2 Samuel 23

VBL · Chapter 23/24

1Estas son las últimas palabras de David. El mensaje divino de David hijo de Isaí, el mensaje divino del hombre engrandecido por Dios, el ungido por el Dios de Jacob, el maravilloso salmista de Israel:

2“El Espíritu del Señor habló a través de mí; mi lengua dio su mensaje.

3“El Dios de Israel habló; la Roca de Israel me dijo: ‘El que gobierna al pueblo con justicia, el que gobierna respetando a Dios,

4es como la luz del sol de la mañana que sale en un amanecer sin nubes; como el brillo de las gotas de lluvia sobre la hierba nueva que crece de la tierra’.

5“¿No es así mi familia con Dios? Porque él ha hecho un acuerdo eterno conmigo, detallado y con todas las partes garantizadas. Se asegurará de salvarme y de darme todo lo que quiero.

6“Pero las personas malas son como espinas que hay que arrojar a un lado, pues no se las puede sostener con la mano.

7La única manera de tratar con ellos es usar una herramienta de hierro o el mango de una lanza. Se queman por completo allí donde están”.

8Estos son los nombres de los principales guerreros que apoyaron a David: Joseb-basebet, un tacmonita, líder de los Tres. Usando su lanza, una vez mató a ochocientos hombres en una sola batalla.

9Después de él vino Eleazar, hijo de Dodai, el ahohita, uno de los Tres guerreros principales. Estaba con David cuando desafiaron a los filisteos reunidos para la batalla en Pas-damin. Los israelitas se retiraron,

10pero Eleazar se mantuvo firme y siguió matando filisteos hasta que se le quedó la mano en la espada. El Señor los salvó concediéndoles una gran victoria. El ejército israelita regresó, pero sólo para despojar a los muertos.

11Después de él vino Sama, hijo de Agee, el harareo. Cuando los filisteos se reunieron en Lehi, en un campo lleno de lentejas, el ejército israelita huyó de ellos,

12pero Sama se apostó en medio del campo, lo defendió y mató a los filisteos. El Señor les dio una gran victoria.

13En la época de la cosecha, los Tres, que formaban parte de los Treinta guerreros principales, bajaron a recibir a David cuando estaba en la cueva de Adulam. El ejército filisteo estaba acampado en el valle de Refaim.

14En ese momento David estaba en la fortaleza, y la guarnición filistea estaba en Belén.

15David tenía mucha sed y dijo: “¡Si tan solo alguien pudiera traerme un trago de agua del pozo que está junto a la puerta de entrada de Belén!”

16Los tres guerreros principales rompieron las defensas filisteas, tomaron un poco de agua del pozo de la puerta de Belén y se la llevaron a David. Pero David se negó a beberla y la derramó como ofrenda al Señor.

17“¡Señor, no me dejes hacer esto!”, dijo. “¿No es como beber la sangre de esos hombres que arriesgaron sus vidas?” Así que no la bebió. Estas son algunas de las cosas que hicieron los tres guerreros principales.

18Abisai, hermano de Joab, era el líder del segundo Tres. Usando su lanza, una vez mató a 300 hombres, y se hizo famoso entre los Tres.

19Era el más apreciado de los Tres y era su comandante, aunque no fue uno del grupo del primer Tres.

20Benaía, hijo de Joiada, un fuerte guerrero de Cabseel, hizo muchas cosas sorprendentes. Mató a dos hijos de Ariel de Moab. También fue tras un león a un pozo en la nieve y lo mató.

21En otra ocasión mató a un enorme egipcio. El egipcio tenía una lanza en la mano, pero Benaía lo atacó sólo con un garrote. Agarró la lanza de la mano del egipcio y lo mató con su propia lanza.

22Este fue el tipo de cosas que hizo Benaía y que lo hicieron tan famoso como los tres principales guerreros.

23Era el más apreciado de los Treinta, aunque no era uno de los Tres. David lo puso a cargo de su guardia personal.

