David’s Last Words and Mighty Men

INTRODUCTION: Before long David will go the way of all men. He will go down as one of the greatest, if not the greatest king in the history of the nation of Israel. Before he goes, we must learn two overwhelming reasons for David’s greatness: a charge from the Lord and the mighty men that surrounded him.

1. DAVIDS LAST WORDS (2 Samuel 23:1-7)
1. The Man, David (2 Samuel 23:1)
1. The son of Jesse
2. The man who was raised up on high (2 Samuel 7:8-9)
3. The anointed of the God of Jacob
4. The sweet psalmist of Israel
2. The Words of David (2 Samuel 23:2)
1. By the Spirit of the LORD
2. Gods word in his tongue
3. The Charge Given to David (2 Samuel 23:3-5)
1. The manner in which to rule (2 Samuel 23:3)
1. Must be just
2. Must be done in the fear of God
2. The hope offered by the righteous ruler (2 Samuel 23:4)
1. As the light of the morning
1. When the sun riseth
2. As a morning without clouds
2. As the tender grass springing out of the earth after rain
3. Gods blessings in spite of David (2 Samuel 23:5)
1. David acknowledged his shortcomings.
2. David acknowledged Gods faithfulness.
1. He made an everlasting covenant with David.
1. Ordered in all things
2. Sure
2. He fulfilled all that David could want.
1. His salvation
2. His desire
4. The Enemies of David (2 Samuel 23:6-7)
1. As thorns thrust away (2 Samuel 23:6)
2. To be burned with fire (2 Samuel 23:7)
2. DAVIDS MIGHTY MEN (2 Samuel 23:8-39)
1. The First Three (2 Samuel 23:8-17)
1. Their names (2 Samuel 23:8-12)
1. Adino the Ezrite (2 Samuel 23:8; 1 Chronicles 11:10-11)
1. Also called Jashobeam (1 Chronicles 11:11)
2. Chief among the captains
3. Slew 800 with his spear at one time
4. On another occasion he slew 300 with his spear (1 Chronicles 11:11).
2. Eleazar the son of Dodo (2 Samuel 23:9-10; 1 Chronicles 11:12-14)
1. Defied the Philistines when the men of Israel were gone away (2 Samuel 23:9)
1. The battle took place at Pasdammim (1 Chronicles 11:13).
2. They stood their ground in the midst of a parcel of ground where was a field of barley (1 Chronicles 11:13-14).
3. The rest of the men of Israel fled (1 Chronicles 11:13).
2. Smote the Philistines until his hand clave unto his sword (2 Samuel 23:10)
3. Shammah the son of Agee (2 Samuel 23:11-12)
1. He is not named in the 1 Chronicles account.
2. He stood in the midst of a piece of ground full of lentils and defended it (2 Samuel 23:11-12).
3. God gave a great victory over the Philistines (2 Samuel 23:12).
2. Their Bethlehem exploit (2 Samuel 23:13-17; 1 Chronicles 11:15-19)
1. David and his men were separated from Bethlehem by the army of the Philistines (2 Samuel 23:13-14; 1 Chronicles 11:15-16).
2. David wished aloud for water from Bethlehems well (2 Samuel 23:15; 1 Chronicles 11:17).
3. Three of the mighty men broke through the host of the Philistines and brought water from the well for David (2 Samuel 23:16; 1 Chronicles 11:18).
4. David refused to drink of the water under such circumstances (2 Samuel 23:16-17; 1 Chronicles 11:18-19).
2. The Second Three (2 Samuel 23:18-23) only two of them are named
1. Abishai the brother of Joab (2 Samuel 23:18-19; 1 Chronicles 11:20-21)
1. He slew 300 enemies with his spear (2 Samuel 23:18; 1 Chronicles 11:20).
2. The chief among the second three, but not as honorable as the first three (2 Samuel 23:19; 1 Chronicles 11:21)
2. Benaiah the son of Jehoiada (2 Samuel 23:20-23; 1 Chronicles 11:22-25)
1. He slew two lionlike men of Moab (2 Samuel 23:20; 1 Chronicles 11:22).
2. He slew a lion in a pit in the time of snow (2 Samuel 23:20; 1 Chronicles 11:22).
3. He slew an Egyptian with his own spear (2 Samuel 23:21; 1 Chronicles 11:23).
1. The Egyptian was a man of great stature, five cubits high.
2. In the Egyptian's hand was a spear like a weaver's beam.
3. He went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and slew him with his own spear.
4. He had a name among the mighty and David set him over his guard (2 Samuel 23:22-23; 1 Chronicles 11:24-25).
