2 Samuel 23

2 Samuel · Chapter 23

2 Samuel 23:20

1Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said,2The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and his word was in my tongue.3The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God.4And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain.5Although my house be not so with God; yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure: for this is all my salvation, and all my desire, although he make it not to grow.6But the sons of Belial shall be all of them as thorns thrust away, because they cannot be taken with hands:7But the man that shall touch them must be fenced with iron and the staff of a spear; and they shall be utterly burned with fire in the same place.8These be the names of the mighty men whom David had: The Tachmonite that sat in the seat, chief among the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite: he lift up his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time.9And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines that were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away:10He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword: and the LORD wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to spoil.11And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentiles: and the people fled from the Philistines.12But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the LORD wrought a great victory.13And three of the thirty chief went down, and came to David in the harvest time unto the cave of Adullam: and the troop of the Philistines pitched in the valley of Rephaim.14And David was then in an hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem.15And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!16And the three mighty men 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: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the LORD.17And he said, Be it far from me, O LORD, that I should do this: is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men.18And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief among three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred, and slew them, and had the name among three.19Was he not most honourable of three? therefore he was their captain: howbeit he attained not unto the first three.20And 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: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow:21And he slew an Egyptian, a goodly man: and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but 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.22These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among three mighty men.23He was more honourable than the thirty, but he attained not to the first three. And David set him over his guard.24Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,25Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,26Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,27Abiezer the Anethothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,28Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,29Heleb the son of Baanah, a Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai out of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin,30Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash,31Abialbon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,32Eliahba the Shaalbonite, of the sons of Jashen, Jonathan,33Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite,34Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maachathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,35Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,36Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite,37Zelek the Ammonite, Nahari the Beerothite, armourbearer to Joab the son of Zeruiah,38Ira an Ithrite, Gareb an Ithrite,39Uriah the Hittite: thirty and seven in all.

King James Version (1769)

Other translations

VerseKJVBSBASV
20And 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: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow:And Benaiah son of Jehoiada was a man of valor from Kabzeel, a man of many exploits. He struck down two champions of Moab, and on a snowy day he went down into a pit and killed a lion.And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done mighty deeds, he slew the two sons of Ariel of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow.

In context

Who is speaking and to whom, what is happening, when and where, and why it matters, each with its sources. Coming with the context cards.

Where

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Original Hebrew words

EnglishHebrewSay itStrong'sMeaning
and Benaiahוּבְנָיָ֨הוּu-ve-na-YA-huH1141G
Benaiah

בְּנָיָ֫הוּ (be.na.yah) A man living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Sa.8.18; son of: Jehoiada (H3077); father of: Ammizabad (H5990) § Benaiah = "Jehovah has built" or "Yahweh has built up" 1) one of David's mighty warriors, son of Jehoiada the chief priest, a Levite, set by David over his bodyguard, later having remained faithful to Solomon during Adonijah's attempt on the crown, was raised into the place of Joab as commander-in-chief of the army 2) the Pirathonite, an Ephraimite, one of David's thirty mighty warriors, and the captain of the eleventh monthly course …

[the] son ofבֶן־ven-H1121A
son: child

בֵּן (ben) : child/son

Jehoiadaיְהוֹיָדָ֧עye-ho-ya-DA'H3077G
Jehoiada

יְהוֹיָדָע (ye.ho.ya.da) A man living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Sa.8.18; father of: Benaiah (H1141) § Jehoiada = "Jehovah knows" 1) father of Benaiah, David's mighty warrior 2) leader of the priests who joined David at Hebron 3) high priest at the time of Athaliah's usurpation of the throne of Judah; hid Joash, the king's son, for six years and eventually replaced him on the throne of Judah 4) second priest, or sagan, to Seraiah the high priest

[was] a son ofבֶּן־ben-H1121KNo entry
a manאִֽישׁ־'ish-H0376G
man

אִישׁ (ish) : man 1) man 1a) man, male (in contrast to woman, female) 1b) husband 1c) human being, person (in contrast to God) 1d) servant 1e) mankind 1f) champion 1g) great man 2) whosoever 3) each (adjective)

of strengthחַ֛יִלchaiH2428G
strength: soldiers

חַ֫יִל (cha.yil) : soldiers/army 1) strength, might, efficiency, wealth, army 1a) strength 1b) ability, efficiency 1c) wealth 1d) force, army

great ofרַב־rav-H7227A
many

רַב (rav) adj 1) much, many, great 1a) much 1b) many 1c) abounding in 1d) more numerous than 1e) abundant, enough 1f) great 1g) strong 1h) greater than adv 1i) much, exceedingly

deedsפְּעָלִ֖יםpe-'a-LIMH6467
work

פֹּ֫עַל (po.al) 1) work, deed, doing 1a) deed, thing done 1b) work, thing made 1c) wages of work 1d) acquisition (of treasure)

from Kabzeelמִֽקַּבְצְאֵ֑לmi-kav-tze-'ELH6909
Kabzeel

קַבְצְאֵל (qav.tse.el) § Kabzeel = "God gathers" the most remote city of Judah; located in southern Judah on the border of Edom

