Be courageous, and let’s be strong for our people, and for the cities of our God; and may Yahweh do what seems good to him.”
Parallel Translations
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Be courageous, and let’s be strong for our people, and for the cities of our God; and may Yahweh do what seems good to him.”
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Be of good courage, and let us play the men for our people, and for the cities of our God: and the LORD do that which seemeth him good.
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Be of good courage, and let us prove strong for our people, and for the cities of our God; and the LORD do that which seemeth Him good.'
Cross-references (18)
Passages linked to 2 Samuel 10:12 in the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge, ordered by reader-vote popularity; verse text shown in World English Bible.
- 1 Corinthians 16:13 Watch! Stand firm in the faith! Be courageous! Be strong!
- Deuteronomy 31:6 Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid or scared of them; for Yahweh your God himself is who goes with you. He will not fail you nor forsake you.”
- 1 Samuel 3:18 Samuel told him every bit, and hid nothing from him. He said, “It is Yahweh. Let him do what seems good to him.”
- Nehemiah 4:14 I looked, and rose up, and said to the nobles, to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid of them! Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your houses.”
- Hebrews 13:6 So that with good courage we say, “The Lord is my helper. I will not fear. What can man do to me?”
- Judges 10:15 The children of Israel said to Yahweh, “We have sinned! Do to us whatever seems good to you; only deliver us, please, today.”
- 1 Samuel 4:9 Be strong and behave like men, O you Philistines, that you not be servants to the Hebrews, as they have been to you. Strengthen yourselves like men, and fight!”
- 1 Chronicles 19:13 Be courageous, and let’s be strong for our people and for the cities of our God. May Yahweh do that which seems good to him.”
- Numbers 13:20 and what the land is, whether it is fertile or poor, whether there is wood therein, or not. Be courageous, and bring some of the fruit of the land.” Now the time was the time of the first-ripe grapes.
- Joshua 1:6-7 “Be strong and courageous; for you shall cause this people to inherit the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. Only be strong and very courageous. Be careful to observe to do according to all the law which Moses my servant commanded you. Don’t turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go.
- Joshua 1:9 Haven’t I commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid. Don’t be dismayed, for Yahweh your God is with you wherever you go.”
- Joshua 1:18 Whoever rebels against your commandment, and doesn’t listen to your words in all that you command him shall himself be put to death. Only be strong and courageous.”
- 1 Samuel 14:6 Jonathan said to the young man who bore his armor, “Come! Let’s go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised. It may be that Yahweh will work for us; for there is no restraint on Yahweh to save by many or by few.”
- 1 Samuel 14:12 The men of the garrison answered Jonathan and his armor bearer, and said, “Come up to us, and we will show you something!” Jonathan said to his armor bearer, “Come up after me; for Yahweh has delivered them into the hand of Israel.”
- 1 Samuel 17:32 David said to Saul, “Let no man’s heart fail because of him. Your servant will go and fight with this Philistine.”
- 2 Samuel 16:10-11 The king said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? Because he curses, and because Yahweh has said to him, ‘Curse David;’ who then shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’ ” David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, “Behold, my son, who came out of my bowels, seeks my life. How much more this Benjamite, now? Leave him alone, and let him curse; for Yahweh has invited him.
- Job 1:21 He said, “Naked I came out of my mother’s womb, and naked will I return there. Yahweh gave, and Yahweh has taken away. Blessed be Yahweh’s name.”
- 2 Chronicles 32:7 “Be strong and courageous. Don’t be afraid or dismayed because of the king of Assyria, nor for all the multitude who is with him; for there is a greater one with us than with him.
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this verse (14 sources)
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain Here is declared wherefore war ought to be undertaken:…
Here is declared wherefore war ought to be undertaken: of the defense of true religion and God’s people.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain 2Sa 10:12 Be of good courage, and let us…
2Sa 10:12 Be of good courage, and let us play the men for our people, and for the cities of our God: and the LORD do that which seemeth him good.
Ver. 12. Be of good courage, and let us play the men.] A brave speech, and such as than which a better could not have been uttered by any captain, saith Pellican. {a} That of Hunniades to his soldiers, when ready to join battle with the Turks, {b} is a very good one. Of them both it may be well said, as one did once of Julius Caesar, Si acta eius penitus ignorasses, per linguam tamen militem esse diceres; Had you never heard of their acts, yet you might have known them to have been good soldiers by their very speeches.
