2 Samuel 23
Bob Utley · You Can Understand the Bible
2 Samuel 23
NJB (MT versing) David's Last Song David's Last Words Another Hymn of Praise David's Last Words Last Words of David 23:1-7 (1-7) 23:1-7 (1b-4) 23:1-7 (2-4) 23:1-7 (2-4) 23:1-7 (1) (2-4) (5-7) (5-7) (5-7) (5) (6-7) His Mighty Men David's Mighty Men Other Exploits in the War Against the Philistines, with a Roster of Warriors David's Famous Soldiers David's Champions 23:8-10 23:8-12 23:8 23:8 23:8-12 23:9-10 23:9-10 23:11-12 23:11-12 23:11-12 23:13-17 23:13-17 23:13-17 23:13-17 23:13-17 23:18-19 23:18-19 23:18-19 23:18-19 23:18-19 23:20-23 23:20-23 23:20-23 23:20-23 23:20-23 23:24-39 23:24-39 23:24-39 23:24-39 (24-39) 23:24-39 (24-39) Etc.
2 Samuel 23:1-7
23:1-7 In many ways this psalm clearly affirms YHWH's call and promises to David's reign! 23:1 "these are the last words of David" As the first two lines of the appendixed events (i.e., chapter 21) were early in David's life, this hymn is at the end. It is possible "the last" refers to David's writing career and not his life (see UBS Handbook p. 1150). ▣ Notice how David is characterized. the son of Jesse (i.e., 1 Samuel 16) the man who was raised on high (i.e., 2 Sam. 7:8-9; Targums have "God raised up"; the DSS, "whom God exalted") the anointed of the God of Jacob (i.e., 1 Sam. 16:12-13) the sweet psalmist of Israel (see note below) SPECIAL TOPIC: "ANOINTING" IN THE BIBLE ▣ "declares" "says" "oracle" "speaks" "the words" "the utterance" The MT has the NOUN (BDB 610) "utterance," which usually denotes a revelation through a prophet (cf. Acts 2:30). Only here and Prov. 30:1 is it used of wisdom literature. It does denote a special sense in which David's songs had an inspired quality. SPECIAL TOPIC: WISDOM LITERATURE SPECIAL TOPIC: HEBREW POETRY ▣ NASB, NKJV, Peshitta "the sweet psalmist" "the favorite of the Strong One of Israel" NJB, REB "the singer of the songs of Israel" "the favorite of the songs of Israel" "and fitting are Israel's melodies" The JPSOA reflects the MT. The UBS Text Project does not mention this. The NRSV sees this as a reference to YHWH, not David, following Exod. 15:2. So it could refer to David (string of descriptive phrases) YHWH (the object of the praises) the best of the songs 23:2 Notice the parallelism between "the Spirit of the Lord" and "His word." In the OT the Spirit is the agency of YHWH's desired action in the physical realm but not a separate personal being. Progressive revelation has clarified this point. SPECIAL TOPIC: THE PERSONHOOD OF THE SPIRIT SPECIAL TOPIC: SPIRIT IN THE BIBLE SPECIAL TOPIC: THE TRINITY ▣ The Spirit revealed truth to David and he passed it on (lit. "was on my tongue"). This would deal primarily with David as chief judge of Israel (i.e., v. 3) David as Psalm writer This expression is often used in Samuel to denote YHWH's empowering for service Saul ‒ 1 Sam. 10:10; 11:6 David ‒ 1 Sam. 16:13; 2 Sam. 23:2 23:3 Notice the parallelism. For "rock" see full note at Ps. 18:2 online. ▣ "righteously" See SPECIAL TOPIC: RIGHTEOUSNESS. ▣ "fear" YHWH's chosen king and His Messiah (cf. Isa. 11:2) will rule in awe of YHWH. SPECIAL TOPIC: FEAR (OT) 23:5 David is acknowledging YHWH's blessing on him. His kingdom is secured and protected by YHWH's promises and personal presence (cf. 2 Samuel 7; 1 Chronicles 17). ▣ "an everlasting covenant" See full note at 2 Sam. 7:12 and Ps. 89:29. SPECIAL TOPIC: FOREVER ('olam) SPECIAL TOPIC: COVENANT ▣ "Ordered in all things, and secured" This refers to YHWH's specific revelation and promises to David found in 2 Samuel 7 and 1 Chronicles 17. This Davidic covenant is a major Messianic promise! 