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2 Samuel 23:22 — Word Study

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WLCאֵ֣לֶּה עָשָׂ֔ה בְּנָיָ֖הוּ בֶּן־ יְהוֹיָדָ֑ע וְלוֹ־ שֵׁ֖ם בִּשְׁלֹשָׁ֥ה הַגִּבֹּרִֽים׃

BSATheseʼêl-leh [specific, notable] were the exploitsʻâsâh [deeds, achievements] of BenaiahBᵉnâyâh [Jehovah has built, a strong warrior] sonbên [descendant, offspring] of JehoiadaYᵉhôwyâdâʻ [Jehovah knows, a high priest] a nameshêm [reputation, honor] along with the threeshâlôwsh [a small group of] mighty mengibbôwr [strong, valiant warriors]

Word
Listen & take away2 Samuel 23
English ↓ Download MP3 The Berean Standard Bible chapter audio already hosted for the site's Bible section — verse 22 is in this chapter.
Hebrew ↓ Download MP3 The Masoretic text of this chapter, read aloud. Read by Abraham Shmuelof, courtesy of Audio Scriptures International. Chapter divisions by the Academy of Ancient Languages..
Say the word Each Hebrew word carries its transliteration (ha.gi.bo.Rim) — no per-word recordings of the Hebrew exist to link to.
Take it away
2 Samuel 23:22quick helps
In a sentenceBenaiah, son of Jehoiada, is recognized for his notable deeds alongside the three mighty men.
Who is speakingThe narrator recounts the achievements of Benaiah, a warrior under King David.
Where we areThis verse is part of a passage detailing the exploits of David's mighty men.
The hard wordעָשָׂ֔ה
Take awayBenaiah's actions earned him a reputation among the elite warriors.
4 commentators on this verse Gill, Jamieson, Trapp, Cambridge & more — read them › clause subjectשֵׁם verbעָשָׂה The sentence as the grammar sees it Open the tree ›
How rare are these words?in the Old Testament

Every word here is used elsewhere in the Old Testament.

Bars are logarithmic — אֵת, the commonest word in the Hebrew Bible, stands about 11,000 times, so a linear scale would leave everything else invisible. Click a row to open that word.

Deep Study — 2 Samuel 23:22

Sections marked generated are written from the data on this page rather than by a named author. Everything else — the lexicon entries, the cross references, the manuscript readings, the counts — is quoted from its source unchanged.

Context — The Exploits of David's Mighty Mengenerated

21He also killed an Egyptian, a huge man. Although the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club, snatched the spear from his hand, and killed the Egyptian with his own spear.
22These were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada, who won a name alongside the three mighty men.
23He was most honored among the Thirty, but he did not become one of the Three. And David appointed him over his guard.
24Now these were members of the Thirty: Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan son of Dodo of Bethlehem,

2 Samuel 23:22 highlights the remarkable feats of Benaiah, a warrior who served King David. This verse emphasizes his achievements and the honor he gained among the elite group of warriors known as the three mighty men. The context illustrates the valor and strength of those who fought alongside David, showcasing their loyalty and bravery in battle.


Cross References


The Key Word עָשָׂ֔ה, 'a.Sahgenerated

The verb עָשָׂה (asah) means 'to do' or 'to make' and is used extensively throughout the Hebrew Bible to describe actions and accomplishments. It encompasses a broad range of activities, from creating and producing to performing and executing tasks. In this verse, it signifies the notable deeds performed by Benaiah.

This verb appears in various forms, including the perfect tense used here, indicating completed actions. Benaiah's exploits are thus presented as significant achievements that define his character and reputation as a warrior.


How Translations Differ — measured against the Berean Standard Biblegenerated

In the Berean Standard Bible, the word exploits captures the essence of Benaiah's actions, while other translations like the KJV and ASV use deeds, maintaining the focus on his accomplishments.


Sentence Structuregenerated

The main clause is governed by the verb עָשָׂ֔ה, he did, which connects to the subject שֵׁ֖ם, a name, indicating what was done. The structure presents Benaiah's achievements as a defining aspect of his identity.

The sentence flows from the subject through the verb to the complement, detailing Benaiah's actions and their significance among the three mighty men, reflecting a straightforward narrative style.


Septuagint Backgroundgenerated

The Septuagint translates עָשָׂה as ἐποίησεν, which also means 'he made' or 'he did'. This choice aligns closely with the Hebrew meaning, emphasizing the actions taken by Benaiah.

The use of the same verb in both texts underscores the continuity of meaning across the translations, reinforcing Benaiah's reputation as a warrior through his deeds.


In plain words — the whole versegenerated

2 Samuel 23:22 describes the notable deeds of Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, who gained a reputation among the three mighty men. This verse highlights his strength and accomplishments as a warrior in King David's service.


Frequently Asked Questionsgenerated

What does Benaiah's name signify?

Benaiah means 'Jehovah has built', indicating a connection to God's strength and support.

What kind of deeds did Benaiah perform?

Benaiah is noted for his courageous acts, including defeating formidable opponents, which earned him honor among the elite warriors.

Who were the three mighty men?

The three mighty men were elite warriors who served King David, known for their exceptional bravery and strength in battle.

Why is Benaiah's reputation significant?

Benaiah's reputation reflects his loyalty and valor, showcasing the qualities valued in David's warriors and contributing to the legacy of his exploits.


Reflection Questionsgenerated

  1. What qualities do you admire in Benaiah as a warrior?
  2. How can we apply the lessons from Benaiah's exploits in our own lives?
  3. In what ways can we demonstrate loyalty and bravery in our own commitments?
  4. What does it mean to have a reputation built on our actions?

