2 Samuel 23:35

23:8-39 David once earnestly longed for the water at the well of Bethlehem. It seems to be an instance of weakness. He was thirsty; with the water of that well he had often refreshed himself when a youth, and it was without due thought that he desired it. Were his valiant men so forward to expose themselves, upon the least hint of their prince's mind, and so eager to please him, and shall not we long to approve ourselves to our Lord Jesus, by ready compliance with his will, as shown us by his word, Spirit, and providence? But David poured out the water as a drink-offering to the Lord. Thus he would cross his own foolish fancy, and punish himself for indulging it, and show that he had sober thoughts to correct his rash ones, and knew how to deny himself. Did David look upon that water as very precious which was got at the hazard of these men's blood, and shall not we much more value those benefits for purchasing which our blessed Saviour shed his blood? Let all beware of neglecting so great salvation.

Hezrai the Carmelite,.... Of Mount Carmel; or from Carmela, as the Targum, see 1 Samuel 25:2 ; he is called Hezro, 1 Chronicles 11:37 , Paarai the Arbite; or from Arab, as the Targum, a city in the tribe of Judah, Joshua 15:52; according to Hillerus (r), the same with "Naarai the son of Ezbai", in 1 Chronicles 11:37. (r) Onomastic. Sacr. p. 499.

(35) Hezrai. —So the Hebrew margin; but the text has Hezro, as in Chronicles. He was of Carmel, seven miles S.S.E. of Hebron, famous in David’s early history. Paarai the Arbite.—In Chronicles “Naarai the son of Ezbai.” It is impossible to decide whether Paarai or Naarai is the correct form, but the son of Ezbai is evidently a scribe’s error for the Arbite, which it must resemble in the original.

35 . Hezrai the Carmelite ] The Kthîbh agrees with 1 Chronicles 11:37 in reading Hezro . He belonged to Carmel in the mountainous country of Judah, now Kurmul , about seven miles S. S. E. of Hebron. Cp. 1 Samuel 25:2 . Paarai the Arbite ] Of Arab, a city also in the neighbourhood of Hebron ( Joshua 15:52 ), perhaps er-Rabîyeh , about five miles S. of Hebron. Chron. reads “Naarai the son of Ezbai.”

19-39. the first three—The mighty men or champions in David's military staff were divided into three classes—the highest, Jashobeam, Eleazar, and Shammah; the second class, Abishai, Benaiah, and Asahel; and the third class, the thirty, of which Asahel was the chief. There are thirty-one mentioned in the list, including Asahel; and these added to the two superior orders make thirty-seven. Two of them, we know, were already dead; namely, Asahel [2Sa 3:30] and Uriah [2Sa 11:17]; and if the dead, at the drawing up of the list, amounted to seven, then we might suppose a legion of honor, consisting of the definite number thirty, where the vacancies, when they occurred, were replaced by fresh appointments.

Hezro the Carmelite, i.e., of Carmel in the mountains of Judah ( 1 Samuel 25:2 ). Paarai the Arbite, i.e., of Arab, also in the mountains of Judah ( Joshua 15:52 ). In the Chronicles we find Naarai ben-Ezbi: the latter is evidently an error in writing for ha-Arbi; but it is impossible to decide which of the two forms, Paarai and Naarai, is the correct one.

The names in 2 Samuel 23:34 , Eliphelet ben-Ahasbai ben-Hammaacathi, read thus in the Chronicles ( 2 Samuel 23:35 , 2 Samuel 23:36 ): Eliphal ben-Ur; Hepher hammecerathi. We see from this that in ben-Ahasbai ben two names have been fused together; for the text as it lies before us is rendered suspicious partly by the fact that the names of both father and grandfather are given, which does not occur in connection with any other name in the whole list, and partly by the circumstance that בּן cannot properly be written with המּעכתי, which is a Gentile noun. Consequently the following is probably the correct way of restoring the text, המּעכתי חפר בּן־אוּר אליפלט, Eliphelet (a name which frequently occurs) the son of Ur; Hepher the Maachathite, i.e., of Maacah in the north-east of Gilead (see at 2 Samuel 10:6 and Deuteronomy 3:14 ). Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, the clever but treacherous counsellor of David (see at 2 Samuel 15:12 ). This name is quite corrupt in the Chronicles.

37 . Hezro ] So 2 Samuel 23:35 (R.V. following the C’thîb ); but Hezrai (A.V. following the Krî ). the Carmelite ] i.e. inhabitant of Carmel, a town in the hill country of Judah ( 1 Samuel 25:2 ff). Naarai ] In 2 Samuel 23:35 , “Paarai.” The true form of the name is lost. the son of Ezbai ] In 2 Sam. “the Arbite” (simply), i.e. (probably) “inhabitant of Arab” ( Joshua 15:52 ), a town in the hill country of Judah.