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And the Lord do that which seemeth him good.] Det victoriam cui volet. Let him dispose of the victory as he pleaseth; but let us not be wanting in good courage, whose cause is so good. It is an excellent saying of Demosthenes, the Greek orator, Dει μεν τους αγαθους ανδρας, &c. It behoveth good men to make good attempts, and therein to hope the best, but to bear valiantly what event soever God shall order them.
{a} Non potest vox duce dignior cogitari.
{b} Turk. Hist., fol. 272.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain For our people; for the preservation of ourselves and…
For our people; for the preservation of ourselves and all our brethren from that utter ruin which our enemies design for us. Our war is not vainly undertaken to enlarge our empire or glory, but for our own just and necessary defence; and therefore we may hope for God’s blessing and assistance in it.
For the cities of our God; which are devoted to his worship and service, and therefore he will plead their cause against his enemies.
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The Lord do that which seemeth him good; let us do our parts, and quietly refer ourselves and the event to God’s good pleasure, which we have no reason to distrust.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain Be of good courage, and let us play the…
Be of good courage, and let us play the men,.... This Joab said, not only to encourage Abishai and himself, but in the hearing of the rest of the officers of the army, and of many of the people, to hearten them to the battle; who might be somewhat intimidated with the number of their enemies, and the position they were in, being before and behind them; and therefore he thought proper to make such a speech to them to animate them to light:
for our people, and for the cities of our God; that the people of Israel might not be carried captive, and their cities spoiled and plundered; and instead of being cities where the people of God dwelt, and he was worshipped, would, if taken, become the habitations of idolatrous Heathens, and where temples would be erected to idols, and the worship of them; these were the arguments he used to engage them to fight manfully for their country, the liberties and religion of it:
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and the Lord do that which seemeth him good: tacitly suggesting that victory was of the Lord, and that it became them to do their part in fighting courageously, and leave the issue to the Lord, on whom alone success depended.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain Verse 12. Be of good courage] This is a…
Verse 12. Be of good courage] This is a very fine military address, and is equal to any thing in ancient or modern times. Ye fight pro aris et focis; for every good, sacred and civil; for God, for your families, and for your country.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain 2Sa 10:12. Be of good courage, &c. — These…
2Sa 10:12. Be of good courage, &c. — These words, it is likely, were not spoken to Abishai alone, but to all the army by their officers, that they might not be disheartened at the sight of such numerous forces as in a manner encompassed them, but be so much the more resolute for the preservation of their country. And the Lord do that which seemeth him good — If they did their duty, he trusted Divine Providence would favour them. But if not, he would be resigned to God’s will: he would piously leave the issue with him. And when we have done our part, according to the duty of our place, we may, with the greatest satisfaction, leave the event with God; not thinking that our efforts bind him to prosper us, but that he may still do as he pleaseth, and yet hoping for his salvation in his own way and time.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain For the cities of our God - This rather…
For the cities of our God - This rather indicates that the relief of Medeba was one of the immediate objects in view, and consequently that at this time Medeba was still in the possession of the Reubenites. To prevent an Israelite city falling into the hands of a pagan people, and the rites of Moloch being substituted for the worship of Yahweh, was a very urgent motive to valor.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain City, Jerusalem, the metropolis; or, all the cities of…
City, Jerusalem, the metropolis; or, all the cities of Israel. (Paralipomenon)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain 12. Play the men — Show yourselves courageous and…
12. Play the men — Show yourselves courageous and brave.
The cities of our God — The cities God had given Israel. The children of Israel were taught to regard themselves and their land as the property of God. Lev_25:23.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain 12. Be of good courage, and let us play…
12. Be of good courage, and let us play the men] Lit. Be strong and let us shew ourselves strong: the same words as those translated in 1Ch_19:13 “Be of good courage, and let us behave ourselves valiantly.”
for the cities of our God] As the people of Israel were the people of the Lord, so the land which He had given them was His, and its cities were His. They were fighting “the Lord’s battles,” that these cities might not fall into heathen hands and be given over to the worship of heathen gods. Cp. 1Sa_17:36; 1Sa_17:47; 1Sa_18:17.
