Who was Benaiah in the Bible?

Son of Jehoiada, and officer in David's and Solomon's army, perhaps chief of their body-guard. 2 Sam. 8:18; 2 Sam. 20:23; 2 Sam. 23:20, 22; 1 Kings 1:8-44; 1 Kings 2:25-46; 1 Kings 4:4; 1 Chr. 11:24; 1 Chr. 18:17; 1 Chr. 27:5-6.

Next we find Benaiah the son of Jehoiada. He fought the enemies from without, Moab and Egypt. He killed two Moabite heroes. 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 decapitate him, so Benaiah put the Egyptian to death with his 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, is informed of his projects, and sees the king's face at all times. What a blessed portion! If we love the Lord Jesus and follow Him obediently and serve Him, we will be rewarded with a nearness like that enjoyed by John, the beloved disciple whose place was in the bosom of Jesus.

I can hardly pass over Benaiah. From the time I was a child and my Mother used to tell us these stories I have always loved Benaiah. He was one of David's mighty men. What boy, and, indeed, what girl, has not revelled in the deeds of those "mighty men"?

"Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done many acts; he slew two lion-like men of Moab; also he went down and slew a lion in a pit on a snowy day. And he slew an Egyptian, a man of great stature, five cubits high; and in the Egyptian's hand was a spear like a weaver's beam; and he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and slew him with his own spear." (1 Chron. 11:22) (Do the lion-like men of Moab tell us of the flesh? The lion in the pit, the devil; the Egyptian, the world?)

Jehoiada, Benaiah's father, was leader of the Aaronites (1 Chron. 12:27). The family came from Kabzeel, as we saw above, which was one of the uttermost cities of the tribe of the children of Judah toward the coast of Edom southward. (Joshua 15:21). In 1 Chron. 27:5 he is spoken of as "a chief priest". Through all the strife, and jealousy that accompanied Solomon's accession to the throne, when even Joab turned aside after Adonijah, Benaiah was always true and loyal.

Benaiah therefore killed Joab, "and he was buried in his own house in the wilderness" (v.34). Solomon then made Benaiah general of the army in Joab's place, and Zadok replaced Abiathar as priest.

Although Joab was out of communion with the thoughts of David concerning Solomon sitting on the throne, Benaiah shared the king’s God-given desires with others of David’s mighty men. If “the Christ dwells in our hearts through faith” we shall be preserved even when many turn aside. Rebellion broke out against King Solomon; and, remarkable to relate, Adonijah, the head of it; Joab, the energy of it; and Shimei who cursed David, all fell at last by the sword of Benaiah. “With David” in his rejection and fightings; “with David” as captain of his bodyguard; “with David” in his kingdom in positions of honour; he was now exalted to be captain of the host of Israel with David’s son Solomon, sharing in his glorious reign when wars were passed. Tried and proved to be trustworthy, he richly reaped a blessed reward. How welcome to the hearts of those who follow our Lord Jesus Christ now will it be in the glories of the coming day to be “with the Lord” whom they have loved and served; yea, throughout the endless ages of divine rest and peace and joy to be “for ever with the Lord” in the Father’s house; as He said, “That where I am, there ye may be also”.

Verses 15-18 gives a summary of the administration of David in its righteousness and justice for all the people. Comparatively speaking, his reign was far more equitable than is common among nations. Yet David was guilty of sad failure too, so that he is only a faulty type of the Lord Jesus, who will reign in perfect righteousness. Joab was David's commander in chief of army, a typical soldier, hard and determined, not the kind of servant the Lord Jesus would choose. Jehoshaphat was recorder, a responsible position, requiring strict honesty in maintaining records. Zadok and Ahimelech were priests. Zadok is given a little more place in the history of David, yet the work of these priests does not seem to be given much significance. Seraiah was appointed as the scribe (or secretary), another important (though not prominent function. Benaiah (a trustworthy servant) was in charge of the Cherethites and Pelethites, David's bodyguard. David's sons too were given places of some prominence in government, as "chief ministers," though some of them were not qualified for such positions. Samuel's sons did not walk in Samuels ways (1 Sam.8:3), and Absalom certainly did not walk in David's ways (2 Sam.13:28-29). In the kingdom of the Lord Jesus there will be no favoritism shown: all will be perfect justice and truth.

