David and His Mighty Men - The Books of 2 Samuel & 1 Chronicles

In this Bible Story, we meet the mighty men of David. Their character, skill and devotion separate them from the rest of the soldiers of Israel, and David relies on them as he takes back Israel from the Philistines. This story is inspired by 2 Samuel 5, 23:13-23 & 1 Chronicles 11. Go to BibleinaYear.com and learn the Bible in a Year.

Today's Bible verse is 2 Samuel 5:8 from the King James Version.

Episode 98: David was now King over all Israel, but he did not govern the people alone. He had thirty mighty men who supported him, three of which he appointed as governors over the land. These three Jashobeam, Eleazar, and Shama were loyal men of renown standing fierce against the Philistines and standing firm for the good of the people. These mighty men risked their lives for their King and for their fellow man. They are examples for us of what it means to be men of valor.

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Music by: Andrew Morgan Smith

Bible Story narration by: Todd Haberkorn

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Let us pray, And David said on that day, whosoever
getteth up to the gutter and smiteth the jibucytes and
the lame and the blind that are hated by David's soul,
he shall be chief and captain. Wherefore they said the
blind and the lame shall not come into the house

(00:21):
Second Samuel five eight. Lord, because you are my king,
like David's mighty men, I will pray that my bravery, devotion,
and wit would mirror you. I declare that as I
train for my future destiny, I will not waver in
my training and dedication. Thank you for giving me special

(00:44):
gifts and abilities that will allow me to conquer whatever
I face. Like Shama, I will stand in the gap
for those who can't fight for themselves. As you elevate
my influence, I will care for the heart of your people,
like King David and his mighty men. In the same way,

(01:04):
I will praise you for assembling a squad around me
like the Dream Team. I thank you that each person
you assigned to my life are gifted with supernatural abilities
and with even bigger hearts. For you, I declare that
loyalty and a warrior's heart will rule in the hearts
of those you've surrounded around me. Today, I will lift

(01:27):
up my voice and let out a war cry that declares,
because the God of the universe is for me, no
one will overcome me. I am anointed and appointed to
reign in life, and I gladly accept my position of
power and influence in Jesus' name. Amen, thanks for making

(01:51):
prayer a priority in your life. To hear the Bible
come to life. Stay tuned for the Bible in a
Year brought to you by Bible in a Year dot Com.

Speaker 2 (02:10):
David and his Mighty Men. In our last story, we
learned about David's alliance with Abner that was quickly thwarted
by his general Joab. Joab murdered Abner as revenge for
his brother's death. David did not honor Joab's actions, yet
allowed God to be the one who judged him. Meanwhile,

(02:31):
three men murdered King ish Bosheth in order to please David.
David was not pleased and would not have the blood
of a king on his hands, so he executed the
men where they stood. Despite all the dysfunctions, civil war,
and heartache, David was finally crowned king over all Israel.

(02:51):
He would usher in a new era of peace and restoration.
Now we learn about David's mighty men. Their bravery, devotion,
and wit mirrors that of their king. Inspired by the
Book of Second Samuel, Hello.

Speaker 3 (03:09):
I'm pastor Jack Graham with today's episode of the Bible
in a Year podcast. In our previous story, we saw
how Abner walked away from Ishboshef to side with David,
whom he knew was the rightful ruler for all of Israel.
Their alliance was short lived, however, as Joab took revenge
on Abner for killing his brother and murdered Abner in

(03:30):
cold blood. David chose to spare Joab's life, but sent
him away and left it to God to deal with
Joeab's sin. We also learned that Ishboshef's men killed him
in his sleep and brought his head to David, hoping
to be praised for their act in his behalf. Instead,
David condemned them for raising their hand against Ishbaschev and

(03:51):
executed them on the spot, a sign that he wanted
to come to power through reconciliation rather than violence. In
the end, the rulers of Israel crowned David as king
over all of Israel, and the kingdom was unified under
one king. But David did not stand alone. God surrounded
him with mighty men of valor, thirty men who emulated

(04:14):
David's heart of mercy, bravery and wisdom. And today we'll
hear the story of David's mighty Men.

