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2 Samuel
Chapter Twenty-three
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO SECOND SAMUEL 23
In
this chapter are recorded the last words of David under a divine inspiration
2 Samuel 23:1; and
an account is given of his great men
famous for warlike exploits
particularly
of three mighty men who did very marvellous things
2 Samuel 23:8; and
of two others next unto them
which belonged to another class of three
2 Samuel 23:18; and
then of thirty one more
2 Samuel 23:24; who
are all mentioned by name.
2 Samuel 23:1 Now
these are the last words of David. Thus says David the son of
Jesse; Thus says the man raised up on high
The anointed of the God of
Jacob
And the sweet psalmist of Israel:
YLT
1And these [are] the last
words of David: -- `The affirmation of David son of Jesse -- And the
affirmation of the man raised up -- Concerning the Anointed of the God of
Jacob
And the Sweetness of the Songs of Israel:
Now these be the last words of David
.... Which
refer not to the psalm in the preceding chapter
but to what follows; not the
last words he spoke
for he said many things afterwards; for the advice he gave
to Solomon
and the instructions to him about building the temple
were delivered
after this time; but these were the last after he had finished the book of
Psalms; or the last that he spoke under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit
or
that he delivered out by way of prophecy; though the JewsF6Maimon.
Moreh Nevochim
par. 2. c. 45. will not allow him to speak by the spirit of
prophecy; they own he spoke by the Holy Spirit
which they distinguish from
prophecy; but the Targum calls these words a prophecy
and takes them to be a
prophecy of the Messiah
and of things to come
as undoubtedly they are
paraphrasing them thus;"these are the words of the prophecy of David
which he prophesied concerning the end of the world
concerning the days of
consolation that should come;'this is observed to excite attention
the last
words of dying men being usually regarded and remembered:
David the son of Jesse said; he began with his
descent
which was comparatively mean
in order to illustrate the
distinguishing goodness of God to him in his exaltation:
and the man who was raised up on high; from a low
estate to an high one
from the sheepfold to the throne
to be king over all
the tribes of Israel
and a conqueror
and head of the nations round about him:
the anointed of the God of Jacob; who was anointed king by
Samuel by the order of the God of Jacob; and which was an instance of his being
the God of Jacob or Israel
and of his care of them
and regard unto them
that
he anointed such a man to be king over them
as well as it was an honour to
David:
and the sweet psalmist of Israel; who composed most of the
psalms and hymns of praise for the people of Israel; invented and set the tunes
to them to which they were to be sung
and the instruments of music on which
they were sung; and appointed singers to preside
and lead them in that part of
divine worship
singing psalms and hymns; and very sweet were the psalms he
composed as to the matter of them
and very sweet and delightful to the ear was
the music in the manner of singing them: it may be rendered
who was
"sweet" or "pleasant in the songs of Israel"F7נעים זמרות "jucundus
psalmis"
Montanus; "suavis in canticis"
Vatablus;
"amoenus psalmis"
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator.
his warlike
exploits and victories being the subject of them
1 Samuel 18:6
said; as follows; for all that goes before are the words of the penman
of this book
drawing the character of David; in which he was a type of Christ
a branch out of the root of Jesse
highly exalted
and chosen from among the
people
anointed to be prophet
priest
and King; and who sweetly expounded the
psalms concerning himself
and ordered them to be sung in the churches
and of
which he is the subject
and may be said to be sweetly held forth in them
see Luke 24:44.
2 Samuel 23:2 2 “The Spirit of the Lord spoke by me
And
His word was on my tongue.
YLT
2The Spirit of Jehovah hath
spoken by me
And His word [is] on my tongue.
The Spirit of the Lord spake by me
.... The psalms and songs
he composed were not the fruits of his own genius
but were written by him
under the inspiration of the Spirit of God; by whom holy men of God
the penmen
of the Scriptures
spoke
even as they were moved by the Holy Ghost
of whom
David was one
being a prophet; see Acts 1:16 Acts 2:30; so the
Targum here
"David spoke by the spirit of prophecy of the Lord:'or spake
"in me"F8בי "in me"
Montanus
Junius & Tremellius. ; what he spoke was first internally
impressed upon his mind by the Spirit of God
and then he expressed it with his
tongue
as follows:
and his word was in my tongue; not only the
matter of his psalms was indited by the Spirit of God
and suggested to his
mind; but the very words in which they are delivered were given to him
and he
was directed to make use of them
and did.
2 Samuel 23:3 3 The God of Israel said
The
Rock of Israel spoke to me: ‘He who rules over men must be just
Ruling
in the fear of God.
YLT
3He said -- the God of
Israel -- to me
He spake -- the Rock of Israel: He who is ruling over man [is]
righteous
He is ruling in the fear of God.
The God of Israel said
.... To David
or by him;
he who was the covenant God of Israel literally considered
and is the covenant
God and Father of the whole spiritual Israel
and who is owned
believed in
and worshipped by them:
the Rock of Israel spake to me; the same with the God of
Israel in other words
who is the strength and security of Israel; or the
second divine Person
the Son and Word of God
is meant
who is often called a
rock in Scripture; and is the rock on which the Israel or church of God is
built
and in whom it remains safe and firm
the gates of hell not being able
to prevail against it; and so here is an instance and proof of a trinity of
persons in the Godhead; the God of Israel
Jehovah the Father; the Rock of
Israel
Jehovah the Son; and the Spirit of Jehovah
as in 2 Samuel 23:2
who
is Jehovah the Spirit: now what was said by these three divine Persons to
David
and by him
and concerning himself as a type of the Messiah
follows:
he that ruleth over men must be just
ruling in the fear of
God; which is a character every king among men ought to have
administering justice to their subjects; ruling not only according to the laws
of the land
but according to the law of God; having his fear before their
eyes
and acting with a view to his honour and glory
whose vicegerents they
are
and to whom they are accountable; they should rule with gentleness and
humanity
considering they are men
and not brutes
they rule over. Agamemnon
in Homer is often called "king of men". This character
in all
respects
was found in David
2 Samuel 8:15; and
may be here given as an instruction to his son and successor
Solomon; and is
in all respects applicable to the Messiah
who is a "ruler" or King
by the designation of his father; a ruler "over men"
even over all
men
yea
over the greatest of men
King of kings
and Lord of lords
and especially
and in an eminent sense
King of saints; and he is "just"
a King
that reigns in righteousness
righteous in all his ways and works
and
particularly just as a King
as well as in all his other characters
see Jeremiah 23:5; and
upon whom
as man and Mediator
the Spirit of "the fear of the Lord"
rests
and under the influence of which
as such
he has acted
Isaiah 11:1; so the
Targum applies these words to the Messiah thus
"the true Judge said
he
would appoint to me a King
who is the Messiah
who shall arise and rule in the
fear of the Lord:'and they may be rendered
there shall be "a ruler over
men
just
ruling in the fear of God"; or ruling
appointing
ordering
and directing the worship of God
and the ordinances of it under the Gospel
dispensation
as Christ did
see Matthew 28:18.
