David’s Other Valiant Soldiers^(A)

²⁰ Joab’s brother Abishai was the lieutenant^[a] in charge of the platoons. He used his spear to fight and kill 300 men, gaining a reputation distinct from the Three. ²¹ He was more well-known than the Three,^[b] but he never attained the stature of the Three.

²² Jehoiada’s son Benaiah, who was a valiant man, accomplished great things. He was from Kabzeel. He killed two men named^[c] Ariel from Moab^[d] and then he also went down into a pit and struck down a lion during a snow storm one day. ²³ He also killed a soldier^[e] from Egypt of enormous height—five cubits^[f] tall. The Egyptian carried a spear comparable in size to a weaver’s beam, but Benaiah attacked him with a staff, snatched the spear out of the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear. ²⁴ Benaiah did things like this and gained a reputation comparable to the Three Warriors. ²⁵ He was well known among the platoons, but he didn’t measure up to^[g] the Three Warriors. David placed him in charge of his security detail.

²⁶ The elite forces included Asahel (Joab’s brother), Dodo’s son Elhanan from Bethlehem, ²⁷ Shammoth from Haror,^[h] Helez the Pelonite,^{[i] 28} Ikkesh’s son Ira from Tekoa, Abiezer from Anathoth, ²⁹ Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite, ³⁰ Maharai from Netophah, Baanah’s son Heled from Netophah, ³¹ Ribai’s son Ithai from Gibeah, controlled by^[j] the descendants of Benjamin, Benaiah of Pirathon, ³² Hurai from the wadis^[k] of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite, ³³ Azmaveth from Baharum, Eliahba from Shaalbon, ³⁴ Hashem the Gizonite, Shagee the Hararite’s son Jonathan, ³⁵ Sachar the Hararite’s son Ahiam, Ur’s son Eliphal, ³⁶ Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite, ³⁷ Hezro from Carmel, Ezbai’s son Naarai, ³⁸ Joel (Nathan’s brother), Hagri’s son Mibhar, ³⁹ Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai from Beeroth, who was the armor-bearer for Zeruiah’s son Joab, ⁴⁰ Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, ⁴¹ Uriah the Hittite, Ahlai’s son Zabad, ⁴² Shiza the Reubenite’s son Adina, a leader of the descendants of Reuben, along with thirty others with him, ⁴³ Maacah’s son Hanan, Joshaphat the Mithnite, ⁴⁴ Uzzia the Ashterathite, Hotham the Aroerite’s sons Shama and Jeiel, ⁴⁵ Shimri’s son Jediael and his brother Joha the Tizite, ⁴⁶ Eliel the Mahavite, Elnaam’s sons Jeribai and Joshaviah, Ithmah the Moabite, ⁴⁷ Eliel, Obed, and Jaasiel the Mezobaite.