Commentators on this verse — 4 expositors, verse by verse

Each of these wrote on 2 Samuel 23:22 itself, not merely on the chapter around it.

John Gill1697–1771Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

These [things] did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada,.... Slew a lion, and two lion-like men of Moab, and an Egyptian of a gigantic stature, 2 Samuel 23:20: and had the name among three mighty men; of

Read John Gill on 2 Samuel 23 →
Robert Jamieson1802–1880Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown's Commentary

And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man, of Kabzeel, who had done many acts, he slew two lionlike men of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of

Read Robert Jamieson on 2 Samuel 23 →
John Trapp1601–1669Trapp's Complete Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

2 Samuel 23:22 These [things] did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among three mighty men.Ver. 22. Among three.] Asahel seemeth to be the third of those who made up the second band or squadron of colonels.

Read John Trapp on 2 Samuel 23 →
CambridgeThe Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

22. among three mighty men] Among the three mighty men of the second rank.

Read Cambridge on 2 Samuel 23 →

The verse in English, compared — 17 translations, and where they part company

Every translation on this page is a decision someone had to make and commit to. Read down a column and you see one translator's judgement; read across a row and you see the range the Greek actually allows. The BSB is the wording the rest of this page is measured against, so it is listed first.

Modern formal

BSBBerean Standard Bible2020

These were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada, who won a name alongside the three mighty men.

WEBWorld English Bible2000

Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did these things, and had a name among the three mighty men.

MSBMajority Standard Bible2022

These were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoiada, who won a name along with the three mighty men.

NETBNew English Translation2006

Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoida, who gained fame among the three elite warriors.

Tyndale line

KJVKing James Version1611

These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among three mighty men.

ASVAmerican Standard Version1901

These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had a name among the three mighty men.

RVARevised Version, American1894

These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had a name among the three mighty men.

NWBWebster's Bible1833

These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had a name among three mighty men.

GNVGeneva Bible1599

These things did Benaiah the sonne of Iehoiada, and had the name among the three worthies.

Strictly literal

DBYDarby Translation1890

These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and he had a name among the three mighty men.

YLTYoung's Literal Translation1862

These [things] hath Benaiah son of Jehoiada done, and hath a name among three mighty.

LSVLiteral Standard Version2020

Benaiah son of Jehoiada has done these [things], and has a name among the three mighty ones.

ILTInterlinear Literal Translation2000

These things did Benayahu the son of Yehoyada', and he had a name among the three mighty men.

ULBUnlocked Literal Bible2017

Benaiah son of Jehoiada did these feats, and he was named alongside the three mighty men.

From the Latin

DRADouay-Rheims (Challoner)1899

These things did Banaias the son of Joiada.

Simplified

FBVFree Bible Version2020

These were the kind of things Benaiah did that made him as famous as the Three leading warriors.

BBEBible in Basic English1949

These were the acts of Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, who had a great name among the thirty men of war.

Counted from the translations carried on this site, not from a survey of every English Bible. A rendering shared by many versions is usually inherited rather than independently arrived at — the Tyndale line in particular runs through most of them.


The sentence as the grammar sees it — from the MACULA Hebrew treebank

This is not our own analysis: it is the scholarly syntax tree for the verse, showing how the clause actually holds together.

clauseobjectאֵ֣לֶּהthese.[things]verbעָשָׂ֔הhe.didnoun phrase · subjectבְּנָיָ֖הוּBenaiahnoun phraseבֶּןthe.sonיְהוֹיָדָ֑עof.Jehoiadaוְand.[belonged]clauseprepositional phrase · predicateלtoוֹhimsubjectשֵׁ֖םa.nameprepositional phrase · prepositionalבִּamong.[the]noun phraseשְׁלֹשָׁ֥הthreenoun phraseהַtheגִּבֹּרִֽיםwarriors

Boxes are the grammarian's groupings — clause, noun phrase, prepositional phrase.


The four witnesses to this verse — Masoretic, Septuagint, Samaritan, Qumran

The Masoretic Text and the Septuagint agree in their wording for this verse, with all nine words matched in the Septuagint, indicating a strong consistency in the transmission of this text. The Dead Sea Scrolls show some editorial restoration, but the core content remains aligned with the Masoretic Text.

Masoretic TextLeningrad Codex, c. AD 1008 — the text this page is built on

אֵ֣לֶּה עָשָׂ֔ה בְּנָיָ֖הוּ בֶּן־ יְהוֹיָדָ֑ע וְלוֹ־ שֵׁ֖ם בִּשְׁלֹשָׁ֥ה הַגִּבֹּרִֽים׃

Septuagintthe Greek the translators chose, word by word
אֵ֣לֶּהταῦταעָשָׂ֔הἐποίησενבְּנָיָ֖הוּβαναιαςבֶּן־υἱὸςיְהוֹיָדָ֑עιωδαεוְלוֹ־αὐτῷשֵׁ֖םὄνομαבִּשְׁלֹשָׁ֥הτρισὶνהַגִּבֹּרִֽים׃δυνατοῖς

9 of the 9 words are matched. This is the word-by-word correspondence, not the Septuagint's own sentence — its word order and its articles are its own.

Dead Sea Scrolls — 4Q51a copy a thousand years older than the Leningrad Codex

[אלה] [עשה] [בניהו] [בן] [יהוידע] [ול׳ו] [שם] [בשלשה] [הגבורים]

nothing on the leather here — 9 supplied entire by an editor.

Four traditions, not one. “On the leather” means the letters physically survive on the scroll, as against letters an editor has supplied to fill a hole in it — a restoration is a scholar’s reading, not a reading of the manuscript. Words in [square brackets] are supplied; the notes count them apart from what survives.