heה֣וּאhu'H1931
he/she/it

הוּא (hu) pron 3p s 1) he, she, it 1a) himself (with emphasis) 1b) resuming subj with emphasis 1c) (with minimum emphasis following predicate) 1d) (anticipating subj) 1e) (emphasising predicate) 1f) that, it (neuter) demons pron 2) that (with article)

he struck downהִכָּ֗הhi-KAHH5221
to smite

נָכָה (na.khah) 1) to strike, smite, hit, beat, slay, kill 1a)(Niphal) to be stricken or smitten 1b) (Pual) to be stricken or smitten 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to smite, strike, beat, scourge, clap, applaud, give a thrust 1c2) to smite, kill, slay (man or beast) 1c3) to smite, attack, attack and destroy, conquer, subjugate, ravage 1c4) to smite, chastise, send judgment upon, punish, destroy 1d) (Hophal) to be smitten 1d1) to receive a blow 1d2) to be wounded 1d3) to be beaten 1d4) to be (fatally) smitten, be killed, be slain 1d5) to be attacked and captured 1d6) to be smitten (with disease) …

[the] twoשְׁנֵ֤יshe-NEIH8147
two

שְׁנַ֫יִם (she.na.yim) 1) two 1a) two (the cardinal number) 1a1) two, both, double, twice 1b) second (the ordinal number) 1c) in combination with other numbers 1d) both (a dual number)

[the] lion-like men ofאֲרִאֵל֙'a-ri-'ELH0739
Ariel

אֲרִיאֵל (a.ri.el) A group living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Sa.23.20 meaning uncertain 1a) (CLBL) possibly lion-like 1b) (BDB) possibly two sons of Ariel of Moab

Moabמוֹאָ֔בmo-'AVH4124G
Moab

מוֹאָב (mo.av) Moab = "of his father" the nation descended from the son of Lot Also named: mo.a.vi (מוֹאָבִי "Moab" H4125)

and heוְ֠הוּאVE-hu'H1931
he/she/it

הוּא (hu) pron 3p s 1) he, she, it 1a) himself (with emphasis) 1b) resuming subj with emphasis 1c) (with minimum emphasis following predicate) 1d) (anticipating subj) 1e) (emphasising predicate) 1f) that, it (neuter) demons pron 2) that (with article)

he went downיָרַ֞דya-RADH3381
to go down

יָרַד (ya.rad) 1) to go down, descend, decline, march down, sink down 1a) (Qal) 1a1) to go or come down 1a2) to sink 1a3) to be prostrated 1a4) to come down (of revelation) 1b) (Hiphil) 1b1) to bring down 1b2) to send down 1b3) to take down 1b4) to lay prostrate 1b5) to let down 1c) (Hophal) 1c1) to be brought down 1c2) to be taken down

and he struck downוְהִכָּ֧הve-hi-KAHH5221
to smite

נָכָה (na.khah) 1) to strike, smite, hit, beat, slay, kill 1a)(Niphal) to be stricken or smitten 1b) (Pual) to be stricken or smitten 1c) (Hiphil) 1c1) to smite, strike, beat, scourge, clap, applaud, give a thrust 1c2) to smite, kill, slay (man or beast) 1c3) to smite, attack, attack and destroy, conquer, subjugate, ravage 1c4) to smite, chastise, send judgment upon, punish, destroy 1d) (Hophal) to be smitten 1d1) to receive a blow 1d2) to be wounded 1d3) to be beaten 1d4) to be (fatally) smitten, be killed, be slain 1d5) to be attacked and captured 1d6) to be smitten (with disease) …

the lionהָאֲרִ֛יha-'a-ri-yahH0738A
lion

אֲרִי (a.ri) 1) lion 1a) pictures or images of lions

in [the] midst ofבְּת֥וֹךְbe-TOKHH8432
midst

תָּ֫וֶךְ (ta.vekh) 1) midst, middle 1a) midst, middle 1b) into, through (after verbs of motion) 1c) among (of a number of persons) 1d) between (of things arranged by twos) 1e) from among (as to take or separate etc)

the pitהַבֹּ֖ארha-BORH0953A
pit

בּוֹר (bor) pit, well, cistern, dungeon, pit of the grave

on [the] day ofבְּי֥וֹםbe-YOMH3117G
day

יוֹם (yom) : day/when/time/period 1) day, time, year 1a) day (as opposed to night) 1b) day (24 hour period) 1b1) as defined by evening and morning in Genesis 1 1b2) as a division of time 1b2a) a working day, a day's journey 1c) days, lifetime (pl.) 1d) time, period (general) 1e) year 1f) temporal references 1f1) today 1f2) yesterday 1f3) tomorrow

the snowהַשָּֽׁלֶג׃ha-SHA-legH7950
snow

שֶׁ֫לֶג (she.leg) snow Aramaic equivalent: te.lag (תְּלַג "snow" H8517)

Words and meanings from STEPBible data (Tyndale House, Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). The capitalized syllable is the stressed one.