2 Samuel 23:4 4 And he shall be
like the light of the morning when the sun rises
A morning without
clouds
Like the tender grass springing out of the earth
By
clear shining after rain.’
YLT
4And as the light of morning
he riseth
A morning sun -- no clouds! By the shining
by the rain
Tender
grass of the earth!
And he shall be as the light of the morning
when
the sun riseth
even a morning without clouds
.... That is
such a ruler that rules in righteousness
and in the fear of God; he is the
light and glory of his people
who guides and directs them
makes them cheerful
and comfortable; his administrations are pleasant and delightful
and promise a
growing and increasing happiness to them
like the morning light and rising
sun; and there are no clouds
nor forebodings of dark times
affliction and
distress
coming upon them
but all the reverse: and with Christ these
metaphors well suit
who is the true light that shines
John 1:9; the
morning star
Revelation 22:16;
the dayspring from on high
Luke 1:78; the sun
of righteousness
Malachi 4:2; and
light of the world
John 8:2; his going
forth or appearance in human nature
at his incarnation
was as the morning
Hosea 6:3; the
first discovery him to Adam
after sin had brought a night of darkness on the
world
was as the dawn of the morning; and this light like that of the morning
increased
fresh and clearer discoveries of him being made to the patriarchs
afterwards; and though as yet the sun was not up
and it was not a morning
without clouds
yet the discoveries then made brought joy with them
as to
Abraham and others
and were a sure sign of the sun rising. When Christ
appeared in the flesh
the sun of righteousness then arose
and scattered the
darkness of the night
both in the Jewish and Gentile world; introduced the
light of the Gospel to a greater degree than it was under the legal
dispensation
and made the Gospel day; which was not only like the morning
light
growing and increasing
but was as a morning without clouds
without the
darkness of the ceremonial law
the shadows of which now disappeared; and
without the storms and tempests of the moral law
its curses being bore and
removed by Christ; and without the frowns of divine wrath
reconciliation and
satisfaction being made by him: and this is all applicable particularly to the
government of Christ
which is delightful and grateful to his people
serviceable and beneficial to them
under which they enjoy great peace and
prosperity; and which will more and more increase
and stilt be more glorious
and illustrious
see Psalm 72:7. A
learned writerF9Dr. Kennicott's State of the Hebrew Text
Dissert.
1. p. 468. has observed
that in an ancient manuscript the word
"Jehovah" is inserted and read thus
"and as the light of the
morning shall arise Jehovah the sun
'which clearly points to Christ the sun of
righteousness; and be it an interpolation
it gives the true sense of the
words: a glorious
beautiful
and illustrious person is described in OvidF11"Talisque
apparuitilli"
&c. Metamorph. l. 14. Fab. 16. ver. 767. by the same
figure as here:
as the tender grass springing
out of the earth by clear shining after rain; which springs up the
faster
and is more flourishing after a shower of rain
and when upon that the
sun breaks out and shines clearly: or "from clear shining from rain"F12מנגה ממטר "a splendore
a
pluvia germen de terra"
Pagninus
Montanus
Vatablus. ; that is
the
springing of the tender grass out of the earth is owing partly to the rain
which falls in the night
and partly to the sun rising in the morning
and the
clear shine of it: this may denote the fruitful and flourishing estate which a
good and righteous ruler over men is the happy instrument of bringing his
people into; and may be applied both to the incarnation of Christ
when he grew
up as a tender plant
or as the tender grass
mean in his original and descent
weak in himself as man; and yet this fruit of the earth was excellent and
comely
beautiful and glorious
and the springing of it owing to the favour and
good will of God
and his coming was as the latter and former rain to the
earth
Hosea 6:3; and to
the government of Christ
and the benefits of it to his church and people; who
flourish under it the light of his grace and favour
and through rains of
Gospel doctrines they are blessed with: or "than clear shining
than
rain"; Christ is more beneficial to his people
who are comparable to
grass for their meanness
and weakness
and number
than the sun and rain are
to the grass in the field.
2 Samuel 23:5 5 “Although my house is
not so with God
Yet He has made with me an everlasting covenant
Ordered in
all things and secure. For this is all my salvation and all my
desire; Will He not make it increase?
YLT
5For -- not so [is] my house
with God; For -- a covenant age-during He made with me
Arranged in all things
and kept; For -- all my salvation
and all desire
For -- He hath not caused
[it] to spring up.
Although my house be not so with God
.... So
bright
and flourishing
and prosperous as the government of the just ruler
before described; or is not "right"F13לא
כן "non recta"
Cocceius. with God
meaning
his family
in which great sins were committed
and great disorders and
confusions brought into it
as the cases of Amnon
Absalom
and Adonijah
showed; or "not firm" or "stable"F14"Non
est re firma"
Vitringa in Jesaiam
c. xi. 1.