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the Lord do that which seemeth him good] Better, Jehovah will do, &c.: an expression of trust combined with resignation to God’s will. Cp. 1Sa_3:18.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain (12) Be of good courage, and let us play…
(12) Be of good courage, and let us play the men.—Literally, Be strong and let us strengthen ourselves. The same phrase is translated in Chronicles, “Be of good courage and let us behave ourselves valiantly.” (Compare 1Sa_4:9.) Joab felt that the battle was a critical one, and on it depended the welfare and even the safety of “our people” and “the cities of our God.” The latter expression is in recognition of the fact that the whole land belonged to God, who allowed the use of it to His people.
The Lord do.—Rather, The Lord will do. Joab’s courage rose here to that highest point which is marked by the full trust that whatever may be the result, it will be that which seems best to Infinite wisdom and love.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain Be of good courage, and let us play the…
Be of good courage, and let us play the men. The Hebrew employs two conjugations of the same verb, literally, be strong, and let us show ourselves strong. And need there was for bravery; for the welfare, as he went on to show, of all Israel, and the honour of Israel"s God, were in jeopardy. Finally he adds, The Lord do that which seemeth him good. They are the words not so much of confidence as of determined resolution. Come good or ill, he and Abishai would do their utmost.
Ver. 12. (MEDEBA.) (1Ch_19:13)
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Martial courage.
of good courage," etc. Human life is a warfare, unavoidable, arduous, enduring; and spiritual life, more especially, is a warfare of a similar kind. In this conflict nothing is more needful than manly or martial courage. ("virtue," 1Pe_1:5) It is that quality of mind which meets difficulty, danger, pain, or death, calmly and fearlessly. It has been reckoned by moralists among the four cardinal virtues (prudence, temperance, fortitude, justice), and, in its highest form, it is often enjoined in the Scriptures. "As it is necessarily requisite to the susception of all other virtues, so it is their main support, guardian, and establishment. Without this, every other virtue is precarious, and lies at the mercy of every cross accident" (J. Norris).
"All the noble deeds that have beat their marches through succeeding ages have proceeded from men of courage" (O. Felltham) This brief and significant warlike exhortation of Joab was pitched in a higher key than we might have expected; but the devout feeling which it expressed, though genuine, was probably superficial and transient, passing away with the critical occasion which called it forth. We have now to consider, not the character of the speaker, but the import of his words. They indicate the nature, motive, and pervading principle of godly martial courage; that it should be displayed
I IN STRENUOUS OPPOSITION TO THE ENEMIES OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD. "Be strong" (in spirit), "and show yourselves strong" (in action) in your struggle with numerous and powerful foes; not private, but public enemies; not men as such, but as imbued with principles and devoted to practices which are antagonistic to the righteous and beneficent purposes of God; "principalities and powers," etc. (Eph_6:12) "Who will rise up for me against the evil doers?" etc. (Psa_96:1-6) There must be:
1. Firm resistance to their attack. "Whom resist steadfast in the faith". (1Pe_5:9)
1. Patient endurance of the sufferings which such resistance involves. "Here is the patience of the saints.
2. Active endeavour for their defeat and subjection. "The people that do know their God shall be strong, and do exploits". (Dan_11:32) "Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong". (1Co_16:13) The chief instrument of this opposition is "the sword of the Spirit." "A humble Christian battling against the world, the flesh, and the devil, is a greater hero than Alexander the Great.
II FROM SINCERE DESIRE FOR THE WELFARE OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD. Not for pay and plunder (like the mercenary Syrians), nor for glory, nor even for personal safety or life; but "for our people" (to whom we are bound by the closest ties), "and for the cities of our God" (his chosen property and possession, the many separate centres where his people dwell and his worship is maintained), imperilled by the attack of his enemies and ours. Pro aris et focis. "Thrice is he armed that hath his quarrel just This, however, is an appeal, not merely to a sense of justice, but also and chiefly to patriotism and piety, which, in the men of Israel, were inseparably Blended. There is a place for patriotism in the heart of a Christian. (1Sa_23:1-6) But his love for his country must be held in harmony with and subordination to his love for the Christian brotherhood, united in spiritual fellowship and confined to no nation; "the people of God", (1Pe_2:9, 1Pe_2:10) "his inheritance", (Eph_1:18) "the Church which is his body" (Eph_1:22 Eph_5:25; Act_20:28) the light of the world, and the salt of the earth. "I endure all things for the elect"s sakes" (2Ti_2:10; Col_1:24)
