The roll of David's mighty men opens with one name, and for good reason. Josheb-basshebeth was chief of the Three, the highest rank among David's warriors.
The Tachmonite that sat in the seat, chief among the captains; the same was Adino the Eznite: he lift up his spear against eight hundred, whom he slew at one time.— 2 Samuel 23:8 (KJV)
One Man, One Spear, One Battle
2 Samuel 23:8 says he wielded his spear against eight hundred men whom he killed at one time. The parallel account in 1 Chronicles 11:11 calls him Jashobeam, son of Hachmoni, and gives the number as three hundred. Bible readers have long noted this difference between the two lists; either way, it was a fight no ordinary man walks away from.
Three Names, One Man
- Josheb-basshebeth means roughly "one who sits in the seat," and the KJV translates it "The Tachmonite that sat in the seat."
- Adino the Eznite is the KJV's name for him in the same verse.
- Jashobeam is his name in 1 Chronicles 11:11 and 27:2, where he commanded the first division of David's army, 24,000 men, in the first month.
What He Teaches Young Men
Leadership is earned on the field. The man at the top of David's list was the man who stood fastest when the fighting was thickest, and Scripture credits the victories of David's men to the LORD.
41 bold coloring pages of King David's warriors, straight from 2 Samuel 23 and 1 Chronicles 11. Ages 5–99+. Paperback, $9.99.
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