Speaker 2 (04:23):
The sun beat heavily against David's back as he trained
in the hot eastern sun. David swung his sword with
ferocity and precision. His men trained beside him in the
heat of the midday. Their training could mean the rise
or fall of Israel, so they did not waver in
their discipline. David's strength grew day by day, as did

(04:45):
the strength of his men. His courage was greatly due
to the men he surrounded himself with. Thirty warriors followed
David on all of his travels. These were called his
Mighty Men. Together they protected the people of Israel. Three
of the thirty governed Israel alongside David as his most

(05:05):
trusted warriors and counselors. There was Jashobeim, who was the
captain of the mighty Men. Jashabeim was relentless in battle
and once stood his ground against eight hundred men in
battle with a single spear. His strength was unparalleled, and
his tactful mind proved as an asset to David. Then

(05:26):
there was Eliezer. When a Philistine horde had descended upon
David and the armies of Israel, all of the men
fled except David and Eliezer. Eliezer fought alongside David until
his hand clung to his sword from cramping. He was
the closest to David and undyingly loyal. Last of the
three was Shama. Shama was a man of principle and bravery.

(05:50):
One day, the Philistines were pursuing the people of Israel,
and every man fled. However, Shama stood his ground at
a small bean patch in order to protect the farmers.
There he fought with the heart of a guardian and
proved to David he was willing to lay his life
down for the sake of the small and helpless. David's

(06:10):
Mighty Men were a representation of David's leadership. He cared
for them and trained them in the ways of battle
and politics. In return, the Mighty Men fought for David
and the people of Israel. Not only did they fight
but they responded to the needs of the people and
helped care for them. David's heart was enriched by their friendship,

(06:31):
and they were empowered by his guidance. One evening, David
and his men were camped in the cave of Adullam.
There they waited to ambush the Philistines who had taken
over the city of Bethlehem. The men waited for days,
needing the perfect moment to strike down the Philistines. They
became weary and thirsty, for their supplies had begun to

(06:53):
wear thin. In the cool of the night, David leaned
back with his back against the cave walls, staring at
the fire. There, he talked to his men about Bethlehem,
telling stories of the lions that would come out and
take his sheep. David closed his eyes, a single tear
fell from his eye. Ah, what I wouldn't give to

(07:13):
take a drink from the well of Bethlehem again, David said,
with a slight frown. He missed his home and was
grieved that it had been overrun by Philistines. As David
said this, he drifted off into sleep. As David was sleeping,
three of his men gathered their weapons and fled the cave.
They laid low and near the mountain side as they

(07:34):
made their way into Bethlehem. The small city was crawling
with Philistines. One false step and they would be killed
in an instant. Drunken laughter could be heard in the streets.
As the three men crawled their way into the city.
They made their way to the gate where the Well
of Bethlehem was. Philistine tents surrounded the area, and soldiers

(07:55):
were near the gate keeping watch. With the light touch
of a cat, the men crouched his way to the
well and drew some water into his canteen. The two
other men watched from a few yards away. Slowly, he
filled the canteen and began to make his way back
on all fours. As he was crawling, a guard spotted
him from above the gate israel lights. The soldier yelled,

(08:18):
and immediately a swarm of Philistines rushed him. The two
other mighty men drew their swords and burst through the
Philistine soldiers. Together, the men ran through the alleys of Bethlehem,
fighting Philistines along the way. There was no other way
out but to fight through the gate, so the three
of them swung their swords with complete grace, just as
David had taught them. Dozens of Philistines fell that night,

(08:42):
and the three men were able to escape with their lives.

Speaker 1 (08:45):
Back to the caves.

Speaker 2 (08:47):
Dawn was approaching, and the men returned with exhausted smiles
on their faces. The morning sun rays peaked through the
cave entrance. The men slapped one another's backs and laughed
as they entered the cave. The men bowed before David
and presented him with the canteen filled with water from Bethlehem.
David held the canteen, dumbfounded that the men had gone

(09:08):
to such great lengths to get him the water. David
opened the canteen slowly. He looked at the men with
a smile. David stood up and walked to the entrance
of the cave and poured the water out before the
Lord and said, these men risked their lives for this water.
It is not mine to drink. This act of courage

(09:28):
for the sake of David embodied who the mighty men were.
They were great warriors, devoted to David. Together they trained
in the hot sun, keeping the safety of Israel and
glory of God on the forefront of their minds. When
the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king, all
the tribes gathered together to mount an attack against him.

