Davids Mighty Men

FOREWORD Every man who is a success, regardless of how gifted he may be, did not manage to achieve his goals, rank, station or wealth by his own efforts, but he is indebted to a number of key persons in his life without whose mentoring, support, and encouragement he would quite likely have been a miserable failure! * * * KING DAVID of Israel was surrounded by a magnificent corps of extraordinarily strong, courageous, unflinchingly brave and self-sacrificing men who were his confidants, his personal bodyguard, and comrades-at-arms. They were the special elite corps of fearless warriors whose devotion to their king placed his welfare and that of his kingdom above their own personal safety – every one of these champions would gladly have sacrificed his own life to honor, advance and protect the life of their king. The annals of Holy Scripture single them out by the accolade that marks them as David’s Mighty Men. Their names are recorded in the Hebrew Old Testament book of II Samuel, chapter 23, verses 8-39. They were thirty-seven of the most fierce and dedicated warriors that ever lived. In a parallel list of these men which is recorded in I Chronicles 11:11-47, the number of warriors is expanded by 16 names (I Ch. 11:41-47), probably because additional men were added to replace those who had died, some in battle, giving their lives for their king. They were truly men of extraordinary valor, physical might and unwavering loyalty. They were a combination of “combat commandos,” “stealth rangers,” “navy seals,” “green beret,” “special ops” and “Delta forces” who had acquired the skills of battle demanded to survive and conquer in hand-to-hand warfare. They engaged in clandestine operations and were often outnumbered by staggering odds pitted against them, yet they stood their ground. Time after time on fields of battle they were “the last men standing.” They defended their king and gained victory over their enemies by sheer strength of determination and by the inexplicable physical and mental character with which they were endowed by their God, Yahweh, Who Himself had chosen David as their king. “These are the names of David’s Mighty Men: “Josheb-Basshebeth, a Tahkemonite, was the chief . . . he raised his spear against eight hundred men, whom he killed in one encounter. “Eleazar son of Dodai the Ahohite . . . he was with David when they taunted the Philistines that were gathered at Pas Dammim for battle. The men of Israel retreated, but he stood his ground and struck down the Philistines till his hand grew tired and froze to the sword. The Lord brought about a great victory that day. “Shammah son of Agee the Harrarite. When the Philistines banded together . . . Israel’s troops fled from them. But Shamma took his stand in the middle of the field. He defended it and struck the Philistines down, and the Lord brought about a great victory. “Abishai the brother of Joab . . . he raised his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed. “Benaiah son of Jehoida was a valiant fighter from Kabzeel . . . he struck down two of Moab’s best men. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion, and he struck down a huge Egyptian. Although the Egyptian had a spear in his hand, Benaiah went against him with a club. He snatched the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear. And David put him in charge of his bodyguard.” Abishai, Benaiah and another warrior risked their lives to break through the lines of the Philistines and draw water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem to bring back to David a drink from that well. Although he longed to taste that water, David poured it out as an offering unto the Lord rather than to drink water for which his loyal and devoted warriors risked their lives. There were also among David’s Mighty Men the following warriors: “Ashel the brother of Joab, Elhanan so

This book takes the reader on a journey into the rocky and desolate wilderness of Judea to catch a glimpse of the "mighty men" of David. I Chronicles 11 and II Samuel 23 are the two passages in Scripture that describe these men in detail. But these warriors are also followed through the narrative of David's reign, where names like Abishai and Benaiah appear in numerous accounts, giving us great insight into their courage and loyalty throughout a stormy reign marked by various foreign invasions, court intrigues, and violent insurrections. The modern world needs such men: men like the "three mighties" who "brake through the host of the Philistines" to deliver a vessel of water to their beloved commander, men like Abishai who said to his uncle, David, when he asked for a volunteer for a perilous mission, "I will go down with thee," men like Benaiah, who "slew a lion in a pit in a snowy day," men like Eleazar who stood alone against a Philistine onslaught, slaying the enemies of the Lord until his hand "clave unto the sword," men like the Zebulunites who "could keep rank" and were "expert in war," and men like the Issacharites who had "understanding of the times." This book highlights 12 essential character qualities of David's mighty men that are desperately needed today. It is the prayer of the writer of these pages that the Lord might raise up a generation of Christians who will determine, with all their hearts, to follow the example of these stalwart warriors of the Old Testament.

