The two named heroes, Abishai and Benaiah, together with their deeds, balance the two earlier heroes, Jashobeam and Eleazar of 1 Chronicles 11:11–14. It seems as though they were part of a second group of three who were esteemed above the thirty, but Benaiah did not attain to the three
mentioned in 1 Chronicles 11:15–19.
Abishai, the brother of Joab and nephew of David (the son of Zeruiah, David’s sister), is named as the chief of the second group of three mighty men. His deeds are identical to those of Jashobeam, slaying three hundred in one fell swoop. Of Abishai it is stated, “Of the three, he was more honourable than the two; for he was their captain (1 Chronicles 11:21 KJV).1 The word bashshenayim (than or of the two
) in the Hebrew text causes some difficulty in translation (a reason possibly for being omitted by the ESV, though see the ESV footnote). There is no justification for their omission. It may point to some kind of relationship between the two warriors, stressing Abishai’s superiority to Benaiah.2
Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, came from Kabzeel, a remote southern town in the Negev (Joshua 15:21). He is well named: Benaiah means Yahweh has built,
but sounds like son of Yahweh.
He was renowned among the thirty but never attained to the three. Interestingly, Benaiah is afforded the most space in this account.3 Instead he was appointed chief of David’s bodyguard (1 Chronicles 11:25), a position that David himself had held when serving under Saul (1 Samuel 22:14). The bodyguard probably consisted of the Cherethites and Pelethites, a band of mercenary soldiers captained by Benaiah, who continued to be loyal to David when Absalom and Sheba rebelled against the king (1 Chronicles 18:17; 2 Samuel 18:1–33; 2 Samuel 20:7, 2 Samuel 20:23).4 Later, Solomon commanded him to execute Joab, who had mercilessly murdered two commanders in the armies of Israel, Abner the son of Ner and Amasa, the son of Jether (1 Kings 2:5). After Joab’s death, Solomon named Benaiah as commander of Israel’s army (1 Kings 2:35). He too won a name beside the mighty three
(1 Chronicles 11:24) and was probably well-known to the Chronicler’s readers. If such a famous man supported David, the postexilic community should support the Davidic line as well.5
Three of Benaiah’s exploits are recounted (1 Chronicles 11:22–25). First, he struck down two heroes of Moab,
otherwise translated two lionlike men of Moab
(KJV). The Hebrew renders this as the ’ari’el of Moab.
Ariel
is used here in its personal sense, literally, the lions of God,
which means that Benaiah overcame the mighty lions (of Moab)
or "lionlike men” (KJV).6 The lion (’arî) imagery in the word ’ari'el leads to a second heroic action, which has no direct military significance: he struck down a lion in a pit on a day when snow had fallen (1 Chronicles 11:22). This is probably one of the most evocative lines in biblical history that brings vivid and varied imagery to mind. It is another David-like exploit. Before David slew Goliath, he fought lions and bears. It is here included also as an illustration of Samson-like strength (Judges 14:5–6). This action was long remembered due especially to the day on which it occurred: a snowy day, with snow being quite rare in Canaan.
The third example of heroism by Benaiah involved the striking down of a giant Egyptian, a man of great stature, five cubits tall
(1 Chronicles 11:23). The Chronicler clearly wished to remind his readers of David’s encounter with Goliath by adding two details not found in the Samuel text. First, the Egyptian’s height is given as five cubits
(2.3 metres). Second, his spear is likened to a weaver’s beam; Goliath’s spear is described in similar terms (1 Samuel 17:7). Like David, with his sling and five smooth stones, Benaiah’s staff seemed no match for the giant’s spear, yet he was able to disarm him and kill him using his opponent’s own weapon (1 Samuel 17:48–51).7
Benaiah remained loyal to Solomon during Adonijah’s ill-fated attempt to usurp the throne. His zeal for the protection of the Davidic line was later demonstrated in carrying out King Solomon’s orders to put the traitors, Joab and Shimei, to death (see 1 Kings 1:1–2:46). After Joab’s death, Solomon named Benaiah as commander of Israel’s army (1 Kings 2:35).8
Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did these things and won a name beside the three mighty men (1 Chronicles 11:24). He was probably well-known to the Chronicler’s readers, and if such a famous man faithfully supported David, the postexilic community should support the line of David’s descendants as well.
20 Now Abishai, the brother of Joab, was chief of the thirty. And he wielded his spear against 300 men and killed them and won a name beside the three.