1 Chronicles 11: David’s Mighty Men demonstrate the power of legacy
In 1 Chronicles 11, we find an account of David’s mighty men. These warriors were incredibly strong and loyal, men of courage and action. As a result, they were responsible for some astonishing things. Some examples include finally capturing Jerusalem, which had stood defiantly in the middle of the Promised Land for a couple of hundred years; one guy killing 300 warriors on a single day; two guys defending a field against an entire garrison of enemy; and three guys waltzing into the enemy stronghold to fetch a cup of water.
One of the things that strikes me in this passage, however, is the relationships. Many of these are not explicitly mentioned, though they are hinted in the passage. For instance, Joab was made commander of David’s whole army in vs 6. In vs 20, his brother Abishai was made leader of “the Three,” who were the most elite of these elite soldiers, after he killed 300 enemies with a spear. Then, in vs 26, Joab’s other brother Asahel, is also at the top of the list of “the best soldiers.”
Another example is found in Eleazar (vss 12-14) and Elhanon (vs 26), the sons of Dodo. One could also add Ilai the Ahohite (vs 29). Eleazar is called an Ahohite in vs 12, suggesting that these two were cousins or at least members of the same clan.
It is curious that six of David’s mightiest men are related. It suggests that there was something about their families that made it more likely for them to become heroes, but what could that something be?
I would submit that it was legacy. That is, each of these families had someone in them that demonstrated the characteristics of heroism. Perhaps it was Joab’s, Abishai’s, and Asahel’s father who taught them to be courageous and do hard things. Or maybe it was farther back, as in the case of Ahoha, the common ancestor of Eleazar, Elhanan, and Ilai. In both cases, though, there were people who set the example that was seen and followed by subsequent generations, ultimately resulting in these heroes. The names that we read here – the names of these heroes – are the legacy of those people.
What will be your legacy? Will the people who follow your example be known only for their after-action critiques? For their bitter diatribes tearing down everyone who doesn’t agree with their precise position? Will they be perennial victims of what everyone is doing? Conversely, will they be bullies or one of those bystanders who simply videos things from the sideline? Or will history remember those who follow your example as men and women of strength, loyalty, courage, and action?
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