2 Samuel 23:8

These [be] the names of the mighty men whom David had,.... Besides Joab his general, who is not mentioned; for these were all military men under him, which are distinguished into three classes; the

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.

Of the mighty men whom David had, i. e. of his chief and most valiant commanders. And as it was noted upon , that the things related in that chapter were done before Absalom’ s and Sheba’ s rebellion, though they be mentioned after them; so that opinion is confirmed by this catalogue, which, though placed here, was taken long before, as is manifest from hence, that Asahel and Uriah are named here. And whereas there are some differences between this list and that 1Ch 11, most of them are easily reconciled by these two considerations: 1. That nothing is more common than for one person to have divers names. 2. That as some of the worthies died, and others came in their steads; so this must needs cause some alteration in the latter catalogue, 1 Chronicles 11, from this, which was the former. The Tachmonite, or, Hachmonite, called Jashobeam, , from his place; or, as here, Josheb-bassebet, i. e. as we render it, that sat in the seat, i.e. was, under Joab, chief or president of the council of war, or lieutenant (locum tenens). The same was Adino: this was his proper name. The Eznite; so called, either from his family, or from the place of his birth or education. He lift up his spear; which words are fitly supplied out of , where they are expressed. Or thus, he was above eight hundred, i.e. he conquered them. So there is only an ellipsis of the verb substantive, which is most frequent. At one time; in one battle, which though it be strange, yet cannot seem incredible, supposing him to be a person of extraordinary strength and activity, and his enemies to be weak, or discouraged, and fleeing away; and especially, God’ s singular blessing and assistance; all which may very reasonably be supposed. Object. But this man is said to have slain only three hundred in . Answ. 1. Possibly he slew eight hundred at one time, and three hundred at another; whereof the former is related here, as being most considerable; and the latter in the Book of Chronicles, which supplies many passages omitted in the former writings. 2. He slew three hundred with his own hands; and the other five hundred, though killed by his men, are said to be slain by him, because he was the chief cause of all their deaths; for he, by his undaunted courage, killing three hundred, put the rest to flight, who were easily slain by his soldiers in the pursuit. 3. Some of the Hebrew writers affirm that these were two distinct persons, being called by differing names; the one the father, and the other the son, who succeeded his father, as in strength and valour, so also in his place of honour and trust.

2 Samuel 23:8 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.Ver. 8. These be the names of the mighty men which David had.] Who strengthened themselves with him in his kingdom, being valiant and godly men. Joab is not once mentioned among them for his wickednesses; though some have thought that he was meant by this Tachmonite that sat in the seat as president of the council of war. But this is expressly said to be Adino, his proper name, the Eznite, from the country where he was born or bred, the son of one Tachmoni. Some render it thus, These are the valiant men which David, sitting in the chair of state, had. Christ also had his worthies, and still hath, whose names are written in heaven. “ Ite nunc fortes: superata tellus Sidera donat. ” - Boet., lib. iv. metr. 7. Herehence the heathens borrowed their heroes, their Argonauts, Jason with his fifty-four mighties: Castor, Pollux, Typhis, Hercules, &c. Dei Simia Satan haec effinxit. He lift up his spear against eight hundred.] Whom he routed and put to flight, so that they were slain; himself with his own hands killing three hundred of them upon the place. Scanderbeg was such another.

(8) These be the names.—Here, in the summary at the close of David’s reign, is very naturally given a list of his chief heroes. A duplicate of this list, with several variations, and with sixteen more names, is given in 1 Chronicles 11:10-47, which is useful in correcting such clerical errors as have arisen in both. The list in Chronicles is given in connection with David’s becoming king over all Israel; but in both cases the list is not to be understood as belonging precisely to any definite time, but rather as a catalogue of the chief heroes who distinguished themselves at any time in the life of David. The Tachmonite that sat in the seat.—The text of this verse has undergone several alterations, which may be corrected by the parallel passage in Chronicles. This clause should read, “Jashobeam the Hachmonite,” as in 1 Chronicles 11:11. Jashobeam came to David at Ziklag (1 Chronicles 12:1; 1 Chronicles 12:6), and afterwards became the general of the first division of the army (1 Chronicles 27:2), being immediately followed by Dodo. One of the same family was tutor to David’s sons (1 Chronicles 27:32). The captains.—The word for captain and the word for three are much alike, and the text here and in Chronicles perpetually fluctuates between the two. Probably the sense here is that Jashobeam was the chief of the three who stood highest in rank among the heroes. No mention is made in either list of Joab, because, as commander-in-chief, he stood in a rank by himself. The same was Adino the Eznite.—It is difficult to attach any meaning to these words in their connection, and they are generally considered as a corruption of the words in 1 Chronicles 11:11, “he lifted up his spear,” which are required and are inserted here in the English. For “eight hundred” Chronicles has “three hundred,” as in 2 Samuel 23:18. Variations in numbers are exceedingly common, but the probability is in favour of the correctness of the text here. This large number was slain by Jashobeam and the men under his command in one combat.

Verse 8. These be the names of the mighty men] This chapter should be collated with the parallel place, 1 Chronicles 11:11-47; and see Kennicott's First Dissertation on the printed Hebrew text, pages 64-471. The Tachmonite that sat in the seat] Literally and properly, Jashobeam the Hachmonite. See 1 Chronicles 11:11. The same was Adino the Eznite] This is a corruption for he lift up his spear. See 1 Chronicles 11:11. Eight hundred, whom he slew at one time.] THREE hundred is the reading in Chronicles, and seems to be the true one. The word חלל chalal, which we translate slain, should probably be translated soldiers, as in the Septuagint, στρατιωτας; he withstood three hundred SOLDIERS at one time. See the note on David's lamentation over Saul and Jonathan, 2 Samuel 1:21, and Kennicott's First Dissertation, p. 101. Dr. Kennicott observes: "This one verse contains three great corruptions in the Hebrew text: 1. The proper name of the hero Jashobeam is turned into two common words, rendered, that sat in the seat. 2. The words, he lift up his spear, הואעורר את חניתו hu orer eth chanitho, are turned into two proper names wholly inadmissible here: הוא עדינו העצני hu Adino haetsni, he was Adino the Eznite; it being nearly as absurd to say that Jashobeam the Hachmonite was the same with Adino the Eznite, as that David the Beth-lehemite was the same with Elijah the Tishbite. 3. The number eight hundred was probably at first three hundred, as in 1 Chronicles 11:11." See Kennicott, ubi supr.

8–39. David’s Heroes and their exploits = 1 Chronicles 11:11-41 This section is placed in Chronicles after the account of David’s election as King of Israel and his capture of Zion, and is prefaced by the heading: “These also are the chief of the mighty men whom David had, who shewed themselves strong with him in his kingdom with all Israel, to make him king, according to the word of the Lord concerning Israel.” The list therefore belongs, at any rate in substance, to the earlier part of David’s reign.

The duplicate of this passage is in 1 Chr. 11, where it is in immediate connection with David’s accession to the throne of Israel, and where the mighty men are named as those by whose aid David was made king.

8. Tachmonite — Better, son of the Hackmonite, as in Chronicles. That sat in the seat — ιωׁ ?ααωׁ ?αϊ, Josheb-basshebeth.