1. The preservation of their faith and holiness, their unity and peace, fromcorrupting and destructive influences.
2. The maintenance of their privileges and services, their freedom andindependence.
3. The promotion of their prosperity and progress.
4. The fulfilment of their purposes, aims, and hopes. "They shall prosperthat love thee". (Psa_122:4-9 Psa_137:7)
III WITH STRONG CONFIDENCE IN THE RECEPTION OF THE HELP OF GOD. "And the Lord do that which seemeth him good" (Authorized Version); expressive of humble submission to the Divine will. "It may be understood as the language of:
(1) Uncertainly and modesty.
(2) A firm persuasion that the event of war entirely depends upon the providence of God.
(3) A humble submission to the disposal of Providence, let the event turn out as it would.
(4) And it may intimate that, let the event be what it will, it will afford us satisfaction to think that we have done the best we could" (Samuel Davies). But the proper reading is, "And Jehovah will do that which is good in his sight," really good for his people. The root of Christian courage, as of every Christian excellence, is faith in God.
1. In his readiness to cooperate with us, when we strive against the enemies of his kingdom and for the welfare of his people. "The Lord is on my side, I will not fear.
2. In the sufficiency of his might to strengthen the weakest and overthrow the strongest. "Fear not; for they that be with us are more than they that be with them" (2Ki_6:16; 1Sa_14:1-15)
3. In the certainty of his affording to his faithful servants all the help they need. Even though he should permit a temporary reverse, he will surely give them the victory over all their adversaries. Such confidence is warranted by his relation to them, his regard for them, his express promises, and his past achievements. "The battle is the Lord"s." "If God is for us, who is against us?". D. (Ro 9)
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain Be of good courage and let us play the…
2Sa_10:12
Be of good courage and let us play the men
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Of courage
In those words you have these two parts: the braveness of his resolution: Be of good courage and let us play the men.
The humbleness of his submission: And the Lord do that which seemeth him good. Or, if you will, thus: an exhortation to true noble valour in the former part, Be of good courage, &c.; and, secondly, an humble resignation of himself and cause and success into the hands of God; And the Lord do that which seemeth him good. His exhortation is strengthened with divers arguments: It is for our people. The Ammonites and Syrians are now about us, if you do not behave yourselves valiantly your people are pillaged, plundered, captived, murthered; and therefore be of courage, and let us play the men. And for the cities of our God.
I. For the description of good courage you may take it thus: Good courage is that gracious disposition of heart whereby a man, being called by God unto any service, does adventure upon difficulties either in doing good or enduring evil, and that without fear.
Here are four or five things considerable in this description.
1. Good courage is a gracious disposition. There is a moral boldness and a natural audacity, and this is not good courage, for the former is in heathens, and the latter is in brute beasts.
2. Again, there is a sinful desperateness whereby men are apt and ready to rush upon all that is evil, and are sinfully bold, and they think him a fool or a child that will not drink, and be drunk, and whore, and run into all kind of evil: this is not good courage. Good courage is hemmed in with waiting upon the Lord.
3. Again, there is a vaunting, bragging, boasting cavalierism which hath no true courage. Such a cavalier was Rabshakeh, who said, With us is valour and courage; when he defied the hosts and servants of the living God. Good courage is the health of the mind; this vaunting, bragging, boasting is the swelling of the mind, not courage.
4. Again, there is a fierce, angry, revengeful disposition, whereby men are ready to run upon cruelties: this is no good courage, The righteous is as bold as a lion. The lion himself is merciful, not revengeful; if a creature lies down before him he will spare it. It is a gracious disposition of heart. The truth is, the heart of man is the artillery yard where all the thoughts of courage train continually.
5. Again, I say, whereby a man being called by God unto any service. Gods call is the ground of a Christians courage. This was pretended in Rabshakehs speech; Hath not the Lord sent me? And this was, in truth, the ground of Joshuas courage: Be of good courage, have not I commanded thee? I add, all this must be done without fear: and therefore in Scripture these go together: Be of good courage; fear not, neither be dismayed. The more a mans fears are enlarged, the more his courage is lessened; and the more a mans courage is enlarged, the more his fears are lessened.
