1 Chronicles 11:10-47

3. DAVID'S MIGHTY MEN (1 Chronicles 11:10-47)

TEXT

1 Chronicles 11:10. Now these are the chief of the mighty men whom David had, who showed themselves strong with him in his kingdom, together with all Israel, to make him King, according to the word of Jehovah concerning Israel. 11. And this is the number of the mighty men whom David had: Jashobeam, the son of a Hachmonite, the chief of the thirty; he lifted up his spear against three hundred and slew them at one time. 12. And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, who was one of the three mighty men. 13. He was with David at Pas-dammim, and there the Philistines were gathered together to battle, where was a plot of ground full of barley; and the people fled from before the Philistines. 14. And they stood in the midst of the plot, and defended it, and slew the Philistines; and Jehovah saved them by a great victory.

15. And three of the thirty chief men went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam; and the host of the Philistines were encamped in the valley of Rephaim, 16. And David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Beth-lehem. 17. And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me water to drink of the well of Beth-lehem, which is by the gate! 18. And the three brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Beth-lehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: but David would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto Jehovah, 19. and said, My God forbid it me, that I should do this: shall I drink the blood of these men that have put their lives in jeopardy? For with the jeopardy of their lives they brought it. Therefore he would not drink it. These things did the three mighty men.
20. And Abishai, the brother of Joab, he was chief of the three: for he lifted up his spear against three hundred and slew them, and had a name among the three. 21. Of the three, he was more honorable than the two, and made their captain: howbeit he attained not to the first three. 22. Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done mighty deeds, he slew the two sons of Ariel of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow. 23. And he slew an Egyptian, a man of great stature, five cubits high; and in the Egyptian's hand was a spear like a weaver's beam; and he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and slew him with his own spear. 24. These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had a name among the three mighty men. 25. Behold, he was more honorable than the thirty, but he attained not to the first three: and David set him over his guard. 26. Also the mighty men of the armies: Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, 27. Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite, 28. Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Anathothite, 29. Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite, 30. Maharai the Netophathite, Heled the son of Baanah the Netophathite, 31. Ithai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin, Benaiah the Pirathonite, 32. Hurai of the brooks of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite, 33. Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite, 34. the sons of Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan the son of Shagee the Hararite, 35. Ahiam the son of Sacar the Hararite, Eliphal the son of Ur. 36. Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite, 37. Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai the son of Ezbai, 38. Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar the son of Hagri, 39. Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Berothite, the armorbearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah, 40. Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, 41. Uriah the Hittite, Zabad the son of Ahlai, 42. Adina the son of Shiza the Reubenite, a chief of the Reubenites, and thirty with him, 43. Hanan the son of Maacah, and Joshaphat the Mithnite, 44. Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jeiel the sons of Hotham the Aroerite, 45. Jediael the son of Shimri, and Joha his brother, the Tizite, 46. Eliel the Mahavite, and Jeribai, and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam, and Ithmah the Moabite, 47. Eliel, and Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.

PARAPHRASE

1 Chronicles 11:10: These are the names of some of the bravest of David's warriors (who also encouraged the leaders of Israel to make David their king, as the Lord had said would happen): 11. Jashobeam (the son of a man from Hachmon) was the leader of the Top Threethe three greatest heroes among David's men. He once killed 300 men with his spear. 12. The second of The Top Three was Eleazar, the son of Dodo, a member of the subclan of Ahoh. 13. He was with David in the battle against the Philistines at Pasdammim. The Israeli army was in a barley field and had begun to run away, 14. but he held his ground in the middle of the field, and recovered it and slaughtered the Philistines; and the Lord saved them with a great victory.

