# 2 Samuel 23 đź“–: David's Last Words and Mighty Men
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> [!info] Table of Contents
> [[#đź“ś Scripture Text (NET)]]
> [[#đź“– Verse-by-Verse Commentary]]
> [[#🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights]]
> [[#🧠Chapter Summary]]
> [[#✝️ Christ in This Chapter]]
> [[#🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application]]
> [[#đź’¬ Discussion Questions]]
> [[#✍️ Key Verses to Remember]]
> [[#đź”— Related Passages/Cross Reference]]
> [[#🙏 Devotional Reflection]]
> [[#đź“‚ Internal Notes]]
## đź“ś Scripture Text (NET)
(The NET Bible: New English Translation. Biblical Studies Press, 2005)
### David’s Final Words
[[#Verse 01.]]Â These are the final words of David:
“The oracle of David son of Jesse,
the oracle of the man raised up as
the ruler chosen by the God of Jacob,
Israel’s beloved singer of songs:
[[#Verse 02.]] The Lord’s Spirit spoke through me;
his word was on my tongue.
[[#Verse 03.]]Â The God of Israel spoke,
the Protector of Israel spoke to me.
The one who rules fairly among men,
the one who rules in the fear of God,
[[#Verse 04.]]Â is like the light of morning when the sun comes up,
a morning in which there are no clouds.
He is like the brightness after rain
that produces grass from the earth.
[[#Verse 05.]]Â My dynasty is approved by God,
for he has made a perpetual covenant with me,
arranged in all its particulars and secured.
He always delivers me,
and brings all I desire to fruition.
[[#Verse 06.]] But evil people are like thorns—
all of them are tossed away,
for they cannot be held in the hand.
[[#Verse 07.]]Â The one who touches them
must use an iron instrument
or the wooden shaft of a spear.
They are completely burned up right where they lie!”
### David’s Warriors
[[#Verse 08.]] These are the names of David’s warriors: Josheb Basshebeth, a Tahkemonite, was head of the officers. He killed 800 men with his spear in one battle.Â
[[#Verse 09.]] Next in command was Eleazar son of Dodo, the son of Ahohi. He was one of the three warriors who were with David when they defied the Philistines who were assembled there for battle. When the men of Israel retreated,Â
[[#Verse 10.]] he stood his ground and fought the Philistines until his hand grew so tired that it seemed stuck to his sword. The Lord gave a great victory on that day. When the army returned to him, the only thing left to do was to plunder the corpses.
[[#Verse 11.]] Next in command was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. When the Philistines assembled at Lehi, where there happened to be an area of a field that was full of lentils, the army retreated before the Philistines.Â
[[#Verse 12.]] But he made a stand in the middle of that area. He defended it and defeated the Philistines; the Lord gave them a great victory.
[[#Verse 13.]] At the time of the harvest three of the thirty leaders went down to David at the cave of Adullam. A band of Philistines was camped in the valley of Rephaim.Â
[[#Verse 14.]]Â David was in the stronghold at the time, while a Philistine garrison was in Bethlehem.Â
[[#Verse 15.]] David was thirsty and said, “How I wish someone would give me some water to drink from the cistern in Bethlehem near the gate!”Â
[[#Verse 16.]] So the three elite warriors broke through the Philistine forces and drew some water from the cistern in Bethlehem near the gate. They carried it back to David, but he refused to drink it. He poured it out as a drink offering to the LordÂ
[[#Verse 17.]] and said, “O Lord, I will not do this! It is equivalent to the blood of the men who risked their lives by going.” So he refused to drink it. Such were the exploits of the three elite warriors.
[[#Verse 18.]] Abishai son of Zeruiah, the brother of Joab, was head of the three. He killed 300 men with his spear and gained fame among the three.Â
[[#Verse 19.]] From the three he was given honor and he became their officer, even though he was not one of the three.
[[#Verse 20.]] Benaiah son of Jehoiada was a brave warrior from Kabzeel who performed great exploits. He struck down the two sons of Ariel of Moab. He also went down and killed a lion in a cistern on a snowy day.
[[#Verse 21.]] He also killed an impressive-looking Egyptian. The Egyptian wielded a spear, while Benaiah attacked him with a club. He grabbed the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear.Â
[[#Verse 22.]]Â Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada, who gained fame among the three elite warriors.Â
[[#Verse 23.]] He received honor from the thirty warriors, though he was not one of the three elite warriors. David put him in charge of his bodyguard.