24Entre los Treinta estaban:

25Sama el harorita; Elica el harodita,

26Heles el paltita; Ira, hijo de Iques, de Tecoa;

27Abiezer de Anatot; Mebunai el husatita;

28Salmón el ahohita; Maharai el netofita;

29Heleb, hijo de Baná el netofita; Itai, hijo de Ribai, de Guibeá de los benjamitas;

30Benaía el piratonita; Hidai, de los arroyos de Gaas;

31Abi-albón el arbateo; Azmavet el baharumita;

32Eliahba el saalbonita; los hijos de Jasem; Jonatán,

33hijo de Sage el hararita; Ahiam, hijo de Sarar el ararita;

34Elifelet, hijo de Ahasbai, hijo del maacateo; Eliam, hijo de Ahitofel, de Gilo,

35Hezro el carmelita; Paarai el arbita;

36Igal, hijo de Natán de Soba; Bani el gadita,

37Selec el amonita; Naharai, el berotita, que era el escudero de Joab, hijo de Servia,

38Ira de Jatir; Gareb de Jatir,

39y Urías el hitita, para un total de treinta y siete.

📖 Chapter study

Summary

David's poetic 'last words' about just rule are recorded, followed by a detailed list of his mightiest warriors ('the thirty'), including the heroic feat of three men who risked their lives to bring David water from a besieged well.

Explanation

This chapter serves as a tribute both to David's final words of wisdom and to the men who made his reign possible — a reminder that no great leader rules alone. David's act of pouring out the water brought at such great risk, rather than drinking it, shows reverence: he considers that water too sacred, bought with the risk of blood, to be consumed casually. It is a lesson about recognizing and honoring others' sacrifice rather than taking it for granted.

Fun facts

  • Uriah the Hittite — Bathsheba's husband, killed on David's orders in chapter 11 — appears in this roll of honor among the 37 mighty warriors, making his betrayal all the more tragic in light of his proven loyalty.
  • Benaiah, one of the warriors listed, killed a lion inside a pit on a snowy day — a feat so remarkable that Solomon later appointed him commander of the whole army (1 Kings 2:35).

