These Are The Names Of The Mighty Men

The Old Testament is full of names. There are lists of names; there are genealogies. Perhaps we skip over these names because we cannot pronounce them or because we are not interested in them. Perhaps it takes too long to read through them all. But these lists of names are very important. I have discovered over the years that every time I read a list I am always impressed by something new. Something stands out that I never really noticed before. This happens often in the reading of the Bible. You may have read the same passage many times, but on a particular occasion it strikes you afresh with something new. That’s the wonder of God’s Word.

Here in 2 Samuel 23, we have a list of David’s mighty men. It’s a long list (vv. 8 – 39). Perhaps the most striking name is in verse 39, “Uriah the Hittite…” The husband of Bathsheba is one of David’s mighty men. Uriah was obviously a serious soldier. This list of names is indicative of their accomplishments. Their feats of valor are magnificent. In the Middle Ages, we learn about knights of the realm. They are magnificent warriors who are wealthy and ride out for King and country and God. But I doubt whether they would have been able to stand against David’s mighty men. The knights of old made up armies. There were many of them. David only had thirty-seven.

It would appear that the thirty-seven mighty men had ranks among them. In verse 8 we read of Josheb-basshebeth who was chief of the three. Our verse says that he used a spear and killed 800 men at one time. That’s incredible. Eleazar the second of the three fought side by side with David against the Philistines. The men of Israel had withdrawn but not Eleazar. It’s unclear whether he was alone or whether David was with him. I like to think that David was with him. His hand became so tired that his hand clung to his sword as he fought against the Philistines. The Lord brought about a great victory that day (vs. 10). The third of the three was Shammah. He stood alone in a plot of ground surrounded by Philistines and fought them off, and the Lord worked a great victory. It is probable that these three were the three who sneaked into Bethlehem to get a drink of water for David who refused to drink it but poured it out as a drink offering (vv. 13 – 17, see esp. vs. 17).

The next rank appears to be a band of thirty men (vs. 13). Their chief was Abishai the brother of Joab, David’s commander. Abishai was of course, David’s nephew. His mother, Zeruiah, was probably a half-sister to David (1 Chron. 2:16). The other brother was Asahel, who was a great runner (2 Sam. 2:18). It is interesting to note that there was an Abigail who was the daughter of Nahash, a sister to Zeruiah and half-sister to David (1 Chron. 2:16). Amasa, the commander of Absalom’s army was the son of this Abigail (2 Sam. 17:25; 1 Chron. 2:16, 17). Quite a family connection!

First Chronicles 18:12 tells us that Abishai killed 18,000 Edomites in the Valley of Salt. No doubt the thirty fought that day against the descendants of Esau. Abishai had an incredible reputation. He killed three hundred men with his spear. His name was almost as legendary as the three, but he did not become one of them (vv. 18, 19). It was Abishai who went with David into the camp of Saul when David took Saul’s spear and jug of water (1 Sam. 26:6 – 12). Abishai wanted to kill Saul, but David had prevented him from destroying the Lord’s anointed. In the battle against the Ammonites and Syrians, Joab divided Israel’s army between himself and Abishai intending to divide the opposition and be of help to one another (2 Sam. 10). It was Abishai who wanted to kill Shimei who cursed David as he left Jerusalem fleeing Absalom (2 Sam. 16:9; also 19:21). In the war against Absalom, David sent his forces out in three parties, one third under Joab, the one under Abishai and the other under Ittai, the Gittite (2 Sam. 18:2). David sent Abishai to hunt down Sheba the Benjaminite (a worthless man, the Bible calls him) who was leading Israel away from Judah after Absalom’s betrayal (2 Sam. 20:6). So this Abishai has an immense reputation as one of David’s great warriors.

The next man is Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada. He was said to be a valiant man and a doer of great deeds (vs. 20). He conquered strong men and a lion. He defeated a handsome Egyptian who had a spear in hand. All Benaiah had was his staff in his hand, but he took the man’s spear from him and then killed him with it (vs. 21). David appointed him over his bodyguard (vs. 23).

Both Abishai and Benaiah seem to stand apart from the thirty. Abishai is over the thirty as their commander, and Benaiah commands David’s bodyguard. David requested the presence of Benaiah when he confirmed to Bathsheba that Solomon would be king. (1 Kings 1:32; see also vs. 38). He appears to have been a godly man for his support for Solomon is grounded in understanding that the throne was from the Lord (1 Kings 1:36).

It was Benaiah who struck down Joab on Solomon’s orders. Joab killed two innocent men without David’s knowledge, Abner and Amasa, commanders of Israel’s and Judah’s armies (1 Kings 2:29 – 35). Benaiah then became the commander of Israel’s army under Solomon. Benaiah also struck down Shimei (who had previously cursed David) because he broke his oath to stay in Jerusalem (1 Kings 2:46). What a mighty man Benaiah was!

Asahel, the brother of Joab and Abishai, was also one of the thirty (vs. 24). He was later killed by Abner as he pursued him (2 Sam. 2:19 – 23). The rest of the list lists the thirty.

There are, however, only thirty-two names in the list of the thirty. How do we account for this difference? Probably when one was killed he was replaced. This might apply to Asahel and Uriah the Hittite.

The other name to perhaps take note of is in verse 37. This is Naharai who was Joab’s armor-bearer. As armor-bearer he would have been with Joab on all military campaigns and would have fought side-by-side with Joab. In fact, as armor-bearer he would have placed himself in considerable danger on Joab’s behalf.

First Chronicles 11 gives us another list of the thirty with some substantial name changes. This can be accounted for as those who replaced those who died, but apart from Asahel and Uriah, we do not know who had died. These are all the elite soldiers of David’s army.

The first three seem unique men, followed by Abishai and Benaiah, genuine leaders of men, and then the thirty. The fact that Uriah the Hittite was one of David’s mighty men is seen in the conversations between them as David seeks to have Uriah be responsible for Bathsheba’s pregnancy (2 Sam. 11). Uriah’s name always provokes us to think of David’s sin and his righteousness and loyalty to David. Uriah marks out David as fallible and sinful.

There are nuggets of gold in the lists of names in Scripture. Don’t pass them by. Think on them. Learn from them. They are there for our instruction (Rom. 15:4; 1 Cor. 10:11). All Scripture is inspired of God, even lists like David’s mighty men. Feed on them.