And after him, Eleazar the son of Dodo the son of an Ahohite he was one of the three mighty men with David, when they had defied the Philistines that were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone up.
Commentary for this verse has not been generated yet.
He arose and smote the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clave to the sword; and Jehovah wrought a great deliverance that day; and the people returned after him only to spoil.
David's list of mighty men gives one sentence to Eleazar. He kept fighting after everyone else had left the field. The verse holds three things worth weighing: a hand worn out, a hand that could not let go, and a victory that goes to the Lord, not the swordsman.
Verse 9 says the men of Israel had gone away. He stood with no one beside him. One commentator notes what God does with faith like that.
Eleazar holds the second place of honour (vv. 9-10). He did not retreat when the rest of Israel retreated. He carried on the battle with the Philistines alone, and for so long that his hand stuck to the sword he was using. By his energy of faith the Lord accomplished a great victory. The Lord honours the faith of a man who will not let the enemy frighten him, even when no one else stands with him.
One writer points to where Eleazar's confidence came from, and to where his strength ran out.
He expected no help from the men of Israel, because he did not count on man's strength. Being with David (v. 9) was enough for him to defy the Philistines. He struck them and did not stop until "his hand was weary" (v. 10). There may be limits in the fight of faith, because God uses imperfect instruments, and they can reach the limits of their strength. But Eleazar kept on until "his hand clung to the sword" (v. 10). It was impossible to separate him from the weapon he was using. May Eleazar's victory be ours as well! Our weapons are not the weapons of the flesh; we have the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God. Let us use it in such a way that we are, so to speak, one with it even after the battle.
A hand fused to a hilt also pictures what long use of Scripture does to a person.
The same is true of any faithful and devoted follower of Christ. Through long experience in the ways of God, and by sticking closely to His word, he answers the arguments of men and defeats the enemies of God's people. The more he uses "the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God," the more sure he is that it is enough for every situation. His delight in the law of the Lord will match his desire for it. He feels its worth more each day. His heart keeps the mark of the word of God, just as the hilt of the sword left its mark in Eleazar's hand.
The verse does not end with the swordsman. The Lord works the victory, and Eleazar's own name points the same way.
His very name, "God is help," turns from the man to God. What could he do on his own against the enemy's whole army? His arm grows weary, but the weary hand clings to the good sword. We no longer see the weak arm of a man. We see the power of God behind that weary arm, carving out victory with that sword. The man has become one with the sword, and God can use a man like that.
The last line of the verse belongs to the men who left. They came back for the spoil once the fighting was won, and one writer sees the same pattern now.
The Spirit records his persevering faithfulness. We are told that he "struck down the Philistines until his hand was weary, and his hand clung to the sword." It is also noted that he won a great victory, and that because of him others came after only "to strip the slain." So it is now. At times almost all have turned away from standing for the truth. Then some brave servant of the Lord has stood against the enemy, his hand clinging to the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, and has won a great victory. Many a child of God coming after him has reaped precious fruit from it.
The same picture appears again in Paul — deserted and writing from prison.
There is no greater sight than Paul — deserted, alone, in prison — keeping by grace his confidence in the Lord and in the truth entrusted to him. Though faint, he was still pressing on; and though he was weary in his lonely fight, his hand still clung to his sword (see 2 Sam. 23:10).
- Alone. The men of Israel had gone away. God honours the faith of a man who will not fear the enemy, even when nobody stands with him.
- Weary. The fight of faith has limits. God uses imperfect people, and their strength does run out.
- Welded. His hand clung to the sword. He kept on until nothing could part him from it, and the hilt left its mark in his hand.
- Won. The credit goes past the swordsman to God — even his name, "God is help," turns attention away from the man.
- Wealth. Others returned only to strip the slain. Later believers still reap fruit from ground won by those who stayed and fought.