2 Samuel 23:20

Benaiah the son of Jehoiada Commander of the body-guard (ch. 2 Samuel 8:18; 2 Samuel 20:23), and general of the third division of the army (1 Chronicles 27:5-6). He was an active supporter of Solomon against Adonijah, and was rewarded by being made commander-in-chief in place of Joab. See 1Ki 1:8; 1 Kings 1:26; 1 Kings 1:32 ff., 1Ki 2:25-35; 1 Kings 2:46; 1 Kings 4:4. His father Jehoiada was "the chief priest" (1 Chronicles 27:5), that is, probably, the high priest's deputy, and leader of the "Aaronites," i.e. priests, who joined David at Hebron (1 Chronicles 12:27).

the son of a valiant man Better, a valiant man.

Kabzeel A town in the extreme south of Judah towards the border of Edom (Joshua 15:21), reoccupied after the Captivity and called Jekabzeel. Its exact site is unknown.

two lion-like men of Moab Ariel, translated lion-like man, means lion of God, a title applied by the Arabs and Persians to celebrated warriors. The Sept. reads "the two sons of Ariel," and it has been conjectured that Arielwas a title of the Moabite king; but 1 Chronicles 11:22 supports the reading of the Heb. text. The exploit may have been an incident in the Moabite war recorded in ch. 2 Samuel 8:2.

a lion, &c. The lion had probably been driven by the severity of the winter into the neighbourhood of some village, to the terror of the inhabitants.