2 Samuel 23:23

Benaiah is another one of the second three, a man who showed unusual courage whether he fought men or beasts. We are not told the name of the third man in this group. But verse 23 reminds us that the first three receive higher honour than the second three or all that follow them.

These three men's brave deeds did not match those of the first three. First there is Abishai. Like Joseb-Bassebeth, he raised his spear against three hundred men and killed them. But he did not have the same perseverance of faith.

Like David, he fought a lion all by himself. He killed the Egyptian just as David had struck down Goliath, and just as David had taken the giant's sword to cut off his head, so Benaiah put the Egyptian to death with the Egyptian's own spear. Benaiah walks faithfully in his master's steps and his great affection for David leads him to reproduce his model's traits. Such a walk finds its reward: "David set him in his council" (v. 23), a place of confidence, intimacy, and communion. Benaiah shares his master's secrets, hears his plans, and sees the king's face at all times. What a blessed portion! If we love the Lord Jesus, obey Him and serve Him, He will reward us with a nearness like John's — the disciple Jesus loved, whose place was close to His heart.

Still, this man has no ambition except to stay faithful to his king and to imitate him. He is not like Joab who takes the stronghold of Zion to win first place. No, he is humble, because his whole purpose is to reproduce David in the way he lives.

Mishmaath, from a word for "obedience": a bodyguard. 2 Sam. 23:23; 1 Chr. 11:25.

Benaiah was with David when many were against him, and he was with him when the crowds acknowledged him as king and bowed before him. His fellowship with God's anointed seems never to have broken. It held in hard times and in good, in the cave and on the throne, in wars with countless enemies and in the governing of God's people. No wonder David set him over his guard. He would be glad to have such a man close to himself.

"With David" in his rejection and his battles. "With David" as captain of his bodyguard. "With David" in his kingdom in positions of honour. Now he was raised higher still, to be captain of the army of Israel with David's son Solomon, sharing his glorious reign when the wars were over. Tried and proved trustworthy, he reaped a rich and blessed reward.

Each will receive his own reward according to his own labour (1 Corinthians 3:8). In the kingdom, as the parable teaches (Luke 19), one is to have authority over ten cities, another over five. But the Father's house rises far above such differences, and His children share it alike with Christ. It is the answer, not to their services, but to His redemption, His infinite love and His glory.