through the rebellion of
one
the insurrection of another
and the usurpation of a third; yet he
believed it would be firm and stable in the Messiah that should spring from
him
promised in the everlasting covenant; though the Jewish writers understand
this of the firmness and stability of his kingdom and government: "but my
house is not so"
&c. like the morning light
which increases by
little and little
and like the morning
which sometimes is not cloudy
and
sometimes is; sometimes the sun shines clearly
and sometimes not; or like the
tender grass
which is sometimes flourishing
and after withers; but so is not
my kingdom
it is a perpetual one
given and secured by an everlasting
covenant; and such certainly is or will be the kingdom of the Messiah:
yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant
ordered in all things
and sure; or
"forF15כי
"quia"
Pagninus
Montanus
Piscator. he hath made"
&c. the
covenant by which the kingdom was settled on David and his seed was a covenant
that would continue for ever
and would be kept
"observed"
and
"preserved"F16שמרה
"scrvatum"
Tigurine version
Vatablus; "conservatum"
Junius & Tremellius. in all the articles of it
and so be sure to his seed
particularly to the Messiah that should spring from him
in whom it was
fulfilled
Luke 1:32; and the
covenant of grace made with David's antitype
with Christ the head of the
church
and the representative of it
and so with all his people in him
is an
everlasting one: it was made with Christ from everlasting
as appears from the
everlasting love of God
the source and spring of it; the earliness of the
divine counsels on which it is formed
and blessings and promises of it
with
which it is filled
which were before the world was; and from Christ being set
up as the Mediator of it from everlasting: and it will continue to everlasting;
it is a covenant that cannot be broken
will never be removed
nor give way to
or be succeeded by another: it is "ordered in all things": to promote
and advance the glory of all the three Persons in the Godhead
Father
Son
and
Spirit; to secure the persons of the saints
and to provide everything needful
for them for time and eternity: and it is "sure"; it stands upon a
sure basis
the unchangeable will and favour of God
and is in the hands of
Christ
the same today
yesterday
and for ever; its mercies are the sure
mercies of David
and its promises are yea and amen in Christ
and are sure to
all the seed. Though things may not be with them God-ward
as they desire
and
could be wished for; though they may be attended with many sins and
infirmities
the temptations of Satan
divine desertions
and various
afflictions
and be guilty of many backslidings
yet covenant interest always
continues; and so
though in the kingdom and interest of Christ in the world
there are
and may be
many things disagreeable; it may be attended with
persecutions
heresies
scandals
&c. yet it shall continue and increase
and spread
and be an everlasting kingdom:
for this is all my salvation: all depends upon this
covenant; the safety of David's family
and the security of the kingdom in it
and to his seed
till the Messiah came
depended on the covenant made with him
respecting that; and the spiritual and eternal salvation of the Lord's people
depends upon the covenant of grace; which was contrived
formed
and settled in
it
in which the Saviour is provided
and the persons to share in his salvation
are taken into it and secured
with all blessings both of grace and glory:
and all my desire; to see it fulfilled; as
it is the desire of good men to be led more and more into it
to see their
interest in it
to have the blessings and promises of it applied unto them
and
to be saved by it
and not by the covenant of works; and there is all that in
it that a believer can desire to make him comfortable here
or happy hereafter;
and it is what gives him delight and pleasure in all his troubles: it may be
supplied he is
as well as "this is"
and be applied to Christ
the
ruler over men
described
2 Samuel 23:3; with
whom the covenant of grace is made
in whom is the salvation of men; he is the
author and the only author of it; in whom it is complete and perfect; "all"
salvation is in him
and which they can claim as theirs; to whom is "all their
desire"; and in whom is "all their delight"
as it may be
rendered; on account of the glory of his person
the fulness of his grace
and
his suitableness as a Saviour; whom they desire to know more of
and have more
communion with:
although he made it not to grow; though there
may not be at present any growth of outward prosperity
or of inward grace
or
even of the produce of the earth
Habakkuk 3:17;
though the horn of David is not yet made to bud
or his family in growing and
flourishing circumstances
or the Messiah
the man
the branch
does not yet
shoot forth
though he certainly would; or
"for shall he not bud
forth" he shall
Jeremiah 23:5.
2 Samuel 23:6 6 But the sons of
rebellion shall all be as thorns thrust away
Because they cannot
be taken with hands.
YLT
6As to the worthless -- As a
thorn driven away [are] all of them
For -- not by hand are they taken;
But the sons of Belial shall be all of them as
thorns thrust away
.... Not like the tender grass that springs up
and flourishes
after rain
and the sunshine upon that; but like thorns
useless
hurtful
and
pernicious
and fit only for burning: this is true of wicked men in general
that cast off the yoke of the Lord
and become unprofitable
as Belial
signifies; and of wicked governors in particular
who
instead of being
helpful
are harmful to a commonwealth; and instead of being the joy and
comfort of their subjects
and of giving pleasure to them
and making them
cheerful and prosperous
give pain and trouble
and cause grief and sorrow; and
are
if possible
to be thrust away
and deposed from government:
because they cannot be taken with hands; thorns cannot
be handled and gently dealt with
but some instrument must be used to put them
away with force; so wicked men
and especially wicked rulers
are untractable
and not to be managed in a gentle way
and therefore violent ones must be
taken.
2 Samuel 23:7 7 But the man who
touches them Must be armed with iron and the shaft of a spear
And they shall
be utterly burned with fire in their place.”
YLT
7And the man who cometh
against them Is filled with iron and the staff of a spear
And with fire they
are utterly burnt In the cessation.'
But the man that shall touch them must be fenced with iron
and the staff of a spear
.... To remove these thorns
or sons of Belial
out of the way
or to defend himself against them; or weapons of war must be made use of to
conquer and destroy them
according to the sense of Ben Gersom
and which De
Dieu follows; a man that meddles with them must expect to be as much hurt and
wounded by them
all over the body
as if not only the point or iron head of a
spear
but the wood or handle of the spear
were thrust up in him; but the
former sense seems best:
and they shall be utterly burnt with fire in the same place: where the
thorns grew
or whither they are removed
or are sitting; where persons are
sitting to warm themselves by them: and this may be understood of the
destruction of wicked rulers
when their kingdom is taken from them
and they
are consumed root and branch; and was true not only of Saul
and his posterity
as some apply it
and of Jeroboam
and those like to him
as the above Jewish
writer; but of the wicked Jews
and their rulers
those sons of Belial
who
rejected the yoke of Christ
and would not have him to rule over them; to whom
the Lord sent the Roman armies fenced with swords and spears
and burnt their
city
and destroyed them in the same place; and may take in antichrist
and
antichristian states
those sons of Belial
of the wicked ανομος
and lawless one
the son of perdition
whose city
Rome
shall be burnt with
fire; and even all wicked men
at the great day of judgment
to which the Targum
refers these words; when they
whose end
like thorns
is to be burnt
will be
cast into the lake which burns with fire and brimstone.
2 Samuel 23:8 8 These are the names
of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-Basshebeth[a] the
Tachmonite
chief among the captains.[b] He was
called Adino the Eznite
because he had killed eight hundred men at one time.