(09:49):
When David learned of the incoming attack, he gathered his
mighty men and went to meet them at the Valley
of Refereem. The men looked down at the sea of
Philistines below. Of Philistines had gathered. They came with steel
and fire, ready to tear David and his men limb
from limb. Before the battle, David met with the Lord again,

(10:10):
as he once did before facing Goliath. He prayed, with
his knees driven into the gravel. Earnestly, he bowed before
God and asked, do I have your favor to go
up against them? David's fists clenched as he awaited God's response.
In the solitude, the Lord spoke quietly, I have given
them into your hand. So David arose and walked towards

(10:33):
camp with intent. He gathered his men on top of
the hill overlooking the valley. David raised his sword high
in the air and roared towards the Philistines like a
rushing wind. The men of Israel descended upon the Philistine's
soldiers and scattered on all ends of the valley, David
broke into a group of Philistine's soldiers and fought his

(10:53):
way to the center.

Speaker 1 (10:54):
Of the battle.

Speaker 2 (10:55):
The soldiers surrounded David with intent to kill. Had found
himself absorbing the blows of dozens of Philistine's soldiers. Growing
tired from battle, David began to fall. Yet his mighty
men broke into the group of Philistines and struck them down.
The Philistines shattered under the fist of David and his

(11:16):
mighty men.

Speaker 3 (11:21):
Our story begins with the new King of Israel, David,
training alongside of his men. He had finally risen to
the highest position in the land, king of all of Israel.
But this was not the time to sit back and relax,
or to become complacent or just enjoy the spoils of war.
He was to be ready, seeking God's will and strengthening

(11:42):
his own body to defend and rescue the nation. David's
courage and resolve came first from God, but also from
the men who surrounded him, these mighty men of valor
who joined to serve alongside of David and defend Israel.
The Book of Proverbs tells us that as iron sharpened iron,
one man sharpens another, and that is precisely what these

(12:05):
men did for one another and for David. Their example
highlights the importance of being surrounded by those who seek
God's grace and God's good, who are selfless and who
seek the Lord. David's mighty men were a reflection of
his leadership and his courage to fight for God's people,
and these men were deeply committed to their king. On

(12:27):
one occasion, David was hiding in the caves of Adullam,
preparing to attack the Philistines who had taken Bethlehem. David
lamented not being able to drink the water from the
well of his own hometown. That night, as he slept,
three of his men snuck into Bethlehem to fill a
jug of water for David. They were able to draw water,
but were discovered and had to fight their way out

(12:49):
of town, killing many Philistines in the process. When they
returned to camp and presented the water to David, he
was deeply moved, but he would not drink the water. Instead,
he poured it out in sacrifice to the Lord, saying
in Second Samuel twenty three, verse seventeen, far be it
from me, o Lord, that I should do this, Shall

(13:10):
I drink the blood of the men who went at
the risk of their own lives. Therefore he would not
drink it these things the Three Mighty Men did. We
could look at this and be shocked or even offended
that David seemingly wasted this precious gift that was brought
to him by his men at great personal risk. But
in reality, David was doing something far greater than quenching

(13:34):
his thirst. He was demonstrating in a powerful way that
he knew his men and their gift was a blessing
from God. So he poured it out not as a waste,
but as a sacrifice, a praise of thanksgiving. David would
demonstrate this kind of understanding many times in his life,
that an offering that costs nothing is not worthy to

(13:55):
give to his God. And when David was faced with
opportunities for back to fight against the enemy, his first
step always was to seek the Lord. When the Philistines
learned that he was the king, they prepared an attack
against him, David went to the Lord and ask if
he should engage, and if God would give him the
enemy into his hands. Rather than acting impulsively and impatiently,

(14:18):
as Saul had done before him. David went to God, waited, listened, prayed,
and then act accordingly. This was the kind of king
that God wanted for his people, and as a result,
the Lord gave David many victories. But the king knew
that something was still not right. The Ark of the

(14:39):
Covenant needed to be returned to his home in Israel,
and we'll hear how David sets his mind to do
that the next time. Dear God, we thank you for
today's story of the Mighty Men of David and what
it teaches us about the importance of being surrounded by
people who share our heart, our courage, our vision. Help
us to do likewise, and help us always to seek

(15:01):
your guidance in life's battles. May we seek you first
in every fight. In Jesus' name. Amen, thank you for
listening to today's Bible in a Year podcast. I'm Jack
Graham from Dallas, Texas. Download Theprey dot com app and
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(15:21):
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