Lives of Scripture

Benaiah son of Jehoiada, from Kabzeel, commanded David's personal bodyguard, the Cherethites and Pelethites (2 Samuel 8:18; 20:23). Scripture singles him out among David's mighty men for three feats: he struck down two "ariels" (champions) of Moab, went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion, and killed a huge Egyptian, wresting the man's own spear from him and killing him with it (2 Samuel 23:20-22). Though not one of David's elite Three, he was set over David's guard and "had a name among the three mighty men" (23:22-23). When the aging David's son Adonijah tried to seize the throne without David's authorization, Benaiah sided decisively with Solomon, escorting him to be anointed king (1 Kings 1:8-44). After Solomon's accession, the new king used Benaiah to carry out the executions of Joab -- for the blood Joab had shed in peacetime -- and of Shimei, cleansing the kingdom of lingering threats (1 Kings 2:25-46). Solomon then made Benaiah commander of the entire army in Joab's place (1 Kings 2:35; 4:4), and 1 Chronicles 27 lists him over the monthly military divisions. Benaiah's career models unwavering loyalty to God's chosen and anointed king even when loyalty required difficult, costly action.