2 Samuel 23:38 kjv
Ira an Ithrite, Gareb an Ithrite,
2 Samuel 23:38 nkjv
Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,
2 Samuel 23:38 niv
Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite
2 Samuel 23:38 esv
Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,
2 Samuel 23:38 nlt
Ira from Jattir;
Gareb from Jattir;
2 Samuel 23 38 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Chr 11:40 | Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, Uriah the Hittite. | Parallel account of the same list. |
| 2 Sam 23:8-39 | These are the names of the mighty men whom David had:... | Entire list of David's elite warriors. |
| 2 Sam 11:3-4 | David sent and inquired about the woman... Bathsheba, the daughter of Eliam, and the wife of Uriah the Hittite. | Introduction to Uriah's identity and lineage. |
| 2 Sam 11:11 | Uriah said to David, “The ark and Israel and Judah are dwelling in booths... I will not go to my house.” | Uriah's remarkable loyalty and integrity. |
| 2 Sam 12:9-10 | "Why have you despised the word of the Lord, to do what is evil... you have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword." | Nathan's condemnation of David's sin against Uriah. |
| Matt 1:6 | Jesse was the father of David the king. And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah. | Uriah mentioned in Christ's genealogy, emphasizing divine grace over sin. |
| Ruth 2:12 | May the Lord reward your work, and may your wages be full from the Lord... under whose wings you have come to take refuge! | Inclusion of foreigners (Ruth a Moabite) into God's covenant blessings. |
| Isa 56:3-7 | "Let not the foreigner who has joined himself to the Lord say... I will give them... an everlasting name." | God's promise to include faithful foreigners in His kingdom. |
| Num 27:1-7 | Then came the daughters of Zelophehad... the Lord said, "The daughters of Zelophehad are right." | Recognition and listing of individuals, even marginalized, who seek justice or serve faithfully. |
| Exod 17:10 | So Joshua did as Moses told him... and fought with Amalek. | Reference to a trusted warrior serving a leader in battle. |
| Judg 11:34 | Then Jephthah came to Mizpah, to his house, and behold, his daughter came out to meet him. | Emphasizes the sorrow or consequence tied to a devoted individual. |
| Prov 20:6 | Many a man proclaims his own steadfast love, but who can find a trustworthy man? | Contrasts self-proclaimed loyalty with genuine faithfulness (as seen in Uriah). |
| 1 Sam 22:2 | And everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was bitter in soul, gathered to him... David became commander over them. | David's leadership gathering diverse, even disenfranchised, people. |
| Psa 51:1-4 | Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love... Against you, you only, have I sinned. | David's confession of sin, prompted by Nathan's confrontation regarding Uriah. |
| John 15:13 | Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. | Reflects the self-sacrifice inherent in the lives of such warriors. |
| Rom 15:7 | Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. | Principle of inclusion, reflecting God's acceptance of diverse people. |
| Gal 3:28 | There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. | Broader theological truth of equality and inclusion in God's covenant community. |
| Heb 11:32-34 | And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David... who through faith conquered kingdoms. | Honors biblical figures for their acts of faith and valor. |
| Eph 6:10-17 | Finally, be strong in the Lord... put on the whole armor of God. | Metaphor for the spiritual battle, mirroring the physical valor of mighty men. |
| 1 Pet 2:9-10 | But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession... | Describes the corporate identity of God's people, comprised of diverse individuals. |
2 Samuel 23 verses
2 Samuel 23 38 Meaning
2 Samuel 23:38 concludes the comprehensive list of David's Mighty Men, naming Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite, and Uriah the Hittite. This verse serves as the final entry in a significant honor roll, highlighting the personal identities and backgrounds of the elite warriors who displayed extraordinary loyalty and valor during David's reign. It underscores the diversity of individuals, including foreigners, who served God's anointed king with faithfulness, yet also tragically features a figure whose integrity profoundly exposed David's greatest moral failure.
2 Samuel 23 38 Context
2 Samuel 23:38 concludes "David's Last Words" (vv. 1-7) and the subsequent "List of David's Mighty Men" (vv. 8-39). The entire chapter serves as an epitaph to David's reign, recounting his legacy both as a prophetic voice (divinely inspired words) and as a military leader. The list of mighty men underscores the loyalty, strength, and bravery of the warriors who enabled David's successful kingdom and secured the nation's boundaries. It highlights the individuals who stood with David through hardship and conquest, emphasizing their personal contributions to his powerful reign. The inclusion of Uriah the Hittite as the final named individual in this list (or among the last according to varying numbering conventions for the full 30) is particularly poignant, juxtaposing David's human sin and divine anointing, a tragic echo from earlier in the narrative that foreshadowed significant consequences for his house. Historically, lists of elite warriors were common in ancient Near Eastern royal annals, serving to validate a king's strength and God-given authority.