The map of this verse — what each word keeps company with

This is a map of two things, both counted rather than judged. Company kept: which words stand within three words of each of these, anywhere in the Hebrew Bible — the thicker the line, the more often the pair meet compared with chance. Built from: the words a word is made out of, taken from its own Strong’s entry. It is not a map of meaning: nothing here claims two words mean the same thing. Click any circle to see the numbers behind it.

2 Samuel 23:22אֵ֫לֶּהthese [thinthese [things]אֵ֫לֶּהעָשָׂהhe didhe didעָשָׂהבְּנָיָ֫הוּBenaiahBenaiahבְּנָיָ֫הוּבֵּן[the] son o[the] son ofבֵּןיְהוֹיָדָעJehoiadaJehoiadaיְהוֹיָדָעוֹand [belongand [belonged] וֹשֵׁםa namea nameשֵׁםשָׁלֹשׁamong threeamong threeשָׁלֹשׁגִּבּוֹרthe warriorthe warriorsגִּבּוֹרבָּנָהto buildto buildבָּנָהאֵלthesetheseאֵליהוהThe LordThe Lordיהוהשׂוּםto set: mato set: makeשׂוּםשָׁלִthirdthirdשָׁלִגֶּ֫בֶרgreat mangreat manגֶּ֫בֶרתּוֹלֵדוֹתgenerationgenerationתּוֹלֵדוֹתאַלּוּףtametameאַלּוּףמְלָאכָהworkworkמְלָאכָהתּוֹעֵבַהabominatioabominationתּוֹעֵבַהפִּרְעָתוֹנִיPirathonPirathonפִּרְעָתוֹנִייְהוֹיָדָעJehoiadaJehoiadaיְהוֹיָדָעעַמּוֹןAmmonAmmonעַמּוֹןרְאוּבֵןReubenReubenרְאוּבֵןפְּלֵתִיPelethitePelethiteפְּלֵתִיבְּנָיָ֫הוּBenaiahBenaiahבְּנָיָ֫הוּקָרָאto call: cto call: call tקָרָאיָדָהto give thto give thanksיָדָה
meets it a little oftener than chancemeets it far oftener than chancebuilt from the same roottwo words of the verse share ita word of this versea related word

Lexicons — every word in 2 Samuel 23:22

One dossier per word, with every reference work grouped by kind — Hebrew lexicons, morphology, Bible dictionaries, topical chains and the English of the translators themselves. The verse sits at the head of each block with the word under study lit, so you never lose your place. The panel above gives the short answer; this is the long one, and it is the part of the page worth indexing.

Every entry below is the lexicographer's own text. On the Hebrew: Brown-Driver-Briggs entire and its gloss set, Strong's Hebrew Dictionary, and Tyndale House's Translators Brief lexicon. Where a cell says a work has no entry, that work genuinely has none for this word.

these [things] he did Benaiah [the] son of Jehoiada and [belonged] to him a name among three the warriors
אֵ֣לֶּה'E.leh these [things] H428 Particle
746× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word is used to point out specific people or things, like saying 'these' or 'those'. It appears in the book of Genesis, where God says 'let there be light' and separates the light from the darkness.
Amplified meaning
specific, notable
Tyndale gloss
these
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

אֵ֫לֶּה (el-leh) means 'these' and is used in various grammatical contexts, often in apposition to a noun with a pronoun suffix. It can appear with or without the definite article and is sometimes paired with other terms like וְאֵלֶּה (and these). The word conveys a sense of proximity or specification, referring to particular items or people.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

אֵ֫לֶּה pr.pl.m. & f. these

in appos. to a subst. with a pron. suff. (always without the article)

repeated, אלה … ואלה, these … those

with the art. (but only after a subst. determined likewise by the art.)

with preps.

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H428 אֵ֫לֶּה these . in appos. to a subst. with a pron. suff. (always without the article)

. repeated, אלה … ואלה, these … those

. with the art. (but only after a subst. determined likewise by the art.)

. with preps.

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

428 'el-leh ale'-leh

prolonged from 411; these or those:--an- (the) other; one

sort, so, some, such, them, these (same), they, this, those,

thus, which, who(-m).

see HEBREW for 0411

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

אֵ֫לֶּה (el.leh) — these.

1) these

1a) used before antecedent

1b) used following antecedent

Aramaic equivalent: el.leh (אֵלֶּה "these" H0429)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Pron — Particle
HTm
these [things] he did Benaiah [the] son of Jehoiada and [belonged] to him a name among three the warriors
עָשָׂ֔ה'a.Sah he did H6213 Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singular
2,629× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This verb means to make or do something, and is used over 2,600 times in the Bible. It is first used in Genesis 1:7 to describe God's creation of the world and is also used in Exodus 31:5 to describe the work of skilled craftsmen.
Amplified meaning
deeds, achievements
Tyndale gloss
to make
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

עָשָׂה (asah) is a Hebrew verb meaning to do or make, encompassing a wide range of actions such as producing, preparing, and observing. It can refer to both concrete and abstract activities, including making offerings and attending to tasks. The verb also has forms indicating passive meanings, such as being made or offered. Notably, the Piel form refers to pressing or squeezing.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

עָשָׂה 2622 vb. do, make

Qal 2524

do (1560 t.)

deal with

oft. in phr. do kindness with

abs. act, act with effect

make (670 t.)

produce, yield

prepare, esp. of dressing and cooking food

make offering

attend to, put in order

observe, celebrate, religious festival

acquire property of various kinds

appoint priests

bring about of י׳’s effecting a deliverance

use

spend, pass, days of life

Niph.

