Poole on 2 Samuel 23:24-39: David's Mighty Men: The Thirty

Verse 24:[1]  (2 Sam. 2:18) Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Beth-lehem…

[Asahel in the thirty[2]]  Or, over those thirty, that is, the last man indeed of the second order, or ternion; but more excellent than the thirty Chiliarchs, when he next names in order.  For those six of the two ternions hitherto mentioned were put in charge of five Chiliarchs apiece, as Joab was the commander-in-chief of all:  for these two words, over the thirty, are to be accommodated ἀπὸ κοινοῦ, in common, to those aforementioned six of the two ternions, whose names and deeds were just now set forth (Malvenda out of Junius).

One of the thirty; Hebrew, with or among the thirty; not only as one, but as the chief of them.

Verse 25:[3]  (see 1 Chron. 11:27) Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite…

[Shammah of Herod]  Hebrew:  Shammah the Charodite,[4] with a ח/Chet; but in 1 Chronicles 11:27 he is called Shammoth the Harodite,[5] with a ה/He.  Concerning the place Harod, whence he received his name, see Judges 7:1 (Malvenda).

Shammah the Harodite:  In 1 Chronicles 11:27, Shammoth the Harorite; concerning which and such-like alterations, and other changes of the names, which will be observed by comparing this catalogue with that, it will be sufficient to suggest, 1.  That the same names of persons or places are differently pronounced, according to the different dialects used by men of divers places or ages.  2.  That one man had oft two names.  3.  That David had more worthies than those here mentioned; and as some of these were slain in the former part of David’s reign, as Asahel was; so others came up in their steads; and some were added to this number, as appears from 1 Chronicles 11, where they are named, but not numbered, as they were here; and where there is a greater number than is here expressed.

Verse 26:[6]  Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite…

[Of Palti]  Hebrew:  the Paltite;[7] in 1 Chronicles 11:27 he is called the Pelonite[8] (Malvenda out of Junius).

Verse 27:[9]  Abiezer the Anethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite…

[Mebunnai of Husati]  Hebrew:  the Hushathite;[10] that is, of the family of Hushah, of the tribe of Judah, 1 Chronicles 4:4.  He is called Sibbecai in 1 Chronicles 11:29 (Malvenda nearly out of Junius).

Verse 28:[11]  Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite…

[Zalmon]  He is Ilai in 1 Chronicles 11:29 (Malvenda out of Junius).

Verse 29:[12]  Heleb the son of Baanah, a Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai out of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin…

[Heled]  Hebrew:  Heleb.[13]  This is Heldai in 1 Chronicles 27:15[14] (Malvenda out of Junius).

Verse 30:[15]  Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks (or, vallies;[16] Deut. 1:24[17]) of (Judg. 2:9) Gaash…

[Heddai]  Hebrew:  Hiddai.[18]  Who in 1 Chronicles 11:32 is called Hurai[19] (Malvenda out of Junius).

Verse 31:[20]  Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite…

[Abi-albon[21]]  Who in 1 Chronicles 11:32 is called Abiel[22] (Malvenda out of Junius).

[Of Beromi]  Hebrew:  the Barhumite, or Barhumeus;[23] in 1 Chronicles 11:33 he is called the Baharumite, or Baharumeus;[24] that is, from Bahurim, a town of the Benjamites[25] (Malvenda out of Junius).

Verse 32:[26]  Eliahba the Shaalbonite, of the sons of Jashen, Jonathan…

[The sons of Jashen, Jonathan[27]]  The word sons is plural in the Hebrew (Malvenda).  Of the sons of Jashen (Vatablus, Junius and Tremellius, thus a number of interpreters in Malvenda), that is, a son (Vatablus).  [Grotius thinks otherwise, who, on those words in verse 39, thirty and six in all, notes these things:  Those that are here wanting to this number after Asahel, were the sons of Jashen mentioned above in verse 32.]  Who is here called Jashen is called Hashem in 1 Chronicles 11:34[28] (Malvenda out of Junius).

Verse 33:[29]  Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite…

[The son of Sharar[30]]  1 Chronicles 11:35, the son of Sachai (Malvenda); the son of Sacar[31] (Junius).

Verse 34:[32]  Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite…

[Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai[33]]  1 Chronicles 11:35, Eliphal the son of Ur[34] (Malvenda out of Junius).

[Eliam the son of Ahithophel,[35] etc.]  In 1 Chronicles 11:36 this is written Ahijah the Pelonite[36] (Malvenda out of Junius).

Verse 35:[37]  Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite…

[Hezrai]  Hebrew:  Hezro, or Hezrai;[38] for there is a twofold reading in the Hebrew:  in 1 Chronicles 11:37 he is called Hezro[39] (Malvenda).

