Benaiah was the son of Jehoiada, generally understood to be a priest from Kabzeel in southern Judah (2 Samuel 23:20). He is celebrated elsewhere as one of David’s mighty men (2 Samuel 23:20–23; 1 Chronicles 11:22–25), known for heroic deeds such as killing two Moabite champions, slaying a lion in a pit, and defeating a formidable Egyptian warrior. He was tasked with supervising the Cherethites and Pelethites, non-Israelite soldiers from Crete and Philistia who served as private militia.1 If he was from a priestly family, he would have been familiar with the Lord's revelation and been able to instruct them in behaving in a matter that was consistent with what God had revealed (see 1 Samuel 21:5). When Joab and Abiathar joined Adonijah’s faction, Benaiah remained loyal to David (1 Kings 1:8), accompanying Nathan and Zadok to anoint Solomon as David’s successor (1 Kings 1:38–39). Benaiah’s loyalty to Solomon is exemplified in 1 Kings 2:1–46 when, in three different scenes, he discharged Solomon’s orders, executing Adonijah (1 Kings 2:25), Joab (1 Kings 2:34), and Shimei (1 Kings 2:46) and replacing Joab as military commander (1 Kings 2:35).2
18 and Benaiah the son of Jehoiada was over the Cherethites and the Pelethites, and David’s sons were priests.