2Sa 23:8-17 | KingComments | STEP | After the last words of David, which indicate how God has acted with him and how God will continue to act, our attention is now turned to the heroes of David. They have served him in the acquisition and confirmation of the kingship. They stood firm for the people and the land he ruled. David was God’s chosen king, the people were God’s chosen people, the land was God’s chosen land. The heroes of David are mentioned in direct connection with the above. There are thirty-seven ( ). Three of them are heads ( ), two others are just below them ( ). Of the remaining thirty-two, only the names are mentioned ( ). The heroes have done all kinds of deeds. Some of these deeds took place a long time ago. However, they have not been forgotten. Thus God forgets nothing of what His own have done for His Son. He will reward everything during the reign of the Messiah. Before the judgment seat all deeds shall be recompensed, both good and bad ( ). Here it is about the good ones. Under David and also under Solomon these heroes get a high place. When David was still the rejected one, they stood by him. Thus we are now on the side of the rejected Christ (cf. ). The three greatest heroes in (Josheb-basshebeth, Eleazar and Shammah) we do not know from history. We only hear from them here. Yet they are called the greatest heroes. It will be the same before the judgment seat. The greatest heroes will be those whom we may not have known at all, who worked unobtrusively for the Lord Jesus, but with great results. Next comes a group of thirty heroes. [The number ‘thirty’ should probably be seen as the designation of a group, because it concerns more than thirty heroes.] Of the thirty, two more heroes are distinguished whose deeds are mentioned. The first hero, Josheb-basshebeth, killed eight hundred men on one occasion. What kind of enemies they were, is not mentioned. The next two are heroes who caused a slaughter among the Philistines and by whom God gave a great victory. The result is that the people can take from the Philistines what they had robbed and that a piece of land with its harvest is preserved for the people. The Philistines are a picture of the nominal Christians. They are still today the archenemies of God’s people who are in the land. Even today God can still give great victories over all human elements in the service to God – of which the Philistines are a picture – through people who are faithful to the Lord Jesus, the true David. Personal faithfulness in this has a blessed effect on the whole people. It is a great danger that people take away the food of God’s Word from us. Then it’s great if someone defends the food. The inheritance and the food are preserved for God’s people.

‏ 2 Samuel 23:8-17

The First Three Heroes

After the last words of David, which indicate how God has acted with him and how God will continue to act, our attention is now turned to the heroes of David. They have served him in the acquisition and confirmation of the kingship. They stood firm for the people and the land he ruled. David was God’s chosen king, the people were God’s chosen people, the land was God’s chosen land.

The heroes of David are mentioned in direct connection with the above. There are thirty-seven (2Sam 23:39). Three of them are heads (2Sam 23:8-17), two others are just below them (2Sam 23:18-23). Of the remaining thirty-two, only the names are mentioned (2Sam 23:24-39).

The heroes have done all kinds of deeds. Some of these deeds took place a long time ago. However, they have not been forgotten. Thus God forgets nothing of what His own have done for His Son. He will reward everything during the reign of the Messiah. Before the judgment seat all deeds shall be recompensed, both good and bad (2Cor 5:10). Here it is about the good ones.

Under David and also under Solomon these heroes get a high place. When David was still the rejected one, they stood by him. Thus we are now on the side of the rejected Christ (cf. Lk 22:28).

The three greatest heroes in 2Sam 23:8-12 (Josheb-basshebeth, Eleazar and Shammah) we do not know from history. We only hear from them here. Yet they are called the greatest heroes. It will be the same before the judgment seat. The greatest heroes will be those whom we may not have known at all, who worked unobtrusively for the Lord Jesus, but with great results.

Next comes a group of thirty heroes. [The number ‘thirty’ should probably be seen as the designation of a group, because it concerns more than thirty heroes.] Of the thirty, two more heroes are distinguished whose deeds are mentioned.

The first hero, Josheb-basshebeth, killed eight hundred men on one occasion. What kind of enemies they were, is not mentioned. The next two are heroes who caused a slaughter among the Philistines and by whom God gave a great victory. The result is that the people can take from the Philistines what they had robbed and that a piece of land with its harvest is preserved for the people.

The Philistines are a picture of the nominal Christians. They are still today the archenemies of God’s people who are in the land. Even today God can still give great victories over all human elements in the service to God – of which the Philistines are a picture – through people who are faithful to the Lord Jesus, the true David. Personal faithfulness in this has a blessed effect on the whole people.

It is a great danger that people take away the food of God’s Word from us. Then it’s great if someone defends the food. The inheritance and the food are preserved for God’s people.

Water for David

A special deed of heroism is mentioned in this history. The previous deeds were done with the people in mind. This heroic deed is all about fulfilling a wish of David. He was thirsty. His longing for water, and especially from the well of Bethlehem, he proclaimed as a kind of sigh, without addressing anyone in particular. His thirst has reminded him of the well of Bethlehem. Three heroes were so close to him that they heard his sigh. When we are close to the Lord Jesus, it will not be necessary for Him to cry out to us, but we will hear the gentle whisper of His voice.

When they come with the water to David, he pours it out. This is not an insult but a high appreciation. They made it at the risk of their lives. This water could not be drinking water to David. He gave it a higher purpose by making it a drink offering to the LORD and pouring it out to Him.