'Mighty men' in the Bible

There were Nephilim (men of stature, notorious men) on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God lived with the daughters of men, and they gave birth to their children. These were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown (great reputation, fame).

“Then the [tribal] chiefs of Edom were dismayed and horrified;The [mighty] leaders of Moab, trembling grips them;All the inhabitants of Canaan have melted away [in despair]—

Your wives, your children, and your cattle shall [be allowed to] stay in the land which Moses gave you on this [eastern] side of the Jordan, but you shall go across [the river] before your brothers (the other tribes) armed for battle, all your brave warriors, and you shall help them [conquer and take possession of their land],

The Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have given Jericho into your hand, with its king and the mighty warriors.

So Joshua set out with all the people of war to go up against Ai; then Joshua chose thirty thousand valiant men, and sent them out at night.

So Joshua went up from Gilgal, he and all the people of war with him, and all the men of valor.

When David heard about it, he sent Joab and the entire army, the strong and brave men.

He threw stones at David and at all the servants of King David; yet all the people and all the warriors remained on his right and on his left.

And Hushai said, “You know your father and his men, that they are brave men, and they are enraged and fierce, like a bear deprived of her cubs in the field. Your father is a [shrewd] man of war, and will not spend the night with the people [knowing that you seek his life].

So Joab’s men went after him, along with [David’s bodyguards] the Cherethites and Pelethites and all the warriors; they went out from Jerusalem to pursue Sheba the son of Bichri.

These are the names of the mighty men (warriors) whom David had: Josheb-basshebeth, a Tahchemonite, chief of the captains, also called Adino the Eznite (spear) because of the eight hundred men killed [by him] at one time.

Next to him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the son of Ahohi. He was one of the three mighty men with David when they taunted and defied the Philistines assembled there for battle, and the men of Israel had gone.

So the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines, and drew water from the well of Bethlehem by the gate, and carried and brought it to David. But he would not drink it, but poured it out [in worship] to the Lord.

And he said, “Far be it from me, O Lord, that I should drink this. [Is it not the same as] the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives?” So he would not drink it. These things the three mighty men did.

These things Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did, and gained a reputation beside the three mighty men.

But Zadok the priest, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, Nathan the prophet, Shimei, Rei, and David’s most formidable warriors did not side with Adonijah [in his desire to become king].

But he did not invite Nathan the prophet, Benaiah, the most formidable warriors, or his brother Solomon.

He led away into exile all Jerusalem and all the captains and all the brave men, ten thousand captives, and all the craftsmen and the smiths. None remained except the poorest people of the land.

Nebuchadnezzar led Jehoiachin away into exile to Babylon; also he took the king’s mother and the king’s wives and his officials and the leading men of the land [including Ezekiel] as exiles from Jerusalem to Babylon.

These were the heads of their fathers’ households: Epher, Ishi, Eliel, Azriel, Jeremiah, Hodaviah, and Jahdiel, warriors of valor [willing and able to encounter danger], famous men, and heads of the households of their fathers.

The sons of Tola: Uzzi, Rephaiah, Jeriel, Jahmai, Ibsam, and Samuel, heads of their fathers’ households. The sons of Tola were courageous men in their generations; their number in the days of David was 22,600.

Their relatives among all the families of Issachar, courageous men, registered by genealogies, were 87,000 in all.

The sons of Bela were five: Ezbon, Uzzi, Uzziel, Jerimoth, and Iri. They were heads of the households of their fathers, courageous men. By their genealogies they were 22,034.

All these were the sons of Jediael, according to the heads of their fathers’ households, 17,200 courageous men of valor, fit for military service.

Now these are the chiefs of David’s mighty men, who strongly supported him in his kingdom, together with all Israel, to make him king, in accordance with the word of the Lord concerning Israel.

This is the list of David’s mighty men: Jashobeam, the son of a Hachmonite, the chief of the thirty [heroes]. He lifted up his spear against three hundred whom he killed at one time.

Next to him [in rank] was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, who was one of the three mighty men.

Then the three [mighty men] broke through the camp of the Philistines and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem which was next to the gate, and brought it to David. But David would not drink it; he poured it out to the Lord [as an offering];

and he said, “Far be it from me before my God that I would do this thing! Shall I drink the blood of these men who have put their lives in jeopardy? For they brought it at the risk of their lives.” So he would not drink it. These things the three mighty men did.

Benaiah the son of Jehoiada did these things, and had a name as well as the three mighty men.