97be done

be made, of concr. things

be produced from vine

be prepared, of food

be offered

be observed, passover

be used

Pu. I was made

base

[עָשָׂה] vb. Pi. press, squeeze

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H6213a עָשָׂה do, make .. . do (1560 + t.)

. deal with

. oft. in phr. do kindness with

. abs. act, act with effect

. . make (670 + t.)

. produce, yield

. prepare, esp. of dressing and cooking food

. make offering

. attend to, put in order

. observe, celebrate, religious festival

. acquire property of various kinds

. appoint priests

. bring about of י׳’s effecting a deliverance

. use

. spend, pass, days of life

. . be done

. . be made, of concr. things

. be produced from vine

. be prepared, of food

. be offered

. be observed, passover

. be used

. I was made

H6213b עָשָׂה Pi. press, squeeze

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

6213 `asah aw-saw'

a primitive root; to do or make, in the broadest sense and

widest application (as follows):--accomplish, advance,

appoint, apt, be at, become, bear, bestow, bring forth,

bruise, be busy, X certainly, have the charge of, commit, deal

(with), deck, + displease, do, (ready) dress(-ed), (put in)

execute(-ion), exercise, fashion, + feast, (fight-)ing man, +

finish, fit, fly, follow, fulfill, furnish, gather, get, go

about, govern, grant, great, + hinder, hold ((a feast)), X

indeed, + be industrious, + journey, keep, labour, maintain,

make, be meet, observe, be occupied, offer, + officer, pare,

bring (come) to pass, perform, pracise, prepare, procure,

provide, put, requite, X sacrifice, serve, set, shew, X sin,

spend, X surely, take, X thoroughly, trim, X very, + vex, be

(warr-)ior, work(-man), yield, use.

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

עָשָׂה (a.sah) — to make: do.

: do/perform

1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to do, work, make, produce

1a1a) to do

1a1b) to work

1a1c) to deal (with)

1a1d) to act, act with effect, effect

1a2) to make

1a2a) to make

1a2b) to produce

1a2c) to prepare

1a2d) to make (an offering)

1a2e) to attend to, put in order

1a2f) to observe, celebrate

1a2g) to acquire (property)

1a2h) to appoint, ordain, institute

1a2i) to bring about

1a2j) to use

1a2k) to spend, pass

1b) (Niphal)

1b1) to be done

1b2) to be made

1b3) to be produced

1b4) to be offered

1b5) to be observed

1b6) to be used

1c) (Pual) to be made

עָשָׂה (a.sah) — to press.

(Piel) to press, squeeze

עָשָׂה (a.sah) — to make.

: make(OBJECT)

1) to do, fashion, accomplish, make

1a) (Qal)

1a1) to do, work, make, produce

1a1a) to do

1a1b) to work

1a1c) to deal (with)

1a1d) to act, act with effect, effect

1a2) to make

1a2a) to make

1a2b) to produce

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
V-Qal-Perf-3ms — Verb · Qal · perfect third person masculine singular
HVqp3ms
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ha: The fifth letter of the Hebrew alphabet; transliterated in this Encyclopedia as "h." It came also to be used for the number 5. For name, etc., see ALPHABET.

these [things] he did Benaiah [the] son of Jehoiada and [belonged] to him a name among three the warriors
בְּנָיָ֖הוּbe.na.Ya.hu Benaiah H1141 Noun proper masculine
42× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Benaiah was a strong warrior and leader in the Bible, serving under King David and Solomon. His name means Jehovah has built, indicating God's strength.
Amplified meaning
Jehovah has built, a strong warrior
Tyndale gloss
Benaiah
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בְּנָיָ֫הוּ (Benaiah) means "Jehovah has built" and refers to several individuals in the Old Testament, most notably a chief warrior under King David, son of Jehoiada. He is recognized for his loyalty to Solomon and his military leadership. The entries note various Benaiahs, including Levites and others from different tribes, but they all share the same name and meaning.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בְּנָיָ֫הוּ, בְּנָיָה n.pr.m. (Yah hath built up)—

one of David’s captains and heroes, son of Jehoiada

one of David’s thirty

a Simeonite

Levites

Israelites

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1141 בְּנָיָ֫הוּ, בְּנָיָה

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1141 Bnayah ben-aw-yaw'

or (prolonged) Bnayahuw {ben-aw-yaw'-hoo}; from 1129 and

3050; Jah has built; Benajah, the name of twelve Israelites:--

Benaiah.

see HEBREW for 01129

see HEBREW for 03050

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בְּנָיָ֫הוּ (be.na.yah) — Benaiah.

A man living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Sa.8.18;

son of: Jehoiada (H3077);

father of: Ammizabad (H5990)

§ Benaiah = "Jehovah has built" or "Yahweh has built up"

1) one of David's mighty warriors, son of Jehoiada the chief priest, a Levite, set by David over his bodyguard, later having remained faithful to Solomon during Adonijah's attempt on the crown, was raised into the place of Joab as commander-in-chief of the army

2) the Pirathonite, an Ephraimite, one of David's thirty mighty warriors, and the captain of the eleventh monthly course

3) a Simeonite, a prince of the families of Simeon

4) a Levite in the time of David who played with a psaltery on Alamoth

5) a priest in the time of David, appointed to blow the trumpet before the ark

6) a Levite of the sons of Asaph

7) a Levite in the time of Hezekiah

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper masculine
HNpm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

be-na'-ya, be-ni'-a (benayah, benayahu, "Yahweh has built." Compare HPN, 182, 265, 268):

