David put him in command of his bodyguard, Asahel, brother of Joab. Since parts of the text have distinct stylistic differences from other portions-appearing as a list, as a series of character introductions, or as a flowing narrative-Some suspect that the passages may themselves be compiled from multiple source documents. Some textual scholars regard the passages referring to The Three and The Thirty as having come from either a source distinct to the main sources in the Books of Samuel, or being otherwise out of place. The text refers to The Three and The Thirty as though they were both important entities, and not just an arbitrary list of three or 30-plus significant men. The text explicitly states that there are 37 individuals in all, but it is unclear whether this refers to The Thirty, which may or may not contain The Three, or the combined total of both groups. The text divides them into the ' Three', of which there are three, and ' Thirty', of which there are more than thirty.

Ī similar list is given in 1 Chronicles 11:10–47 but with several variations, and sixteen more names. The International Standard Version calls them 'David's special forces'. World War I memorial in West Kirby Methodist church it depicts David and his three mighty men, and the quote 'Is not this the blood of men who went in jeopardy of their lives?' ( 2 Samuel 23:17)ĭavid's Mighty Warriors (also known as David's Mighty Men or the Gibborim הַגִּבֹּרִ֛ים‎ ha-Gibbōrîm, 'The Mighty Ones') are a group of 37 men in the Hebrew Bible who fought with King David and are identified in 2 Samuel 23:8–38, part of the 'supplementary information' added to the Second Book of Samuel in its final four chapters.

Mighty means