1 Chronicles 19 8-1 Chronicles 19 19
When David heard the news, he sent Joab and the entire army to meet them.The Ammonites marched out and were deployed for battle at the entrance to the city, while the kings who had come were by themselves in the field.When Joab saw that the battle would be fought on two fronts, he chose some of Israel’s best men and deployed them against the Arameans.He put his brother Abishai in charge of the rest of the army and they were deployed against the Ammonites.Joab said,“ If the Arameans start to overpower me, you come to my rescue. If the Ammonites start to overpower you, I will come to your rescue.Be strong! Let’s fight bravely for the sake of our people and the cities of our God! The LORD will do what he decides is best!”So Joab and his men marched toward the Arameans to do battle, and they fled before him.When the Ammonites saw the Arameans flee, they fled before Joab’s brother Abishai and withdrew into the city. Joab went back to Jerusalem.When the Arameans realized they had been defeated by Israel, they sent for reinforcements from beyond the Euphrates River, led by Shophach the commanding general of Hadadezer’s army.When David was informed, he gathered all Israel, crossed the Jordan River, and marched against them. David deployed his army against the Arameans for battle and they fought against him.The Arameans fled before Israel. David killed 7,000 Aramean charioteers and 40,000 infantrymen; he also killed Shophach the commanding general.When Hadadezer’s subjects saw they were defeated by Israel, they made peace with David and became his subjects. The Arameans were no longer willing to help the Ammonites.
2 Samuel 23 8-2 Samuel 23 39
These are the names of David’s warriors: Josheb-Basshebeth, a Tahkemonite, was head of the officers. He killed eight hundred men with his spear in one battle.Next in command was Eleazar son of Dodo, the son of Ahohi. He was one of the three warriors who were with David when they defied the Philistines who were assembled there for battle. When the men of Israel retreated,he stood his ground and fought the Philistines until his hand grew so tired that it seemed stuck to his sword. The LORD gave a great victory on that day. When the army returned to him, the only thing left to do was to plunder the corpses.Next in command was Shammah son of Agee the Hararite. When the Philistines assembled at Lehi, where there happened to be an area of a field that was full of lentils, the army retreated before the Philistines.But he made a stand in the middle of that area. He defended it and defeated the Philistines; the LORD gave them a great victory.At the time of the harvest three of the thirty leaders went down to David at the cave of Adullam. A band of Philistines was camped in the valley of Rephaim.David was in the stronghold at the time, while a Philistine garrison was in Bethlehem.David was thirsty and said,“ How I wish someone would give me some water to drink from the cistern in Bethlehem near the gate!”So the three elite warriors broke through the Philistine forces and drew some water from the cistern in Bethlehem near the gate. They carried it back to David, but he refused to drink it. He poured it out as a drink offering to the LORDand said,“ O LORD, I will not do this! It is equivalent to the blood of the men who risked their lives by going.” So he refused to drink it. Such were the exploits of the three elite warriors.Abishai son of Zeruiah, the brother of Joab, was head of the three. He killed three hundred men with his spear and gained fame among the three.From the three he was given honor and he became their officer, even though he was not one of the three.Benaiah son of Jehoida was a brave warrior from Kabzeel who performed great exploits. He struck down the two sons of Ariel of Moab. He also went down and killed a lion in a cistern on a snowy day.He also killed an impressive-looking Egyptian. The Egyptian wielded a spear, while Benaiah attacked him with a club. He grabbed the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear.Such were the exploits of Benaiah son of Jehoida, who gained fame among the three elite warriors.He received honor from the thirty warriors, though he was not one of the three elite warriors. David put him in charge of his bodyguard.Included with the thirty were the following: Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan son of Dodo from Bethlehem,Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite,Helez the Paltite, Ira son of Ikkesh from Tekoa,Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite,Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite,Heled son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai son of Ribai from Gibeah in Benjamin,Benaiah the Pirathonite, Hiddai from the wadis of Gaash,Abi-Albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite,Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathanson of Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam son of Sharar the Hararite,Eliphelet son of Ahasbai the Maacathite, Eliam son of Ahithophel the Gilonite,Hezrai the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite,Igal son of Nathan from Zobah, Bani the Gadite,Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite( the armor-bearer of Joab son of Zeruiah),Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithriteand Uriah the Hittite. Altogether there were thirty-seven.