YLT
8These [are] the names of
the mighty ones whom David hath: sitting in the seat [is] the Tachmonite
head
of the captains -- he [is] Adino
who hardened himself against eight hundred --
wounded at one time.
These be the names of the mighty men whom David had
.... Besides
Joab his general
who is not mentioned; for these were all military men under
him
which are distinguished into three classes; the first and highest
consisted of three only
who were general officers; and the second also of
three
who perhaps were colonels of regiments; and the third of thirty
who
were captains of thousands and hundreds:
the Tachmonite that sat in the seat
the chief among the captains: not in the
chief seat in the sanhedrim
and was the head of that
and so had the name of
Tachmonite
from his wisdom
as the Jewish writers say; but in the council of
war
where he presided under the general
or in his absence
and was
perhaps
lieutenant general
and so over all the captains; and therefore was neither
David nor Joab
to whom some of the Rabbins apply these words
as observed by
Kimchi; or rather he was the chief of the three to whom he belonged; his name
in 1 Chronicles 11:11
is Jashobeam
an Hachmonite
or the son of an Hachmonite
the same as in 1 Chronicles 27:2;
and here it may be as well read Josheb-bashebeth the Tachmonite
the same name
with a little variation; which seem to be names given him
taken from his
character and office; for his proper name was as follows:
the same was Adino the Eznite: so called
either from the family he was of
or from the place of his birth; though a
learned man thinks it should be read as in the following supplementF17Kennicott's
Dissert. 1. so Hillerus in Onomastic. Sacr. p. 230
231
renders it
"the
glory of the spear or spearmen stood against eight hundred"
&c. and
Weemse
"his delight was to lift up his spear". Exercitat. 16. p.
137. :
he lifted up his spear against eight hundred
whom he slew at one time; which
though
a very extraordinary exploit
yet not more strange
or so strange as that of
Shamgar's slaying six hundred men with an ox goad
Judges 3:31
or as
that of Samson's killing a thousand men with the jawbone of an ass
Judges 15:15
in 1 Chronicles 11:11
the number is only three hundred
which some attempt to reconcile by observing
that not the same person is meant in both places; here he is called
Joshebbashebeth
there Jashobeam; here the Tachmonite
there the son of an
Hachmonite; nor is he there called Adino the Eznite; but yet it seems plain
that in both places the chief of the three worthies of David is meant
and so
the same man: others observe
that he engaged with eight hundred
and slew
three hundred of them
when the rest fled
and were pursued and killed by his
men; and he routing them
and being the occasion of their being slain
the
slaying of them all is ascribed to him; or he first slew three hundred
and
five hundred more coming upon him
he slew them also: but what Kimchi offers
seems to be best
that there were two battles
in which this officer was
engaged; at one of them he slew eight hundred
and at the other three hundred;
for so what is omitted in the books of Samuel
and of the Kings
is frequently
supplied in the books of Chronicles
as what one evangelist in the New
Testament omits
another records. The above learned writerF18P. 96.
conjectures
that ש being the first letter of the
words for three and eight
and the numeral letter being here reduced to its
word at length
through a mistake in the copier
was written שמנה
"eight"
instead of שלש
"three": the Septuagint version is
"he drew out his spear
against eight hundred soldiers at once
'and says nothing of slaying them; and
seems to be the true sense of the word
as the same learned writerF19P.
103. has abundantly shown.
2 Samuel 23:9 9 And after him was
Eleazar the son of Dodo
[c] the
Ahohite
one of the three mighty men with David when they defied the
Philistines who were gathered there for battle
and the men of Israel
had retreated.
YLT
9And after him [is] Eleazar
son of Dodo
son of Ahohi
of the three mighty men with David; in their
exposing themselves among the Philistines -- they have been gathered there to
battle
and the men of Israel go up –
And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite
.... Or the
son of Ahohi
perhaps the same with Ahoah
a descendant of Benjamin
1 Chronicles 8:4;
this Eleazar was the next to the Tachmonite
the second worthy of the first
class:
one of the three mighty men
with David; the second of the three valiant men that were with David in his
wars
and fought with him
and for him:
when they defied the Philistines; clapped their hands at
them
gloried over them
daring them to come and light them; so did David and
his mighty men
as Goliath had defied them before:
that were there
gathered together to battle; at Pasdammim
as appears from 1 Chronicles 11:13
and the men of Israel were gone away; fled when
they saw the Philistines gather together to fight them
notwithstanding they
had defied them; and so David
and his three mighty men
were left alone to
combat with the Philistines.
2 Samuel 23:10 10 He arose and attacked the
Philistines until his hand was weary
and his hand stuck to the sword. The Lord brought about
a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to plunder.
YLT
10he hath arisen
and smiteth
among the Philistines till that his hand hath been weary
and his hand cleaveth
unto the sword
and Jehovah worketh a great salvation on that day
and the
people turn back after him only to strip off.
He arose
and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary
.... He rose
up when the Israelites fled
and stood his ground alone
and fought with the
Philistines
and smote them with his sword
until his hand was weary with
smiting:
and his hand clave unto the sword; which was contracted by
holding it so long
and grasping it so hard
that it could not easily be got
out of it; or through the quantity of blood which ran upon his hand
as it was
shed
so JosephusF20Antiqu. l. 7. c. 12. sect. 4. ; and which being
congealed
and dried
caused his hand to stick to the hilt of his sword
so
that they were
as it were
glued together by it; or the sense may be only
that though weary
he did not drop his sword
but held it fast till he had
destroyed the enemy:
and the Lord wrought a great victory that day; for to him it
must be ascribed
and not to the strength and valour of the man:
and the people returned after him only to spoil; they that
fled
when they saw what a victory was obtained by him
returned and came after
him; not to help him in smiting
but to spoil those that were slain
and strip
them of what they had.
2 Samuel 23:11 11 And after him was
Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. The Philistines had gathered together
into a troop where there was a piece of ground full of lentils. So the people
fled from the Philistines.