(1) Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada of Kabzeel (compare Jos 15:21), was a man of "mighty deeds" and was more honorable than any of the mighty men of David except the three chiefs. Therefore David made him his chief counselor (2Sa 23:23 m; month compare 1Ch 27:34 where the order of names seems to be reversed) and set him over the Cherethites (compare Carites, 2Ki 11:4 ff and margin) and Pelethites and he was made the 3rd captain of the host and chief over the course of the 3rd (1Ch 27:5 f;

Benaiah

Built up by Jehovah. (1.) The son of Jehoiada, chief priest (1 Chr. 27:5). He was set by David over his body-guard of Cherethites and Pelethites (2 Sam. 8:18; 1 Kings 1:32; 1 Chr. 18:17). His exploits are enumerated in 2 Sam. 23:20, 21, 22; 1 Chr. 11:22. He remained faithful to Solomon (1 Kings 1:8, 10, 26), by whom he was raised to the rank of commander-in-chief (1 Kings 2:25, 29, 30, 34, 35; 4:4).

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(made by the Lord). The son of Jehoiada the chief priest, (1 Chronicles 27:5) of the tribe of Levi, though a native of Kabzeel, (2 Samuel 23:20) set by David, (1 Chronicles 11:25) over his body-guard. (2 Samuel 8:18; 20:23; 1 Kings 1:38; 1 Chronicles 18:17) One of the mighty men. (2 Samuel 23:22,23; 1 Chronicles 11:25; 27:6) The exploits which gave him this rank are narrated in (2 Samuel 23:20,21;

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

Son of Jehoiada, and commander of David’s bodyguards. Several instances of his rare bravery are recorded, 2Sa 8:18 2Sa 23:20-23. He adhered to Solomon when some favored the pretensions of Adonijah, slew Joab at the command of Solomon, and was made general of the army in his stead, 1Ki 1:36 2:29-35.

these [things] he did Benaiah [the] son of Jehoiada and [belonged] to him a name among three the warriors
בֶּן־ben- [the] son of H1121 Noun common · masculine singular construct
4,943× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, this word means a son or descendant, and can also refer to a grandson, nation, or quality. It appears in 1 Chronicles 24, describing a Levite named Beno. The word is used to show family relationships and inheritance.
Amplified meaning
descendant, offspring
Tyndale gloss
son: child
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

בֵּן (ben) means 'son' or 'male child' and encompasses a wide range of meanings, including descendants, young animals, and even figurative uses like sparks or arrows. It can refer to members of a tribe or class and is used in various contexts throughout the Old Testament, such as in 1 Chronicles 24:26. The word is derived from a root meaning 'to build' and implies a connection to family or lineage.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

בֵּן 4870 n.m. son

son, male child, born of a woman

children (male and female)

youth, young men

the young of animals

of plant shoots

fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows

member of a guild, order or class

of animals son of (the) herd

ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.

n. relat. of age

base

בְּנוֹ 1 Ch 24:26, 27 as n.pr.m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son, cf. VB & Be Öt.

done

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1121a בֵּן son . son, male child, born of a woman

. children (male and female)

. youth, young men

. the young of animals

. of plant shoots

. fig. of lifeless things, sparks, stars, arrows

. . member of a guild, order or class

. of animals son of (the) herd

. ב׳ as n. relat. followed by word of quality, characteristic, etc.

. n. relat. of age

H1121b בְּנוֹ as n. pr. m. in AV, RV, but render: the sons of Jaaziah his son, & the sons of Merari by Jaaziah his son

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1121 ben bane

from 1129; a son (as a builder of the family name), in the

widest sense (of literal and figurative relationship,

including grandson, subject, nation, quality or condition,

etc., (like 1, 251, etc.)):--+ afflicted, age, (Ahoh-)

(Ammon-) (Hachmon-) (Lev-)ite, (anoint-)ed one, appointed to,

(+) arrow, (Assyr-) (Babylon-) (Egypt-) (Grec-)ian, one born,

bough, branch, breed, + (young) bullock, + (young) calf, X

came up in, child, colt, X common, X corn, daughter, X of

first, + firstborn, foal, + very fruitful, + postage, X in, +

kid, + lamb, (+) man, meet, + mighty, + nephew, old, (+)

people, + rebel, + robber, X servant born, X soldier, son, +

spark, + steward, + stranger, X surely, them of, + tumultuous

one, + valiant(-est), whelp, worthy, young (one), youth.

see HEBREW for 01129

see HEBREW for 01

see HEBREW for 0251

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

בֵּן (ben) — son: child.

: child/son

בְּנוֹ (be.no) — Beno.

A man of the tribe of Levi living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 1Ch.24.26;

son of: Jaaziah (H3269);

brother of: Shoham (H7719), Zaccur (H2139I) and Ibri (H5681)

§ Beno = "his son"

the sons of Jaaziah and the sons of Merari by Jaahziah (his son)

בֵּן (ben) — son: descendant/people.

: descendant, people, tribe, nation

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

§ : child/son

בֵּן (ben) — son: young animal.

: calf/lamb/young(ANIMAL)

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

§ : descendant

בֵּן (ben) — son: type of.

: rebel/son(Belial)

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

§ : people/men/nation/tribe

בֵּן (ben) — son.

: [inheriting]son/heir

A sub-meaning of ben (בֵּן ": child" H1121)

בֵּן (ben) — son: warrior.