II. In evil times, in times of danger, good courage is very requisite. In time of danger good courage is the strength of a man, it is the spirits of a man, it is the sparkling of a mans heart, it is the life of ones life. Saith Solomon, The spirit of a man shall sustain his infirmity. Without strength there is no bearing of burthens. Now this is the way to be strong, to stand under burthens in evil times: Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart.
1. Again, evil times are full of changes, and good courage will keep us from the power of those. It is a good speech Seneca hath: He is a stout man whom prosperity doth not allure; but he is most stout of all whom the change of things doth not disturb. And in another place, saith he, He hath no great mind that can be bent by injuries. And evil times are full of injuries. Without courage a man will easily be bent by them; bent unto sin and bent unto what is evil.
2. Again, evil times are very expensive. Then a man shall be called to lay out much: his estate, his house, his liberty, his body, his all: and no affection, no disposition so spending as courage; good courage will make a man Spend and be spent for God.
III. If this be so, you see what our duty is: to be of good courage, and play the men. (W. Bridge, M. A.)
Four pillars of national strength
I. There must be a general intelligence in order to conserve the best interests of popular government. We have never as yet been able to measure the elevating power of a common or general intelligence upon communities, and nations. Some one has said that a spelling book and a copy of the New Testament dropped into a land, will lift up millions of tons of ignorance and superstition. They will widen the streets, pile up the palaces of trade in every mart, lift up the roof of the poor mans cottage, and drive the ghosts and demons from every forest and mountain solitude. Would you know the power of a well-equipped intellect, and the multiplying forces of education, sit for a moment at the feet of the statistician. Here you will learn that only one-fifth of one per cent of our population graduate from our colleges, yet this little handful of men have furnished thirty per cent of all congressmen, fifty per cent of all our senators, sixty per cent of all our presidents, and over seventy per cent of all our supreme judges. See that inspiring host leading in the van of the armies of our civilization. There they come with stately tread, three hundred thousand strong; trained men and women who have passed satisfactory examinations, and whose province it is to disseminate a more general intelligence among the people, and train our children for efficient citizenship. We have ten times as many teachers as Athens has inhabitants when she was mistress of Greece, and legislator of the world. We have more than thirty times as many teachers as Xenophon had in the immortal legion. We have more than twelve times as many teachers as there were soldiers in the army of Hanibal, when he descended from the Alps into the plains of Italy, and shook the inhabitants with mortal fear. We have more than fifty times as many teachers as there were soldiers who followed Caesar over the Rubicon to the conquest of the world. We can depend upon these cultivated and trained men and women for much in the way of strengthening the empire of thought. The magnificent possibilities before them are manifest when we consider the fact that they have under their tutelage more than twelve million students, four times as many as there were inhabitants in the thirteen colonies when our fathers won liberty for mankind. But what signifies intelligence, mere mental power or school drill if there be lacking the element of heroic courage? Devoid of this the scholar becomes a mere pigmy; coupled with it he becomes a giant.
II. be of good courage, shouts the heroic Joab. Much need of courage, you say, on the field of battle. Yes, and there is none the less need of courage in the every-day struggles of life. There are evils to be exterminated and abuses to be corrected. The sanctity of law must be maintained, and our free institutions perpetuated and defended at all hazard. We want men who are lawfully in earnest. William Lloyd Garrison touched the keynote of success when he said: I am in earnest. I will not, equivocate. I will not excuse. I will not retreat a single inch, and I will be heard. The apathy of the people is enough to make every statue leap from its pedestal, and hasten the resurrection of the dead. It is the man of heroic enterprise who will hew his way through the sable walls of ignorance, opposition, and prejudice, and create for himself and his coadjutors a new world, We need courage in the everyday conflicts of life. No coward can successfully contend with poverty, with had debts, unscrupulous associates, failures, and temptations. He must have courage to stand fire, stand firm, and, if need be, stand alone. It takes manly courage to stand alone in the face of opposition. Every man needs courage when he goes to exercise the sacred office of his franchisement; and he should put as much conscience into his vote as he does into his prayers. Do not become dispirited because you are not on the popular side. With three hundred men on the side of right, Gideon put to flight one hundred and thirty-five thousand men of war.
