David's Last Words and His Mighty Men

"David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said, The Spirit of the LORD spake by me… He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds."

The mighty men: "The Tachmonite that sat in the seat… he lift up his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time." Eleazar fought "until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword." Shammah stood in a field of lentils and defended it.

In the cave of Adullam David longs: "Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem." Three break through the Philistine garrison and bring it. "Nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the LORD… is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives?" Benaiah "slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow." The list of the Thirty ends with "Uriah the Hittite: thirty and seven in all."

Eight hundred or three hundred? (23:8)

The Hebrew of 23:8 is difficult: "Josheb-basshebeth a Tachmonite… he was Adino the Eznite, over eight hundred slain at one time." 1 Chronicles 11:11 has "Jashobeam, a Hachmonite… lifted up his spear against three hundred." The library's Greek names him "Ishbosheth the Canaanite"; the Vulgate translates the names as words ("sitting in the chair, wisest prince… like the tenderest worm of the wood"). See the passage page.

Uriah among the heroes

Uriah is listed with Eliam son of Ahithophel (23:34), possibly Bathsheba's father. The list quietly reminds readers of chapter 11.

Elite warriors

Ancient kings kept elite companies; no surviving inscription names any of David's mighty men.