[Paarai[40]]  In 1 Chronicles 11:37 this is Naarai[41] (Malvenda).  Naharaius (Junius).

Verse 36:[42]  Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite…

[Igal the son of Nathan[43]]  In 1 Chronicles 11:38 this one is called Joel the brother of Nathan[44] (Malvenda out of Junius).  [That this is a scribal error in one or the other place, Cappel argues, and ‎יִגְאָל/Igal has been put in the place of ‎יוֹאֵל/ Joel, from the similarity of the letters ו/v and ג/g.  Buxtorf responds:]  In the Genealogies and Chronologies there are many ἄπορα/difficulties.  Perhaps they were different people, this one the brother, the other the son, of Nathan, and mention is made of the one in the one place, and of the other in the other (Buxtorf’s Vindication 416).  [It is sufficiently evident from Chronicles, that the mighty men of David were different from those that are here enumerated.]

Verse 37:[45]  Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armourbearer to Joab the son of Zeruiah…

Verse 38:[46]  (2 Sam. 20:26) Ira an Ithrite, Gareb an Ithrite…

Verse 39:[47]  (2 Sam. 11:3, 6) Uriah the Hittite: thirty and seven in all.

[Thirty-seven in all]  That is, these thirty-one, and the six mighty men of those two triads (Vatablus).  Should you count exactly, with the two prior ternions included, there are only thirty-six:  but they rightly note that to these is also to be added Joab as the lord-general, who was set over all (Malvenda).  David had selected the thirty mightiest of his men, to whom afterwards others were also added beyond the number, yet with the denomination of the thirty mighty men remaining.  Thus the Apostles are called the Twelve, although afterwards Paul and Barnabas were added (Menochius, similarly Sanchez).  Moreover, those were not added to this degree because of wealth or nobility; but as they were conducting themselves well in the defense of the republic.  There is no place for partiality here.  None of the brothers of David is found described here (Martyr).

Thirty and seven in all:  Here are but thirty-six named; either therefore one must be supplied whose name is not expressed among the three second worthies, or Joab is comprehended in the number, as being the lord-general of all.

[1] Hebrew:  ‎עֲשָׂה־אֵ֥ל אֲחִֽי־יוֹאָ֖ב בַּשְּׁלֹשִׁ֑ים אֶלְחָנָ֥ן בֶּן־דֹּד֖וֹ בֵּ֥ית לָֽחֶם׃

[2] Hebrew:  ‎בַּשְּׁלֹשִׁים.

[3] Hebrew:  ‎שַׁמָּה֙ הַֽחֲרֹדִ֔י אֱלִיקָ֖א הַחֲרֹדִֽי׃ ס

[4] Hebrew:  שַׁמָּה֙ הַֽחֲרֹדִ֔י.

[5] Hebrew:  ‎שַׁמּוֹת֙ הַהֲרוֹרִ֔י.

[6] Hebrew:  ‎חֶ֚לֶץ הַפַּלְטִ֔י עִירָ֥א בֶן־עִקֵּ֖שׁ הַתְּקוֹעִֽי׃ ס

[7] Hebrew:  ‎הַפַּלְטִי.

[8] 1 Chronicles 11:27:  “Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite (‎חֶ֖לֶץ הַפְּלוֹנִֽי׃)…”

[9] Hebrew:  ‎אֲבִיעֶ֙זֶר֙ הָֽעַנְּתֹתִ֔י מְבֻנַּ֖י הַחֻשָׁתִֽי׃ ס

[10] Hebrew:  ‎הַחֻשָׁתִי.

[11] Hebrew:  ‎צַלְמוֹן֙ הָֽאֲחֹחִ֔י מַהְרַ֖י הַנְּטֹפָתִֽי׃ ס

[12] Hebrew:  ‎חֵ֥לֶב בֶּֽן־בַּעֲנָ֖ה הַנְּטֹפָתִ֑י ס אִתַּי֙ בֶּן־רִיבַ֔י מִגִּבְעַ֖ת בְּנֵ֥י בִנְיָמִֽן׃ ס

[13] Hebrew:  ‎חֵלֶב.

[14] 1 Chronicles 27:15:  “The twelfth captain for the twelfth month was Heldai (‎חֶלְדַּי) the Netophathite, of Othniel:  and in his course were twenty and four thousand.”

[15] Hebrew:  ‎בְּנָיָ֙הוּ֙ פִּרְעָ֣תֹנִ֔י הִדַּ֖י מִנַּ֥חֲלֵי גָֽעַשׁ׃ ס

[16] Hebrew:  ‎מִנַּחֲלֵי.

[17] Deuteronomy 1:24:  “And they turned and went up into the mountain, and came unto the valley of Eshcol (‎עַד־נַ֣חַל אֶשְׁכֹּ֑ל), and searched it out.”