15. Another time, three of The Thirty went to David while he was hiding in the cave of Adullam. The Philistines were camped in the Valley of Rephaim, 16. and David was in the stronghold at the time; an outpost of the Philistines had occupied Bethlehem. 17. David wanted a drink from the Bethlehem well beside the gate, and when he mentioned this to his men, 18, 19. these three broke through to the Philistine camp, drew some water from the well, and brought it back to David. But he refused to drink it! Instead he poured it out as an offering to the Lord and said, God forbid that I should drink it! It is the very blood of these men who risked their lives to get it.
20. Abishai, Joab's brother, was commander of The Thirty. He had gained his place among The Thirty by killing 300 men at one time with his spear. 21. He was the chief and the most famous of The Thirty, but he was not as great as The Three.
22. Benaiah, whose father was a mighty warrior from Kabzeel, killed the two famous giants from Moab. He also killed a lion in a slippery pit when there was snow on the ground. 23. Once he killed an Egyptian who was seven and one-half feet tall, whose spear was as thick as a weaver's beam. But Benaiah went up to him with only a club in his hand and pulled the spear away from him and used it to kill him. 24, 25. He was nearly as great as The Three, and he was very famous among The Thirty. David made him captain of his bodyguard.
26-47. Other famous warriors among David's men were: Asahel (Joab's brother); Elhanan, the son of Dodo from Bethlehem; Shammoth from Harod; Helez from Pelon; Ira (son of Ikkesh) from Tekoa; Abi-ezer from Anathoth; Sibbecai from Hushath; Ilai from Ahoh; Maharai from Netophah; Heled (son of Baanah) from Netophah; Ithai (son of Ribai) a Benjaminite from Gibe-ah; Benaiah from Pirathon; Hurai from near the brooks of Gaash; Abiel from Arbath; Azmaveth from Baharum; Eliahba from Sha-albon; The sons of Hashem from Gizon; Jonathan (the son of Shagee) from Harar; Ahiam (son of Sacher) from Harar; Eliphal (son of Ur); Hepher from Mecherath; Ahijah from Pelon; Hezro from Carmel; Naarai (son of Ezbai); Joel (brother of Nathan); Mibhar (son of Hagri); Zelek from Ammon; Naharai from Be-erothhe was General Joab's armor bearer; Ira from Ithra; Gereb from Ithra; Uriah the Hittite; Zabad (son of Ahlai); Adina (son of Shiza) from the tribe of Reubenhe was among the thirty-one leaders of the tribe of Reuben; Hanan (son of Maacah); Joshaphat from Mithna; Uzzia from Ashterath; Shama and Je-iel (sons of Hotham) from Aroer; Jedia-el (son of Shimri); Joha (his brother) from Tiza; Eliel from Mahavi; Jeribai and Joshaviah (sons of Elnaam); Ithmah from Moab; Eliel; Obed; Ja-asiel from Mezoba.

COMMENTARY

Having introduced us to David, the chronicler now turns to a roll call of some of the warriors who were associated with the king. When David first fled from Saul (I Samuel, chapter 21); he had just a few men with him. Not long after this in the wilderness of Judah he was the leader of a band of four hundred men. Later, as he lived near the Philistine country in Ziklag, he numbered six hundred warriors in his bands as they engaged in guerilla warfare. Very early David demonstrated his ability as a leader of men. These men who first associated themselves with David were outlaws, debtors, slaves, distressed, discontented (1 Samuel 22:2). David won their confidence. To them he was their champion, their pattern of excellence. He welded these men into a fighting force that terrorized every enemy. They became the nucleus of a mighty army which under David conquered Moab, Edom, Philistia, Ammon, Zobah, and Syria. When David received the control of the government upon Saul's death, Israel's territory could be contained in about six thousand square miles. When David died Israel controlled sixty thousand square miles. This territory extended from the Mediterranean Sea on the west to the Euphrates river on the north and east. Some of the men who assisted in this expansion and who held responsible positions under David are named here.

Joab must be listed among the officers of the first rank. He is mentioned in 1 Samuel 26:6 as the brother of Abishai. David's sister, Zeruiah, was the mother of three sonsJoab, Abishai, and Asahel. So these three men were nephews to David. It is likely that Joab was with David when he was running from Saul. He certainly took a prominent part in the conflict against Abner and Ishbosheth. Early in this struggle Abner killed Asahel. Joab, under the compulsion of the blood feud, waited for his opportunity. One day when Abner had come to Hebron to transfer the allegiance of the northern tribes to David, Joab caught Abner near the city gate at Hebron and there he killed Abner (2 Samuel 3:27). Joab led in the conquest of the Syrians (2 Samuel 10:13) and of the Ammonites (2 Samuel 11:1). He also led in the conquest of the Edomites (1 Kings 11:25). David became involved with Bathsheba. Uriah, the Hittite, another mighty warrior for David, had to be removed. Joab was the general who was ordered by his commander-in-chief to put Uriah at the front of the battle (2 Samuel 11:14). When Absalom rebelled against David, Joab was still in charge of David's army. Joab personally killed Absalom as he hung by his hair from a tree. After Absalom had been killed in the battle by Joab, David reacted by appointing Amasa, who had been Absalom's captain, as military leader in Joab's place. When Sheba rebelled and Amasa could not command the respect of David's soldiers, Joab cruelly murdered Amasa and silenced the revolt. Near the conclusion of David's reign Adonijah tried to take the throne. Joab cast his lot with this son of David, knowing that Solomon had already been designated to be king. Before David died he told Solomon not to let Joab die a natural death. After David's death, Benaiah, Solomon's chief executioner, killed Joab (1 Kings 2:34). Joab lived a long and turbulent life. He was one of the most important leaders in the establishment of David's empire.

Some separate incidents involving David's warriors are recorded here in this history. Jashobeam killed three hundred on one occasion by using his spear. A reference in 2 Samuel 23:8 probably concerns the same warrior. There he is said to have slain eight hundred at one time. It is possible that these are references to different occasions. Eleazar led in an engagement against the Philistines in a barley field. The main Israelite army retreated. David and his three mighty men held their positions and repulsed the enemy. Jashobeam and Eleazar are two of the renowned warriors. Shammah (2 Samuel 23:11-33) most likely was the third. Pas-dammim may be translated boundary of blood. Other bloody skirmishes had been fought there. The village was about fourteen miles southwest of Jerusalem. The account in 2 Samuel 23:11-12 speaks of a field of lentils. The Hebrew words for barley and lentils are quite similar. Kennicott suggests that one word is spelled incorrectly by accident. Barley was an important cereal grain, but not as valuable as wheat. Lentils was a kind of bean widely used for soup. It is possible that barley and lentils were being grown in plots that joined each other. In this conflict the credit for the victory is Jehovah'S.