[[#Verse 24.]]Â Included with the thirty were the following: Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem,Â
[[#Verse 25.]]Â Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,Â
[[#Verse 26.]]Â Helez the Paltite, Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa,Â
[[#Verse 27.]]Â Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,Â
[[#Verse 28.]]Â Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,
[[#Verse 29.]] Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin,Â
[[#Verse 30.]]Â Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai from the wadis of Gaash,Â
[[#Verse 31.]]Â Abi-Albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,Â
[[#Verse 32.]]Â Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, JonathanÂ
[[#Verse 33.]] son of Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam son of Sharar the Hararite,Â
[[#Verse 34.]] Eliphelet son of Ahasbai the Maacathite, Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,Â
[[#Verse 35.]] Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,
[[#Verse 36.]]Â Igal son of Nathan from Zobah, Bani the Gadite,
[[#Verse 37.]] Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite (the armor-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah),Â
[[#Verse 38.]]Â Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,
[[#Verse 39.]]Â and Uriah the Hittite. Altogether there were thirty-seven.
## đź“– Verse-by-Verse Commentary
###### Overall.
###### Verse 01.
###### Verse 02.
###### Verse 03.
###### Verse 04.
###### Verse 05.
###### Verse 06.
###### Verse 07.
###### Verse 08.
###### Verse 09.
###### Verse 10.
###### Verse 11.
###### Verse 12.
###### Verse 13.
###### Verse 14.
###### Verse 15.
###### Verse 16.
###### Verse 17.
###### Verse 18.
###### Verse 19.
###### Verse 20.
###### Verse 21.
###### Verse 22.
###### Verse 23.
###### Verse 24.
###### Verse 25.
###### Verse 26.
###### Verse 27.
###### Verse 28.
###### Verse 29.
###### Verse 30.
###### Verse 31.
###### Verse 32.
###### Verse 33.
###### Verse 34.
###### Verse 35.
###### Verse 36.
###### Verse 37.
###### Verse 38.
###### Verse 39.
## 🤔 Interesting Facts / Historical and Cultural Insights
1. These are called the last words of David (23:1), likely his final formal poem rather than his final spoken words (1 Kings 2:1-9).
2. David is often called "the sweet psalmist of Israel" from 23:1, though the Hebrew can also mean the one celebrated in Israel's songs.
3. David says the Spirit of the Lord spoke through him (23:2), and Jesus affirmed that David spoke by the Holy Spirit (Mark 12:36).
4. Eleazar fought until his hand grew tired and stuck to his sword (23:10).
5. Shammah defended a field of lentils against the Philistines (23:11-12).
6. Bethlehem was David's hometown, which is why he longed for water from its well by the gate (23:15).
7. Benaiah killed a lion in a pit on a snowy day (23:20), and he later became commander of Solomon's army (1 Kings 2:35).
8. Benaiah killed an Egyptian with the Egyptian's own spear (23:21), much like David killed Goliath with Goliath's own sword (1 Samuel 17:51).
9. The list totals thirty-seven men (23:39), though the group was known as "the Thirty."
10. Asahel, Joab's brother, is listed among the Thirty (23:24), as is Eliam son of Ahithophel (23:34).
## 🧠Chapter Summary
> [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way.
## ✝️ Christ in This Chapter
Christ is the righteous Ruler David's last words describe, who rules in the fear of God like the morning light (23:3-4). Jesus is the Root and Offspring of David and the bright Morning Star (Revelation 22:16).
## 🔎 Key Principles / 🛟 Life Application
> [!note] 🌱 Still growing. This section is on its way.
## đź’¬ Discussion Questions
1. David says a just ruler is like the morning sun after rain (23:3-4). What kind of influence do you hope to have on the people around you?
2. David poured out the water his men risked their lives to bring (23:16-17). Why would he do that, and what does it teach about honoring sacrifice?
3. The list of mighty men ends with Uriah the Hittite (23:39). What effect does that name have at the end of the list?
## ✍️ Key Verses to Remember
- đź“– verses 3-4: One who rules justly in the fear of God is like the morning light.
- đź“– verse 5: God has made an everlasting covenant with David's house.
- đź“– verses 16-17: David pours out the water as an offering to the Lord.
## đź”— Related Passages/Cross Reference
- đź”— [[Mark 12#Verse 35.|Mark 12:35-37]] - Jesus says David spoke by the Holy Spirit.
- đź”— [[Revelation 22#Verse 16.|Revelation 22:16]] - Jesus, the Root and Offspring of David.
- đź”— [[1 Chronicles 11#Verse 10.|1 Chronicles 11:10-47]] - David's mighty men listed again.
- đź”— [[Isaiah 55#Verse 03.|Isaiah 55:3]] - The everlasting covenant and faithful love promised to David.
- đź”— [[Philippians 02#Verse 17.|Philippians 2:17]] - Paul poured out like a drink offering.
## 🙏 Devotional Reflection
đź“ť SOAP: [[2 Samuel 23 - SOAP|Worst Case Scenario?]]
## đź“‚ Internal Notes