III. Be loyal to your own conviction of duty and right. It is said of the last and greatest apostle of our Lord that he conferred not with flesh and blood. He sacrificed whatever he had prized of an earthly character in order that he might be loyal to his convictions of duty. When he was apprised of the fact that the way which he had marked out for himself was beset with difficulties, and that bonds and imprisonments awaited him, his reply was plain and emphatic: None of these things move me. Give us a few more men who would rather be right than popular, who Would rather be in harmony with God and conscience than with party or party declarations. You may not be called upon to prove your loyalty as did the heroes at Gettysburg, Atlanta, and the wilderness, but there are formidable enemies yet to meet and conquer. These will test your mettle. Think of the forces of intemperance, the growing evil of gambling, unchastity, infidelity, and the appalling array of unscrupulous politicians and demagogues. Never did loyalty mean more than it does now. The long-suffering wifehood, sisterhood, and motherhood of the nation is calling aloud for redress. The oppressed are looking to us for alleviation and help. To disappoint them is to prove recreant in the most important trust, and suffer defeat in the greatest battle ever fought.
IV. The fourth pillar we mention is evangelical religion. Science and art have wrought wonders. The world stands amazed at their achievements. They have tamed fierce beasts of prey and brought the elements of nature into subjection. They have spanned the ocean, annihilated distance, joined continent to continent, given life to steam, a tongue to the wire, and a voice to the lightning. But these fierce passions in the human heart are more fierce than beasts of prey, and disturbing forces more tumultuous than natures stormy winds and tempests and more difficult to control than the most subtle elements. No mere human skill can master these. Christian science as taught in the school of Jesus Christ alone can enable man to obtain the mastery over these. There is a broader field for the Church to-day than ever before. Egypt and Ethiopia are not only reaching out their hands to us, but Europe and Asia are clasping ours, and instead of being under the necessity of crossing the restless Atlantic, our work is facilitated by their coming to our own doors. Finally, religion wipes guilt from the conscience and drives darkness from the mind. It gives hope to the heart, light to the eyes, and strength to the hand. It will make life pleasant, toil sweet, and death triumphant. It gives faith to the fearful, courage to the timid. It robs the grave of its terrors, and death of its sting, and gilds the pathway to mans future abode with an eternal brightness. (G. W. Shepherd.)
Playing the man
I. The motives by which we should be actuated. Joab appealed to
(1) the patriotism of the people. This was a tender chord, and would at once respond in tones of strongest sympathy. What wonderful things have been clone in the name of patriotism! The record of the doings of Hereward, the last of the English, of Hampden, Cromwell, Pym, of Washington, Tell, Garibaldi, etc., what illustrations they furnish of the power of love of our people. Christ came to the test sheep of the house of Israel. and He commanded His Apostles to begin at Jerusalem; and, although all the world claims our sympathies and help, yet our first and ever increasing claim is our own people: and for them we are to ardently fight and pray. Joab appealed to
(2) the philanthropy of the people. The soldiers were to remember the centres of population, the great hives of industry, the cities with their teeming thousands: and as they thought of women and children, they were to play the men in the day of battle. All large-hearted men have love for their race, as well as for their own country and countrymen; and such men as Wilberforce and Howard, and Moffatt and Livingstone, have shown us what can be endured and accomplished where philanthropy takes strong possession of the human breast. Joab appealed to
(3) the piety of the people. Cities of our God. When we put forth any effort to lighten and elevate men, we ought to remember that we are laying ourselves out for those whom God has created, and preserved, and redeemed; all souls are His. They may be in the hands of aliens; a diabolical power maw, have usurped the place of the rightful king; but we are, to go forth, armed with the whole panoply of God, to fight the battle of the Lord and win the world for Him.
