A League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2 Sam 23:8-39)

Published: Oct. 24, 2021, 7:38 p.m.

b'2 Samuel 23:8-39 (ESV)
\\n8\\xa0These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: Josheb-basshebeth a Tahchemonite; he was chief of the three. He wielded his spear against eight hundred whom he killed at one time.
\\n9\\xa0And next to him among the three mighty men was Eleazar the son of Dodo, son of Ahohi. He was with David when they defied the Philistines who were gathered there for battle, and the men of Israel withdrew. 10\\xa0He rose and struck down the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clung to the sword. And the Lord brought about a great victory that day, and the men returned after him only to strip the slain.
\\n11\\xa0And next to him was Shammah, the son of Agee the Hararite. The Philistines gathered together at Lehi, where there was a plot of ground full of lentils, and the men fled from the Philistines. 12\\xa0But he took his stand in the midst of the plot and defended it and struck down the Philistines, and the Lord worked a great victory.
\\n13\\xa0And three of the thirty chief men went down and came about harvest time to David at the cave of Adullam, when a band of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. 14\\xa0David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then at Bethlehem. 15\\xa0And David said longingly, \\u201cOh, that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem that is by the gate!\\u201d 16\\xa0Then the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate and carried and brought it to David. But he would not drink of it. He poured it out to the Lord 17\\xa0and said, \\u201cFar be it from me, O Lord, that I should do this. Shall I drink the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives?\\u201d Therefore he would not drink it. These things the three mighty men did.
\\n18\\xa0Now Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the thirty. And he wielded his spear against three hundred men and killed them and won a name beside the three. 19\\xa0He was the most renowned of the thirty and became their commander, but he did not attain to the three.
\\n20\\xa0And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was a valiant man of Kabzeel, a doer of great deeds. He struck down two ariels of Moab. He also went down and struck down a lion in a pit on a day when snow had fallen. 21\\xa0And he struck down an Egyptian, a handsome man. The Egyptian had a spear in his hand, but Benaiah went down to him with a staff and snatched the spear out of the Egyptian\\u2019s hand and killed him with his own spear. 22\\xa0These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and won a name beside the three mighty men. 23\\xa0He was renowned among the thirty, but he did not attain to the three. And David set him over his bodyguard.
\\n24\\xa0Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty; Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, 25\\xa0Shammah of Harod, Elika of Harod, 26\\xa0Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh of Tekoa, 27\\xa0Abiezer of Anathoth, Mebunnai the Hushathite, 28\\xa0Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai of Netophah, 29\\xa0Heleb the son of Baanah of Netophah, Ittai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the people of Benjamin, 30\\xa0Benaiah of Pirathon, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash, 31\\xa0Abi-albon the Arbathite, Azmaveth of Bahurim, 32\\xa0Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan, 33\\xa0Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Hararite, 34\\xa0Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai of Maacah, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, 35\\xa0Hezro of Carmel, Paarai the Arbite, 36\\xa0Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite, 37\\xa0Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai of Beeroth, the armor-bearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah, 38\\xa0Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, 39\\xa0Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.
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\\n* The Real Hero
\\n* A Waste of Water
\\n* \\u2018Also-Rans\\u2019
\\n* Things You\\u2019d Rather Forget (but shouldn\\u2019t)
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