2 Samuel 23

2 Samuel 23

The next to last chapter of 2 Samuel begins with what it calls the last words of David. Now this does not mean that the story of David is over. David will be around for the first few chapters of 1 Kings, and later when we begin reading the Psalms, we will see him again. But the opening verses of 2 Samuel 23 record what was known as his last words, where he again shows his gratefulness to God for all He had done for him in his life. David was thankful that God had made the everlasting covenant with him, and although he did not know what the ultimate result of that covenant would be (Jesus), he did know that his son, whom God had already chosen, would be the next king in Israel.


The rest of 2 Samuel 23 lists David’s mighty men. These 37 men were those who stood by David throughout the many trials he had endured. Some were eventually killed themselves, like Uriah, whom David had murdered. But these were men that David trusted at different points in his life. During times of trouble, such as when the Philistines began to attack Israel near the end of his life, David depended on men such as these to lead his men into battle. Whether it was due to his need to go into hiding or the fact that his age had caught up to him, David had at times given these men charge of his armies. He trusted that they would do the job and do it correctly, and these men were able to accomplish great things for David and for Israel.

Although we have come across many of their names during our read through of 2 Samuel, some of these names I do not recognize. It is possible that this is the first and maybe even only time that they are ever mentioned in Scripture. In comparison to David, they were not big names in Israelite history, but that does not mean that they were any less important. David would never have been the great king that he was had it not been for great men like these. He needed men who he could trust, men who would be willing to lay their life down for their country and their king. It was because of these men that David was able to do some of the great things he did as king.

These men should be a great encouragement to us. For one, even the greatest people need help. So we should never think that we can live life on our own. We need close friends that we can depend on, friends that will have our back when life is hard, but also friends who will be willing to confront us when we are in the wrong. Secondly, we should never be ashamed of our position in life. Most of us will never have a great position of authority, but that does not mean that we are any less significant. God has a plan for every one of us, and He can use all of us in mighty ways. We just have to be willing to obey His commands and follow Him. God uses ordinary people all the time, and He can and will use us if we are willing. Think about David, who has become known as one of the greatest men to ever live. He was a young shepherd boy in an ordinary family in Bethlehem. His family was just an ordinary family, and yet God called him at a very young age for a monumental task. Why was David such a great king? Because he listened to God and obeyed His word. As a result, God was able to use David in mighty ways.

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