23:6-7 These two verses have several textual problems. Remember, context, context, context is the key to biblical interpretation. Even if the last two verses are uncertain, the general meaning of the psalm is clear. Just a theological comment about these two verses. The "worthless" (Belial; see full note at 2 Sam. 20:1) will be removed. All humans were/are made in God's image (cf. Gen. 1:26-27) for fellowship with Him. But some "will not" (i.e., human choice is a significant aspect of covenant)! After many attempts, finally they will be reluctantly isolated (i.e., Hell), so that God can continue His purposes for humanity! This isolation of humans is a bleeding sore in the heart of God that will never be healed. God wants all humans to know Him (cf. Ezek. 18:23,32; John 3:16; 4:42; 1 Tim. 2:10; 4:10; Titus 2:11; 2 Pet. 3:9; 1 John 2:1; 4:14)! SPECIAL TOPIC: COVENANT SPECIAL TOPIC: YHWH'S ETERNAL REDEMPTIVE PLAN 23:6 "the worthless" This (BDB 116) is a common designation of faithless people in Samuel (cf. 1 Sam. 1:16; 2:12; 10:27; 25:17,25; 30:22; 2 Sam. 16:7; 20:1; 22:5; 23:6). See full note at 2 Sam. 20:1. ▣ "like thorns" The imagery of fire and destruction (v. 7c) is based on this. Thorns were not a good firewood for cooking. They burned too fast. So they were useless for any "good" work. 23:7 "completely burned" This is an emphatic construction (an INFINITIVE ABSOLUTE and an IMPERFECT VERB from the same root, BDB 976, KB 1358). Fire was a means of cleansing destruction SPECIAL TOPIC: FIRE
2 Samuel 23:8-10
23:8-39 This literary unit is parallel with 1 Chronicles 11, with several variants in the names. It denotes several groupings of David's mighty men (i.e., mercenaries). See note at 1 Chr. 11:10. three mighty leaders Josheb-basshebeth ("chief captain," v. 8; in 1 Chr. 11:11 he is called "Jashobeam") Eleazar (one of the three), vv. 9-10 Shammah, vv. 11-12 Their exploits are described in vv. 8,9-10,11-12; 1 Chr. 11:12,18,20,24,25,42. Abishai, Joab's brother is also called "chief of the thirty," vv. 18-19 Benaiah, vv. 20-23, also a leader but not of "the three" (v. 23) the thirty are listed in vv. 24-39 (cf. 1 Chr. 11:11,15,20,25,42) a second listing of leaders is found in 1 Chr. 11:21 another chief of the thirty in 1 Chr. 11:11,20 There is some confusion in the MT between "three" and "thirty," which are very similar in Hebrew. Surprisingly, there are over 30 names. Josephus, Antiq. 7.3.1,2 and 7.12.4, records many exploits of these faithful mercenary soldiers (some foreign; some domestic). 23:8 NASB, NRSV, JPSOA "a Tahchemonite" NKJV, REB "the Tachmonite" "from Tachemon" "the Hachmonite leader" "the Chananite" The MT has the ADJECTIVE (BDB 315, NASB) which comes from the root "wise" (BDB 314). a place name a person's name (ABD, vol. 3, pp. 10-11) a family name The 1 Chronicle parallel (1 Chr. 11:11) has "the son of a Hachmonite." The UBS Text Project, p. 273, gives "the Hachmonite" a "C" rating (considerable doubt).
2 Samuel 23:11-12
23:11 "a Hararite" This ADJECTIVE (BDB 251) is from the NOUN "mountain" (BDB 249). The form implies a person from the hill country of Judah or another hilly region. It occurs only here and the 1 Chronicles 11 parallel. ▣ NASB, NKJV "into a troop" NRSV, TEV, NJB, REB, NET "at Lehi" "in force" "at Wild Beasts" "to plunder cattle" The LXX takes the root in its normal sense (BDB 312 I) as "living thing," "animal." The BDB 312 II sees it as referring to a group of allied families camping together in order to attack together (BDB 312 II, cf. v. 13). The UBS Text Project, p. 276, gives the place name Lehi (BDB 534 II) a "B" rating (some doubt).
