR OUT OF THE EGYPTIAN'S HAND, showing both bravery and skill in snatching the weapon out of the enemy's hand, AND SLEW HIM WITH HIS O... [ Continue Reading ]

2 Samuel 23:23

He was more honorable than the thirty, honored above the other knights, BUT HE ATTAINED NOT TO THE FIRST THREE. AND DAVID SET HIM OVER HIS GUARD, 2 Samuel 8:18; 2 Samuel 20:23.... [ Continue Reading ]

2 Samuel 23:24

Asahel, the brother of Joab, was one of the thirty, a member of the corps of David's knights, 2 Samuel 2:18; ELHANAN, THE SON OF DODO OF BETHLEHEM;... [ Continue Reading ]

2 Samuel 23:39

Uriah the Hittite: thirty and seven in all, namely, Joab as the commander-in-chief, three heroes of the first degree, three heroes of the second degree, and the thirty knights of David. As the names of these faithful followers of David were here entered into the catalog of heroes, so the names of th... [ Continue Reading ]

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