Lectionary Calendar
Tuesday, August 5th, 2025
the Week of Proper 13 / Ordinary 18
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Read the Bible

New Revised Standard

2 Samuel 23:19

He was the most renowned of the Thirty, and became their commander; but he did not attain to the Three.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Armies;  

Dictionaries:

- Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Abishai;   Courage;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Abishai;   Captain;   Giants;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Uriah;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Abishai;   Mighty Men;   Samuel, Books of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Giant;   Ithrite, the;   Samuel, Books of;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Army;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Attain;   Text of the Old Testament;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
Was he not more honored than the Three? He became their commander even though he did not become one of the Three.
Hebrew Names Version
Wasn't he most honorable of the three? therefore he was made their captain: however he didn't attain to the [first] three.
King James Version
Was he not most honourable of three? therefore he was their captain: howbeit he attained not unto the first three.
English Standard Version
He was the most renowned of the thirty and became their commander, but he did not attain to the three.
New Century Version
and was more honored than the Three. He became their commander even though he was not one of them.
New English Translation
From the three he was given honor and he became their officer, even though he was not one of the three.
Amplified Bible
He was the most honored of the thirty, so he became their commander; however, he did not attain to the [greatness of the] three.
New American Standard Bible
He was the most honored among the thirty, so he became their commander; however, he did not attain to the reputation of the three.
Geneva Bible (1587)
For he was most excellent of the three, & was their captaine, but he attained not vnto the first three.
Legacy Standard Bible
Of the thirty he was most honored and became their commander; however, he did not attain to the three.
Contemporary English Version
and certainly just as famous as the rest of the Thirty Warriors. He was the commander of the Thirty Warriors, but he still did not become one of the Three Warriors.
Complete Jewish Bible
He had the most honor of these three and was therefore made their leader; however, he did not achieve the status of the first three.
Darby Translation
Was he not most honourable of three? and he was their captain; but he did not attain to the [first] three.
Easy-to-Read Version
Abishai was as famous as the Three Heroes. He became their leader, even though he was not one of them.
George Lamsa Translation
And he was honored above the thirty men; therefore he became their chief and performed heroic deeds equal to thirty men.
Good News Translation
He was the most famous of "The Thirty" and became their leader, but he was not as famous as "The Three."
Lexham English Bible
Among the thirty, is it not that he was honored and became a commander for them? But he did not come up to the three.
Literal Translation
With honor he was honored more than the three. And he was the commander to them, but he did not come to the first three.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
& the noblest amonge thre, & was their ruler. But he came not vnto the thre.
American Standard Version
Was he not most honorable of the three? therefore he was made their captain: howbeit he attained not unto the first three.
Bible in Basic English
Was he not the noblest of the thirty? so he was made their captain: but he was not equal to the first three.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
For he was most excellent of the three, and was their captayne: Howbeit he attayned not vnto [the first] three.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
He was most honourable of the three; therefore he was made their captain; howbeit he attained not unto the first three.
King James Version (1611)
Was hee not most honourable of three? therefore he was their captaine: howbeit, hee attained not vnto the first three.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
Of those three he was most honourable, and he became a chief over them, but he reached not to the first three.
English Revised Version
Was he not most honourable of the three? therefore he was made their captain: howbeit he attained not unto the [first] three.
Berean Standard Bible
Was he not more honored than the Three? And he became their commander, even though he was not included among the Three.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
and was the noblere among thre, and he was the prince of hem; but he cam not to the thre firste men.
Young's Literal Translation
Of the three is he not the honoured? and he becometh their head; and unto the [first] three he hath not come.
Update Bible Version
Was he not most honorable of the thirty? therefore he was made their captain: nevertheless he didn't attain to the three.
Webster's Bible Translation
Was he not most honorable of three? therefore he was their captain: yet he attained not to the [first] three.
World English Bible
Wasn't he most honorable of the three? therefore he was made their captain: however he didn't attain to the [first] three.
New King James Version
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
Abishai was the most famous of the Thirty and was their commander, though he was not one of the Three.
New Life Bible
He was the most honored of the thirty. So he became their captain. But he was not as strong as the three.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Was he not most honourable, of the three, and so became their captain? Nevertheless, unto the three, he attained not.
Douay-Rheims Bible
And the noblest of three, and was their chief, but to the three first he attained not.
Revised Standard Version
He was the most renowned of the thirty, and became their commander; but he did not attain to the three.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
He was most honored of the thirty, therefore he became their commander; however, he did not attain to the three.