Often in the record thirty chief men are referred to in relation to David's warriors. The three to whom reference is made here may have been Jashobeam, Eleazar, and Shammah. The three were with David at the cave of Adullam. The region of Adullam was known as early as the days of Juhad, Jacob's son (Genesis 38:1; Genesis 38:12; Genesis 38:20). One of the kings of Canaan located his government in this place (Joshua 12:15; Joshua 15:35). It was situated in Judah. There is some question as to its exact location. One suggestion is that it was in the foothills near Gaza. Another possibility would fix the site between Bethlehem and the Dead Sea (Dr. ThomsonThe Land and the Book). At the time of the incident recorded in 1 Chronicles 11:15-19 the Philistine army was in the Valley of Rephaim. This valley lay just southwest of Jerusalem. Considering the risks involved in obtaining water from Bethlehem, Adullam was most likely situated in the area between the Valley of Rephaim and the Mediterranean. David's men dared to stir up the whole Philistine army in order to satisfy David's desire for a drink of water from the old home well at Bethlehem. David's men brake through the host of the Philistines. This most likely involved face to face encounter with the enemy. David recognized that courage beyond the line of duty had been required in order for his men to procure the precious water. Motivated by a basic principle which he stated on another occasion (2 Samuel 24:24) when he said he would not offer to his God that which had not cost him something, he poured out the thirst-quenching water as an offering (a libation) to Jehovah. His soldiers surely respected him for this act of self-denial and worship.

David's nephew, Abishai, was renowned for his bravery. When David was running from Saul (1 Samuel 26:6-7) in the wilderness of Ziph, Abishai went with David to take away Saul's spear and water bag. In these later days he distinguished himself among David's warriors. In this one engagement (1 Chronicles 11:20) he was responsible for the slaughter of three hundred of the enemy. We do not know the names of the other two over whom he was chief.

Benaiah was of the tribe of Levi and he was always faithful in all assignments given him by David and Solomon. In David's government Joab was the captain of the host (2 Samuel 8:16; 2 Samuel 8:18), while Benaiah had charge of the Cherethites and Pelethites. These people were David's select bodyguards. The Cherethites lived south of Philistia. The Pelethites are usually identified with the Philistines. David's bodyguards were recruited largely from these people and through many crises remained loyal to the king. Benaiah's responsibility to David was great. In David's later years Benaiah grew in David's favor. When Adonijah rebelled (1 Kings 1:7) and Joab went with him, Joab signed his own death warrant. In the charge given by David to Solomon (1 Kings 2:5-6), Joab was not to be allowed to die naturally. In Solomon's early reign Benaiah was charged (1 Kings 2:34) as executioner to put Joab to death. Having done this, Benaiah became captain of the host. In his day Benaiah fought many and varied kinds of enemies. We learn here that he slew two Moabites. He killed an Egyptian giant. The giant must have been more than seven feet tall. The shaft of the giant's spear was like a weaver's beam. This is a reference to a part of a great loom upon which the threads of the weaving would be attached. An ordinary man's hand could not grasp such a handle. Benaiah skillfully disarmed the Egyptian and turned the giant's weapon upon the giant himself. In his own time David had used Goliath's sword to sever the giant's head after he felled him with a stone. On another occasion Benaiah matched his strength against the fury of a lion. Benaiah's memoirs surely would have contained many other accounts of remarkable courage.

1 Chronicles 11:26-47 list other men who served with honor in David's army. A comparable list is recorded in 2 Samuel 23:24-39. The number thirty (30) seemed to have a special meaning as it related to these warriors. No doubt, only those who demonstrated heroic bravery attained to this elite group. Sometimes thirty seven (37) were numbered among them (2 Samuel 23:39). On occasion as many as forty eight (48) were named as belonging to this honored band (1 Chronicles 11:26-47). Asahel had died at the hands of Abner (2 Samuel 2:23). These great warriors represented various districts throughout Palestine. Elhanan came from Bethlehem. Shammoth the Harorite most likely came from Harod near the sea of Chinnereth. Ira represented Tekoa in Judah. Abiezer was from the village of Anathoth, a priestly town in Benjamin near Jerusalem. Zelek was of Ammonite descent and Uriah was from among the Hittites. The tribe of Reuben was represented by Adina. Haharai is identified as Joab's armor-bearer. Uriah the Hittite was Bathsheba's husband who carried his own death warrant to Joab. This entire record leaves us with many unanswered questions as to the complete identity and pedigree of each of these men. Their loyalty to the king and to the cause of Israel is well demonstrated in Uriah's obedience to his commanders and his comradeship with his fellow soldiers. Every one of them was willing to die for the king and for the people of Israel.