8 These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-basshe'beth a Tah-che'monite; he was chief of the three; he wielded his spear against eight hundred whom he slew at one time. 9 And next to him among the three mighty men was Elea'zar the son of Dodo, son of Aho'hi. He was with David when they defied the Philistines who were gathered there for battle, and the men of Israel withdrew. 10 He rose and struck down the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand cleaved to the sword; and the Lord wrought a great victory that day; and the men returned after him only to strip the slain. 11 And next to him was Shammah, the son of Agee the Har'arite. The Philistines gathered together at Lehi, where there was a plot of ground full of lentils; and the men fled from the Philistines. 12 But he took his stand in the midst of the plot, and defended it, and slew the Philistines; and the Lord wrought a great victory. 13 And three of the thirty chief men went down, and came about harvest time to David at the cave of Adullam, when a band of Philistines was encamped in the valley of Reph'aim. 14 David was then in the stronghold; and the garrison of the Philistines was then at Bethlehem 15 And David said longingly, "O that some one would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem which is by the gate!" 16 Then the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem which was by the gate, and took and brought it to David. But he would not drink of it; he poured it out to the Lord, 17 and said, "Far be it from me, O Lord, that I should do this. Shall I drink the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives?" Therefore he would not drink it. These things did the three mighty men. 18 Now Abi'shai, the brother of Jo'ab, the son of Zeru'iah, was chief of the thirty. And he wielded his spear against three hundred men and slew them, and won a name beside the three. 19 He was the most renowned of the thirty, and became their commander; but he did not attain to the three 20 And Benai'ah the son of Jehoi'ada was a valiant man of Kabzeel, a doer of great deeds; he smote two ariels of Moab. He also went down and slew a lion in a pit on a day when snow had fallen. 21 And he slew an Egyptian, a handsome man. The Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but Benai'ah went down to him with a staff, and snatched the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and slew him with his own spear 22 These things did Benai'ah the son of Jehoi'ada, and won a name beside the three mighty men. 23 He was renowned among the thirty, but he did not attain to the three. And David set him over his bodyguard. 24 As'ahel the brother of Jo'ab was one of the thirty; Elha'nan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, 25 Shammah of Harod, Eli'ka of Harod, 26 Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh of Teko'a, 27 Abi-e'zer, of An'athoth, Mebun'nai the Hu'shathite, 28 Zalmon the Aho'hite, Ma'harai of Netoph'ah, 29 Heleb the son of Ba'anah of Netoph'ah, It'tai the son of Ri'bai of Gib'e-ah of the Benjaminites, 30 Benai'ah of Pira'thon, Hid'dai of the brooks of Ga'ash, 31 Abi-al'bon the Ar'bathite, Az'maveth of Bahu'rim, 32 Eli'ahba of Sha-al'bon, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan, 33 Shammah the Har'arite, Ahi'am the son of Sharar the Har'arite, 34 Eliph'elet the son of Ahas'bai of Ma'acah, Eli'am the son of Ahith'ophel of Gilo, 35 Hezro of Carmel, Pa'arai the Arbite, 36 Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite 37 Zelek the Ammonite, Na'harai of Be-er'oth, the armor-bearer of Jo'ab the son of Zeru'iah, 38 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite 39 Uri'ah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on 2 Samuel 23:8-39
Commentary on 2 Samuel 23:8-39
(Read 2 Samuel 23:8-39)
David once earnestly longed for the water at the well of Bethlehem. It seems to be an instance of weakness. He was thirsty; with the water of that well he had often refreshed himself when a youth, and it was without due thought that he desired it. Were his valiant men so forward to expose themselves, upon the least hint of their prince's mind, and so eager to please him, and shall not we long to approve ourselves to our Lord Jesus, by ready compliance with his will, as shown us by his word, Spirit, and providence? But David poured out the water as a drink-offering to the Lord. Thus he would cross his own foolish fancy, and punish himself for indulging it, and show that he had sober thoughts to correct his rash ones, and knew how to deny himself. Did David look upon that water as very precious which was got at the hazard of these men's blood, and shall not we much more value those benefits for purchasing which our blessed Saviour shed his blood? Let all beware of neglecting so great salvation.