The Meaning of 2 Samuel 23:20 Explained

2 Samuel 23:20

KJV: And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man, of Kabzeel, who had done many acts, he slew two lionlike men of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow:

YLT: And Benaiah son of Jehoiada (son of a man of valour, great in deeds from Kabzeel), he hath smitten two lion-like men of Moab, and he hath gone down and smitten the lion in the midst of the pit in a day of snow.

Darby: And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, son of a valiant man, great in exploits, of Kabzeel: he it was that smote two lions of Moab; and he went down and smote a lion in the midst of a pit on a snowy day.

ASV: And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done mighty deeds, he slew the two'sons of Ariel of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

And Benaiah  the son  of Jehoiada,  the son  of a valiant  man,  of Kabzeel,  who had done many  acts,  he slew  two  lionlike men  of Moab:  he went down  also and slew  a lion  in the midst  of a pit  in time  of snow: 

What does 2 Samuel 23:20 Mean?

Context Summary

2 Samuel 23:18-39 - Men With A Record
What marvels may be wrought by the inspiration of a single life! We remember the hour when an unknown youth stepped out of the affrighted hosts of Israel to face Goliath. Alone, so far as human help went, David encountered and defeated that terrible antagonist; but after some fourteen or fifteen years had run their course, he no longer stood alone. Scores of heroes, animated by his spirit and exercising his faith, stepped forth on the new path which he had opened.
Thus the lives of great men light up and inspire the lives of others. They mold their contemporaries. Wesley's career has raised a great army of preachers and evangelists. The enthusiasm of a Brainerd, a Finney, a Moody, has stirred tens of thousands with kindred passion for the souls of men. The companions of our Lord became His Apostles (His missionaries). His own life of sacrifice for men has become the beacon-fire which has summoned myriads from the sloth and indulgence of the valleys to the surrender, the self-denial, the anguish of His Cross, if only they might be permitted to follow in His steps. Is there anything in our lives that is inspiring others? [source]

Chapter Summary: 2 Samuel 23

1  David, in his last words, professes his faith in God's promises
6  The different state of the wicked
8  A catalogue of David's mighty men

What do the individual words in 2 Samuel 23:20 mean?

And Benaiah [was] son of Jehoiada the son of a man - valiant many who had done deeds from Kabzeel He had killed - two lion-like heroes of Moab And He had gone down and killed - - a lion in the midst of a pit on a day snowy
וּבְנָיָ֨הוּ בֶן־ יְהוֹיָדָ֧ע בֶּן־ אִֽישׁ־ [חי] (חַ֛יִל) רַב־ פְּעָלִ֖ים מִֽקַּבְצְאֵ֑ל ה֣וּא הִכָּ֗ה אֵ֣ת שְׁנֵ֤י אֲרִאֵל֙ מוֹאָ֔ב וְ֠הוּא יָרַ֞ד וְהִכָּ֧ה אֶֽת־ [האריה] (הָאֲרִ֛י) בְּת֥וֹךְ הַבֹּ֖אר בְּי֥וֹם הַשָּֽׁלֶג

וּבְנָיָ֨הוּ  And  Benaiah  [was] 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: בְּנָיָה 
Sense: one of David’s mighty warriors, son of Jehoiada the chief priest, a Levite, set by David over his bodyguard, later having remained faithful to Solomon during Adonijah’s attempt on the crown, was raised into the place of Joab as commander-in-chief of the army.
בֶן־  son 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
יְהוֹיָדָ֧ע  of  Jehoiada 
Parse: Proper Noun, masculine singular
Root: יְהֹויָדָע  
Sense: father of Benaiah, David’s mighty warrior.
בֶּן־  the  son  of 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: בֵּן 
Sense: son, grandson, child, member of a group.
אִֽישׁ־  a  man 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אִישׁ 
Sense: man.
[חי]  - 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular
(חַ֛יִל)  valiant 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular
Root: חַי 
Sense: living, alive.
רַב־  many 
Parse: Adjective, masculine singular construct
Root: רַב 
Sense: much, many, great.
פְּעָלִ֖ים  who  had  done  deeds 
Parse: Noun, masculine plural
Root: פֹּעַל  
Sense: work, deed, doing.
מִֽקַּבְצְאֵ֑ל  from  Kabzeel 
Parse: Preposition-m, Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: קַבְצְאֵל  
Sense: the most remote city of Judah; located in southern Judah on the border of Edom.
הִכָּ֗ה  had  killed 
Parse: Verb, Hifil, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָכָה  
Sense: to strike, smite, hit, beat, slay, kill.
אֵ֣ת  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
שְׁנֵ֤י  two 
Parse: Number, mdc
Root: שְׁנַיִם  
Sense: two.
אֲרִאֵל֙  lion-like  heroes 
Parse: Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: אֲרִאֵל  
Sense: meaning uncertain.
מוֹאָ֔ב  of  Moab 
Parse: Proper Noun, feminine singular
Root: מֹואָב 
Sense: a son of Lot by his eldest daughter.
וְ֠הוּא  And  He 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Pronoun, third person masculine singular
Root: הוּא 
Sense: he, she, it.
יָרַ֞ד  had  gone  down 
Parse: Verb, Qal, Perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: יָרַד  
Sense: to go down, descend, decline, march down, sink down.
וְהִכָּ֧ה  and  killed 
Parse: Conjunctive waw, Verb, Hifil, Conjunctive perfect, third person masculine singular
Root: נָכָה  
Sense: to strike, smite, hit, beat, slay, kill.
אֶֽת־  - 
Parse: Direct object marker
Root: אֹות 
Sense: sign of the definite direct object, not translated in English but generally preceding and indicating the accusative.
[האריה]  - 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
(הָאֲרִ֛י)  a  lion 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: אֲרִי 
Sense: lion.
בְּת֥וֹךְ  in  the  midst 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: תָּוֶךְ  
Sense: midst, middle.
הַבֹּ֖אר  of  a  pit 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: בֹּור 
Sense: pit, well, cistern.
בְּי֥וֹם  on  a  day 
Parse: Preposition-b, Noun, masculine singular construct
Root: יׄום 
Sense: day, time, year.
הַשָּֽׁלֶג  snowy 
Parse: Article, Noun, masculine singular
Root: שֶׁלֶג 
Sense: snow.