2 Samuel 23 · Verse 13

2 Samuel 23:13

And three of the thirty chief went down, and came to David in the harvest time unto the cave of Adullam: and the troop of the Philistines pitched in the valley of Rephaim.
2 Samuel 23:13, King James Version

2 Samuel 23:13 in other translations

BSBAt harvest time, three of the thirty chief men went down to David at the cave of Adullam, while a company of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim.
WEBThree of the thirty chief men went down, and came to David in the harvest time to the cave of Adullam; and the troop of the Philistines was encamped in the valley of Rephaim.
ASVAnd three of the thirty chief men went down, and came to David in the harvest time unto the cave of Adullam; and the troop of the Philistines was encamped in the valley of Rephaim.
YLTAnd three of the thirty heads go down and come unto the harvest, unto David, unto the cave of Adullam, and the company of the Philistines are encamping in the valley of Rephaim,
DARBYAnd three of the thirty chiefs went down, and came to David in the harvest time to the cave of Adullam, when the troop of the Philistines was encamped in the valley of Rephaim.
BBEAnd three of the thirty went down at the start of the grain-cutting, and they came to David at the strong place of Adullam; and the band of Philistines had taken up their position in the valley of Rephaim.
WebsterAnd three of the thirty chiefs went down, and came to David in the harvest time to the cave of Adullam: and the troop of the Philistines encamped in the valley of Rephaim.

What does 2 Samuel 23:13 mean?

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 13 And three of the thirty - The word שלשים shalishim, which we translate thirty, probably signifies an office or particular description of men. Of these shalishim we have here thirty-seven, and it can scarcely be said with propriety that we have thirty-seven out of thirty; and besides, in the parallel place, 1 Chronicles 11:11-47, there are sixteen added. The captains over Pharaoh's chariots are termed שלשים shalishim, Exo 14:7. The Philistines pitched in the valley of Rephaim - This is the same war which is spoken of 2Sam 5:17, etc.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Samuel 23:8-39

David once earnestly longed for the water at the well of Bethlehem. It seems to be an instance of weakness. He was thirsty; with the water of that well he had often refreshed himself when a youth, and it was without due thought that he desired it. Were his valiant men so forward to expose themselves, upon the least hint of their prince's mind, and so eager to please him, and shall not we long to approve ourselves to…

Read the full comment on 2 Samuel 23:8-39 →

2 Samuel 23:13 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיֵּרְד֨וּvai.ye.re.Duand they went downH3381
שְׁלֹשָׁ֜הshe.lo.shimthreeH7969
מֵהַשְּׁלֹשִׁ֣יםme.ha.she.lo.Shimfrom the thirtyH7970
רֹ֗אשׁRoshleader[s]H7218
וַיָּבֹ֤אוּvai.ya.Vo.'uand they cameH935
אֶל\־'el-toH413
קָצִיר֙ka.Tzir[the] harvestH7105
אֶל\־'el-toH413
דָּוִ֔דda.VidDavidH1732
אֶל\־'el-toH413
מְעָרַ֖תme.'a.Rat[the] cave ofH4631
עֲדֻלָּ֑ם'a.du.LamAdullamH5725
וְחַיַּ֣תve.chai.Yatand a community ofH2416
פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔יםpe.lish.TimPhilistinesH6430
חֹנָ֖הcho.Nah[was] encampedH2583
בְּעֵ֥מֶקbe.'E.mekin [the] valley ofH6010
רְפָאִֽים\׃re.fa.'Im[the] RephaitesH7497

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 2 Samuel 23:13

  • 2 Samuel 5:18

    The Philistines also came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.

  • 1 Samuel 22:1

    David therefore departed thence, and escaped to the cave Adullam: and when his brethren and all his father’s house heard it, they went down thither to him.

  • 1 Chronicles 14:9

    And the Philistines came and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.

  • Joshua 12:15

    The king of Libnah, one; the king of Adullam, one;

  • Joshua 15:35

    Jarmuth, and Adullam, Socoh, and Azekah,

  • Isaiah 17:5

    And it shall be as when the harvestman gathereth the corn, and reapeth the ears with his arm; and it shall be as he that gathereth ears in the valley of Rephaim.

  • 1 Chronicles 11:15-19

    Now three of the thirty captains went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam; and the host of the Philistines encamped in the valley of Rephaim. And David was then in the hold, and the Philistines’ garrison was then at Beth–lehem. And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Beth–lehem, that is at the gate! And the three brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Beth–lehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: but David would not drink of it, but poured it out to the Lord, …

  • Micah 1:15

    Yet will I bring an heir unto thee, O inhabitant of Mareshah: he shall come unto Adullam the glory of Israel.

  • 2 Samuel 5:22

    And the Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
three, etc. or, the three captains over the thirty.
1Ch 11:15-19{Shalishim,} "captains," should most probably be read, instead of {shaloshim:} thirty {shalishim,} as it is in ver. 8, and Ex 14:7: where LXX. render [tristatas,] which Jerome (on Eze 33) says "among the Greeks is the name of the second rank after the royal dignity."
the cave.
Jos 12:15; 15:35; 1Sa 22:1; Mic 1:15
the valley.
5:18,22; 1Ch 11:15; 14:9; Isa 17:5

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 2 Samuel 23:12

    But he stood in the midst of the ground, and defended it, and slew the Philistines: and the Lord wrought a great victory.

  • 2 Samuel 23:13

    And three of the thirty chief went down, and came to David in the harvest time unto the cave of Adullam: and the troop of the Philistines pitched in the valley of Rephaim.

  • 2 Samuel 23:14

    And David was then in an hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Beth–lehem.

Read all of 2 Samuel 23

2 Samuel 23:13 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Y tres de los treinta principales descendieron y vinieron en tiempo de la siega á David á la cueva de Adullam: y el campo de los Filisteos estaba en el valle de Raphaim.
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Et trois des trente chefs descendirent et vinrent au temps de la moisson vers David, dans la caverne d’Adullam, comme une troupe de Philistins était campée dans la vallée des Rephaïm.
German
Elberfelder 1871		Und drei von den dreißig Häuptern gingen hinab und kamen zur Erntezeit zu David, in die Höhle Adullam; und eine Schar der Philister lagerte im Tale Rephaim.
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		Necnon et ante descenderant tres qui erant principes inter triginta, et venerant tempore messis ad David in speluncam Odollam: castra autem Philisthinorum erant posita in Valle gigantum.