Commentary on 1 Chronicles 11:26–47

The account of David’s leading military supporters at Hebron ends with a long list of names and locations. Although 1 Chronicles 11:26–41 derives from Samuel, the Chronicler added the final verses (1 Chronicles 11:41–47) to emphasize locations outside of Judah. This section comes from two sources. 1 Chronicles 11:26–41 is based on 2 Samuel 23:23–39, with several variant spellings and textual corruptions. The source of 1 Chronicles 11:41–47 is unknown. It does not appear in 2 Samuel 23:1–39.¹

The list in 2 Samuel 23:24 goes under the heading of the thirty, whereas the Chronicler heads the section with the mighty men. The Hebrew literally reads men of strengths.² The Samuel text begins by stating that Asahel was part of the thirty and ends with Uriah the Hittite. Asahel was killed during the war between David and Ish-bosheth (2 Samuel 2:23), which indicates that this list originates prior to David’s reign over Israel.³ Uriah was killed in battle under suspicious circumstances involving David himself (2 Samuel 11:17). If these two names are omitted, then the list does add up to thirty, even though it is noted that there were thirty seven in all (2 Samuel 23:29). This has led to the suggestion that the title the thirty was not an exact figure because of fluidity in the number as men were killed in action, so others joined the ranks of this elite military group.

Selman notes that this list follows some form of geographical order. Most of the first ten names from Elhanan to Heled (1 Chronicles 11:26–30) originated from Judah, several in 1 Chronicles 11:31–37 are from northern communities, and men of non-Israelite origin are listed in 1 Chronicles 11:38–41a. The addition of 1 Chronicles 11:41–47 is expressed in a slightly different style from 1 Chronicles 11:26–41, and probably comes from a separate source. These extra names, several of which have Transjordanian connections, once again testify to the fluidity in the size of the group. They may even be assistants to some of those listed earlier; for example, the reference to Joab’s armour-bearer (1 Chronicles 11:39).⁴