Contextual Overview

8 These are the names of the warriors whom David had: Josheb-basshebeth a Tahchemonite; he was chief of the Three; he wielded his spear against eight hundred whom he killed at one time. 9 Next to him among the three warriors was Eleazar son of Dodo son of Ahohi. He was with David when they defied the Philistines who were gathered there for battle. The Israelites withdrew, 10 but he stood his ground. He struck down the Philistines until his arm grew weary, though his hand clung to the sword. The Lord brought about a great victory that day. Then the people came back to him—but only to strip the dead. 11 Next to him was Shammah son of Agee, the Hararite. The Philistines gathered together at Lehi, where there was a plot of ground full of lentils; and the army fled from the Philistines. 12 But he took his stand in the middle of the plot, defended it, and killed the Philistines; and the Lord brought about a great victory. 13 Towards the beginning of harvest three of the thirty chiefs went down to join David at the cave of Adullam, while a band of Philistines was encamped in the valley of Rephaim. 14 David was then in the stronghold; and the garrison of the Philistines was then at Bethlehem. 15 David said longingly, "O that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem that is by the gate!" 16 Then the three warriors broke through the camp of the Philistines, drew water from the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate, and brought it to David. But he would not drink of it; he poured it out to the Lord , 17 for he said, "The Lord forbid that I should do this. Can I drink the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives?" Therefore he would not drink it. The three warriors did these things.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

he attained: 2 Samuel 23:9, 2 Samuel 23:13, 2 Samuel 23:16, 1 Chronicles 11:25, Matthew 13:8, Matthew 13:23, 1 Corinthians 15:41

Reciprocal: 1 Chronicles 18:17 - Benaiah Ecclesiastes 4:12 - and a

Cross-References

Genesis 3:19
By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; you are dust, and to dust you shall return."
Genesis 23:9
so that he may give me the cave of Machpelah, which he owns; it is at the end of his field. For the full price let him give it to me in your presence as a possession for a burying place."
Genesis 23:10
Now Ephron was sitting among the Hittites; and Ephron the Hittite answered Abraham in the hearing of the Hittites, of all who went in at the gate of his city,
Genesis 47:30
When I lie down with my ancestors, carry me out of Egypt and bury me in their burial place." He answered, "I will do as you have said."
Genesis 50:13
They carried him to the land of Canaan and buried him in the cave of the field at Machpelah, the field near Mamre, which Abraham bought as a burial site from Ephron the Hittite.
Genesis 50:25
So Joseph made the Israelites swear, saying, "When God comes to you, you shall carry up my bones from here."
Job 30:23
I know that you will bring me to death, and to the house appointed for all living.
Ecclesiastes 6:3
A man may beget a hundred children, and live many years; but however many are the days of his years, if he does not enjoy life's good things, or has no burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he.
Ecclesiastes 12:5
when one is afraid of heights, and terrors are in the road; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags itself along and desire fails; because all must go to their eternal home, and the mourners will go about the streets;
Ecclesiastes 12:7
and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the breath returns to God who gave it.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Was he not most honourable of three?.... He was; who, besides the exploit here mentioned, did many other things; he went down with David into Saul's camp, and took away his spear and cruse, which were at his bolster, 1 Samuel 26:6; he relieved David when in danger from Ishbibenob the giant, 2 Samuel 21:16; he beat the Edomites, and slew eighteen thousand of them in the valley of salt, 1 Chronicles 18:12:

therefore he was their captain; of the other two, or was head over them, took rank before them:

howbeit he attained not unto the [first] three; for fortitude, courage, and warlike exploits, namely, to the Tachmonite, Eleazar, and Shammah.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

i. 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.


 
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