: warrior/son(strong)

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular construct
HNcmsc
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

ov:

(1) In Anglo-Saxon, had the meaning "from," "away from" (as the strengthened form "off" has still), and was not used for genitive or possessive relations, these being expressed by special case-forms. In the Norman period, however, "of" was taken to represent the French de (a use well developed by the time of Chaucer), and in the Elizabethan period both senses of "of" were in common use. But after about 1600 the later force of the word became predominant, and in the earlier sense (which is now practically obsolete) it was replaced by other prepositions. In consequence the King James Version (and in some cases the Revised Version (British and American)) contains many uses of "of" that are no longer familiar--most of them, to be sure, causing no difficulty, but there still being a few responsible for real obscurities.

English usagewhat the translators’ English meant
Webster's Dictionary (1828), Webster's Unabridged (1913), Webster's Dictionary (1806)

OF, preposition ov. [Gr.]

1. From or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing.

I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you. 1 Corinthians 11:1.

For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts. Joshua 11:1.

It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed.

Lamentations 3:1.

The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord. Proverbs 16:1.

Go, inquire of the Lord for me. 2 Chronicles 34:2.

That holy thing that shall be born of thee. Luke 1:1.

Hence of is the sign of the genitive case, the case that denotes production; as the son of man, the son proceeding from man, produced from man. This is the primary sense, although we now say, produced by man. 'Part of these were slain; ' that is, a number separate, for part denotes a division; the sense then is, a number from or out of the whole were slain. So also, 'some of these were slain; ' that is…

these [things] he did Benaiah [the] son of Jehoiada and [belonged] to him a name among three the warriors
יְהוֹיָדָ֑עye.ho.ya.Da' Jehoiada H3077 Noun proper masculine
51× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
Jehoiada means Jehovah knows, and was the name of three Israelites, including a high priest who helped King David and hid Joash from Athaliah. He is mentioned in Jeremiah 29:26.
Amplified meaning
Jehovah knows, a high priest
Tyndale gloss
Jehoiada
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

יְהוֹיָדָע (Yhowyada`) means 'Jehovah knows' and refers to several individuals in the Old Testament, primarily a high priest during the reign of Joash. He is notable for hiding Joash from Athaliah and later restoring him to the throne. The name also appears in relation to other figures, including Benaiah, a warrior, and a builder of Jerusalem's wall.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

יְהוֹיָדָע, יוֹיָדָע n.pr.m. (י׳ knoweth)

father of Benaiah

(chief) priest at Jerus. in time of Joash

a builder at wall of Jerus., with Nehemiah

son of h. p. Eliashib

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H3077 יְהוֹיָדָע, יוֹיָדָע

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

3077 Yhowyada` yeh-ho-yaw-daw'

from 3068 and 3045; Jehovah-known; Jehojada, the name of

three Israelites:--Jehoiada. Compare 3111.

see HEBREW for 03068

see HEBREW for 03045

see HEBREW for 03111

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

יְהוֹיָדָע (ye.ho.ya.da) — Jehoiada.

A man living at the time of United Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Sa.8.18;

father of: Benaiah (H1141)

§ Jehoiada = "Jehovah knows"

1) father of Benaiah, David's mighty warrior

2) leader of the priests who joined David at Hebron

3) high priest at the time of Athaliah's usurpation of the throne of Judah; hid Joash, the king's son, for six years and eventually replaced him on the throne of Judah

4) second priest, or sagan, to Seraiah the high priest

יְהוֹיָדָע (ye.ho.ya.da) — Jehoiada.

A man living at the time of Divided Monarchy, first mentioned at 2Ki.11.4; married to Jehosheba (H3089);

father of: Zechariah (H2148w); also called Barachiah (KJV: Barachias; NIV: Berekiah) at Mat.23.35;

Also named: Barachias (Βαραχίας "Barachiah" G0914)

§ Jehoiada = "Jehovah knows"

1) father of Benaiah, David's mighty warrior

Read the full entry →
Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-proper — Noun proper masculine
HNpm
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

je-hoi'-a-da (yehoyadha`, "Yahweh knows"; Iodae):

(1) Father of Benaiah, the captain of David's body-guard (2Sa 8:18; 20:23; 23:20,22; 1Ki 1:8, etc.). Jehoiada was "the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel" (2Sa 23:20), but commentators read with Septuagint and Ewald, "Benaiah (the son of Jehoiada) a man of valor." Kabzeel was a town belonging to Judah on the border of Edom in the South (Jos 15:21). In 1Ch 27:5, we read "Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada the priest, chief," the Revised Version (British and American), but the Revised Version margin has "chief minister" wrongly. Yet Jehoiada is nowhere else called a priest or even a…

Easton's Bible Dictionary

Jehoiada

Jehovah-known. (1.) The father of Benaiah, who was one of David’s chief warriors (2 Sam. 8:18; 20:23).

(2.) The high priest at the time of Athaliah’s usurpation of the throne of Judah. He married Jehosheba, or Jehoshabeath, the daughter of king Jehoram (2 Chr. 22:11), and took an active part along with his wife in the preservation and training of Jehoash when Athaliah slew all the royal family of Judah.

The plans he adopted in replacing Jehoash on the throne of his ancestors are described in 2 Kings 11:2; 12:2; 2 Chr. 22:11; 23:24. He was among the foremost of the benefactors of the kingdom, and at his death was buried in the city of David among the kings of…

Smith's Bible Dictionary

(Jehovah knows). Father of Benaiah, David’s well-known warrior. (2 Samuel 8:18) 1Kin 1 and 2 passim ; (1 Chronicles 18:17) etc. (B.C. before 1046.) Leader of the Aaronites, i.e. the priests; who joined David at Hebron. (1 Chronicles 12:27) (B.C. 1053-46.) According to (1 Chronicles 27:34) son of Benaiah; but in all probability Benaiah the sons of Jehoiada is meant. Probably an error in copying. (1 Chronicles 18:17; 2 Samuel 8:18) High priest at the time of Athaliah’s usurpation of the throne of Judah, B.C. 884-878, and during the greater portion of the forty-years…

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

A high priest, who preserved the life and throne of the young Josiah against the usurping Athaliah. His wisdom and piety continued to bless the kingdom until he dies, B. C. 834, aged 130, and was buried

these [things] he did Benaiah [the] son of Jehoiada and [belonged] to him a name among three the warriors
וְלוֹ־ve.lo- and [belonged] to him H9033 Conjunction · preposition · suffix
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

וֹ (o) — him.