3. The Roll Call of the Mighty Men (2 Samuel 23:24-39; 1 Chronicles 11:26-47)
1. Asahel the brother of Joab (2 Samuel 23:24; 1 Chronicles 11:26; see 2 Samuel 2:18-23)
1. He was one of the thirty. It is likely that several are mentioned in 2 Samuel 23 and 1 Chronicles 11 that were replacements for some of these men who died early.
2. It appears that there were multiple divisions within the mighty men.
1. The first three were grouped together.
2. The second three were grouped together.
3. There was a group called the thirty.
2. Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem (2 Samuel 23:24; 1 Chronicles 11:26)
3. Shammah the Harodite (2 Samuel 23:25; 1 Chronicles 11:27) also called Shammoth the Harorite
1. It was common for people to have multiple names by which they were called.
2. Moses father-in-law is called by the names Jethro, Reuel, and Hobab (Exodus 2:18; Exodus 3:1; Numbers 10:29).
3. Simon Peter is Simon, Peter, and Cephas.
4. Oftentimes, the variations had to do with meanings of names (Acts 4:36).
4. Elika the Harodite (2 Samuel 23:25)
5. Helez the Paltite (2 Samuel 23:26; 1 Chronicles 11:27) also called Helez the Pelonite
6. Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite (2 Samuel 23:26; 1 Chronicles 11:28)
7. Abiezer the Anethothite (2 Samuel 23:27; 1 Chronicles 11:28)
8. Mebunnai the Hushathite (2 Samuel 23:27; 1 Chronicles 11:29) also called Sibbecai
9. Zalmon the Ahohite (2 Samuel 23:28; 1 Chronicles 11:29) also called Ilai
10. Maharai the Netophathite (2 Samuel 23:28; 1 Chronicles 11:30)
11. Heleb the son of Baanah, a Netophathite (2 Samuel 23:29; 1 Chronicles 11:30) also called Heled
12. Ittai the son of Ribai out of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin (2 Samuel 23:29; 1 Chronicles 11:31) also called Ithai
13. Benaiah the Pirathonite (2 Samuel 23:30; 1 Chronicles 11:31)
14. Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash (2 Samuel 23:30; 1 Chronicles 11:32) also called Hurai
15. Abialbon the Arbathite (2 Samuel 23:31; 1 Chronicles 11:32) also called Abiel
16. Azmaveth the Barhumite (2 Samuel 23:31; 1 Chronicles 11:33)
17. Eliahba the Shaalbonite, of the sons of Jashen (also called Hashem) (2 Samuel 23:32; 1 Chronicles 11:33-34)
18. Jonathan the son of Shammah (also called Shage) the Hararite (2 Samuel 23:32-33; 1 Chronicles 11:34)
19. Ahiam the son of Sharar (also called Sacar) the Hararite (2 Samuel 23:33; 1 Chronicles 11:35)
20. Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai (2 Samuel 23:34; 1 Chronicles 11:35) likely the same person as Eliphel the son of Ur
21. The son of the Maachathite (2 Samuel 23:34; 1 Chronicles 11:36) likely the same person as Hepher the Mecherathite
22. Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite (2 Samuel 23:34; 1 Chronicles 11:36) likely the same as Ahijah the Pelonite
23. Hezrai the Carmelite (2 Samuel 23:35; 1 Chronicles 11:37) likely the same as Hezro
24. Paarai the Arbite (2 Samuel 23:35; 1 Chronicles 11:37) likely the same as Naarai the son of Ezbai
25. Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah (2 Samuel 23:36; 1 Chronicles 11:38) likely the same as Joel
1. It is possible to be the son of a Nathan and the brother of a Nathan.
2. Even in our culture, it is common for a son to have his fathers name.
26. Bani the Gadite (2 Samuel 23:36; 1 Chronicles 11:38) likely the same as Mibhar
27. Zelek the Ammonite (2 Samuel 23:37; 1 Chronicles 11:39)
28. Naharai the Beerothite, armourbearer to Joab the son of Zeruiah (2 Samuel 23:37; 1 Chronicles 11:39)
29. Ira an Ithrite (2 Samuel 23:38; 1 Chronicles 11:40)
30. Gareb an Ithrite (2 Samuel 23:38; 1 Chronicles 11:40)
31. Uriah the Hittite (2 Samuel 23:39; 1 Chronicles 11:41)
32. Others named in 1 Chronicles (1 Chronicles 11:41-47)

CONCLUSION: David was a great king, but his fame was supported by the words of God and great men. The same holds true for anyone desiring greatness today.