2 Samuel 23:13-17
23:13 "three of the thirty" This is the suggestion of the Masoretic scholars (Qere). The MT has "thirty of the thirty." The UBS Text Project, p. 276, has two suggestions. "three" not "thirty," "C" rating "three" ‒ שׁלשׁה "thirty" ‒ שׁלשׁים "from the heroes" not "from the thirty," "C" rating from the thirty ‒ מחשׁלשׁים from the heroes (different vowel points) ‒ מחשׁלשׁים ▣ "the cave of Adullam" This is mentioned in 1 Sam. 22:1. Caves were used for family tombs hiding places ▣ "the valley of Rephaim" This valley was close to Jerusalem and was part of the boundary between the tribal allocation of Judah and Benjamin. For the name "Rephaim" (BDB 952) see SPECIAL TOPIC: TALL/POWERFUL WARRIORS OR PEOPLE GROUPS, #2. 23:15-17 This shows how much David's men loved him but also his care and concern for them. 23:17 "Be it far from me" This is an exclamation of rejection (cf. 1 Sam. 2:30; 14:45; 20:2,9; 22:15; 24:6). This idiom is similar in meaning to the Apostle Paul's "God forbid!" of the NT. ▣ "Lord" See SPECIAL TOPIC: NAMES FOR DEITY, D. ▣ "their lives" This is the Hebrew word nephesh (BDB 659, KB 711; NIDOTTE, vol. 3, p. 133), which denotes an air-breathing animal/human on this planet. For a full note, see Lev. 17:11 as well as Gen. 35:18 and Ezek. 18:4.
2 Samuel 23:18-19
23:18 "chief of the thirty" There are two textual issues in this phrase. "chief" Qere ‒ "of the three" Ketiv (MT) ‒ (1) "of the heroes" (UBS gives this a "C" rating) (2) "the third" Peshitta, "thirty" "the thirty" MT ‒ "thirty" (Peshitta) LXX ‒ "three" (UBS gives this a "B" rating) There is some confusion between "3" and "30" throughout this chapter (i.e., vv. 8,13,18,19,23,24). Apparently there was a military leadership of two levels. three main leaders of the elite group of thirty leaders thirty special leaders of military groupings; this is a title and not a number (cf. v. 39) The JPSOA translates this as "another three," implying a third division of the elite military commanders. the three another three the thirty
2 Samuel 23:20-23
23:20 "Benaiah" He was the captain of David's mercenary men (i.e., Cherethites and Pelethites, cf. 2 Sam. 8:18; 20:23). This was a loyal, long-time supporter of David. He became a supporter of Solomon instead of Adonijah (cf. 1 Kgs. 1:8,26,32-40). He later killed Adonijah on Solomon's orders (cf. 1 Kgs. 2:25-35). He became captain of all Israeli forces (cf. 1 Kgs. 4:4). ▣ NASB, NKJV "valiant man" "valiant warrior" NRSV footnote "Ish-hai" "famous soldier" NJB, REB "hero of many exploits" "brave soldier" "great in deeds" "a mighty man" Josephus, Antiq. 7.12.4 "of a vast bulk" The MT has the ADJECTIVE (BDB 311 I, KB 307 I) "alive" or "living," but the Masoretic scholars suggested a change to "active" (BDB 313, KB 311). alive ‒ חי active ‒ חיל ▣ NASB, NRSV, LXX "sons of Ariel of Moab" "lion-like heroes of Moab" "Moabite warriors" "formidable Moabites" "champions of Moab" "(sons) of Ariel of Moab" "two mighty men of Moab" The MT has "Ariel" (BDB 72, KB 82). BDB acknowledges the meaning as uncertain but "guesses" heroes ("brave men," Isa. 33:7). KB suggests "warriors" (Targums). The LXX and NASB see it as a person's name. There is possibly a play between Ariel (BDB 72) lion (BDB 71, cf. NKJV, RSV footnote) 23:21 "an impressive man" "a spectacular man" NRSV, Peshitta "a handsome man" TEV, JPSOA "huge man" "of great stature" "of striking appearance" "a man to be seen" The MT has the NOUN "sight" or "appearance" (BDB 909, LXX, REB), but the BDB suggests it be read like 1 Chr. 11:23, "a man of stature" (NJB). If this is correct, this is another giant like the Philistines from Gath (i.e., 2 Sam. 21:16-17,18,19,20).
2 Samuel 23:24-39
23:39 "Uriah the Hittite" This was the husband of Bathsheba whom David had killed. He was a loyal member of "the thirty."