The Book of II Samuel
Chapter 23
David's Last Words
His Mighty Men
Most of chapter 23 is a list of the names of David’s mighty men. Sometimes Bible readers are tempted to skip over this section, thinking that there is nothing in it for them. But this section is included in Paul’s declaration: “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.” Rom 15:4. We should read the Bible on the assumption that there is a lesson for us in every passage. Just because we may not readily see the lesson at first glance does not mean that it is not there.
David’s Last Words
23:1 Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said,
2 The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.
3 The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.
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.
5 Although my house be not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow.
6 But the sons of Belial shall be all of them as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands:
7 But the man that shall touch them must be fenced with iron and the staff of a spear; and they shall be utterly burned with fire in the same place.
David’s Mighty Men
The names of the mighty men are here for the honor of David, who trained them in their military skills, and who set before them an example of faith and courage. So it will be in the Day of The Lord. When the books are opened before an assembled universe and the fidelity and courage of God’s ministers is proclaimed, it will be principally for the glory of their King, whom they served and whose fame they sought to spread, and by whose Spirit they were animated. Whatever crowns His servants and saints receive from God, they will be laid at the feet of the Lamb, who alone is worthy.
God is keeping a record of our service. Even if the world doesn’t recognize or value the contributions made by the Lord’s servants, God does not forget. And he will recognize and reward each of his servants according to their works. So we need to be humble and wait for the recognition that comes from God.
But we have One here who is greater than David. We have the Lord. How much more self-sacrificing we should be in our service. These mighty men put us to shame by their valiant service.
But the Spirit did choose to acknowledge these men themselves. These mighty men were willing to lay down their lives for their king if need be. Their boldness for their Lord was legendary. They were instrumental in enlarging his conquests; and therefore the Spirit has not overlooked them. The faithful ministers of God are instrumental in safeguarding and extending the kingdom of Christ in the world, and therefore are they to be esteemed highly for their works’ sake, as the Word of God expressly enjoins. Not that they desire the praise of men, but "honor to whom honor is due" is a precept which God requires His people to ever observe.
The characteristics of these men included strong faith, ardent love and devotion, a strong sense of duty that overpowered safety and pleasure, precise knowledge, dauntless courage and unwavering constancy and perseverance.
23:8 These be the names of the mighty men whom David had: The Tachmonite that sat in the seat, chief among the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite: he lift up his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time.
Adino appears to be David’s chief military adviser because he “sat in the seat”.
You might not believe that he killed 800 men in a single encounter, but he doesn’t even hold the record: Samson does having killed 1000 men with the jawbone of an ass. Apparently Adino was endowed with supernatural strength from the spirit of God as was Samson.
23:9 And after him 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 <they retreated>:
10 He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword: and the LORD wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to spoil.
Eleazar didn’t stop until the job was finished. He smote the Philistines until his hand gave out. We have to keep on doing God’s work even when our flesh is weary. When Eleazar got done with the Philistines, there wasn’t anything left to do but strip the dead. That’s how well he took care of them.
Notice how the glory of the victory is ascribed to the Lord. When the Lord’s people have daring faith and persevere by standing their ground, the Lord will bring about victories.
In 2 Timothy 4:6-10, Paul said:
6 For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
7 I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:
8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.
9 Do thy diligence to come shortly unto me:
10 For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica; Crescens to Galatia, Titus unto Dalmatia.
The Christian life of service is like a foot race. But it’s like a marathon, not a sprint. The challenge is to finish the course.
23:11 And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentiles: and the people fled from the Philistines.
23:12 But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the LORD wrought a great victory.
When through unbelief, lack of zeal, or the fear of man, the rank and file of professing Christians are giving way before the forces of evil, then is the opportunity for those who know and trust the Lord to be strong and do exploits.
It does not require so much courage to engage the enemy when all our fellow-soldiers are enthusiastically advancing against them, but it takes considerable grit and boldness to attack an organized and powerful foe when almost all of our companions have lost heart and turned tail.
When Paul wrote to Timothy he spoke of how he had been abandoned by those who had been with him in the work of the gospel:
“This thou knowest, that all they which are in Asia be turned away from me" (2 Tim. 1:15).
Later, in the same epistle he wrote, "At my first answer no man stood with me, but all men forsook me: I pray God that it may not be laid to their charge. Notwithstanding the Lord stood with me, and strengthened me" (4:16, 17).
If we stand our ground, the Lord will work a great victory:
Eph 6:13-17:
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;
15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;
16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
13 And three of the thirty chief went down, and came to David in the harvest time unto the cave of Adullam: and the troop of the Philistines pitched in the valley of Rephaim.
14 And David was then in an hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem.
15 And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!
16 And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the LORD.
17 And he said, Be it far from me, O LORD, that I should do this: is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men.
These three men were with David before he was king, when things weren’t going so well. They stuck with him through the bad times. At this point David was a fugitive hiding in a cave, so he had no way to reward them. This shows how ready they were to endanger their own lives in selfless service to David.
Compare the obstacles that we are presented with to those that these mighty men encountered. Our obstacles are trivial compared to what they faced. Have we yet resisted unto blood?
18 And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief among three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred, and slew them, and had the name among three.
19 Was he not most honourable of three? therefore he was their captain: howbeit he attained not unto the first three.
It’s good to be held in honor among God’s people:
“A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.” Prov 22:1
Brother Begley was held in high regard by the San Diego church. They loved him dearly.
23:20 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man, of Kabzeel, who had done many acts, he slew two lionlike men of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow:
It’s profitable for boys to have a good role model as they grow up. Benaiah was the son of a valiant man; so he learned to be valiant.
23:21 And he slew an Egyptian, 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, and slew him with his own spear.
22 These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among three mighty men.
23:23 He was more honourable than the thirty, but he attained not to the first three. And David set him over his guard.
We can’t always expect to have perfect conditions and ample resources when we take on the devil and the worldly systems. Sometimes it’s cold in winter, sometimes we have to go down into a pit to face the lion and at other times all we have is a stick against a spear.
The Lord had an inner circle like this. We know that around the time of his ascension, before the day of Pentecost there were already at least 120 members in the first church. Yet the 12 apostles were closer to him than the others and accompanied him at times when the others didn’t. And even within the 12 there were 3, Peter, James and John who were included in certain events that even the other 9 were not included in. These include the transfiguration, when Jesus raised a 12 year old girl from the dead
23:24 Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,
23:25 Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,
26 Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,
27 Abiezer the Anethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,
28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,
29 Heleb the son of Baanah, a Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai out of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin,
30 Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash,
31 Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,
32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite, of the sons of Jashen, Jonathan,
33 Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite,
34 Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,
35 Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,
36 Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite,
37 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armourbearer to Joab the son of Zeruiah,
38 Ira an Ithrite, Gareb an Ithrite,
39 Uriah the Hittite: thirty and seven in all.
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