Day 171 – 2 Samuel 23:8-17
Scripture Review
2 Samuel 23:8-17
"These be the names of the mighty men whom David had: The Tachmonite that sat in the seat, chief among the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite: he lift up his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time."
(2 Samuel 23:8)
God remembered the men who stood beside him. Great leaders are rarely great alone. David was God's anointed king, but he needed faithful men around him. Their courage, loyalty, and sacrifice became part of the story of his kingdom.
"And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines that were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away:"
(2 Samuel 23:9)
Eleazar is introduced as one of the three mighty men with David. His father was Dodo, and he was an Ahohite, meaning he belonged to the family or clan connected with Ahoah. The verse says they "defied the Philistines" speaks of when the Philistines had gathered for battle, and the men of Israel had gone away. But Eleazar stayed to fight. He did not stand because everyone else was standing. He stood after others had withdrawn. His faithfulness was not dependent upon the courage of others. There may be moments when others become discouraged, afraid, or unwilling. The question then becomes whether I will still stand with the king.
"He arose, and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave unto the sword: and the LORD wrought a great victory that day; and the people returned after him only to spoil."
(2 Samuel 23:10)
Eleazar "arose." While others were leaving, he rose to fight. And "smote" the Philistines, until his hand became weary and "clave unto the sword." His hand had gripped the sword so long and so firmly that it could scarcely release it. Eleazar became weary. His strength was exhausted. Faithfulness does not mean a person never becomes tired. It means he does not release his place merely because he is tired. Then "the LORD wrought a great victory that day." Eleazar held the sword, but the LORD gave the victory. He did not sit down and claim that God would fight while he did nothing. He arose, gripped his sword, and fought until he was weary. Yet he did not receive the final glory. The victory belonged to the LORD.
The people who had left returned "only to spoil." They came back to gather the benefit of a battle Eleazar had been willing to fight. Some people appear after the danger has passed to enjoy what someone else's faithfulness preserved. God, however, remembers the one who stood when others fled.
"And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. And the Philistines were gathered together into a troop, where was a piece of ground full of lentiles: and the people fled from the Philistines."
(2 Samuel 23:11)
The next mighty man is Shammah, the son of Agee the Hararite. The Philistines gather into a "troop," meaning an organized group of soldiers. The place they threaten is described as a piece of ground full of "lentiles." Lentiles, or lentils, were a common food crop. This was not a palace, great city, or famous monument. It was a field of food.
The people fled from the Philistines. Perhaps they thought the field was not worth risking their lives. It may have appeared small and ordinary. But that field represented more than lentils. It was Israelite ground. It contained food for families. It was part of the inheritance God had given His people. If every field was surrendered because it seemed insignificant, soon there would be nothing left to defend.
Satan often advances by taking what people consider too small to protect. A family standard, a quiet responsibility, a small ministry, or a seemingly ordinary truth can be surrendered because it does not appear important enough for a battle. A heart after God knows that faithfulness is often proved in places other people call insignificant.
"But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the LORD wrought a great victory."
(2 Samuel 23:12)
Shammah stood "in the midst of the ground." He placed himself in the middle of what the enemy intended to take. He defended it and slew the Philistines. Then once again the Bible says, "the LORD wrought a great victory."
There are places in life that God has placed under my care. They may not look important to anyone else, but that does not make them unimportant to God. My assignment is not to determine whether the ground is impressive. My assignment is to stand where God has placed me.
"And three of the thirty chief went down, and came to David in the harvest time unto the cave of Adullam: and the troop of the Philistines pitched in the valley of Rephaim."
(2 Samuel 23:13)
Harvest time should have been a season of gathering food and enjoying the fruit of the land. Instead, the Philistines threatened the harvest and controlled important territory. David is in a stronghold while the enemy occupies the region around Bethlehem, his childhood home. The fields, roads, and familiar places of his youth are under Philistine control.
"And David was then in an hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem."
(2 Samuel 23:14)
David was protected, but he was also separated from Bethlehem. A Philistine "garrison" was stationed in Bethlehem occupying and controlling the location. This was David's home. He had tended sheep in its fields. His family lived there.
"And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!"
(2 Samuel 23:15)
David expressed a deep desire for water from the well of Bethlehem near the gate. He voices a wish. Perhaps the hardship, heat, and memories of home brought the words out of him. The water itself may not have been physically different from other water. What made it precious was what it represented. It came from David's hometown. It reminded him of life before Saul's pursuit, war, and exile.
"And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the LORD."
(2 Samuel 23:16)
The three mighty men crossed enemy lines, reached Bethlehem, drew water from the well, and carried it back to David. This is extraordinary loyalty. They were not ordered to do it. They heard the longing of their king and treated it as worthy of great sacrifice. They risked their lives for a cup of water. But David would not drink it. Instead, he "poured it out unto the LORD." This was not waste or rejection of their gift. It was an act of worship. The water had become too costly to be treated as ordinary refreshment. David recognized that such devotion belonged ultimately to God.
"And he said, Be it far from me, O LORD, that I should do this: is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men."
(2 Samuel 23:17)
Three mighty men had placed their lives in danger to obtain the water. To drink it merely to satisfy his thirst would have treated their lives too cheaply. Pouring it out before the LORD acknowledged that their sacrifice was sacred. David had made a careless expression of longing, but once he understood what it had cost, he responded with reverence. That is also a sign of humility. He did not allow pride to make him pretend their action was ordinary. A heart after God understands that the blood, labor, tears, and sacrifices of faithful people should never be treated as personal entitlement.