2 Samuel 23 38 Word analysis
- Ira (יִרָא, Yira'): This name likely means "watchful" or "city" (depending on the root interpretation). Ira the Ithrite is mentioned elsewhere in David's inner circle (2 Sam 20:26), implying he held a significant and consistent role, perhaps a priest, as a descendant of Ithrite may link to a family from Kiriath-jearim, where a group of Levites, the Kenites, resided (1 Chr 2:53). This highlights that David's loyalists included individuals from established Israelite family lines, known for their specific geographical or ancestral connections.
- the Ithrite (הַיִּתְרִי, ha-Yithri): This appellation identifies Ira and Gareb as originating from a specific locale or clan. While its exact location is debated, some scholars associate "Ithrite" with Kiriath-jearim (located between Judah and Benjamin), a site with significant biblical history, including housing the Ark of the Covenant for decades (1 Sam 7:1-2). This specific tribal or geographic identifier for both Ira and Gareb indicates their distinct lineage and contributes to the picture of a diverse fighting force drawn from various parts of Israel or associated families, serving a unifying king.
- Gareb (גָּרֵב, Garev): Only appearing here and in the parallel list in 1 Chronicles 11:40, Gareb is another one of David's loyal Ithrite warriors. The name itself may be related to "scab" or "roughness," but its primary significance lies in his inclusion on this prestigious list, confirming his status as a key, if less frequently mentioned, member of David's trusted elite.
- and Uriah (וְאוּרִיָּה, wə'Uriyah): This conjunction and signifies the final major member listed. "Uriah" (אוּרִיָּה, Uriyah) literally means "My Light is Yah" or "Yahweh is my Light," a name reflecting faith in God. The profound irony of his name cannot be overstated given the narrative of 2 Samuel 11-12, where his own light (integrity, loyalty) starkly contrasted with the darkness of David's sin.
- the Hittite (הַחִתִּי, ha-Chitti): This ethnological designation is profoundly significant. Uriah was a foreigner, a member of the Hittite people who were Canaanite descendants residing in the land. His inclusion in David's most elite unit demonstrates David's and Israel's openness to incorporating capable and loyal individuals regardless of their national origin. It also points to the broader biblical theme of God's covenant extending beyond ethnic Israel, where faithfulness, rather than bloodline, defines one's true allegiance and value within the divine economy. His integrity, as a non-Israelite, also subtly challenges narrow, exclusive views, demonstrating that genuine devotion to right and loyalty to a just king (even an imperfect one) transcends ethnic boundaries, serving as an implicit polemic against purely nationalistic definitions of faithfulness.
2 Samuel 23 38 Bonus section
The finality of the list in 2 Samuel 23:38, particularly ending with Uriah, underscores the deep interconnectedness of David's private life and his public leadership. This concluding placement of Uriah’s name within a list of honor is more than mere enumeration; it's a profound literary and theological device. It immortalizes Uriah not just as a mighty warrior, but as a silent, perpetual testament to divine justice and the enduring consequences of moral lapse, forever interwoven with David’s legacy. His inclusion at the very end acts as a perpetual postscript to David's character, a somber footnote to the glory and human frailty embodied by Israel's greatest king.
2 Samuel 23 38 Commentary
2 Samuel 23:38 acts as a capstone to a critical section of David's historical record, marking the very end of the celebrated list of his mighty warriors. Each name, including Ira and Gareb the Ithrites, speaks to their personal courage and unwavering loyalty to King David, reflecting the human strength that supported his divine calling. However, the true weight of this verse falls on Uriah the Hittite. His very presence on this list, despite being a foreigner, emphasizes the inclusive nature of David's kingdom and, by extension, God's kingdom, where integrity and valor are esteemed above national origin. Yet, Uriah's inclusion is a tragic reminder of David's gravest moral failure – his covetousness, adultery, and the treacherous murder of this faithful, honorable man. The final names of the "mighty men" thus close David's reign with both honor and a stark, humbling echo of the profound cost of sin, even for a "man after God's own heart." This serves as a vital lesson that personal sin can mar even the greatest of achievements and exact a heavy price.