David's Mighty Men

Two lists preserve the names of the men who fought around David one at the end of 2 Samuel and one in 1 Chronicles (2 Samuel 23:8–39; 1 Chronicles 11:10–47). Many of them joined him before he was king, when he was still hiding from Saul; everyone in distress, in debt, or bitter in soul gathered to him at the cave of Adullam, about four hundred men (1 Samuel 22:1–2). The Chronicler adds that men of Benjamin and Judah came to him at the stronghold, and Amasai spoke: "We are yours, O David, and with you, O son of Jesse!" (1 Chronicles 12:16–18).

Three stood at the top. Josheb-basshebeth wielded his spear against eight hundred at one time. Eleazar the son of Dodo stood his ground in a field of barley when the men of Israel withdrew, and struck down the Philistines until his hand was weary and clung to the sword, and the LORD brought about a great victory; the people came back only to strip the slain. Shammah the son of Agee defended a plot full of lentils the same way (2 Samuel 23:8–12).

The most quoted episode is not a battle at all. Three of the thirty went down to David at the cave of Adullam while a Philistine garrison held Bethlehem, and hearing him say longingly, "Oh, that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem that is by the gate," they broke through the camp, drew the water, and carried it back. He would not drink it, but poured it out to the LORD, saying, "Shall I drink the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives?" (2 Samuel 23:14–17).

Abishai brother of Joab wielded his spear against three hundred and was chief of the thirty (2 Samuel 23:18–19). Benaiah son of Jehoiada struck down two ariels of Moab went down into a pit on a day when snow had fallen and killed a lion, and killed an Egyptian of great stature, snatching the spear out of his hand and killing him with his own weapon; David set him over his bodyguard (2 Samuel 23:20–23). He was later the one who carried out Solomon's sentences and was set over the army (1 Kings 2:34–35).

The full roll runs to thirty-seven names, including Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan of Bethlehem, Ittai the son of Ribai, and men from Ammon, Moab, and the Hittites. The last name on the list is Uriah the Hittite (2 Samuel 23:39). The record of David's most loyal soldiers closes with the man he had killed by letter, without comment.