YLT
11And after him [is] Shammah
son of Agee the Hararite
and the Philistines are gathered into a company
and
there is there a portion of the field full of lentiles
and the people hath
fled from the presence of the Philistines
And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite
.... One who
was of the mountainous country
as the Targum
the hill country of Judea
of
Hebron
or the parts adjacent; this was the third of the first three; there was
one of this name among the thirty
2 Samuel 23:33
and the Philistines were gathered together into a troop; but so they
were no doubt at first; R. Isaiah takes it to be the name of a place called
Chiyah; as the Targum
Chayatha; and which Kimchi says was a village
an
unwalled town; and Ben Melech observes
that it is said in the Arabic language
a collection of houses is called Alchai: it may be the same with Lehi
where
Samson slew a thousand with the jawbone of an ass
Judges 15:17
whence it had its name; and JosephusF21Antiqu. l. 7. c. 12. sect. 4.
says
the place where the Philistines were gathered together was called
"the Jawbone": but perhaps the sense of Ben Gersom may be best of
all
that they gathered together in this place for provision
for food and
forage
to support the life of them and their cattle: since it follows:
where was a piece of ground full of lentiles; a sort of
pulse
which was eaten in those countries
and the pottage of which was
delicious food
see Genesis 25:30
and the people fled from the Philistines; as they did
before under Eleazar
2 Samuel 23:9.
2 Samuel 23:12 12 But he stationed himself
in the middle of the field
defended it
and killed the Philistines. So the Lord brought about
a great victory.
YLT
12and he stationeth himself
in the midst of the portion
and delivereth it
and smiteth the Philistines
and Jehovah worketh a great salvation.
But he stood in the midst of the ground
.... The field
of lentiles:
and defended it; the field
so that the Philistines could
not ravage it
and get food and forage from it:
and slew the Philistines; made a great slaughter
among them
entirely routed them
so that they that escaped his sword were
obliged to flee:
and the Lord wrought a great victory; to whom the
glory of it belonged; a similar fact is ascribed to Eleazar before mentioned in
1 Chronicles 11:13;
and
indeed
it seems to be the same
and in which they were both concerned;
for it is plain from the account that there were more than one engaged in this
action
since it is there said
"and they set themselves in the midst of
that parcel"; and though that parcel of ground is said there to be full of
barley
it may easily be reconciled by observing
that one part of it might be
sowed with barley
and the other part with lentiles; so the Targum in 1 Chronicles 11:13;
for it was half lentiles and half barley; and Eleazar might be placed to defend
the one
and Shammah the other; from whence it appears it was about March when
this action was
at the latter end of which barley harvest began.
2 Samuel 23:13 13 Then three of the thirty
chief men went down at harvest time and came to David at the cave of Adullam.
And the troop of Philistines encamped in the Valley of Rephaim.
YLT
13And three of the thirty
heads go down and come unto the harvest
unto David
unto the cave of Adullam
and the company of the Philistines are encamping in the valley of Rephaim
And three of the thirty chiefs went down
.... Or three
that were chief of the thirty
superior to them; which some understand of the
three before mentioned
so JosephusF23Antiqu. l. 7. c. 12. sect. 4.
; and that having related some particular exploits of theirs
here observes
one
in which they were all concerned; and others think the three next are
meant
of whom Abishai was the chief
Benaiah the next
and the third Asahel;
but the first sense is best:
and came to David in the harvest time
unto the cave of Adullam; not when he
was there
upon his flight from Saul
1 Samuel 22:1; but
after he was king
when engaged in war with the Philistines; perhaps wheat
harvest is here meant:
and the troop of the Philistines pitched in the valley of Rephaim; the army of
the Philistines
as the Targum; of the valley of Rephaim; see Gill on Joshua 15:8.
2 Samuel 23:14 14 David was then in
the stronghold
and the garrison of the Philistines was then in
Bethlehem.
YLT
14and David [is] then in a
fortress
and the station of the Philistines [is] then in Beth-Lehem
And David was then in an hold
.... In a
strong hold; the strong hold of Zion
as JosephusF24Antiqu. l. 7. c.
12. sect. 4.
or one on a rock near the cave of Adullam
see 1 Chronicles 11:15
and the garrison of the Philistines was then in
Bethlehem; which was about six miles from Jerusalem; the valley of Rephaim
lay between that and Bethlehem; so far had they got into the land of Judea
and
such footing in it
as to have a garrison so near its metropolis.
2 Samuel 23:15 15 And David said with
longing
“Oh
that someone would give me a drink of the water from the well of
Bethlehem
which is by the gate!”
YLT
15and David longeth and
saith
`Who doth give me a drink of the water of the well of Beth-Lehem
which
[is] by the gate?'
And David longed
and said
.... It being harvest
time
the summer season
and hot weather
and he thirsty:
oh
that one would give me drink of the water of the well of
Bethlehem
which is by the gate! which he was well
acquainted with
being his native place; and which might make it the more
desirable
as well as its waters might be peculiarly cool and refreshing
and
very excellent
as Kimchi suggests. This well was about a mile from Bethlehem
now called David's well
as some travellers sayF25Egmont and
Heyman's Travels
vol. 1. p. 363. . It is said to be a very large well
with
three mouths
and lies a little out of the roadF26Le Bruyn's Voyage
to the Levant
ch. 52. p. 204. ; and that there is now near Rachel's grave a
good rich cistern
which is deep and wide; wherefore the people that go to dip
water are provided with small leathern buckets
and a line
as usual in those
countriesF1Rauwolff's Travels
part 3. p. 317
318. ; but Mr.
MaundrellF2Journey from Aleppo
&c. p. 90. says it is a well
or
rather a cistern
supplied only with rain
without any excellency in its waters
to make them desirable; but it seems
he adds
David's spirit had a further
aim. Some think he meant by this to get Bethlehem out of the hands of the
Philistines
and obtain the possession of it; others
as Jarchi
that he
intended to ask some question of the sanhedrim that sat there; and others
that
his desire was after the law of God
called waters
as in Isaiah 55:1; and
some Christian writers
both ancient and modernF3Ambros. Apolog.
David l. 1. c. 7. gloss. ordinar. & Schmidt in loc. Pfeiffer. Difficil.
Loc. Script. cent. 2. loc. 91. Horn. Dissert. de desiderio David. sect. 10.
are of opinion
that not literal but spiritual water was desired by him
and
that he thirsted after the coming of the Messiah
to be born at Bethlehem
and
the living water which he only can give
John 4:10.
2 Samuel 23:16 16 So the three mighty men
broke through the camp of the Philistines
drew water from the well of
Bethlehem that was by the gate
and took it and brought it to
David. Nevertheless he would not drink it
but poured it out to the Lord.
