2 Samuel 23:13-39
13 Then three of the thirty chief men went down and came to David at harvest time to the cave of Adullam, while the army of the Philistines was camping in the Valley of Rephaim.
14 David was then in the stronghold, while the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem.
15 And David had a craving and said, “Oh that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem which is by the gate!”
16 So the three mighty men forced their way into the camp of the Philistines, and drew water from the well of Bethlehem which was by the gate, and carried it and brought it to David. Yet he would not drink it, but poured it out as an offering to the Lord;
17 and he said, “Far be it from me, Lord, that I would do this! Should I drink the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives?” So he would not drink it. These things the three mighty men did.
18 Now Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the thirty. And he swung his spear against three hundred and killed them, and had a name as well as the three.
19 He was the most honored among the thirty, so he became their commander; however, he did not attain to the reputation of the three.
20 Then Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done great deeds, killed the two sons of Ariel of Moab. He also went down and killed a lion in the middle of a pit on a snowy day.
21 And he killed an Egyptian, an impressive man. Now the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, but he went down to him with a club and snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with his own spear.
22 These things Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did, and had a name as well as the three mighty men.
23 He was honored among the thirty, but he did not attain the reputation of the three. And David appointed him over his bodyguard.
24 Asahel the brother of Joab was among the thirty; and there was Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,
25 Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,
26 Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,
27 Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,
28 Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,
29 Heleb the son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the sons of Benjamin,
30 Benaiah a Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash,
31 Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,
32 Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan,
33 Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Ararite,
34 Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maacathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,
35 Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,
36 Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite,
37 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armor bearers of Joab the son of Zeruiah,
38 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,
39 and Uriah the Hittite; thirty-seven in all.
The Other Warriors
The water of the well
In addition to the three mighty men of David that we studied last time, there were others called the thirty mighty men. Among the thirty, the leading three made especially significant contributions: (1) Abishai, the brother of Joab, (2) Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, and (3) one more warrior whose name is not recorded. An interesting episode is recorded about these three men. (1) While David was still fleeing from King Saul and staying in the cave of Adullam, he longed and said, “Oh that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem which is by the gate!” This was an expression of David’s homesickness and not something he seriously meant. Bethlehem was his hometown. (2) However, the three mighty men took his words seriously, broke through the enemy lines, and risked their lives to draw water from the well by the gate of Bethlehem. (3) Deeply moved by the devoted act of his men, David refused to drink the water and instead poured it out before the Lord. He regarded that water as the very blood of his men. The act of these three mighty men reminds us of the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. The Lord Jesus gave His life on the cross in order to offer us the water that leads to eternal life. The only way not to waste that sacrificial life is to believe in the Lord Jesus and drink the water that leads to eternal life from Him. Are you drinking that water?
The thirty mighty men
The leading figures among the thirty mighty men were the previously mentioned Abishai, Benaiah, and the unnamed warrior. (1) Abishai was a man with a background that included being appointed as a commander at one time, and he was also the warrior who saved David’s life (21:17). He had a record of striking down 300 men at one time, but he did not attain to the rank of the first “three mighty men.” (2) Benaiah also left behind many notable achievements. The enemies he struck down included two heroes of Moab, a lion in a pit, and a giant Egyptian. Even so, Benaiah did not attain to the rank of the first “three mighty men.” Finally, the names of the thirty mighty men are listed. In verse 39, it says, “thirty-seven in all,” which is believed to include the first “three mighty men,” the second group of “three mighty men,” and even the commander Joab.
Today's prayer
Father God of Jesus Christ, my soul is thirsty. Please give me the living water to drink. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.