2 Samuel 23:26
Helez the Paltite, Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite,
Helez the Paltite
The name "Helez" is of Hebrew origin, meaning "strength" or "vigor." Helez is identified as a "Paltite," which suggests he was from the region or clan of Palti. This designation indicates a specific lineage or geographical origin, emphasizing the importance of tribal and familial connections in ancient Israel. The mention of Helez as one of David's mighty warriors highlights the valor and strength that were esteemed in the service of the king. Historically, these warriors were crucial in establishing and maintaining the kingdom of Israel, reflecting the divine favor and protection over David's reign.

Ira son of Ikkesh
The name "Ira" means "watchful" or "vigilant" in Hebrew, suggesting a character of alertness and readiness. "Son of Ikkesh" provides a genealogical context, linking Ira to his father, Ikkesh. This lineage is significant in the biblical narrative, as it roots individuals within the broader account of God's people. The mention of Ira's father underscores the importance of family heritage and the passing down of faith and duty through generations. It also reflects the biblical theme of God working through families to accomplish His purposes.

the Tekoite
"Tekoite" indicates that Ira hailed from Tekoa, a town in Judah. Tekoa was known for its strategic location and its role in various biblical events. This geographical reference situates Ira within the southern kingdom of Judah, aligning him with David's own tribal affiliation. The Tekoites are mentioned elsewhere in Scripture, notably in the rebuilding of Jerusalem's walls in Nehemiah's time, indicating a legacy of service and dedication to God's work. This connection to Tekoa highlights the communal and covenantal aspects of Israel's identity, where individuals and their hometowns contribute to the larger narrative of God's redemptive plan.

Persons / Places / Events
1. Helez the Paltite
Helez is one of David's mighty warriors, known as the "Paltite," which likely indicates his origin from a place called Palti. He is listed among the valiant men who served King David, demonstrating loyalty and bravery.

2. Ira son of Ikkesh the Tekoite
Ira is another of David's mighty warriors. He is identified as the son of Ikkesh and hails from Tekoa, a town in Judah. Tekoa is also known as the hometown of the prophet Amos.

3. David's Mighty Warriors
This group of elite soldiers served King David with distinction. They are celebrated for their extraordinary feats and unwavering loyalty to David, playing a crucial role in establishing and securing his kingdom.
Teaching Points
Loyalty and Service
The mention of Helez and Ira among David's mighty warriors underscores the importance of loyalty and dedicated service. As Christians, we are called to serve God and others with the same commitment and faithfulness.

God Uses Ordinary People
Both Helez and Ira were ordinary men from specific towns, yet they were used by God in significant ways. This reminds us that God can use anyone, regardless of their background, to accomplish His purposes.

Community and Fellowship
The list of David's mighty warriors highlights the importance of community and fellowship among believers. Just as these men supported David, we are called to support and encourage one another in our spiritual journeys.

Courage in Faith
The bravery of David's warriors serves as an example of courage in faith. We are encouraged to stand firm in our beliefs and face challenges with the strength that comes from God.
Bible Study Questions
1. What qualities do you think made Helez and Ira stand out as mighty warriors, and how can we apply these qualities in our own lives?

2. How does the loyalty of David's mighty warriors inspire us to be loyal in our relationships with God and others?

3. In what ways can we, like Helez and Ira, serve God and our communities with dedication and faithfulness?

4. How does the account of David's mighty warriors encourage us to find strength and courage in our faith during difficult times?

5. What role does community play in our spiritual growth, and how can we foster a supportive and encouraging environment among fellow believers?
Connections to Other Scriptures
1 Chronicles 11:28
This verse also lists Helez among David's mighty warriors, providing a parallel account to 2 Samuel 23.

1 Chronicles 27:9
This passage mentions Ira as a leader of one of the divisions of David's army, highlighting his continued service and leadership.