Personal object pronoun - suffix for propositions and verbs without an object: 3rd person masculine singular

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
HC/Rd/Sp3ms — Conjunction · preposition · suffix
HC/Rd/Sp3ms
these [things] he did Benaiah [the] son of Jehoiada and [belonged] to him a name among three the warriors
שֵׁ֖םshem a name H8034 Noun common · masculine singular absolute
864× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
In the Bible, a name represents a person's identity, honor, and character, like God's name symbolizing His power and authority. It appears in Genesis and other books, often referring to God's name or a person's reputation. This concept is central to understanding biblical identity.
Amplified meaning
reputation, honor
Tyndale gloss
name
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

שֵׁם (shem) means 'name' and encompasses various meanings such as reputation, fame, and glory. It can refer to the designation of God and is often associated with memorials or monuments. The word is built from a primitive root and highlights individuality and honor. There is a mention of its use in relation to false gods, which is forbidden.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שֵׁם 864 n.m. name (√ unknown)

of river, beasts, city, i.e. exact designation of it

usu. of pers.

= reputation

esp. as giving a man a kind of posthumous life, esp. in his sons

name, as designation of God

of false gods, use forbidden

= memorial, monument

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H8034 שֵׁם name (√ unknown)

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

8034 shem shame

a primitive word (perhaps rather from 7760 through the idea

of definite and conspicuous position; compare 8064); an

appellation, as a mark or memorial of individuality; by

implication honor, authority, character:--+ base,

(in-)fame(-ous), named(-d), renown, report.

see HEBREW for 07760

see HEBREW for 08064

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שֵׁם (shem) — name.

1) name

1a) name

1b) reputation, fame, glory

1c) the Name (as designation of God)

1d) memorial, monument

Aramaic equivalent: shum (שֻׁם "name" H8036)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
N-ms — Noun common · masculine singular absolute
HNcmsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

nam (shem; onoma; Latin nomen (2 Esdras 4:1); verbs onomazo; Latin nomino (2 Esdras 5:26)): A "name" is that by which a person, place or thing is marked and known. In Scripture, names were generally descriptive of the person, of his position, of some circumstance affecting him, hope entertained concerning him, etc., so that "the name" often came to stand for the person. In Ac 1:15; Re 3:4, onoma stands for "persons"; compare Nu 26:53,55.

I. Old Testament Word and Use.

1. General:

The word for "name" in the Old Testament is shem (also the name of one of the sons of Noah). The etymology is uncertain, although it may be from shamah (obs.), "to set a mark"; shum is the Aramaic form. For the name as descriptive of the person see NAMES.…

Nave's Topical Bible

→ Value of a good Pr 22:1; Ec 7:1

→ A new name given to persons who have spiritual adoption Isa 62:2

→ To Abraham Ge 17:5

→ Sarah Ge 17:15

→ Jacob Ge 32:28

→ Paul Ac 13:9

→ Intercessional influence of the name of Jesus, for his people Na 1

→ See JESUS, IN HIS NAME

→ SYMBOLICAL Ho 1:3,4,6,9; 2:1

Thompson Chain Reference topics

(1) Good

1Sa 18:30; Pr 22:1; Ec 7:1; Ac 6:3; 10:22; 16:2; 22:12

2Co 8:18; 3Jo 1:12

(2) Of the Lord, Mighty

Ne 9:5; Ps 113:3; Pr 18:10; Isa 50:10; Mal 1:11

(3) Of the Lord to be Reverenced

Le 22:2; De 28:58;

these [things] he did Benaiah [the] son of Jehoiada and [belonged] to him a name among three the warriors
בִּשְׁלֹשָׁ֥הbish.lo.Shah among three H7969 Preposition · noun common both singular absolute
432× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This Hebrew word means three or thrice, and is used to describe quantities or repetitions in the Bible. It appears in various forms, including three, third, and thirteen.
Amplified meaning
a small group of
Tyndale gloss
three
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

The Hebrew word שָׁלֹשׁ (*shalosh*) means 'three' or 'triad.' It can also refer to the ordinal 'third' and is used in various contexts, including multiplication as 'thrice.' The entries consistently define it as a primitive number without significant disagreement.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

שָׁלֹשׁ, שָׁלוֹשׁ, שְׁלֹשָׁה 430 n.m. et f. a three, triad

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H7969 שָׁלֹשׁ, שָׁלוֹשׁ, שְׁלֹשָׁה a three, triad

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

7969 shalowsh shaw-loshe'

or shalosh {shaw-loshe'}; masculine shlowshah {shel-o-shaw'};

or shloshah {shel-o-shaw'}; a primitive number; three;

occasionally (ordinal) third, or (multipl.) thrice:--+ fork,

+ often(-times), third, thir(-teen, -teenth), three, + thrice.

Compare 7991.

see HEBREW for 07991

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

שָׁלֹשׁ (sha.losh) — three.

1) three, triad

1a) 3, 300, third

Aramaic equivalent: te.lat (תְּלָת "three" H8532)

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Prep | Adj — Preposition · noun common both singular absolute
HR/Ncbsa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

(shalosh; treis).

