2 Samuel 23:39

Contextual Overview

⁸These are the names of David's mighty men: Josheb-Basshebeth, a Tahkemonite, was chief of the Three; he raised his spear against eight hundred men, whom he killed in one encounter. 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. ⁸These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-basshebeth a Tahchemonite, chief of the captains, he was called Adino the Eznite, because of eight hundred slain by him at one time; ⁸ These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-basshebeth a Tahchemonite, chief of the captains, he was called Adino the Eznite, because of eight hundred slain by him at one time; ⁸ These be the names of the mightie men whom Dauid had: One that sate in the seate of wisedome, being chiefest among the princes, was Adino of Ezni, he slue eyght hundred at one tyme. ⁸ These are the names of David's special soldiers: Josheb Basshebeth the Tahkemonite was captain of the king's special forces. He used his spear to kill 800 men at one time. ⁸ These are the names of the mighty ones who were called to David: He who sits in the seat of the Tachmonite, chief of the captains; He was called Adino the Eznite, because of the eight hundred he killed at one time. ⁸ These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-basshe'beth a Tah-che'monite; he was chief of the three; he wielded his spear against eight hundred whom he slew at one time. ⁸ These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-basshebeth a Tahchemonite, chief of the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite, against eight hundred slain at one time. ⁸ These be the names of the mightie men whome Dauid had: The Tachmonite that sate in the seat, chiefe among the captaines, (the same was Adino the Eznite:) hee lift vp his speare against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Uriah: 2 Samuel 11:3, 2 Samuel 11:6-27, 2 Samuel 12:9, 1 Kings 15:5, 1 Chronicles 11:41, Matthew 1:6

thirty and seven in all: From the number of these officers being thirty-seven, it is almost self-evident that shalishim cannot denote the thirty, as rendered in 2 Samuel 24:13, etc., but some particular description of men, or officers; for it can scarcely be said, with propriety, that we have thirty-seven out of thirty; and besides, in the parallel place in 1Chronicles, there are sixteen added!

Reciprocal: Genesis 23:3 - Heth 1 Samuel 26:6 - Hittite

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Uriah the Hittite,.... The husband of Bathsheba; of whom

:-;

thirty and seven all; reckoning the three mighty men of the first class, the three of the second, and the third class consisting of thirty men, whose names are as above, and Joab the general and head of them all. In 1 Chronicles 11:41, Zabad the son of Ahlai follows Uriah as one of this catalogue; he succeeding in honour one that soon died, particularly Elika, 2 Samuel 23:25, who is omitted in Chronicles, where a list of fifteen more is given, 1 Chronicles 11:42; at the head of which stands Adina a Reubenite, "and thirty" are said to be "with him", according to our version; but should be rendered, as by Junius and Tremellius, "but the thirty were superior to him", that is, the above thirty; for these fifteen, though brave men, were of lesser note.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Thirty and seven in all - This reckoning is correct, though only 36 “names” are given, the names of only two of the second triad being recorded, but 31 names are given from 2 Samuel 23:24 to the end, which, added to the two triads, or six, makes 37. Joab as captain of the whole host stands quite alone. In 1 Chronicles 11:41-47; after Uriah the Hittite, there follow sixteen other names, probably the names of those who took the places of those in the former list, who died from time to time, or who were added when the number was less rigidly restricted to thirty.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 2 Samuel 23:39. Uriah the Hittite: thirty and seven in all. — To these the author of 1 Chronicles 11:41 adds Zabad son of Ahlai.

1 Chronicles 11:42 - Adina the son of Shiza the Reubenite, a captain of the Reubenites, and thirty with him.

1 Chronicles 11:43 - Hanan the son of Maachah, and Joshaphat the Mithnite,

1 Chronicles 11:44 - Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jehiel the sons of Hothan the Aroerite,

1 Chronicles 11:45 - Jediael the son of Shimri, and Joha his brother, the Tizite,

1 Chronicles 11:46 - Eliel the Mahavite, and Jeribai, and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam, and Ithmah the Moabite,

1 Chronicles 11:47 - Eliel, and Obed, and Jasiel the Mesobaite.

THE 4th and 5th verses 2 Samuel 23:4; 2 Samuel 23:5 are very obscure; L. De Dieu gives them a good meaning, if not the true one: -

"The perpetuity of his kingdom David amplifies by a comparison to three natural things, which are very grateful to men, but not constant and stable. For the sun arises and goes down again; the morning may be clear, but clouds afterwards arise; and the tender grass springs up, but afterwards withers. Not so, said he, is my kingdom before God; it is flourishing like all these, but perpetual, for he has made an everlasting covenant with me, though some afflictions have befallen me; and he has not made all my salvation and desire to grow."

De Dieu repeats כ ke, the note of similitude, thrice; and the following is his version: -

"The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake unto me, (or concerning me:) The just man ruleth among men; he ruleth in the fear of God. And, as the sun ariseth with a shining light; as the morning is without clouds by reason of its splendour; as, from rain, the tender grass springeth out of the earth; truly so is not my house with God: because he hath made an everlasting covenant with me; disposed in all things, and well kept and preserved in that order. Although he doth not make all my deliverance and desire to grow, i.e., though some adversities happen to me and my family; yet, that always remains, which, in the covenant of God made with me, is in all things orderly, disposed, and preserved."

See Bishop Patrick on the place.

Once more I must beg the reader to refer to the First Dissertation of Dr. Kennicott, on the present state of the printed Hebrew text; in which there is not only great light cast on this subject, several corruptions in the Hebrew text being demonstrated, but also many valuable criticisms on different texts in the sacred writings. There are two Dissertations, 2 vols. 8vo.; and both very valuable.