II. The spirit by which we should re animated. The moral quality of any work we do resides in the intention; and the success in any work we attempt depends mainly upon the spirit in which we prosecute it. Joab inculcated
(1) a magnanimous spirit. It was not enough that the soldiers be armed, that they be great in number, and march against the foe; they must have love to God and their country, large-heartedness, and noble-mindedness, or they would not succeed. They must have soldiers hearts as well as soldiers dress: Be of good courage. Joab inculcated
(2) manliness. Play the man. There are some men who are hosts in themselves; such men as Alexander and Wellington reckoned among their soldiers for thousands. Joab felt he did not want invalids, cripples, or children in the battle, but men,--men who would strike and stand in the hour of conflict; not cowards nor slaves, but brave, free men, for the army of Israel. This is the great want of this and every age. In our churches, holding the various offices, we want men of sound judgment and manly hearts; in our schools, and in every department of Christly labour, we want manliness, not puerility, not namby-pambyism, not sentimentality nor effeteness. The gentleness of women and the masculineness of man combined--then we have true manliness.
(3) Resignedness. Let the Lord do as seemeth Him good. This would inspire and sustain the men; they were to do their best, to be brave and manly, and leave results with God. When we go forth in our holy crusade against sin, and endeavour to win renown for the name that is above every name, we should go forth in a resigned spirit, in submission to the power and wisdom and goodness of God. For the battle is the Lords, and He knows best what amount of success it will be best to let us secure and see. (F. W. Brown.)
Elements of true manhood
I. Courage. Courage is not mere fearlessness. There is in many natures a stolid indifference to danger. It is said that Nelson never knew what fear was. True courage always implies a supreme love for right. Right is appreciated more titan ease, comfort, property, health, even life itself, and for it all are willingly sacrificed when necessary. The finest example of true moral courage, you have in Paul who for the sake of what he believed to be right, braved the greatest perils, and with a daring valour confronted his greatest enemies. He did not count his life dear to him so that he might discharge his obligations.
II. generosity. Let us play the men for our people and for the cities of our God. The selfish man, the man who lives to himself, and for himself alone, is destitute of the chief element of true manhood. We do not play the men, when we fight for our own little interests, or battle for our own little sect, but when we stand up from the dictates of pure generosity and struggle for the good of others.
III. Piety. The Lord do that which seemeth Him good. True piety is a devout acquiescence in the will of the great God, and without this there can be no greatness of character. It is not until we feet his will to the supreme rule of our life that we experience the pulsation of a true manly heart. (Homilist.)
Religion and patriotism the constituents of good soldiers
Be of good courage, and let us play the men. Courage is an essential character of a good soldier--not a savage, ferocious violence; not a foolhardy insensibility of danger, or headstrong rashness to rush into it; not the fury of inflamed passions, broken loose from the government of reason; but calm, deliberate, rational courage; a steady, judicious, thoughtful fortitude; the courage of a man, and not of a tiger; such a temper as Addison ascribes with so much justice to the famous Marlborough and Eugene:--
Whose courage dwelt not in a troubled flood
Of mounting spirits and fermenting blood;--But
Lodgd in the soul, with virtue over-ruled,
Inflamed by reason, and by reason coold.
The Campaign.
This is true courage, and such as we ought all to cherish. This will render men vigilant and cautious against surprise, prudent and deliberate in concerting their measures, and steady and resolute in executing them. But without this they will fall into unsuspected dangers, which will strike them with wild consternation; they will meanly shun dangers that are surmountable, or precipitantly rush into those that are causeless, or evidently fatal, and throw away their lives in vain. There are some men who naturally have this heroic turn of mind. The wise Creator has adapted the natural genius of mankind with a surprising and beautiful variety to the state in which they are placed in this world. He that winged the imagination of a Homer or a Milton; he that gave penetration to the mind of Newton; he that made Tubal-Cain an instructor of artificers in brass and iron, and gave skill to Bezaleel and Aholiab in curious works; nay, he that sent out Paul and his brethren to conquer the nations with the gentler weapons of plain truth, miracles, and the love of a crucified Saviour; he, even that same gracious power, has formed and raised up an Alexander, a Julius Caesar, a William, and a Marlborough, and inspired them with this enterprising, intrepid spirit; the two first to scourge a guilty world, and the two last to save nations on the brink of ruin. There is something glorious and inviting in danger to such noble minds; and their breasts beat with a generous ardour when it appears. The Lord do that, which seemeth Him good. This may be looked upon in various views; as:--
I. It may be understood as the language of uncertainty and modesty. Let us do all we can; but after all, the issue is uncertain; we know not, as yet, to what side God will incline the victory. Such language as this becomes us in all our undertakings; it sounds creature-like, and God approves of such self-diffident humility. But to indulge sanguine and confident expectations of victory, to boast when we put on our armour, as though we were putting it off, and to derive our high hopes from our own power and good management, without any regard to the providence of God, this is too lordly and assuming for such feeble mortals; such insolence is generally mortified; and such a haughty spirit is the forerunner of a fall.