Amos 1:1
This verse references Tekoa, the hometown of Ira, connecting the location to the prophet Amos, who also hailed from there.
The Heroism of BenaiahB. Dale
People
Abialbon, Abiel, Abiezer, Abishai, Adino, Agee, Ahasbai, Ahiam, Ahithophel, Anathoth, Ariel, Asahel, Azmaveth, Baanah, Bani, Benaiah, Benjamin, Benjaminites, David, Dodai, Dodo, Eleazar, Elhanan, Eliahba, Eliam, Elika, Eliphelet, Gareb, Heldai, Heleb, Helez, Hezrai, Hezro, Hiddai, Igal, Ikkesh, Ira, Ithai, Ittai, Jacob, Jashen, Jehoiada, Jesse, Joab, Jonathan, Maharai, Mebunnai, Naharai, Nahari, Nathan, Paarai, Ribai, Shammah, Sharar, Sibbecai, Uriah, Zalmon, Zelek, Zeruiah
Places
Adullam, Anathoth, Bahurim, Beeroth, Bethlehem, Carmel, Gaash, Gath, Gibeah, Gilo, Harod, Jerusalem, Kabzeel, Lehi, Maacah, Moab, Netophah, Pirathon, Tekoa, Valley of Rephaim, Zobah
Topics
Helez, Ikkesh, Ira, Paltite, Tekoa, Teko'a, Tekoite
Dictionary of Bible Themes
2 Samuel 23:8-39

     5544   soldiers

2 Samuel 23:20-39

     5087   David, reign of

Library
The Dying King's Last vision and Psalm
'Now these be the last words of David. David the son of Jesse said, and the man who was raised up on high, the anointed of the God of Jacob, and the sweet psalmist of Israel, said, 2. The Spirit of the Lord spake by me, and His word was in my tongue. 3. The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. 4. And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

A Libation to Jehovah
'And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Beth-lehem, which is by the gate! 16. And the three mighty men 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: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the Lord. 17. And he said, Be it far from me, O Lord, that I should do this; is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

The Royal Jubilee
[Footnote: Preached on the occasion of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee.] '... He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. 4. And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth, by clear shining after rain.'--2 SAMUEL xxiii. 3, 4. One of the Psalms ascribed to David sounds like the resolves of a new monarch on his accession. In it the Psalmist draws the ideal of a king, and says such
Alexander Maclaren—Expositions of Holy Scripture

David's Dying Song
We shall notice first, that the Psalmist had sorrow in his house--" Although my house be not so with God." Secondly, he had confidence in the covenant--" yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant." And thirdly, he had satisfaction in his heart, for he says--" this is all my salvation, and all my desire. I. The Psalmist says he had sorrow in his house--"Although my house be not so with God." What man is there of all our race, who, if he had to write his history, would not need to use a great
Charles Haddon Spurgeon—Spurgeon's Sermons Volume 1: 1855

Covenanting Sanctioned by the Divine Example.
God's procedure when imitable forms a peculiar argument for duty. That is made known for many reasons; among which must stand this,--that it may be observed and followed as an example. That, being perfect, is a safe and necessary pattern to follow. The law of God proclaims what he wills men as well as angels to do. The purposes of God show what he has resolved to have accomplished. The constitutions of his moral subjects intimate that he has provided that his will shall be voluntarily accomplished
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting

The Christian's Book
Scripture references 2 Timothy 3:16,17; 2 Peter 1:20,21; John 5:39; Romans 15:4; 2 Samuel 23:2; Luke 1:70; 24:32,45; John 2:22; 10:35; 19:36; Acts 1:16; Romans 1:1,2; 1 Corinthians 15:3,4; James 2:8. WHAT IS THE BIBLE? What is the Bible? How shall we regard it? Where shall we place it? These and many questions like them at once come to the front when we begin to discuss the Bible as a book. It is only possible in this brief study, of a great subject, to indicate the line of some of the answers.
Henry T. Sell—Studies in the Life of the Christian

Thoughts Upon the Appearance of Christ the Sun of Righteousness, or the Beatifick vision.
SO long as we are in the Body, we are apt to be governed wholly by its senses, seldom or never minding any thing but what comes to us through one or other of them. Though we are all able to abstract our Thoughts when we please from matter, and fix them upon things that are purely spiritual; there are but few that ever do it. But few, even among those also that have such things revealed to them by God himself, and so have infinitely more and firmer ground to believe them, than any one, or all their
William Beveridge—Private Thoughts Upon a Christian Life

The Truth of God
The next attribute is God's truth. A God of truth and without iniquity; just and right is he.' Deut 32:4. For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds.' Psa 57:10. Plenteous in truth.' Psa 86:15. I. God is the truth. He is true in a physical sense; true in his being: he has a real subsistence, and gives a being to others. He is true in a moral sense; he is true sine errore, without errors; et sine fallacia, without deceit. God is prima veritas, the pattern and prototype
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

