- mighty men of valour:
- They were not only porters, or door keepers, in the ordinary sense of the word, but they were a military guard to the gate, as Dr. Delaney suggests that the word shoarim should be rendered here, and perhaps in this sense alone are we to understand their office, which appears to have been of considerable dignity, and conferred only on men of the first rank. They were appointed to attend the temple, to guard all the avenues to it, to open and shut all the outer gates, and attend at them, not only for state but for service. They were also required to direct and instruct those who were going to worship in the courts of the sanctuary in the conduct they were to observe, to encourage those who were timid, to send back the strangers and unclean, and to guard against thieves and others who were enemies to the house of God. "All¹ these¹ of the sonsª¹ of Obededom:ª they¹ and their sonsª and their brethren,ª ableª menª for strengthª for the service,ª [were] threescoreª and twoª of Obededom.ª" {1Ch 26:8} + "And Zadok,ª a young manª mightyª of valour,ª and of his father'sª houseª twentyª and twoª captains.ª" {1Ch 12:28} + "And the angelª of the LORDª appearedª° unto¹ him, and saidª° unto¹ him, The LORDª [is] with¹ thee, thou mighty² man¹ of valour.ª" {Jdg 6:12} + "Therefore now¹ let your handsª be strengthened,ª° and be¹ ye valiant:ªª for¹ your masterª Saulª is dead,ª° and also¹ the houseª of Judahª have anointedª° me kingª over¹ them." {2Sm 2:7} *marg. "And Azariahª the priestª went inª° afterª him, and with¹ him fourscoreª priestsª of the LORD,ª [that were] valiant² men:ª¹" {2Ch 26:17} + "And their brethren,ª mighty menª of valour,ª an hundredª twentyª and eight:ª and their overseerª¹ [was] Zabdiel,ª the sonª of [one of] the great¹ men.²" {Neh 11:14} + "Fightª° the¹ goodª fightª of faith,ª lay hold onª° eternalª life,ª whereuntoªª thou art²° alsoª called,ª° andª hast professedª° a goodª professionª beforeª manyª witnesses.ª" {1Tm 6:12} + "Thouª thereforeª endure hardness,ª° asª a goodª soldierª of Jesusª Christ.ª" {2Tm 2:3}
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