II. This language, The Lord do as seemeth Him good, may be looked upon as expressive of a firm persuasion that the event of war entirely depends upon the providence of God. Let us do our best; but after all, let us be sensible, that the success does not depend on us; that it is entirely in the hands of an all-ruling God. That God governs the world is a fundamental article of natural as well as revealed religion: it is no great exploit of faith to believe in this: it is but a small advance beyond atheism and downright infidelity. I know no country upon earth where I should be put to the expense of argument to prove this. The heathens gave striking proofs of their belief of it, by their prayers, their sacrifices, their consulting oracles, before they engaged in war; and by their costly offerings and solemn thanksgivings after victory. And shall such a plain principle as this be disputed in a Christian land? No; we all speculatively believe it; but that is not enough; let our spirits be deeply impressed with it, and our lives influenced by it: let us live in the world as in a territory of Jehovahs empire.
III. That these words, The Lord do what seemeth Him good, may express an humble submission to the disposal of Providence, let the event turn out as it would. We have not the disposal of the event, nor do we know what it will be; but Jehovah knows, and that is enough: we are sure He will do what is best, upon the whole; and it becomes us to acquiesce.
IV. These words, in their connection, may intimate, that, let the event be what it will, it will afford us satisfaction to think that we have done the best we could. We cannot command success; but let us do all in our power to obtain it, and we have reason to hope that in this way we shall not be disappointed. (S. Davies, A. M.)
Trust in God, and exertion of courage, our duty in times of national danger
I. The interests we have at stake. Our people and the cities of our God: in other words, our civil rights and our religion. The defence of their persons and possessions against lawless power, and the secure enjoyment of the means of happiness here and hereafter, were the great motives that induced men to submit originally to government. And every particular government is good or bad, as it answers or fails of answering these purposes.
II. The spirit with which we ought to defend ourselves against them. Let us be of good courage, and play the men. These words may seem to express the duty of the soldiery alone: and, without question, they express that peculiarly; and, joined with the following ones, clearly show that a strong sense of religion and a virtuous concern for the common welfare are the true principles that will give military persons bravery and success, as they did to those whose history the text relates. But still the more literal translation is, Be strong, and let us strengthen one another.
III. An humble dependence on heaven for the event of all. (T. Secker.)
Growth of loyalty, heroism, and patriotism
As the maternal instinct had been cultivated for thousands of generations before clanship came into existence, so for many succeeding ages of turbulence the patriotic instinct, which prompts to the defence of home, was cultivated under penalty of death. Clans defended by weakly loyal or cowardly warriors were sure to perish. Unflinching bravery and devoted patriotism were virtues necessary to the survival of the community, and were thus preserved until at the dawn of historic times, in the most grandly militant of clan societies, we find the word virtus connoting just these qualities, and no sooner does the fateful gulf yawn open in the forum than a Curtius joyfully leaps into it, that the commonwealth may be preserved from harm. (Fiske, Through Nature to God. )
Publicity in religious life and deed
Joab says to his brother Abishai: Let us play the men for our people, recognising that they two, as champions in the host, will be seen and noted; that they will be more than seen, that they will be imitated, and that their courage will stimulate the courage of others. Joab may therefore be said to recognise the duty of acting so as to be seen. But there is a wide distinction between this and the desire of the later Pharisees, who did their religious deeds in public on purpose to be seen of men. Compelling imitation is a better and a more difficult thing than winning applause. It is easier for a man to get two hundred to applaud him for sortie superficial virtue than to get two to follow him in the exercise of some obscure one. The man that ruleth his spirit may be greater than he that taketh a city, but he will not therefore fill as large a place in the worlds thought, or be as widely talked about. (Quiver.)
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 10:12 Be courageous! Often the priest or another leader…
10:12 Be courageous! Often the priest or another leader offered prebattle exhortations (cp. Num 31:6; Deut 20:2; Judg 4:14; 1 Sam 4:4; 14:3; 23:9).
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.