YLT
16And the three mighty ones
cleave through the camp of the Philistines
and draw water out of the well of
Beth-Lehem
which [is] by the gate
and take [it] up
and bring in unto David;
and he was not willing to drink it
and poureth it out to Jehovah
And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines
.... Which lay
in the valley of Rephaim
between the hold in which David was and the well of Bethlehem;
these three men hearing David express himself in the above manner
though
without any view that any should risk their lives to obtain it
only in a
general way said
oh for a draught of the water of the well of Bethlehem!
immediately set out
and made their way through the army of the Philistines to
the well:
and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem
that was by
the gate
and took it
and brought it to David; in a vessel
which they probably carried with them for that purpose:
nevertheless he would not drink thereof; because
say
they who take these words in a spiritual sense
it was not this water
but
spiritual water
he desired: but the reason is given in 2 Samuel 23:17
but poured it out unto the Lord; as a libation to him
it
being rather blood than water
being fetched at the hazard of men's lives
and
therefore more fit to be offered as a sacrifice to God than to be drank by him;
and this he might do in thankfulness to God for preserving the lives of the
men. Gersom thinks it was now the feast of tabernacles
which was the feast of
ingathering the fruits of the earth
when great quantities of water were drawn
and poured out at the altar
which was done to obtain the blessing of the
former rain; See Gill on John 7:37 and See
Gill on John 7:38.
2 Samuel 23:17 17 And he said
“Far be it
from me
O Lord
that I should do this! Is this not the blood of the men who went in jeopardy
of their lives?” Therefore he would not drink it. These things were done by
the three mighty men.
YLT
17and saith
`Far be it from
me
O Jehovah
to do this; is it the blood of the men who are going with their
lives?' and he was not willing to drink it; these [things] did the three mighty
ones.
And he said
be it far from me
O Lord
that one should do this
.... Drink of
the water these men had brought him:
is not this the blood of
the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? who risked the shedding
of their blood
and went in danger of their lives to get it:
therefore he would not drink it: some compare with this
the story of AlexanderF4Curt. Hist. l. 7. c. 5. to whom a vessel of
water was offered when in extreme thirst
which he refused
because he could
not bear to drink it alone
and so small a quantity could not be divided among all
about him; but the reasons are not the same:
these things did these three mighty men; which made
them very famous.
2 Samuel 23:18 18 Now Abishai the brother of
Joab
the son of Zeruiah
was chief of another three.[d] He lifted
his spear against three hundred men
killed them
and won a name
among these three.
YLT
18And Abishai brother of
Joab
son of Zeruiah
he [is] head of three
and he is lifting up his spear
against three hundred -- wounded
and he hath a name among three.
And Abishai
the brother of Joab
the son of Zeruiah
was chief
among the three
.... Another triumvirate
of which he was the head:
and he lifted up his spear against three hundred
and slew them; JosephusF5Antiqu.
l. 7. c. 12. sect. 4. says six hundred; this seems to confirm the reading of 2 Samuel 23:8
that
the number eight hundred is right
for if it was only three hundred
Abishai
would have been equal to one
even the first
of the former three; which yet is
denied him in 2 Samuel 23:19
and had the name among three; of which he was one; and
he had the chief name among them
or was the most famous of them.
2 Samuel 23:19 19 Was he not the most
honored of three? Therefore he became their captain. However
he did not attain
to the first three.
YLT
19Of the three is he not the
honoured? and he becometh their head; and unto the [first] three he hath not
come.
Was he not most honourable of three?.... He was; who
besides
the exploit here mentioned
did many other things; he went down with David into
Saul's camp
and took away his spear and cruse
which were at his bolster
1 Samuel 26:6; he
relieved David when in danger from Ishbibenob the giant
2 Samuel 21:16; he
beat the Edomites
and slew eighteen thousand of them in the valley of salt
1 Chronicles 18:12
therefore he was their captain; of the other two
or was
head over them
took rank before them:
howbeit he attained not unto the first three; for fortitude
courage
and warlike exploits
namely
to the Tachmonite
Eleazar
and Shammah.
2 Samuel 23:20 20 Benaiah was the son
of Jehoiada
the son of a valiant man from Kabzeel
who had done many deeds. He
had killed two lion-like heroes of Moab. He also had gone down and killed a
lion in the midst of a pit on a snowy day.
YLT
20And Benaiah son of Jehoiada
(son of a man of valour
great in deeds from Kabzeel)
he hath smitten two
lion-like men of Moab
and he hath gone down and smitten the lion in the midst
of the pit in a day of snow.
And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada
the son of a valiant man of
Kabzeel
.... A city in the tribe of Judah
Joshua 15:21; the
father of this man was a man of great vivacity
valour
and strength
so that
it was like father like son. Procopius Gazaeus says Benaiah was David's
brother's son
and a grandson of Jesse:
who had done many acts; which may refer either
to the father of Benaiah or to Benaiah himself; and indeed the Syriac and
Arabic versions refer the preceding character
"a valiant man"
not
to the father
but the son:
he slew two lionlike men of Moab; two princes of Moab
as
the Targum
or two giants of Moab
as the Syriac and Arabic versions; men who
were comparable to lions for their strength and courage; for this is not to be
understood of two strong towers of Moab
as Ben Gersom
which were defended by
valiant men like lions
or which had the form of lions engraved on them: nor of
Moabitish altars
as GussetiusF6Ebr. Comment p. 95.
the altar of
the Lord
being called by this name of Ariel
the word used; but of men of
uncommon valour and fortitude:
he went down also
and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time
of snow; not Joab
1 Kings 2:34
as is
the traditionF7Hieron. Trad. Heb. in 2 Reg. fol. 80. C.
but a real
lion
the strongest among the beasts; and that in a pit where he could not keep
his distance
and turn himself
and take all advantage
and from whence he
could not make his escape; and which indeed might quicken his resolution
when
he must fight or die; and on a snowy day
when lions are said to have the greatest
strength
as in cold weather
or however are fiercer for want of food; and when
Benaiah might be benumbed in his hands and feet with cold. JosephusF8Ut
supra. (Antiqu. l. 7. c. 12. sect. 4.) represents the case thus
that the lion
fell into a pit
where was much snow
and was covered with it
and making a
hideous roaring
Benaiah went down and slew him; but rather it was what others
say
that this lion very much infested the places adjacent
and did much harm;
and therefore
for the good of the country
and to rid them of it
took this
opportunity
and slew it; which one would think was not one of the best reasons
that might offer; it seems best therefore what BochartF9Hierozoic.
par. 1. l. 3. c. 4. col. 758. conjectures
that Benaiah went into a cave
for
so the word used may signify
to shelter himself a while from the cold
when a
lion
being in it for the same reason
attacked him
and he fought with it and
slew it; or rather it may be an hollow place
a valley that lay between Acra
and Zion
where Benaiah
hearing a lion roar
went down and slew itF11See
the Universal History
vol. 4. p. 227. .