Covenanting According to the Purposes of God.
Since every revealed purpose of God, implying that obedience to his law will be given, is a demand of that obedience, the announcement of his Covenant, as in his sovereignty decreed, claims, not less effectively than an explicit law, the fulfilment of its duties. A representation of a system of things pre-determined in order that the obligations of the Covenant might be discharged; various exhibitions of the Covenant as ordained; and a description of the children of the Covenant as predestinated
John Cunningham—The Ordinance of Covenanting

The Work of the Holy Spirit in Prophets and Apostles.
The work of the Holy Spirit in apostles and prophets is an entirely distinctive work. He imparts to apostles and prophets an especial gift for an especial purpose. We read in 1 Cor. xii. 4, 8-11, 28, 29, R. V., "Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.... For to one is given through the Spirit wisdom; and to another the word of knowledge, according to the same Spirit; to another faith, in the same Spirit; and to another gifts of healings, in the one Spirit; and to another workings
R. A. Torrey—The Person and Work of The Holy Spirit

The Blessings of Noah Upon Shem and Japheth. (Gen. Ix. 18-27. )
Ver. 20. "And Noah began and became an husbandman, and planted vineyards."--This does not imply that Noah was the first who began to till the ground, and, more especially, to cultivate the vine; for Cain, too, was a tiller of the ground, Gen. iv. 2. The sense rather is, that Noah, after the flood, again took up this calling. Moreover, the remark has not an independent import; it serves only to prepare the way for the communication of the subsequent account of Noah's drunkenness. By this remark,
Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg—Christology of the Old Testament

The Deity of the Holy Spirit.
In the preceding chapter we have seen clearly that the Holy Spirit is a Person. But what sort of a Person is He? Is He a finite person or an infinite person? Is He God? This question also is plainly answered in the Bible. There are in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments five distinct and decisive lines of proof of the Deity of the Holy Spirit. I. Each of the four distinctively Divine attributes is ascribed to the Holy Spirit. What are the distinctively Divine attributes? Eternity, omnipresence,
R. A. Torrey—The Person and Work of The Holy Spirit

How is Christ, as the Life, to be Applied by a Soul that Misseth God's Favour and Countenance.
The sixth case, that we shall speak a little to, is a deadness, occasioned by the Lord's hiding of himself, who is their life, and "the fountain of life," Ps. xxxvi. 9, and "whose loving-kindness is better than life," Ps. lxiii. 3, and "in whose favour is their life," Ps. xxx. 5. A case, which the frequent complaints of the saints manifest to be rife enough, concerning which we shall, 1. Shew some of the consequences of the Lord's hiding his face, whereby the soul's case will appear. 2. Shew the
John Brown (of Wamphray)—Christ The Way, The Truth, and The Life

Thoughts Upon the Mystery of the Trinity.
THOUGH there be many in the World that seem to be Religious, there are but few that are so: One great Reason whereof is, because there are so many Mistakes about Religion, that it is an hard matter to hit upon the true Notion of it: And therefore desiring nothing in this World, so much as to be an Instrument in God's Hand to direct Men unto true Religion, my great Care must, and, by the Blessing of God, shall be to instil into them right Conceptions of him, that is the only Object of all Religious
William Beveridge—Private Thoughts Upon a Christian Life

The Covenant of Grace
Q-20: DID GOD LEAVE ALL MANKIND TO PERISH 1N THE ESTATE OF SIN AND MISERY? A: No! He entered into a covenant of grace to deliver the elect out of that state, and to bring them into a state of grace by a Redeemer. 'I will make an everlasting covenant with you.' Isa 55:5. Man being by his fall plunged into a labyrinth of misery, and having no way left to recover himself, God was pleased to enter into a new covenant with him, and to restore him to life by a Redeemer. The great proposition I shall go
Thomas Watson—A Body of Divinity

Samuel
Alike from the literary and the historical point of view, the book[1] of Samuel stands midway between the book of Judges and the book of Kings. As we have already seen, the Deuteronomic book of Judges in all probability ran into Samuel and ended in ch. xii.; while the story of David, begun in Samuel, embraces the first two chapters of the first book of Kings. The book of Samuel is not very happily named, as much of it is devoted to Saul and the greater part to David; yet it is not altogether inappropriate,
John Edgar McFadyen—Introduction to the Old Testament

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