2 Samuel 23:19

2 Samuel 23:19 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)Was he not most honourable of three? therefore he was their captain: howbeit he attained not unto the first three.
• English Standard Version (ESV)He was the most renowned of the thirty and became their commander, but he did not attain to the three.
• New King James Version (NKJV)Was he not the most honored of three? Therefore he became their captain. However, he did not attain to the first three.
• New Living Translation (NLT)Abishai was the most famous of the Thirty and was their commander, though he was not one of the Three.

Context of 2 Samuel 23:19

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. 18Abishai 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. Was he not held in greater honor than the Three? He became their commander, even though he was not included among them. 20Benaiah 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. 21And 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.

2 Samuel 23:19 word by word

מִן־הַשְּׁלֹשָׁה֙ הֲכִ֣י נִכְבָּ֔ד וַיְהִ֥י לָהֶ֖ם לְשָׂ֑ר וְעַד־הַשְּׁלֹשָׁ֖ה לֹא־בָֽא׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• Was he not most honourableכָּבֵדkâbad kâbêd · to honor: honourH3513
• of threeשָׁלֹשׁshâlôsh shâlôsh shelôshâh shelôshâh · threeH7969
• therefore he was their captainשַׂרώar · rulerH8269
• howbeit he attainedבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): comeH935

Cross-references for 2 Samuel 23:19

• 2 Samuel 23:9Next 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,
• 1 Chronicles 11:25He 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.
• Matthew 13:8Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.
• 1 Corinthians 15:41The sun has one kind of splendor, the moon another and the stars another; and star differs from star in splendor.

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 23:19

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 19i. e., “Was he not the most honorable of the three of the second order, howbeit, he attained not to the three,” the triad, namely, which consisted of Jashobeam, Eleazar, and Shammah. That two triads are mentioned is a simple fact, although only five names are given.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 23:19

• Armies

In the dictionaries

• Abishai
• Captain
• Giants
• Sure
• Troop
• Amasai
• Attain
• Genealogy
• Joshaphat
• Joshaviah

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