2 Samuel 23:21 21 And he killed an Egyptian
a spectacular man. The Egyptian had a spear in his hand; so he went down
to him with a staff
wrested the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand
and killed
him with his own spear.
YLT
21And he hath smitten the
Egyptian man
a man of appearance
and in the hand of the Egyptian [is] a
spear
and he goeth down unto him with a rod
and taketh violently away the
spear out of the hand of the Egyptian
and slayeth him with his own spear.
And he slew an Egyptian
a goodly man
.... A person
of good countenance and shape
very large and tall; in 1 Chronicles 11:28
he is said to be a man of great stature
and five cubits high
and so wanted a
cubit and a span of the height of Goliath
1 Samuel 17:4
and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; as large as
Goliath's; for in 1 Chronicles 11:23
it is said to be like a weaver's beam
as Goliath's was; see Gill on 1 Samuel 17:7
and he went down to him with a staff; with a
walking staff only
having no other weapon:
and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand; and therefore
must be a man very nimble and dexterous
as well as bold and courageous:
and slew him with his own spear; as David cut off
Goliath's head with his own sword. This is supposedF12Hieron. Trad.
Heb. ut supra. (in. 2 Reg. fol. 80. C.) to be Shimei
the son of Gera
1 Kings 2:46.
2 Samuel 23:22 22 These things
Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did
and won a name among three mighty men.
YLT
22These [things] hath Benaiah
son of Jehoiada done
and hath a name among three mighty.
These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada
.... Slew a
lion
and two lion-like men of Moab
and an Egyptian of a gigantic stature
2 Samuel 23:20
and had the name among three mighty men; of which he
was one
and Abishai another
the third Asahel
one of the thirty; or was over
them
2 Samuel 23:24
since thirty are reckoned without him. Abarbinel thinks that the third was
Adina
the son of Shiza
the Reubenite
1 Chronicles 11:42;
since thirty were with him
and he at the head of them.
2 Samuel 23:23 23 He was more honored than
the thirty
but he did not attain to the first three. And David
appointed him over his guard.
YLT
23Of the thirty he is
honoured
and unto the three he came not; and David setteth him over his guard.
He was more honourable than the thirty
.... Whose
names are after recorded:
but he attained not to the first three; the first triumvirate
Jashobeam
Eleazar
and Shammah; he was not equal to them for fortitude
courage
and military exploits:
and David set him over his guard; his bodyguard
the
Cherethites and Pelethites
2 Samuel 8:18; who
are called in the Hebrew text "his hearing"F13אל משמעתו "ad auditum
suum"
Pagninus
Montanus.
because they hearkened to his orders and
commands
and obeyed them.
2 Samuel 23:24 24 Asahel the brother of Joab
was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem
YLT
24Asahel brother of Joab [is]
of the thirty; Elhanan son of Dodo of Beth-Lehem.
Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty
.... Or rather
over the thirtyF14בשלישים "supra
triginta istos"
Junius & Tremellius.
who are next mentioned; since
there are thirty reckoned besides him
and the Arabic version calls him the
prince of the thirty; Joab is not named at all
because he was general of the
whole army
and so not to be reckoned in any of the three classes:
Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem: a townsman of
David.
2 Samuel 23:25 25 Shammah the Harodite
Elika the Harodite
YLT
25Shammah the Harodite
Elika
the Harodite
Shammah the Harodite
.... Called Shammah the
Harorite in 1 Chronicles 11:27;
by a change of the letters ר "R" and ד "D"
which is frequent:
Elika the Harodite; or who was of Harod
as the Targum; these
both were from one place: mention is made of the well of Harod
Judges 7:1.
2 Samuel 23:26 26 Helez the Paltite
Ira the
son of Ikkesh the Tekoite
YLT
26Helez the Paltite
Ira son
of Ikkesh the Tekoite
Helez the Paltite
.... Who was of a place called Pater
as the
Targum; in 1 Chronicles 11:27
he is called the Pelonite:
Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite; who was of the city of
Tekoah
the native place of Amos the prophet
famous for oil
about twelve
miles from Jerusalem; See Gill on Amos 1:1.
2 Samuel 23:27 27 Abiezer the Anathothite
Mebunnai the Hushathite
YLT
27Abiezer the Annethothite
Mebunnai the Hushathite
Abiezer the Anethothite
.... He was of Anathoth
in the tribe of Benjamin
Joshua 21:18
the
birthplace of Jeremiah the prophet
Jeremiah 1:1
Mebunnai the Hushathite; the same with Sibbecai
1 Chronicles 11:29;
this man had two names
and was a descendant of Hushah
who came of Judah
1 Chronicles 4:4.
2 Samuel 23:28 28 Zalmon the Ahohite
Maharai the Netophathite
YLT
28Zalmon the Ahohite
Maharai
the Netophathite
Zalmon the Ahohite
.... The same with Ilai
1 Chronicles 11:29;
a descendant of Ahoah
a grandson of Benjamin
1 Chronicles 8:4
Maharai the Netophathite
who was of Netophah
a
city of the tribe of Judah
mentioned along with Bethlehem
Nehemiah 7:26; a
place of this name is spoken of in the MisnahF15Misn. Peah
c. 7.
sect. 1. Sheviith
c. 9. sect. 5.
famous for artichokes and olives.
2 Samuel 23:29 29 Heleb the son of Baanah
(the Netophathite)
Ittai the son of Ribai from Gibeah of the children of
Benjamin
YLT
29Heleb son of Baanah the
Netophathite
Ittai son of Ribai from Gibeah of the sons of Benjamin
Heleb the son of Baanah
a Netophathite
.... Called
Heled
1 Chronicles 11:30
Ittai the son of Ribai out of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin: sometimes
called Gibeah of Benjamin
Judges 20:10
and
Gibeah of Saul
1 Samuel 11:4
being a city in the tribe of Benjamin
and the birth place of Saul king of
Israel; and this man is distinguished hereby from Ittai the Gittite
2 Samuel 15:19.
2 Samuel 23:30 30 Benaiah a Pirathonite
Hiddai from the brooks of Gaash
YLT
30Benaiah the Pirathonite
Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash
Benaiah the Pirathonite
.... Who was of Pirathon
a city in the tribe of Ephraim
Judges 12:15.
Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash; which perhaps ran by the
hill Gaash
and was also in the tribe of Ephraim
Joshua 24:30. This
man is called Hurai
1 Chronicles 11:32.
2 Samuel 23:31 31 Abi-Albon the Arbathite
Azmaveth the Barhumite
YLT
31Abi-Albon the Arbathite
Azmaveth the Barhumite
Abialbon the Arbathite
.... A native of
Betharabah
either in the tribe of Judah
Joshua 15:6
or in
the tribe of Benjamin
Joshua 18:18; he is
called Abiel in 1 Chronicles 11:32
Azmaveth the Barhumite; or Bachurimite
the
letters transposed
an inhabitant of Bachurim or Bahurim
a city in the tribe
of Benjamin
2 Samuel 16:5.
2 Samuel 23:32 32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite
(of the sons of Jashen)
Jonathan
YLT
32Eliahba the Shaalbonite
[of] the sons of Jashen
Jonathan
Eliahba the Shaalbonite
.... Of Shaalboa or
Shaaiabin
a city in the tribe of Dan
Joshua 19:42;
perhaps the Silbonitis of JosephusF16De Bello Jud. l. 3. c. 3. sect.
3. :
of the sons of Jashen
Jonathan; in 1 Chronicles 11:34
it is
the sons of Hashem the Gizonite: sons are spoken of
though but one
as
in Genesis 46:23.
2 Samuel 23:33 33 Shammah the Hararite
Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite
YLT
33Shammah the Hararite
Ahiam
son of Sharar the Hararite
Shammah the Hararite
.... From the mountainous
country
as the Targum; the Arabic and Syriac versions say
from the mount of
Olives:
Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite: from the high
mountain
as the Targum; in 1 Chronicles 11:35
he is called the son of Sacar.
2 Samuel 23:34 34 Eliphelet the son of
Ahasbai
the son of the Maachathite
Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite
YLT
34Eliphelet son of Ahasbai
son of the Maachathite
Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite
Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai
the son of the Maachathite
.... In 1 Chronicles 11:35
he is called Eliphal the son of Ur:
Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite; David's
counsellor
that went off to Absalom
2 Samuel 15:12;
Eliam his son is supposed
by the Jews
to be the father of Bathsheba
the wife
of Uriah
2 Samuel 11:3;
according to HillerusF17Onomastic. Sacr. p. 906.
he is the same
with Ahijah the Pelonite
1 Chronicles 11:36.
2 Samuel 23:35 35 Hezrai[e] the
Carmelite
Paarai the Arbite
YLT
35Hezrai the Carmelite
Paarai the Arbite
Hezrai the Carmelite
.... Of Mount Carmel; or
from Carmela
as the Targum
see 1 Samuel 25:2; he
is called Hezro
1 Chronicles 11:37
Paarai the Arbite; or from Arab
as the Targum
a city in the
tribe of Judah
Joshua 15:52;
according to HillerusF18Onomastic. Sacr. p. 499.
the same with
"Naarai the son of Ezbai"
in 1 Chronicles 11:37.
2 Samuel 23:36 36 Igal the son of Nathan of
Zobah
Bani the Gadite
YLT
36Igal son of Nathan from
Zobah
Bani the Gadite
Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah
.... kingdom in Syria
2 Samuel 8:3;
according to HillerusF19Onomastic. Sacr. p. 856. the same with Joel
1 Chronicles 11:38
Bani the Gadite; who was of the tribe of Gad
as the Targum;
in the room of this stands "Mibhar
the son of Haggeri"
in 1 Chronicles 11:38.
2 Samuel 23:37 37 Zelek the Ammonite
Naharai the Beerothite (armorbearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah)
YLT
37Zelek the Ammonite
Naharai
the Beerothite
bearer of the weapons of Joab son of Zeruiah
Zelek the Ammonite
.... Who was so either by birth
and became
a proselyte; so the Targum says
he was of the children of Ammon; or is so
called
because he had sojourned some time in their land
or had done some
exploits against them; unless he was of Chepharhaammonai
a city of the tribe
of Benjamin
Joshua 18:24
Naharai the Beerothite; native of Beeroth
a
city in the same tribe
Joshua 18:25
armourbearer to Joab the son of Zeruiah; Joab had ten
of them
this perhaps was the chief of them
2 Samuel 18:15; who
was advanced to be a captain
and therefore has a name and place among the
thirty
very likely for some military
exploits performed by him; he is in the
list of David's worthies
though not Joab his master
as before observed; the
reason of Joab being left out is either because he was over them all
as before
noted; according to JosephusF20Antiqu. l. 7. c. 7. sect. 1.
Uriah
the Hittite
after mentioned
was an armourbearer to Joab.
2 Samuel 23:38 38 Ira the Ithrite
Gareb the
Ithrite
YLT
38Ira the Ithrite
Gareb the
Ithrite
Ira an Ithrite
Gareb an Ithrite. These were of Jether
as
the Targum
a descendant of Caleb
of the tribe of Judah
1 Chronicles 2:50 1 Chronicles 4:15.
2 Samuel 23:39 39 and
Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.
YLT
39Uriah the Hittite; in all
thirty and seven.
Uriah the Hittite
.... The husband of Bathsheba; of whom See
Gill on 2 Samuel 11:3
thirty and seven all; reckoning the three
mighty men of the first class
the three of the second
and the third class
consisting of thirty men
whose names are as above
and Joab the general and
head of them all. In 1 Chronicles 11:41
Zabad the son of Ahlai follows Uriah as one of this catalogue; he succeeding in
honour one that soon died
particularly Elika
2 Samuel 23:25
who
is omitted in Chronicles
where a list of fifteen more is given
1 Chronicles 11:42;
at the head of which stands Adina a Reubenite
"and thirty" are said
to be "with him"
according to our version; but should be rendered
as
by Junius and Tremellius
"but the thirty were superior to him"
that
is
the above thirty; for these fifteen
though brave men
were of lesser note.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)