Mighty Warriors

2 Samuel 23:8-39

When I hear about a mighty warrior, my mind goes to these groups, Green Berets, in that their calling is special operations, such as unconventional warfare, foreign internal defense, and special reconnaissance.  These men can take on many large numbers and come out the victors.  But if I’m thinking of mighty warriors, one group comes to mind; they are a group known as the Navy Seals.  The Seals have training that few other teams encounter and operate in all environments, sea, air, and land and the following is their motto; “The only easy day was yesterday”, “It pays to be a Winner.”

Today as I began reading about King David’s mighty men, I had to wonder how would our guys hang with them, they did not have the language skills, the specialized training, nor the modern weapons, yet they stood their ground while others ran and won mighty victories.  For example; “Josheb-basshebeth the Tahchemonite was chief of the officers. He wielded his spear against 800 men that he killed at one time.”  It did not say he used an AR15, but a spear, and he took down 800 men that day.

What about Eleazar?  Have you read what is recorded about him?  “After him, Eleazar son of Dodo son of an Ahohite was among the three warriors with David when they defied the Philistines. The men of Israel retreated in the place they had gathered for battle, but Eleazar stood his ground and attacked the Philistines until his hand was tired and stuck to his sword. The Lord brought about a great victory that day. Then the troops came back to him, but only to plunder the dead.”

Then we have this account of Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. The Philistines had assembled in a formation where there was a field full of lentils. The troops fled from the Philistines, but Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field, defended it, and struck down the Philistines. So the Lord brought about a great victory.”

Then we have this account of the three, and the love they showed for their King, it is also recorded in 2 Samuel 13-17.  “Three of the 30 leading warriors went down at harvest time and came to David at the cave of Adullam, while a company of Philistines was camping in the Valley of Rephaim. At that time David was in the stronghold, and a Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem. David was extremely thirsty and said, “If only someone would bring me water to drink from the well at the city gate of Bethlehem!” So three of the warriors broke through the Philistine camp and drew water from the well at the gate of Bethlehem. They brought it back to David, but he refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out to the Lord. David said, “Lord, I would never do such a thing! Is this not the blood of men who risked their lives?” So he refused to drink it. Such were the exploits of the three warriors.”

I may be wrong, but I believe these three and the other 30+ were as the Scripture states mighty men who would be feared by most today, who were engaging them in battle.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice