1And all Israel gathered to David at Hebron, saying, Behold we are your bone and your flesh. 2Also, in time past, even when Saul was king, you were the one who led Israel out and brought them in; and Jehovah your God said to you, You shall shepherd My people Israel, and be ruler over My people Israel. 3Therefore all the elders of Israel came to the king at Hebron, and David made a covenant with them at Hebron before Jehovah. And they anointed David king over Israel, according to the Word of Jehovah by the hand of Samuel. 4And David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, which is Jebus, where the Jebusites were, the inhabitants of the land. 5And the inhabitants of Jebus said to David, You shall not come in here. Nevertheless David took the stronghold of Zion; the City of David. 6And David said, Whoever strikes the Jebusites first shall be chief commander. And Joab the son of Zeruiah went up first, and became chief. 7And David dwelt in the stronghold; therefore they called it the City of David. 8And he built the city all around, from the Millo and all around. And Joab restored the rest of the city. 9And David went on, proceeding to greatness, for Jehovah of Hosts was with him. 10These were the heads of the mighty men with David, who strengthened themselves with him in his kingdom, with all Israel, to make him king, according to the Word of Jehovah concerning Israel. 11This is the number of David's mighty men: Jashobeam the son of a Hachmonite, chief of the thirty; he had lifted up his spear against three hundred, killed at one time. 12After him was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, who was among the three mighty men. 13He was with David at Pasdammim. Now the Philistines had gathered there for battle, and there was a parcel of land full of barley; and the people had fled before the Philistines. 14But they took their stand in the middle of that field, recovered it, and killed the Philistines. And Jehovah saved by a great deliverance. 15And three of the thirty chief men went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam; and the army of the Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. 16David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. 17And David said longingly, Oh, that someone would give me a drink of water from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate. 18So the three broke through the camp of the Philistines, drew water from the well of Bethlehem by the gate, and took it and brought it to David. But David would not drink it, but poured it out to Jehovah, 19and said, Far be it from me, O my God, to do this. Shall I drink the blood of these men with their souls? For at the risk of their lives they have brought it. Therefore he would not drink it. These things were done by the three mighty men. 20Abishai the brother of Joab was chief of another three. He had lifted up his spear against three hundred men, killed them, and had a name among the three. 21Of the three he was more honored than the other two; therefore he became their commander. However he did not attain to the first three. 22Benaiah was the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man from Kabzeel, who had done many deeds. He had killed two lion-like ones of Moab. He also had gone down and killed a lion in the midst of a pit on a snowy day. 23And he killed an Egyptian, a man five cubits in stature. In the Egyptian's hand was a spear like a weaver's beam; and he went down to him with a staff, wrested the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and killed him with his own spear. 24These things Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did, and won a name among the three mighty men. 25Behold, he was honored among the thirty, but he did not attain to the first three. And David appointed him over his guard. 26And the mighty ones of the army were Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, 27Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite, 28Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Anathothite, 29Sibbechai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite, 30Maharai the Netophathite, Heled the son of Baanah the Netophathite, 31Ithai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the sons of Benjamin, Benaiah the Pirathonite, 32Hurai of the brooks of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite, 33Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite, 34the sons of Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan the son of Shage the Hararite, 35Ahiam the son of Sacar the Hararite, Eliphal the son of Ur, 36Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite, 37Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai the son of Ezbai, 38Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar the son of Hagri, 39Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Berothite (the armorbearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah), 40Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, 41Uriah the Hittite, Zabad the son of Ahlai, 42Adina the son of Shiza the Reubenite (a chief of the Reubenites, and thirty with him), 43Hanan the son of Maachah, Joshaphat the Mithnite, 44Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jeiel the sons of Hotham the Aroerite, 45Jediael the son of Shimri, and Joha his brother, the Tizite, 46Eliel the Mahavite, Jeribai and Joshaviah the sons of Elnaam, Ithmah the Moabite, 47Eliel, Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.
Matthew Henry - Complete Commentary 1 David is here brought to the possession.
I. Of the throne of Israel, after he had reigned seven years in Hebron, over Judah only. In consideration of his relation to them (
1Chr 11:1), his former good services, and especially the divine designation (
1Chr 11:2), they anointed him their king: he covenanted to protect them, and they to bear faith and true allegiance to him,
1Chr 11:3. Observe, 1. God's counsels will be fulfilled at last, whatever difficulties lie in the way. If God had said,
David shall rule, it is in vain to oppose it. 2. Men that have long stood in their own light, when they have long wearied themselves with their lying vanities, it is to be hoped, will understand the things that belong to their peace and return to
their own mercies. 3. Between prince and people there is an original contract, which both ought religiously to observe. If ever any prince might have claimed an absolute despotic power, David might, and might as safely as any have been entrusted with it; and yet he made a covenant with the people, took the coronation-oath, to rule by law.
