DAVID'S MIGHTY MEN

Passage: 1 Chronicles 11:10-25

Key verse: 10

NIV

David’s Mighty Warriors(A)

10 These were the chiefs of David’s mighty warriors—they, together with all Israel,(B) gave his kingship strong support to extend it over the whole land, as the Lord had promised(C)— 11 this is the list of David’s mighty warriors:(D)

Jashobeam,[a] a Hakmonite, was chief of the officers[b]; he raised his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed in one encounter.

12 Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite, one of the three mighty warriors. 13 He was with David at Pas Dammim when the Philistines gathered there for battle. At a place where there was a field full of barley, the troops fled from the Philistines. 14 But they took their stand in the middle of the field. They defended it and struck the Philistines down, and the Lord brought about a great victory.(E)

15 Three of the thirty chiefs came down to David to the rock at the cave of Adullam, while a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley(F) of Rephaim. 16 At that time David was in the stronghold,(G) and the Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem. 17 David longed for water and said, “Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!” 18 So the Three broke through the Philistine lines, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem and carried it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured(H) it out to the Lord. 19 “God forbid that I should do this!” he said. “Should I drink the blood of these men who went at the risk of their lives?” Because they risked their lives to bring it back, David would not drink it.

Such were the exploits of the three mighty warriors.

20 Abishai(I) the brother of Joab was chief of the Three. He raised his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed, and so he became as famous as the Three. 21 He was doubly honored above the Three and became their commander, even though he was not included among them.

22 Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant fighter from Kabzeel,(J) performed great exploits. He struck down Moab’s two mightiest warriors. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion.(K) 23 And he struck down an Egyptian who was five cubits[c] tall. Although the Egyptian had a spear like a weaver’s rod(L) in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club. He snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear. 24 Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada; he too was as famous as the three mighty warriors. 25 He was held in greater honor than any of the Thirty, but he was not included among the Three. And David put him in charge of his bodyguard.

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Footnotes
  1. 1 Chronicles 11:11 Possibly a variant of Jashob-Baal
  2. 1 Chronicles 11:11 Or Thirty; some Septuagint manuscripts Three (see also 2 Samuel 23:8)
  3. 1 Chronicles 11:23 That is, about 7 feet 6 inches or about 2.3 meters
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Source: BibleGateway

ESV

David's Mighty Men

10 (A)Now these are the chiefs of David's mighty men, who gave him strong support in his kingdom, together with all Israel, to make him king, (B)according to the word of the Lord concerning Israel. 11 This is an account of David's mighty men: (C)Jashobeam, a (D)Hachmonite, was (E)chief of the three.[a] He wielded his spear against 300 whom he killed at one time.

12 And next to him among the three mighty men was Eleazar the son of (F)Dodo, the Ahohite. 13 He was with David at Pas-dammim (G)when the Philistines were gathered there for battle. There was a plot of ground full of barley, and the men fled from the Philistines. 14 But he took his[b] stand in the midst of the plot and defended it and killed the Philistines. And the Lord saved them by a great victory.

15 Three of the thirty chief men went down to the rock to David at the cave of Adullam, when the army of Philistines was encamped in the (H)Valley of Rephaim. 16 David was then in the stronghold, and the (I)garrison of the Philistines was then at Bethlehem. 17 And David said longingly, “Oh that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem that is by the gate!” 18 Then the three mighty men broke through the camp 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. But David would not drink it. He poured it out to the Lord 19 and said, “Far be it from me before my God that I should do this. Shall I drink the lifeblood of these men? For at the risk of their lives they brought it.” Therefore he would not drink it. These things did the three mighty men.

20 Now Abishai, the brother of Joab, was chief of the thirty.[c] And he wielded his spear against 300 men and killed them and won a name beside the three. 21 He was the most renowned[d] of the thirty[e] and became their commander, but he did not attain to the three.

22 And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was a valiant man[f] of Kabzeel, a doer of great deeds. He struck down two heroes of Moab. He also went down and struck down a lion in a pit on a day when snow had fallen. 23 And he struck down an Egyptian, a man of great stature, five cubits[g] tall. The Egyptian had in his hand a spear (J)like a weaver's beam, but Benaiah went down to him with a staff and snatched the spear out of the Egyptian's hand and killed him with his own spear. 24 These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada and won a name beside the three mighty men. 25 He was renowned among the thirty, but he did not attain to the three. And David set him over his bodyguard.

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Footnotes
  1. 1 Chronicles 11:11 Compare 2 Samuel 23:8; Hebrew thirty, or captains
  2. 1 Chronicles 11:14 Compare 2 Samuel 23:12; Hebrew they… their
  3. 1 Chronicles 11:20 Syriac; Hebrew three
  4. 1 Chronicles 11:21 Compare 2 Samuel 23:19; Hebrew more renowned among the two
  5. 1 Chronicles 11:21 Syriac; Hebrew three
  6. 1 Chronicles 11:22 Syriac; Hebrew the son of a valiant man
  7. 1 Chronicles 11:23 A cubit was about 18 inches or 45 centimeters
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. David's drink of water (1

-18a)

Strong and able men supported David's kingship and extended it over the whole land. Many of these had come to him during various periods of his fugitive life. They had been outcasts and had come with many problems. David was their shepherd. They loved him and were ready to die for him. One incident reveals this well. Once, while David was hiding out in a cave not far from his hometown, someone overheard him say how much he would like a drink of water from the well of Bethlehem. The town, however, was occupied by the Philistines. Three mighty men risked their lives to slip through enemy lines and bring him the water.

2. David pours it out before the Lord (18b-25)

David's shepherd heart came from his humility before God and his respect for men. He refused to drink the water, but poured it out before the Lord, because it represented the lifeblood of his men. David would not accept such devotion personally. He gave it to God. God honored him and blessed him because of his awesome respect for God and for men.

Prayer: Lord, teach me to honor you and respect your people.

One Word: Poured out before the Lord