Verse-by-verse explanation

  1. 2 Samuel 23:1This introduces David’s last words, described as the anointed of the God of Jacob and the sweet psalmist of Israel — a kind of final poetic testament.
  2. 2 Samuel 23:2David declares that the Spirit of the Lord spoke through him, and God’s word was on his tongue.
  3. 2 Samuel 23:3God, the Rock of Israel, reveals that there will be a just ruler, one who rules in the fear of God — an ideal of leadership that points beyond David himself.
  4. 2 Samuel 23:4This just ruler is compared to the morning light without clouds, which makes the grass spring up from the earth after rain — an image of blessing and life.
  5. 2 Samuel 23:5Even acknowledging that his own house is not perfect before God, David trusts in the everlasting covenant God made with him, the source of all his hope and joy.
  6. 2 Samuel 23:6In contrast, the wicked are compared to discarded thorns, which no one can hold in their hand.
  7. 2 Samuel 23:7Whoever touches these thorns must arm himself with iron, and in the end they are completely burned where they lie.
  8. 2 Samuel 23:8This begins the list of David’s mightiest warriors: the chief among them killed eight hundred men at one time.
  9. 2 Samuel 23:9Eleazar is remembered for standing firm with David when the Israelites provoked the Philistines gathered for battle.
  10. 2 Samuel 23:10Eleazar fought until his hand grew numb, clinging to the sword, and the Lord gave a great victory that day, with the people returning only to gather the spoil.
  11. 2 Samuel 23:11Shammah is remembered for another battle, when the Philistines gathered in a field of lentils and the people of Israel fled before them.
  12. 2 Samuel 23:12Shammah stood alone in the middle of the field, defended that piece of ground, and the Lord granted another great victory.
  13. 2 Samuel 23:13Three of the thirty chief warriors go down to the cave of Adullam to find David, while the Philistines camped in the valley of Rephaim.
  14. 2 Samuel 23:14At that time David was in a stronghold, and a Philistine garrison occupied Bethlehem.
  15. 2 Samuel 23:15David expresses a simple longing: to drink water from the well of Bethlehem, near the gate of his hometown.
  16. 2 Samuel 23:16David refuses to drink the water brought by his three mightiest warriors, who had fetched it by breaking through the enemy camp, and pours it out as an offering — to him, drinking something obtained at such risk would be like drinking the blood of the men who had risked their lives for it.
  17. 2 Samuel 23:17David refuses to drink the water, saying it would be like drinking the blood of the men who had risked their lives for it, and pours it out as an offering to the Lord.
  18. 2 Samuel 23:18Abishai, Joab’s brother, is also singled out as a leader among the warriors, having killed three hundred men single-handedly with his spear.
  19. 2 Samuel 23:19Despite his fame, Abishai did not reach the level of the three mightiest warriors mentioned before him.
  20. 2 Samuel 23:20Benaiah is remembered for extraordinary feats: he killed two mighty warriors of Moab and went down into a pit to kill a lion on a day of snow.
  21. 2 Samuel 23:21Benaiah also killed an impressive Egyptian warrior, disarming him with a staff and using the man’s own spear to kill him.
  22. 2 Samuel 23:22These feats earned Benaiah a place of distinction among David’s mightiest warriors.
  23. 2 Samuel 23:23Benaiah was the most respected among the thirty warriors, though he too did not reach the first three, and David placed him in charge of his personal guard.
  24. 2 Samuel 23:24A longer list of David’s thirty mighty warriors begins, including Asahel, Joab’s brother, and Elhanan of Bethlehem.
  25. 2 Samuel 23:25These names are part of the list of the Thirty, David’s most respected group of warriors — a roster of heroes that closes, in all, with thirty-seven names.
  26. 2 Samuel 23:26Helez and Ira join the list of the Thirty; Ira, of Tekoa, is from the same town as the wise woman Joab brought to reconcile David with Absalom.
  27. 2 Samuel 23:27Two more names from the list of David’s Thirty mighty men — Anathoth, the home of Abiezer, is the same town from which the prophet Jeremiah would come, centuries later.
  28. 2 Samuel 23:28Two more warriors from the list of the Thirty — Netophah, the home of Maharai, was known for supplying elite soldiers to David’s army.
  29. 2 Samuel 23:29The list continues with Heleb son of Baanah, of Netophah, and Ittai son of Ribai, of Gibeah, of the tribe of Benjamin.
  30. 2 Samuel 23:30This Benaiah is different from Benaiah son of Jehoiada, commander of David’s guard, mentioned a few verses earlier — same name, different warrior.
  31. 2 Samuel 23:31Two more names from the long list of David’s Thirty warriors — soldiers from towns scattered across the whole territory of Israel.
  32. 2 Samuel 23:32This Jonathan shares his name with Saul’s son, David’s great friend — but here he is just another soldier from the group of the Thirty mighty men.
  33. 2 Samuel 23:33The list continues with Shammah of Harar, and Ahiam son of Sharar, also of Harar.
  34. 2 Samuel 23:34The list includes Eliphelet, grandson of a Maachathite, and Eliam son of Ahithophel — the same counselor who betrayed David alongside Absalom.
  35. 2 Samuel 23:35Two more warriors, from Carmel and from Arba, round out the list of the Thirty — almost none of these names appear anywhere else in the Bible.
  36. 2 Samuel 23:36This Nathan, father of Igal, is not the prophet who confronted David about Bathsheba — he is simply another man with the same name, common at the time.
  37. 2 Samuel 23:37The list continues with Zelek the Ammonite, and Naharai of Beeroth, who carried Joab’s armor.
  38. 2 Samuel 23:38Ira and Gareb close out almost the entire list of the Thirty — only one more name remains, the last and most surprising of all: Uriah the Hittite.
  39. 2 Samuel 23:39Uriah the Hittite appears in the final list of David’s thirty mightiest warriors — the same man David had killed in chapter 11. Closing the list with this name is a quiet irony in the text, reminding the reader who Uriah really was before he became a victim.

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