American Standard Version
2 Samuel 23:20
20And 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.
2 Samuel 23:20 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And 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:
- New International Version (NIV)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.
- English Standard Version (ESV)And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was a valiant man of Kabzeel, a doer of great deeds. He struck down two ariels of Moab. He also went down and struck down a lion in a pit on a day when snow had fallen.
- New King James Version (NKJV)Benaiah was the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man from Kabzeel, who had done many deeds. He had killed two lion-like heroes of Moab. He also had gone down and killed a lion in the midst of a pit on a snowy day.
Context of 2 Samuel 23:20
18And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred and slew them, and had a name among the three. 19Was he not most honorable of the three? therefore he was made their captain: howbeit he attained not unto the first three. 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. 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 a name among the three mighty men.
Read all of 2 Samuel 232 Samuel 23:20 word by word
וּבְנָיָ֨הוּ בֶן־יְהוֹיָדָ֧ע בֶּן־אִֽישׁ־חַ֛יִל רַב־פְּעָלִ֖ים מִֽקַּבְצְאֵ֑ל ה֣וּא הִכָּ֗ה אֵ֣ת שְׁנֵ֤י אֲרִאֵל֙ מוֹאָ֔ב וְ֠הוּא יָרַ֞ד וְהִכָּ֧ה אֶֽת־הָאֲרִ֛י בְּת֥וֹךְ הַבֹּ֖אר בְּי֥וֹם הַשָּֽׁלֶג׃Read the interlinear
- Benaiahבְּנָיָ֫הוּbenâyâh benâyâhû · BenaiahH1141
- sonבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- Jehoiadaיְהוֹיָדָעyehôyâdâ‛ · JehoiadaH3077
- sonבֵּןbên · son: warriorH1121
- manאִישׁ'îysh · manH376
- Kabzeelקַבְצְאֵלqabtse'êl · KabzeelH6909
- deedsפֹּ֫עַלpô‛al · workH6467
- twoשְׁנַ֫יִםshenayim shettayim · twoH8147
- sonsבֵּןbên · son: childH1121
- Moabמוֹאָבmô'âb · MoabH4124
- wentיָרַדyârad · to go downH3381
- lionאֲרִי'ărîy 'aryêh · lionH738
- midstתָּ֫וֶךְtâvek · midstH8432
- pitבּוֹרbôr · pitH953
- snowשֶׁ֫לֶגsheleg · snowH7950
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 23:20
- 2 Samuel 8:18and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and David’s sons were chief ministers.
- 2 Samuel 20:23Now Joab was over all the host of Israel; and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and over the Pelethites;
- 1 Kings 1:8But Zadok the priest, and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and Nathan the prophet, and Shimei, and Rei, and the mighty men that belonged to David, were not with Adonijah.
- 1 Kings 2:29And it was told king Solomon, Joab is fled unto the Tent of Jehovah, and, behold, he is by the altar. Then Solomon sent Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, saying, Go, fall upon him.
- 1 Chronicles 18:17and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites; and the sons of David were chief about the king.
- 1 Chronicles 27:5The third captain of the host for the third month was Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada the priest, chief: and in his course were twenty and four thousand.
- Joshua 15:21And the uttermost cities of the tribe of the children of Judah toward the border of Edom in the South were Kabzeel, and Eder, and Jagur,
- Exodus 15:15Then were the chiefs of Edom dismayed; The mighty men of Moab, trembling taketh hold upon them: All the inhabitants of Canaan are melted away.
- 2 Samuel 1:23Saul and Jonathan were lovely and pleasant in their lives, And in their death they were not divided: They were swifter than eagles, They were stronger than lions.
- 1 Chronicles 11:22Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done mighty deeds, he slew the twosons ofAriel of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow.
- 1 Chronicles 12:8And of the Gadites there separated themselves unto David to the stronghold in the wilderness, mighty men of valor, men trained for war, that could handle shield and spear; whose faces were like the faces of lions, and they were as swift as the roes upon the mountains:
- Judges 14:5Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnah, and came to the vineyards of Timnah: and, behold, a young lion roared against him.
- 1 Samuel 17:34And David said unto Saul, Thy servant was keeping his father’s sheep; and when there came a lion, or a bear, and took a lamb out of the flock,
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 23:20
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 20Two lion-like men of Moab - Some think that two real lions are meant; some that they were two savage gigantic men; others, that two fortresses are meant. The words מואב אראל שני sheney ariel Moab may signify, as the Targum has rendered it, מואב רברבי תרין ית yath terein rabrebey Moab, "The two princes of Moab."Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 20Benaiah the son of Jehoiada - He commanded the Cherethites and Pelethites all through David‘s reign 2 Samuel 8:18; 2 Samuel 20:23, and took a prominent part in supporting Solomon against Adonijah when David was dying, and was rewarded by being made captain of the host in the room of Joab 1 Kings 1:8, 1 Kings 1:26, 1 Kings 1:32-40; 1 Kings 2:25-35; 1 Kings 4:4. It is possible that Jehoiada his father is the same as Jehoiada 1 Chronicles 12:27, leader of…Read the comment
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-39Verses 8-39 David once earnestly longed for the water at the well of Bethlehem. It seems to be an instance of weakness. He was thirsty; with the water of that well he had often refreshed himself when a youth, and it was without due thought that he desired it. Were his valiant men so forward to expose themselves, upon the least hint of their prince's mind, and so eager to please him, and shall not we long to approve ourselves to our Lord Jesus, by ready…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 18-23Here are examples of the skills of Abishai and Benaiah. Abishai was very aggressive toward David’s enemies, especially Saul (1 Samuel 26:6–9) and Saul’s relative Shimei (2 Samuel 16:9–11). Abishai saved David’s life during a Philistine war (2 Samuel 21:16–17). Benaiah first appeared as the commander of the mercenaries who were David’s bodyguards. These men were separate from the regular army (2 Samuel 8:18; 20:23). He also led a 24,000-man division of the…Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 19-3919-39. the first three--The mighty men or champions in David's military staff were divided into three classes--the highest, Jashobeam, Eleazar, and Shammah; the second class, Abishai, Benaiah, and Asahel; and the third class, the thirty, of which Asahel was the chief. There are thirty-one mentioned in the list, including Asahel; and these added to the two superior orders make thirty-seven. Two of them, we know, were already dead; namely, Asahel [2Sa 3:30]…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Samuel 23:20
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 23
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
American Standard Version — 1901 — Public Domain
Commentaries