See NUMBER.

American Tract Society Bible Dictionary

The phrase "three days and three nights," Mt 12:40, was equivalent in Hebrew to the English "three days;" the Jews employing the expression "a day and a night" to denote our "day" of twentyfour hours. Nor did "three days," 1Sa 30:13, literally "this third day," according to their usage, necessarily include the whole of three days, but a part of three days, a continuous period including one whole day of twenty-four hours, and a portion of the day preceding it and the day following it. Compare Ge 7:12,17 1Sa 30:12-13.

these [things] he did Benaiah [the] son of Jehoiada and [belonged] to him a name among three the warriors
הַגִּבֹּרִֽים׃ha.gi.bo.Rim the warriors H1368 Particle · noun common masculine plural absolute
159× in the OT scale is logarithmic — the commonest word, אֵת, appears about 11,000×
In plain English
Meaning
This word describes a strong or mighty man, like a warrior or champion, as seen in 1 Samuel 17:51 where David defeats Goliath. It can also imply a brave or valiant person.
Amplified meaning
strong, valiant warriors
Tyndale gloss
mighty man
Hebrew lexiconskeyed to Strong's numbers
Layman’s summary of all Lexicon entries.generated

גִּבּוֹר (gibbor) means strong or mighty, and can refer to a powerful person, such as a warrior or chief. It is built from a root that implies strength and valor, covering meanings related to strength and bravery. The entries consistently emphasize its use to describe a strong man or mighty figure.

Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon (full)

גִּבּוֹר 159 adj. strong, mighty

base

Brown-Driver-Briggs glosses

H1368 גִּבּוֹר strong, mighty

Strong's Hebrew Dictionary

1368 gibbowr ghib-bore'

or (shortened) gibbor {ghib-bore'}; intensive from the same

as 1397; powerful; by implication, warrior, tyrant:--

champion, chief, X excel, giant, man, mighty (man, one),

strong (man), valiant man.

see HEBREW for 01397

Translators Brief Hebrew Lexicon

גִּבּוֹר (gib.bor) — mighty man.

adj

1) strong, mighty

n m

2) strong man, brave man, mighty man

Morphologythe parsing behind the code
Berean parsing
Art | Adj — Particle · noun common masculine plural absolute
HTd/Ncmpa
Bible dictionarieson the English sense
Thompson Chain Reference topics

Nu 32:17; Jos 4:13; 1Ch 8:40; 12:2,8,21; 2Ch 14:8; 17:18; 25:5; 26:13

Sources on this page. Lexicons and dictionaries imported from the CrossWire SWORD modules — Abbott-Smith, Strong's, Dodson, the Intermediate Liddell-Scott-Jones, Robinson and Packard, Webster and Cawdrey. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Harper, 1889 — Grimm’s Wilke’s Clavis Novi Testamenti, translated, revised and enlarged by Joseph Henry Thayer) is public domain and is set here from the Internet Archive page scan greekenglishlex00grim; it is uncorrected OCR, marked as such on the entry itself, and the Strong’s numbers — which Thayer’s own edition does not carry — were matched by lemma against the other modules on this page. Trench’s Synonyms of the New Testament (Macmillan, 1880) and Moulton and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament (Hodder & Stoughton, 1930, which entered the United States public domain on 1 January 2026) are set from Internet Archive page scans synonymsofnewtes00treniala and vocabularyofgree00mouluoft, and are likewise uncorrected OCR matched to Strong’s numbers by lemma. Trench treats a group of words at once, so the same essay stands on the page of each word it compares. The Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary is © 1993 and is used here by permission for non-commercial use, www.teknia.com/greek-dictionary. The full Liddell-Scott-Jones and the Hebrew word data (TAHOT) come from STEPBible.org, CC BY 4.0. Brown-Driver-Briggs is the OpenScriptures digitisation, public domain. Syntax analysis is the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (biblicalhumanities.org); the concordance and morphology are built from the tagged Nestle 1904 text. Septuagint occurrences use the Open Scriptures Septuagint lemma index, derived from CCAT (University of Pennsylvania) and the Rahlfs 1935 dataset by Eliran Wong, CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 — used here on a non-commercial ministry site. Greek of Josephus and Barnabas from the Perseus Digital Library, CC BY-SA 4.0. Commentaries and the Ante-Nicene Fathers are public-domain texts hosted on this site. Everyday Greek from the Duke Databank of Documentary Papyri, CC BY 3.0, with dates and provenance from the Heidelberger Gesamtverzeichnis. Philo and the Apostolic Fathers from Open Greek and Latin (First1KGreek), CC BY-SA 4.0. The apparatus and the fifth Greek column are the SBL Greek New Testament, © 2010 SBL and Logos Bible Software, CC BY 4.0. The Latin is the Clementine Vulgate (public domain); the Syriac New Testament is the ETCBC edition (MIT licence). The Hebrew behind the Greek is computed here from the Septuagint index and TAHOT, not taken from any aligned edition. The translation spread and the per-word edition marks come from the Translators Amalgamated Greek NT (STEPBible, CC BY 4.0); clause roles from the Nestle 1904 Lowfat treebank (CC BY-SA 4.0); place identifications and their confidence from OpenBible.info Bible Geocoding (CC BY 4.0), with map tiles © OpenStreetMap contributors. Gospel parallels are computed here from shared uncommon vocabulary, not taken from any printed harmony. Cross references are the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge and the subject headings are Nave’s Topical Bible, both public domain. Works under Creative Commons licences are used unchanged apart from markup removal.

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