Now the mighty men of the armies were: Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,

These are the ones who came to David at Ziklag, while he still concealed himself from Saul the son of Kish; they were among the courageous men who helped him in battle.

They helped David against the band of raiders, for they were all courageous men, and [all seven] became commanders in his army.

When David heard about it, he sent Joab and all the army of courageous men.

Also to his son Shemaiah sons were born who ruled over the house of their father, for they were courageous men of ability.

David assembled at Jerusalem all the leaders (officials) of Israel, the leaders of the tribes, and the commanders of the divisions that served the king, and the commanders of thousands, and the commanders of hundreds, and the overseers of all the property and livestock of the king and his sons, with the palace officers and the mighty men, and all the brave warriors.

All of the leaders and warriors, and also all the sons of King David, pledged allegiance to King Solomon.

Abijah began the battle with an army of brave soldiers, 400,000 chosen men. Jeroboam drew up in battle formation against him with 800,000 chosen men, valiant men.

Now Asa had an army of 300,000 men from Judah, who carried large shields and spears, and 280,000 from Benjamin, who carried shields and drew bows, all courageous men.

He had large supplies in the cities of Judah, and soldiers, courageous men, in Jerusalem.

This was the number of them by their fathers’ (ancestors’) households: of Judah, the commanders of thousands, Adnah the commander, and with him 300,000 courageous men;

and next to him Amasiah the son of Zichri, who volunteered for the Lord, and with him 200,000 courageous men;

He also hired 100,000 brave warriors from Israel for a hundred talents of silver.

The total number of the heads of the fathers’ households, of valiant men, was 2,600.

he decided, together with his officers and his soldiers, to stop up the water [supply] from the springs which were outside the city [by enclosing them with masonry and concealing them], and they helped him.

and their brothers, brave men, 128. Their overseer was Zabdiel the son of Haggedolim [one of the great men].

“He breaks mighty men without inquiry,And sets others in their place.

Look! They lie in wait for my life;Fierce and powerful men [are uniting together to] launch an attack against me,Not for my wrongdoing nor for any sin of mine, O Lord.

(The Chorus)“Behold, it is the couch (palanquin) of Solomon;Sixty mighty men around it,Of the mighty men of Israel.

Your men will fall by the swordAnd your mighty men in battle.

I [the Lord] have commanded My consecrated ones,I have even called My great warriors,My proudly exulting ones [the Medes and the Persians who triumph for My honor]—To execute My anger.

and the remainder of the number of archers, the mighty men of the sons of Kedar, will be few; for the Lord, the God of Israel, has spoken.”

“Their quiver is [filled with the dead] like an open grave;They are all mighty men [heroes of their nation].

And when Jehoiakim the king, with all his mighty men and all the princes, heard his words, the king sought to put Uriah to death; but when Uriah heard of it, he was afraid and fled and escaped to Egypt.

“How can you say, ‘We are great warriorsAnd valiant men in war?’

“The Lord has rejected all the strong menIn my midst;He has proclaimed an established time against meTo crush my young men.The Lord has trampled down as in a wine pressThe Virgin Daughter of Judah.

You will eat your fill at My table with horses and riders, with mighty men, and with all the men of war,” says the Lord God.

“His power will be mighty, but not by his own power;And he will corrupt and destroy in an astonishing mannerAnd [he will] prosper and do exactly as he wills;He shall corrupt and destroy mighty men and the holy people.

You have plowed and planted wickedness, you have reaped the [willful] injustice [of oppressors],You have eaten the fruit of lies.Because you have trusted in your own way and your chariots, and in your many warriors,

They run like warriors;They climb the wall like soldiers.They each march [straight ahead] in line,And they do not deviate from their paths.

Proclaim this among the [pagan] nations:Prepare a war! Stir up the mighty men!Let all the men of war come near, let them come up!

“And your mighty men shall be dismayed and demoralized, O Teman,So that everyone from the mountain of Esau may be cut off in the slaughter.

The shields of his soldiers [of Media and Babylon] are colored red;The warriors are dressed in scarlet.The chariots blaze with fire of [flashing] steelWhen he is prepared to march,And the cypress spears are brandished [for battle].

“They will be like mighty menTrampling down their enemies in the mire of the streets in the battle;And they will fight because the Lord is with them,And the [enemies’] riders on horses will be shamed.

so that you may feast on the flesh of kings, the flesh of commanders, the flesh of powerful and mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all humanity, both free men and slaves, both small and great [in a complete conquest of evil].”