The Three and the Water of Bethlehem
10 Now these are the chief of the mighty men whom David had, who showed themselves strong with him in his kingdom, together with all Israel, to make him king, according to Yahweh’s word concerning Israel. 11 This is the number of the mighty men whom David had: Jashobeam, the son of a Hachmonite, the chief of the thirty; he lifted up his spear against three hundred and killed them at one time. 12 After him was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, who was one of the three mighty men. 13 He was with David at Pasdammim, and there the Philistines were gathered together to battle, where there was a plot of ground full of barley; and the people fled from before the Philistines. 14 They stood in the middle of the plot, defended it, and killed the Philistines; and Yahweh saved them by a great victory. 15 Three of the thirty chief men went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam; and the army of the Philistines were encamped in the valley of Rephaim. 16 David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was in Bethlehem at that time. 17 David longed, and said, “Oh, that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!” 18 The three broke through the army of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate, took it, and brought it to David; but David would not drink any of it, but poured it out to Yahweh, 19 and said, “My God forbid me, that I should do this! Shall I drink the blood of these men who have put their lives in jeopardy?” For they risked their lives to bring it. Therefore he would not drink it. The three mighty men did these things. 20 Abishai, the brother of Joab, was chief of the three; for he lifted up his spear against three hundred and killed them, and had a name among the three. 21 Of the three, he was more honorable than the two, and was made their captain; however he wasn’t included in the three. 22 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done mighty deeds, killed the two sons of Ariel of Moab. He also went down and killed a lion in the middle of a pit on a snowy day. 23 He killed an Egyptian, a man of great stature, five cubits high. In the Egyptian’s hand was a spear like a weaver’s beam; and he went down to him with a staff, plucked the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand, and killed him with his own spear. 24 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did these things and had a name among the three mighty men. 25 Behold, he was more honorable than the thirty, but he didn’t attain to the three; and David set him over his guard.
The roll of heroes credits their victories to God and turns on a king refusing what three men risked their lives to bring him.
The warrior list is introduced by its purpose. These men showed themselves strong with him in his kingdom to make him king, according to Yahweh's word concerning Israel 1 Chronicles 11:10. Even a roll of fighters is attached to the promise before a single deed is described.
The deeds are then told very short. Jashobeam against three hundred at one time. Eleazar in a barley field, standing in the middle of the plot when the army had run 1 Chronicles 11:13–14. The stories are two lines each, and the second one ends where the pattern requires: they held the ground, and Yahweh saved them by a great victory.
That clause is the shape of the whole section. The men are named, their feats are recorded exactly, and the outcome is credited to someone who is not on the list.
The central episode has no fighting in it at all. David, in the stronghold with a Philistine garrison in his home town, says aloud that he would like water from the well by the gate 1 Chronicles 11:17. It is not a command. It is a longing spoken in front of men who would act on anything he said.
Three of them break through an army, draw the water, and carry it back. And he will not drink it. He pours it out as an offering, saying shall I drink the blood of these men who have put their lives in jeopardy? 1 Chronicles 11:19.
The refusal is the point of the story, and it works in two directions. The water had become too costly to use, so the only fit thing to do with it was to give it to God. And a king had learned what his idle wishes weigh when other men are listening. He does not thank them and drink; he treats what they brought as something he has no right to consume.
The remaining feats are the most physical in the book. Abishai against three hundred. Benaiah, who killed a lion in the middle of a pit on a snowy day, and an Egyptian of great stature whom he attacked with a staff and killed with the man's own spear 1 Chronicles 11:22–23.
The list also keeps its ranks honest. Abishai was more honorable than the two, however he wasn't included in the three 1 Chronicles 11:21; Benaiah outranked the thirty but didn't attain to the three 1 Chronicles 11:25. Reputation is recorded precisely and not rounded up, which is the same care the genealogies showed with numbers.
settled What this mark means