[18] Hebrew:  ‎הִדַּי.

[19] 1 Chronicles 11:32:  “Hurai (‎חוּרַי) of the brooks of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite…”

[20] Hebrew:  ‎אֲבִֽי־עַלְבוֹן֙ הָֽעַרְבָתִ֔י עַזְמָ֖וֶת הַבַּרְחֻמִֽי׃ ס

[21] Hebrew:  ‎אֲבִי־עַלְבוֹן.

[22] 1 Chronicles 11:32:  “Hurai of the brooks of Gaash, Abiel (‎אֲבִיאֵל) the Arbathite…”

[23] Hebrew:  ‎הַבַּרְחֻמִי.

[24] 1 Chronicles 11:33:  “Azmaveth the Baharumite (‎הַבַּחֲרוּמִי), Eliahba the Shaalbonite…”

[25] See 2 Samuel 3:16; 16:5; 17:18; 19:16.

[26] Hebrew:  ‎אֶלְיַחְבָּא֙ הַשַּׁ֣עַלְבֹנִ֔י בְּנֵ֥י יָשֵׁ֖ן יְהוֹנָתָֽן׃ ס

[27] Hebrew:  ‎בְּנֵ֥י יָשֵׁ֖ן יְהוֹנָתָֽן׃.

[28] 1 Chronicles 11:34:  “The sons of Hashem (‎בְּנֵ֗י הָשֵׁם֙) the Gizonite, Jonathan the son of Shage the Hararite…”

[29] Hebrew:  ‎שַׁמָּה֙ הַֽהֲרָרִ֔י אֲחִיאָ֥ם בֶּן־שָׁרָ֖ר הָארָרִֽי׃ ס

[30] Hebrew:  ‎בֶּן־שָׁרָר.

[31] 1 Chronicles 11:35:  “Ahiam the son of Sacar (‎בֶּן־שָׂכָר) the Hararite, Eliphal the son of Ur…”

[32] Hebrew:  ‎אֱלִיפֶ֥לֶט בֶּן־אֲחַסְבַּ֖י בֶּן־הַמַּֽעֲכָתִ֑י ס אֱלִיעָ֥ם בֶּן־אֲחִיתֹ֖פֶל הַגִּלֹנִֽי׃ ס

[33] Hebrew:  ‎אֱלִיפֶ֥לֶט בֶּן־אֲחַסְבַּ֖י.

[34] 1 Chronicles 11:35:  “Ahiam the son of Sacar the Hararite, Eliphal the son of Ur (‎אֱלִיפַ֥ל בֶּן־אֽוּר׃)…”

[35] Hebrew:  ‎אֱלִיעָ֥ם בֶּן־אֲחִיתֹ֖פֶל.

[36] 1 Chronicles 11:36:  “Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite (‎אֲחִיָּ֖ה הַפְּלֹנִֽי׃)…”

[37] Hebrew:  ‎חֶצְרוֹ֙ הַֽכַּרְמְלִ֔י פַּעֲרַ֖י הָאַרְבִּֽי׃ ס

[38] The Kethib is ‎חֶצְרוֹ/Hezro; the Qere, ‎חֶצְרַי/Hezrai.

[39] 1 Chronicles 11:37:  “Hezro (‎חֶצְרוֹ) the Carmelite, Naarai the son of Ezbai…”

[40] Hebrew:  ‎פַּעֲרַי.

[41] 1 Chronicles 11:37:  “Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai (‎נַעֲרַי) the son of Ezbai…”

[42] Hebrew:  ‎יִגְאָ֤ל בֶּן־נָתָן֙ מִצֹּבָ֔ה ס בָּנִ֖י הַגָּדִֽי׃ ס

[43] Hebrew:  ‎יִגְאָ֤ל בֶּן־נָתָן֙.

[44] 1 Chronicles 11:38:  “Joel the brother of Nathan (‎יוֹאֵל֙ אֲחִ֣י נָתָ֔ן), Mibhar the son of Haggeri…”

[45] Hebrew:  ‎צֶ֖לֶק הָעַמֹּנִ֑י ס נַחְרַי֙ הַבְּאֵ֣רֹתִ֔י נֹשְׂ֕אֵי כְּלֵ֖י יוֹאָ֥ב בֶּן־צְרֻיָֽה׃ ס

[46] Hebrew:  ‎עִירָא֙ הַיִּתְרִ֔י גָּרֵ֖ב הַיִּתְרִֽי׃ ס

[47] Hebrew:  ‎אוּרִיָּה֙ הַֽחִתִּ֔י כֹּ֖ל שְׁלֹשִׁ֥ים וְשִׁבְעָֽה׃ פ