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Commentary on 1 Chronicles 11 verses 10–47
10 ¶ These also are the chief of the mighty men whom David had, who strengthened themselves with him in his kingdom, and with all Israel, to make him king, according to the word of the LORD concerning Israel.
11 And this is the number of the mighty men whom David had; Jashobeam, an Hachmonite, the chief of the captains: he lifted up his spear against three hundred slain by him at one time.
12 And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, who was one of the three mighties.
13 He was with David at Pasdammim, and there the Philistines were gathered together to battle, where was a parcel of ground full of barley; and the people fled from before the Philistines.
14 And they set themselves in the midst of that parcel, and delivered it, and slew the Philistines; and the LORD saved them by a great deliverance.
15 Now three of the thirty captains went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam; and the host of the Philistines encamped in the valley of Rephaim.
16 And David was then in the hold, and the Philistines' garrison was then at Bethlehem.
17 And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, that is at the gate!
18 And the three brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: but David would not drink of it, but poured it out to the LORD,
19 And said, My God forbid it me, that I should do this thing: shall I drink the blood of these men that have put their lives in jeopardy? for with the jeopardy of their lives they brought it. Therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mightiest.
20 And Abishai the brother of Joab, he was chief of the three: for lifting up his spear against three hundred, he slew them, and had a name among the three.
21 Of the three, he was more honourable than the two; for he was their captain: howbeit he attained not to the first three.
22 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done many acts; he slew two lionlike men of Moab: also he went down and slew a lion in a pit in a snowy day.
23 And he slew an Egyptian, a man of great stature, five cubits high; and in the Egyptian's hand was a spear like a weaver's beam; and he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and slew him with his own spear.
24 These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among the three mighties.
25 Behold, he was honourable among the thirty, but attained not to the first three: and David set him over his guard.
26 Also the valiant men of the armies were, Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,
27 Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite,
28 Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Antothite,
29 Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite,
30 Maharai the Netophathite, Heled the son of Baanah the Netophathite,
31 Ithai the son of Ribai of Gibeah, that pertained to the children of Benjamin, Benaiah the Pirathonite,
32 Hurai of the brooks of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite,
33 Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite,
34 The sons of Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan the son of Shage the Hararite,
35 Ahiam the son of Sacar the Hararite, Eliphal the son of Ur,
36 Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite,
37 Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai the son of Ezbai,
38 Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar the son of Haggeri,
39 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Berothite, the armourbearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah,
40 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,
41 Uriah the Hittite, Zabad the son of Ahlai,
42 Adina the son of Shiza the Reubenite, a captain of the Reubenites, and thirty with him,
43 Hanan the son of Maachah, and Joshaphat the Mithnite,
44 Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jehiel the sons of Hothan the Aroerite,
45 Jediael the son of Shimri, and Joha his brother, the Tizite,
46 Eliel the Mahavite, and Jeribai, and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam, and Ithmah the Moabite,
47 Eliel, and Obed, and Jasiel the Mesobaite.
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, Sa2 23:8, etc. This is much the same, only that those named here from Ch1 11:41 to the end are added. Observe,
I. The connexion of this catalogue with that which is said concerning David, Ch1 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 (Ch1 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 (Ch1 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, Ch1 11:18, Ch1 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 (Ch1 11:11, Ch1 11:20), another two lion-like men (Ch1 11:22), and another an Egyptian giant (Ch1 11:23), if they had not had the extraordinary presence of God with them, according to that promise, Jos 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 (Ch1 11:39), another a Moabite (Ch1 11:46), and yet the law was that an Ammonite and a Moabite should not enter into the congregation of the Lord, Deu 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.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 10–47. Public domain.
