June 21, 2024 | Be God's Light
David's Last Words and His Mighty Men
Scripture: 2 Samuel 23:1-23 (NIV)
1 These are the last words of David:
“The inspired utterance of David son of Jesse,
the utterance of the man exalted by the Most High,
the man anointed by the God of Jacob,
the hero of Israel’s songs:
2 “The Spirit of the Lord spoke through me;
his word was on my tongue.
3 The God of Israel spoke,
the Rock of Israel said to me:
‘When one rules over people in righteousness,
when he rules in the fear of God,
4 he is like the light of morning at sunrise
on a cloudless morning,
like the brightness after rain
that brings grass from the earth.’
5 “If my house were not right with God,
surely he would not have made with me an everlasting covenant,
arranged and secured in every part;
surely he would not bring to fruition my salvation
and grant me my every desire.
6 But evil men are all to be cast aside like thorns,
which are not gathered with the hand.
7 Whoever touches thorns
uses a tool of iron or the shaft of a spear;
they are burned up where they lie.”
8 These are the names of David’s mighty warriors:
Josheb-Basshebeth, a Tahkemonite, was chief of the Three; he raised his spear against eight hundred men, whom he killed in one encounter.
9 Next to him was Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite. As one of the three mighty warriors, he was with David when they taunted the Philistines gathered at Pas Dammim for battle. Then the Israelites retreated, 10 but Eleazar stood his ground and struck down the Philistines till his hand grew tired and froze to the sword. The Lord brought about a great victory that day. The troops returned to Eleazar, but only to strip the dead.
11 Next to him was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. When the Philistines banded together at a place where there was a field full of lentils, Israel’s troops fled from them. 12 But Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field. He defended it and struck the Philistines down, and the Lord brought about a great victory.
13 During harvest time, three of the thirty chief warriors came down to David at the cave of Adullam, while a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. 14 At that time David was in the stronghold, and the Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem. 15 David longed for water and said, “Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!” 16 So the three mighty warriors broke through the Philistine lines, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem and carried it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out before the Lord. 17 “Far be it from me, Lord, to do this!” he said. “Is it not the blood of men who went at the risk of their lives?” And David would not drink it.
Such were the exploits of the three mighty warriors.
18 Abishai the brother of Joab son of Zeruiah was chief of the Three. He raised his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed, and so he became as famous as the Three. 19 Was he not held in greater honor than the Three? He became their commander, even though he was not included among them.
20 Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant fighter from Kabzeel, performed great exploits. He struck down Moab’s two mightiest warriors. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion. 21 And he struck down a huge Egyptian. Although the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club. He snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear. 22 Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada; he too was as famous as the three mighty warriors. 23 He was held in greater honor than any of the Thirty, but he was not included among the Three. And David put him in charge of his bodyguard.
Devotional
David had lived a remarkable life. Beginning as the youngest and least important in his own family, he became a giant-killing, nation-unifying, enemy-defeating king of Israel. Yet at the end of his life, the Bible makes sure to mention the “mighty men” who stood by his side in both war and peace. Some of them were known as The Thirty. A few were simply called The Three. One was declared to be as famous as The Three. Without them, David wouldn’t have accomplished all that he did.
Who has helped to make you who you are today? Who are your Thirty? Who are your Three? Is there One who stands out?
Pause right not to make a list of those who have impacted your life. Then thank God for each person and the way they have influenced you for the good. As you do, keep in mind how the Bible calls us to give thanks for others. Here’s an example of Paul in Philippians 1:3-11.
3 I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
7 It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. 8 God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus.
9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.
Poem
The Prayer Of The Names Of The Mighty Men Of God
Josheb-Basshebeth—Dwelling in rest
Eleazar—God has helped
Shammah—Lost and desolate
Abishai—God’s gift
Benaiah—The LORD has built
Asahel—God has created
Elhanan—The grace of God
Helez—Freedom
Ira—Watchful Wind
Abiezer—Father of Help
Sibbekai—A woven thicket
Zalmon—A shade of His image
Maharai—Loss, desolation
Heled—A hill
Ithai—God is with me, God exists
Benaiah—The LORD has built
Hiddai—A praise, a cry
Abi-Albon—Father of strength, valiant
Azmaveth—Strong as death
Eliahba—Hidden by God
The sons of Jashen—The Sons of Old/the Ancients
Jonathan—God has given
Ahiam—A friend, A brother of Mother/City/Land
Eliphelet—God delivers, God is my release
Eliam—The nation, the people of God
Hezro—The bulwark/defense of God
Paarai—The opening of the LORD
Igal—He will redeem
The son of Hagri—The Son of the Wanderer, the Stranger
Zelek—The shadow or noise of him who licks or laps
Naharai—My nostrils, hot anger
Ira—Watchful Wind
Gareb—Scrape the leprosy
Uriah—My light is the LORD, God’s flame
As I dwell in the rest and sabbath of my God
God continually helps me
Though I feel lost and desolate
God’s gift to me will be
The building, the creating of His grace
Which is Freedom
Within the Watchful Wind of the Holy Spirit
God, as Father of my help,
Has woven a thicket over me
To shade me in the shadow of His image
In my loss and desolation
God has set me upon a hill
Upon which I realize the presence of
God with me
The LORD has built within me
A cry of praise unto
My Father of strength
Which makes me valiant,
Stronger than death
In the past, God has hidden
My ancestors of old, the ancient ones;
God has given them
A friend, a brother of the motherland of Israel
God delivers and liberates
The nation of God, His people
He provides for them a bulwark, a defense
A gate, an opening,
Into His redemption
The wanderer and stranger in repentance
Bow in the shadow of His thirsty anger
As the Holy Spirit’s flaming wind
Scrapes the leprosy of their sin
Exposing it and refining it
By the light of truth
