King David and The Mighty 30

King David and the Mighty Thirty

(Author) I've been fascinated with King David and the Mighty 30 since I was a young man in the SEAL teams. Someone in Hollywood needs to do a movie on these unbelievable warriors. The actions depicted in 2 Samuel is so incredible its hard to believe its real, but it is! These are men. Men of faith, men of God. These are not soft men, turn the other cheek, show meekness and weakness and type of men. These are warriors that us modern day warriors should pay attention to and emulate.

 Its certain these were also men of honor and integrity. It is my personal believe that the most fearsome warriors throughout history were men of a strong moral code. I also believe men like this will be needed again in the very near future. We must begin developing future warriors now and transforming ourselves into the best versions of ourselves, yesterday.

  I believe God creates balance in everything and as this current world situation continues its downward spiral, the Lord will also provide inspiration and strength to the men of God that has not been seen since the time of King David. Rest assured, King David's men had a code they lived by. God spoke a word through the prophet Samuel, declaring David’s destiny to be king. But, God seemed to be pulling David deliberately backwards away from that prophesied destiny. God had taken him through a grueling regime to prepare him to be king. You might imagine the great tension that was being created as the gap between the spoken promise and the apparent reality seemed to grow wider and wider.

  The throne had been identified as David’s destiny in the scriptures, but pulled him back in the opposite direction for years. Instead of banquets, gold and luxury, David was surviving out in the wilderness with a bunch of misfits, even feigning insanity to save his own skin. Instead of honor and prestige, he was hunted like a dog. The Psalms give us a window into the distress he endured, the great number of tears he shed, and the despair he felt. But it was during those times that he would learn great faithfulness and the mighty power of the living God. He would learn that he was greatly loved and treasured, and ultimately completely safe in the arms of his Heavenly Father. He learned those lessons well.

  King David and the Mighty 30, as they were called were ranked in roughly 12 groups of 3 men who fought together, the top 3 were King David's personal body guards. The exploits of the top 3, were never disclosed in the bible, but the impressive combat actions of those ranked below the top 3 are described.

There were 37 in all, the names of the others are listed in 2 Samuel 23:24-39. A few things stood out while reading 2nd Samuel. For one, I get the impression that among the Thirty they fought in 3's, which makes a lot of tactical sense, because 3 people can get back to back, protecting each other and fighting effectively as a team. clearing, also known as Close Quarters Combat (CQC), or Close Quarters Battle (CQB) 3 people should be considered a minimum number. One Man CQC is extremely hazardous, and two isn't much better. However, odds improve exponentially with 3 men.

 

 

David's Warriors. 2 Samuel 23:8-12

  These are the names of David's warriors. Ishball, son of Hachamoni, was the first of the Three. It was he who brandished his battle-ax over eight hundred slain in a single encounter. Next to him, among the Three warriors, was Eleazar, son of Dodo the Ahohite. He was with David at Ephes-dammin when the Philistines assembled there for battle. The Israelites had retreated, but he stood his ground and fought the Philistines until his hand grew tired and cramped, holding fast to the sword. The Lord brought about a great victory on that day; the soldiers turned back after Eleazar, but only to strip the slain.

  Next to him was Shammah, son of Agee the Hararite. The Philistines had assembled as Lehi, where there was a plot of land full of lentils. When the solders fled from the Philistines, he took his stand in the middle of the plot and defended it.  He slew the Philistines, and the Lord brought about a great victory that day. Such were the deeds of the Three warriors.

  2 Samuel 23:13-17 During the harvest three of the Thirty went down to David in the cave of Adullam, while a Philistine clan was encamped in the Vale of Rephaim. At that time David was in the refuge, and there was a Garrison the Philistines in Bethlehem.  Now David had a strong craving and said, "Oh that someone would give me a drink of water from the cistern it is by the gate of Bethlehem."  So the three warriors broke to the Philistine camp and drew water from the cistern that it is by the gate of Bethlehem. But, when they brought it to David, he refused to drink it, and instead poured it out for the Lord saying: "The Lord forbid that I do this! Can I drink the blood of these men who went to the risk of their lives?"  So he refused to drink it.

  2 Samuel 23:18-19 Abishai, brother of Joab, son of Zeruiah, was at the head of the Thirty. It was he who brandished his spear over three hundred slain. He was listed among the Thirty and commanded greater respect than the Thirty, becoming their leader. However, he did not attain to the Three.

  2 Samuel 23:20-23 Benaiah, son of Jehoiada, a stalwart from Kabzeel, was a man of great achievements. It was he who slew the two lions in Moab. He also went down and killed the lion in the cistern at the time of the snow. It was he, too,  who slew an Egyptian of large stature. Although the Egyptian was armed with a spear, he went against him with a staff and wrested the spear from the Egyptian’s hand, then killed him with his own spear. Such were the deeds performed by Benaiah, son of Jehoiada. He was listed among the Thirty warriors and commanded greater respect than the Thirty. However, he did not attain to the bodyguard.

  The Last Words of David - 2 Samuel 23:5-7 Is not my house firm before God? He has made an eternal covenant with me, set forth in detail and secured. Will he not bring to fruition all my salvation and my every desire?  But the wicked are all like thorns to be cast away; they cannot be taken up by hand. He who wishes to touch them must arm himself with iron and the shaft of a spear, and they must be consumed by fire."

 For those who of us who are called as warriors for God and of God, the stories of King David and the Mighty 30 describe the level of warrior that I'm envisioning is needed again. Hopefully, in you're minds eye you see the integrity and honor these men had in their lives, which enabled them to be extraordinary warriors.  Each of them possessing a pure warrior heart, living by a strict moral code with discipline, honor and integrity.