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Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
1 Chronicles 11:29 meticulously records the names of "Sibbecai the Hushathite" and "Ilai the Ahohite," two distinguished warriors among David's elite "mighty men." This verse is part of a comprehensive roster that honors the exceptional bravery, unwavering loyalty, and significant contributions of the individuals who formed the backbone of King David's military strength and supported his divinely appointed reign. It underscores the importance of communal effort and individual faithfulness in the establishment and flourishing of God's kingdom on earth.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The primary literary device at play in 1 Chronicles 11:29, and indeed throughout the entire list of David's mighty men (1 Chronicles 11:10-47), is Catalog/List. This device is used to systematically enumerate individuals, often with their affiliations or notable achievements, serving to organize information, provide a comprehensive record, and confer honor. The meticulous listing of names like Sibbecai and Ilai emphasizes the chronicler's interest in the individual contributions to the collective strength of David's kingdom. Another significant device is Parallelism, specifically with the account found in 2 Samuel 23. The Chronicler's list largely mirrors the one in Samuel, but with notable variations in names (e.g., Sibbecai/Mebunnai, Ilai/Zalmon). This highlights the textual transmission process and the potential for alternative names or scribal differences between ancient sources. Furthermore, there is an element of Emphasis through Repetition as the chronicler repeatedly lists names, reinforcing the importance of each warrior and the collective strength they represented for David's reign.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
The careful enumeration of David's mighty men, including Sibbecai and Ilai, speaks volumes about God's valuing of individual contributions within His larger redemptive plan. While David was the chosen king, his success was intrinsically linked to the faithfulness and courage of his loyal supporters. This illustrates that God often works through a community of committed individuals, each playing a vital role, no matter how seemingly small or unheralded. The chronicler's dedication to preserving these names underscores a divine principle: God remembers and honors the service of His people. Their loyalty to David, God's anointed, serves as a model for our own faithfulness to God's appointed leaders and, ultimately, to Christ Himself.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The seemingly simple act of listing names in 1 Chronicles 11:29 offers profound lessons for contemporary believers. It reminds us that every individual, regardless of their public profile or the magnitude of their deeds, holds intrinsic value in God's eyes and plays a crucial part in His unfolding purposes. Just as Sibbecai and Ilai contributed to David's kingdom, we are called to faithfully steward our unique gifts and positions within the body of Christ. Our service, whether in prominent leadership or quiet support, is seen and honored by God. This passage encourages us to embrace our roles with dedication, knowing that our collective faithfulness strengthens the church and advances God's kingdom. It also serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of community and mutual support, as David's strength was multiplied by the loyalty of his mighty men, urging us to cultivate genuine fellowship and collaborative ministry within our own spiritual communities.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why are there discrepancies in the names of David's mighty men between 1 Chronicles and 2 Samuel?
Answer: The discrepancies in names, such as Sibbecai in 1 Chronicles 11:29 being called Mebunnai in 2 Samuel 23:27, and Ilai in 1 Chronicles being Zalmon in 2 Samuel 23:28, are common in ancient biblical texts. These variations can be attributed to several factors. Firstly, individuals in ancient Israel sometimes had multiple names (e.g., a birth name and a nickname, or a name adopted later in life). Secondly, scribal errors during the long process of copying manuscripts could lead to minor alterations in spelling or even the substitution of similar-sounding names. Thirdly, the Chronicler may have used a slightly different source tradition or had access to alternative records than the author of Samuel. Despite these variations, the core identity and role of the individuals as David's mighty men remain consistent across both accounts, affirming their historical reality and significance.
What is the theological significance of such a detailed list of names in the Bible?
Answer: The theological significance of detailed lists of names, like that of David's mighty men in 1 Chronicles 11, is profound. It underscores God's meticulous attention to individuals and His remembrance of their service. In a culture where honor and lineage were paramount, the chronicler's inclusion of these names serves to validate their contributions and ensure their legacy. Theologically, it highlights that God's kingdom is built not just by a single leader, but by the collective faithfulness and diverse gifts of many individuals. It also provides a historical record of God's faithfulness to His covenant with David, demonstrating how He raised up loyal and courageous people to support His chosen king. This echoes the New Testament concept of the body of Christ, where every member is vital (1 Corinthians 12:12-27).
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The roster of David's mighty men, including Sibbecai and Ilai, serves as a powerful Old Testament type for the community of believers who serve the greater King, Jesus Christ. Just as these warriors pledged their unwavering loyalty and strength to David, so too are believers called to be "mighty men and women" in the spiritual army of Christ. Their dedication to David's earthly kingdom foreshadows the commitment required of those who follow the Lamb of God in His eternal kingdom. The chronicler's careful preservation of each name reflects God's own meticulous remembrance of His faithful servants, whose names are written in the Book of Life. While David's men fought with physical weapons against earthly foes, Christ's followers engage in a spiritual battle, equipped with the armor of God, striving for righteousness and the advancement of the Gospel (2 Corinthians 10:4). Ultimately, the valor and loyalty of David's mighty men point to the supreme loyalty and sacrifice of Christ Himself, who, as the true Son of David, established a kingdom that will never end, built upon the faithful service of His redeemed people (Revelation 1:5-6).