2 Samuel 23; 1 Chronicles 11
Humanly speaking, David’s rise to power as king of Israel and his military victories over his enemies could not have happened without the help of his devoted and courageous warriors. Near the end of the accounts of David’s life and reign his most revered warriors are listed, along with their most distinguishing deeds of valor. These warriors are called “the Thirty,” and the most distinguished among them are called “the Three.” Many of these men also served as David’s commanders throughout his reign (1 Chronicles 27). It is interesting to note that the vast majority of these men came from the tribes of Judah (David’s tribe) and Benjamin. Hardly any of these elite warriors came from any other tribes of Israel. This may be due in part to the fact that David did not rule over the northern tribes until seven years after he had been made king over Judah, and by that time he likely had already surrounded himself with his most devoted warriors. It is also interesting to note that one of David’s warriors even came from the nation of Ammon (2 Samuel 23:37).