II. Of the strong-hold of Zion, which was held by the Jebusites till David's time. Whether David had a particular eye upon it as a place fit to make a royal city, or whether he had a promise of it from God, it seems that one of his first exploits was to make himself master of that fort; and, when he had it, he called it the
city of David, 1Chr 11:7. To this reference is had,
Pss 2:6.
I have set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. See here what quickens and engages resolution in great undertakings. 1. Opposition. When the Jebusites set David at defiance, and said,
Thou shalt not come hither. he resolved to force it, whatever it cost him. 2. Prospect of preferment. When David proposed to give the general's place to him that would lead the attack upon the castle of Zion, Joab was fired with the proposal, and he
went up first, and was chief. It has been said, Take away honour out of the soldier's eye and you cut off the spurs from his heels.
10 We have here an account of David's worthies, the great men of his time that served him and were preferred by him. The first edition of this catalogue we had,
2Sam 23:8, etc. This is much the same, only that those named here from
1Chr 11:41 to the end are added. Observe,
I. The connexion of this catalogue with that which is said concerning David,
1Chr 11:9. 1.
David waxed greater and greater, and these were his mighty men. Much of the strength and honour of great men is borrowed from their servants and depends upon them, which cannot but somewhat diminish pomp and power in the opinion of those that are wise. David is great because he has great men about him; take these away, and he is where he was. 2.
The Lord of hosts was with him, and these were the mighty men which he had. God was with him and wrought for him, but by men and means and the use of second causes. By
this it appeared that God was with him, that he inclined the hearts of those to come over to him that were able to serve his interest. As, if God be for us none can be against us, so, if God be for us, all shall be for us that we have occasion for. Yet David ascribed his success and increase, not to the hosts he had, but to the
Lord of hosts, not to the mighty men that were with him, but to the mighty God whose presence with us is all in all.
II. The title of this catalogue (
1Chr 11:10):
These are the men who strengthened themselves with him. In strengthening him they strengthened themselves and their own interest; for his advancement was theirs. What we do in our places for the support of the kingdom of the Son of David we shall be gainers by. In strengthening it we strengthen ourselves. It may be read,
They held strongly with him and with all Israel. Note, When God has work to do he will not want fit instruments to do it with. If it be work that requires mighty men, mighty men shall either be found or made to effect it,
according to the word of the Lord. III. That which made all these men honourable was the good service that they did to their king and country; they helped to make David king (
1Chr 11:10) - a good work. They slew the Philistines, and other public enemies, and were instrumental to save Israel. Note, The way to be great is to do good. Nor did they gain this honour without labour and the hazard of their lives. The honours of Christ's kingdom are prepared for those that
fight the good fight of faith, that labour and suffer, and are willing to venture all, even life itself, for Christ and a good conscience. It is by a patient continuance in well-doing that we must seek for glory, and honour, and immortality; and those that are faithful to the Son of David shall find their names registered and enrolled much more to their honour than these are in the records of fame.
IV. Among all the great exploits of David's mighty men, here is nothing great mentioned concerning David himself but his
pouring out water before the Lord which he had
longed for, 1Chr 11:18,
1Chr 11:19. Four very honourable dispositions of David appeared in that action, which, for aught I know, made it as great as any of the achievements of those worthies. 1. Repentance for his own weakness. It is really an honour to a man, when he is made sensible that he has said or done any thing unadvisedly, to unsay it and undo it again by repentance, as it is a shame to a man when he has said or done amiss to stand to it. 2. Denial of his own appetite. He longed for the water of the well of Bethlehem; but, when he had it, he would not drink it, because he would not so far humour himself and gratify a foolish fancy. He that has such a rule as this
over his own spirit is better than the mighty. It is an honour to a man to have the command of himself; but he that will command himself must sometimes cross himself. 3. Devotion towards God. That water which he thought too good, too precious, for his own drinking, he
poured out to the Lord for a
drink offering. If we have any thing better than another, let God be honoured with it, who is the best, and should have the best. 4. Tenderness of his servants. It put him into the greatest confusion imaginable to think that three brave men should hazard their lives to fetch water for him. In his account it turns the water into blood. It is the honour of great men not to be prodigal of the blood of those they employ, but, in all the commands they give them, to put their own souls into their souls' stead.
V. In the wonderful achievements of these heroes the power of God must be acknowledged. How could one slay 300 and another the same number (
1Chr 11:11,
1Chr 11:20), another two lion-like men (
1Chr 11:22), and another an Egyptian giant (
1Chr 11:23), if they had not had the extraordinary presence of God with them, according to that promise,
Josh 23:10,
One man of you shall chase a thousand, for the Lord your God fighteth for you? VI. One of these worthies is said to be
an Ammonite (
1Chr 11:39), another
a Moabite (
1Chr 11:46), and yet the law was that an
Ammonite and
a Moabite should not enter into the congregation of the Lord, Deut 23:3. These, it is likely, had approved themselves so hearty for the interest of Israel that in their case it was thought fit to dispense with that law, and the rather because it was an indication that the Son of David would have worthies among the Gentiles: with him there is neither Greek nor Jew.