Join David and his mighty men in this whimsical but reverent retelling of some of the Bible's greatest heroes.

What happens when the king’s most obedient soldier is issued a wicked command? Benaiah is valiant against men and beasts. He is known for three heroic deeds that lead to his appointment in the elite force of David’s Mighty Men: aggressively going down into a pit on a snowy day to kill a lion; fighting two Moabite ariels; and challenging a giant Egyptian the size of David’s Goliath, armed with only a staff, and killing him with the man’s own spear. When David is crowned king, Benaiah is made his chief bodyguard and eventually head of the whole army of Israel under King Solomon. Reeling from the tragic cost of disobedience when he was young, Benaiah directs his life toward one chief aim: to be found a faithful, loyal, valiant and obedient soldier, servant of the King and follower of Yahweh. But when “just following orders” leads to his part in adultery, murder and death, he questions his life’s direction. If both obedience and disobedience cause death, how can he ever find redemption?

Abishai, Joab, and Asahel live in the shadow of both shame and glory, from their uncle David's battlefield exploits and their mother's disgraceful past. When given the opportunity, will they prove themselves worthy to be called the nephews of Israel's greatest hero? Or will their misdeeds doom them forever to be remembered as the sons of Zeruiah?Drawing from Biblical, historical, and cultural sources, Brian Lee Meyer brings relatively unknown figures to life. Sons of Zeruiah: The Mighty Men of King David is an epic tale which takes its readers from the caves at Adullum to the siege of Jerusalem, as seen by the men who fought and bled there.

Customers in North America who wish to purchase this publication, please contact Augsburg Fortress Press. First published in 1992, Emanuel Tov’s Textual Criticism of the Hebrew Bible has rapidly established itself as the authoritative reference work for all those engaged in the study of the text of the Hebrew Bible. This thoroughly revised second edition will be welcomed by students and scholars alike. A wide range of readers will find this book accessible and indispensable. Emanuel Tov offers extensive descriptions of the major witnesses to the text of the Hebrew Bible–the Hebrew texts from Qumran, the Septuagint, the Masoretic Text–as well as the Aramaic Targumim, the Syriac translations, the Vulgate, and others. Special attention is given to the exegetical aspects of the textual transmission, literary issues, and the problem of the original shape of the biblical text. Praise for the First Edition: “Emanuel Tov is preeminent in the world in the field of Septuagint studies. This is a solid and durable work which, given its technical character, is written in a readable way.” Frank Moore Cross, Harvard University “Nowhere else can you find such a thorough presentation of how the Bible was transmitted in Second Temple times ... This excellently written handbook represents a major step forward for biblical studies.” Lawrence Schiffman, New York University “History will surely regard Emanuel Tov’s monumental work as the definitive discussion of textual criticism of this generation. A ‘must-have’ for any serious scholar of the Bible!” Sidnie A. White, University of Nebraska “The basic reference work on the textual criticism of the Hebrew Bible for at least the next decade. This is a magisterial work which is badly needed and masterfully done.” Journal for the Study of Judaism “This book will soon be viewed as a classic of biblical studies.” Ralph W. Klein, Journal of Religion “Replete with examples, tables, plates, lucid definitions and explanations, as well as extensive bibliographies, the volume brings together a wealth of information not previously so accessible and makes the theory and practice of textual criticism easily understandable and visually clear.” Judith E. Sanderson, Seattle University

Have you ever wondered about how God gave some people super strength to do amazing and almost unbelievable things? There is Samson, David, and so many others, but have you heard the stories of David's mighty men? Ya, mighty men! They had super strength! Join Buddy as we learn from Grandpa who some of them were and maybe we can learn how we can be brave like them! Visit StoriesWithGrandpa.com to hear more stories that Buddy is told by Grandpa!