2 Samuel 23:32

Eliahba the Shaalbonite, of the sons of Jashen, Jonathan,

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(32) Of the sons of Jashen, Jonathan.—The preposition of is not in the Hebrew, and should be omitted. For the rest 1Chronicles 11:34 reads “the sons of Hashem the Gizonite. In both the words the sons of may be an accidental repetition of the last three letters of the preceding word; if not, they should be read as part of the proper name, Jashen (Chronicles Hashem), or Bnejashen (Chronicles Bnehashem) the Gizonite. Jonathan is then a separate name.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

23:8-39 David once earnestly longed for the water at the well of Bethlehem. It seems to be an instance of weakness. He was thirsty; with the water of that well he had often refreshed himself when a youth, and it was without due thought that he desired it. Were his valiant men so forward to expose themselves, upon the least hint of their prince's mind, and so eager to please him, and shall not we long to approve ourselves to our Lord Jesus, by ready compliance with his will, as shown us by his word, Spirit, and providence? But David poured out the water as a drink-offering to the Lord. Thus he would cross his own foolish fancy, and punish himself for indulging it, and show that he had sober thoughts to correct his rash ones, and knew how to deny himself. Did David look upon that water as very precious which was got at the hazard of these men's blood, and shall not we much more value those benefits for purchasing which our blessed Saviour shed his blood? Let all beware of neglecting so great salvation.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

etc. The early death of Asahel 2 Samuel 2:32 would make it very likely that his place in the 30 would be filled up, and so easily account for the number 31 in the list. Compare throughout the list in 1 Chronicles 11.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

19-39. the first three—The mighty men or champions in David's military staff were divided into three classes—the highest, Jashobeam, Eleazar, and Shammah; the second class, Abishai, Benaiah, and Asahel; and the third class, the thirty, of which Asahel was the chief. There are thirty-one mentioned in the list, including Asahel; and these added to the two superior orders make thirty-seven. Two of them, we know, were already dead; namely, Asahel [2Sa 3:30] and Uriah [2Sa 11:17]; and if the dead, at the drawing up of the list, amounted to seven, then we might suppose a legion of honor, consisting of the definite number thirty, where the vacancies, when they occurred, were replaced by fresh appointments.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

No text from Poole on this verse.

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

Eliahba the Shaalbonite,.... Of Shaalboa or Shaaiabin, a city in the tribe of Dan, Joshua 19:42; perhaps the Silbonitis of Josephus (p):

of the sons of Jashen, Jonathan; in 1 Chronicles 11:34, it is, the sons of Hashem the Gizonite: sons are spoken of, though but one, as in Genesis 46:23.

(p) De Bello Jud. l. 3. c. 3. sect. 3.

Geneva Study Bible

Eliahba the Shaalbonite, of the sons of Jashen, Jonathan,

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

32. the Shaalbonite] of Shaalabbin in the tribe of Dan (Joshua 19:42; Jdg 1:35; 1 Kings 4:9); perhaps the modern Selbît, 3 miles N. W. of Yâlo (Aijalon), and about 15 miles W. N. W. of Jerusalem.

of the sons of Jashen, Jonathan, Shammah the Hararite] Of is not in the Heb. text; Chron. reads “the sons of Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan the son of Shage the Hararite.” The word bnê (=sons) seems quite out of place, and must either be omitted as an erroneous repetition of the last three letters of the preceding word, or regarded as a part of the hero’s name. The name of his native place must also be inserted from Chron. Thus we get Jashen (Chron. Hashem), or Bnejashen (Chron. Bnehashem) the Gizonite as the probable reading.

Pulpit Commentary

Verse 32. - Eliahba. He was of Shaalabbin, in the tribe of Dan (Joshua 19:42). St. Jerome calls the place Selebi, the modern Sebbit. Of the sons of Jashen, Jonathan, Shammah the Hararite. In 1 Chronicles 11:34, "The sons of Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan the son of Shage the Hararite." The word "of" is not in the Hebrew, and is inserted in the Authorized Version to make sense. Really, b'ne, sons, is a careless repetition of the three last letters of the name "Shaalbonite," and should be omitted. The text in Chronicles then goes on regularly, "Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan the son of Shage the Hararite;" but see note on next verse. 2 Samuel 23:32

Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament

Eliahba of Shaalbon or Shaalbin, which may possibly have been preserved in the present Selbit (see at Joshua 19:42). The next two names, יהונתן ישׁן בּני and ההררי שׁמּה (Bneyashen Jehonathan and Shammah the Hararite), are written thus in the Chronicles (2 Samuel 23:34), ההררי בּן־שׁגא יונתן הגּזוני השׁם בּני: "Bnehashem the Gizonite, Jonathan the son of Sage the Hararite," The text of the Chronicles is evidently the more correct of the two, as Bne Jashen Jehonathan does not make any sense. The only question is whether the form השׁם בּני is correct, or whether בּני has not arisen merely through a misspelling. As the name does not occur again, all that can be said is that Bne hashem must at any rate be written as one word, and therefore should be pointed differently. The place mentioned, Gizon, is unknown. שׁמּה for בּן־שׁגא probably arose from 2 Samuel 23:11. Ahiam the son of Sharar or Sacar (Chron.) the Ararite (in the Chronicles the Hararite).