While it needs great caution in the interpretation of the meaning of scripture names, there may yet be often found in them some very instructive lessons. In this passage the combination of the different names is very remarkable. Benaiah signifies, "Whom God has built;" Jehoiada, "Jehovah knoweth;" and Kabzeel, "God has gathered." Putting these meanings together, we learn that Benaiah was the son of one whom the Lord knew ("I know my sheep"), and had been built up in the truth by God Himself, and knew his place in God's assembly (Kabzeel). In the next place his acts are described. He had slain two lion-like men of Moab. Moab means "progeny;" that which is born of the flesh is flesh, and inasmuch as the men were lion-like, it was the flesh under full Satanic energy. He also slew a lion in the midst of a pit in the time of snow. Satan is compared by Peter with a roaring lion, and thus Benaiah was enabled to overcome Satan himself in his own haunts. He slew, moreover, an Egyptian, a goodly man, the expression of the fairer aspects of the world; and just as David beheaded Goliath with his own sword, so Benaiah, having "plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, slew him with his own spear." The spear, like the sword, is a symbol of the power of death, and, as another has remarked, "Death is the best weapon in the arsenal of God when it is wielded by the power of life," and this was Benaiah's experience in his conflict with the world (the Egyptian). Taking then the whole history, we learn that this child of grace, built up on his most holy faith, and gathered out upon the ground of God's assembly, successfully meets and overcomes the flesh, Satan, and the world. This too was of grace; but, while of grace, it reveals the path and possibility for every believer. E. D.

Benaiah is of special interest to us. In David's time he already occupied a preeminent place in service (1 Chr. 27:5). Is he not worthy, he who had followed in everything, step by step, the footprints of his master, later to be established chief captain over the entire army? Nevertheless this man has no ambition other than to remain faithful to his king and to imitate him. He is not like Joab who takes the stronghold of Zion to acquire the preeminence. No, he is humble, for his whole purpose is to reproduce David in his conduct.

When old age and infirmity were forcing King David from his throne, when he was about to go the way of all the earth, he deeply desired to see Solomon firmly established at the head of the kingdom of Israel; and he saw no other way of procuring the stability of the throne save by the administration of strict justice and judgment; law must prevail. Let not Joab’s “hoar head go down to the grave in peace,” said the dying monarch Hold not Shimei the son of Gera guiltless, but his hoar head bring thou down to the grave with blood, said the king. Adonijah by his disloyal scheming was a menace to the establishment of the throne as David desired so Benaiah fell upon him that he died. Joab fled to the tabernacle of the Lord and caught hold on the horns of the altar, but there was no perfect sacrifice then, and no risen and glorified Saviour upon the throne of God, “so Benaiah the son of Jehoida went up, and fell upon him, and slew him.” And Solomon also gave commandment concerning Shimei, so Benaiah “went out, and fell upon him, that he died. And the kingdom was established”; yes, established for a time, but not forever! Just judgment prevailed temporarily.

In the fifth we find Benaiah the son of Jehoiada over the Cherethites and Pelethites, or, probably, as Gesenius says, "executioners and couriers." Here again divine names are prominent: Benaiah, "Jah has built"; Jehoiada, "Jehovah knows." Do they show us that the execution of judgment is controlled by His purpose to build up and bless, this building up being the fruit of His own perfect knowledge? All these names, it is evident, speak as with one consent of righteous, wise, and beneficent government; and when it is added that "David's sons were chief rulers" — cohanim, the same word as for "priests," but here applied to the representation of another in civil affairs, as the priest in sacred (see vol. 1. p. 227, n.) — we have only to turn back to the meanings of these sons' names (2 Sam. 3:1-5; 2 Sam. 5:13-16, n.) to find a host of witnesses to the character of the kingdom represented here. As has been said, the history is carefully idealized that the type may not be marred. When we come to the details of actual history, things will be seen far otherwise; but the Spirit will not be hindered from presenting to us this view of a perfect kingdom, which Christ alone will actually consummate. That to which Scripture uniformly looks on is the glory of Christ.