Scripture Daily

Context No. 119 of 4322 · 2 Samuel

Context · Reflection

2 Samuel 23:24-39: in context

24Asahel the brother of Joab was one of the thirty: Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem, 25Shammah the Harodite, Elika the Harodite, 26Helez the Paltite, Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, 27Abiezer the Anathothite, Mebunnai the Hushathite, 28Zalmon the Ahohite, Maharai the Netophathite, 29Heleb the son of Baanah the Netophathite, Ittai the son of Ribai of Gibeah of the children of Benjamin, 30Benaiah a Pirathonite, Hiddai of the brooks of Gaash. 31Abialbon the Arbathite, Azmaveth the Barhumite, 32Eliahba the Shaalbonite, the sons of Jashen, Jonathan, 33Shammah the Hararite, Ahiam the son of Sharar the Ararite, 34Eliphelet the son of Ahasbai, the son of the Maacathite, Eliam the son of Ahithophel the Gilonite, 35Hezro the Carmelite, Paarai the Arbite, 36Igal the son of Nathan of Zobah, Bani the Gadite, 37Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Beerothite, armor bearers to Joab the son of Zeruiah, 38Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, 39and Uriah the Hittite: thirty-seven in all.

Near the end of Second Samuel there is a roll of David's warriors, the men who fought with him from the outlaw years onward. The chapter names the elite three, then the mightier deeds, and this passage is the long list of the Thirty, name after name with the town each man came from.

It reads like a war memorial. Asahel, Joab's brother, killed early in the civil war. Elhanan of Bethlehem. Men from Tekoa, Anathoth, Netophah, some from towns whose location is now unknown. Foreigners are in the list too: Zelek the Ammonite, Ithai from Benjamin, men from Zobah and Maacah. The list totals thirty-seven.

The last name on it is Uriah the Hittite. He is a foreign mercenary who died in the front line because David arranged it, after David took his wife. The register does not comment. It gives him his rank among the finest soldiers Israel had and closes the list on his name. Every reader who reaches the end of that roll knows what happened, and the text lets the placement do the work. Whose name is on my list of people who served me well, and what do I owe them that I have not settled?

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