Benaiah
Wording of this Handout:
BENAIAH
A Champion for King David
Benaiah wrapped his cloak about him and shivered. It was snowing. The
trees stood out black, like coal, as the white flakes fell slowly about
him.
Benaiah had been searching for the enemy all day, along with his men. They
were cold, and hungry, but being hardened after years of fighting, they
pressed on. Up ahead they heard a noise. it sounded like a growl. It was
followed by scraping sounds, and the bounce of loose stone. Benaiah
crouched, instantly. His powerful body tightened like the muscles of a
leopard about to spring. He crept forward slowly, his eyes narrowed to
catch the slightest whisper of movement. Behind him, his men came
silently, keeping down, watching. Benaiah approached a small clearing in
the trees. He drew his short sword and held it ready. His other hand
clutched a spear, with a hand that was like an iron vice. The growling
noise came again, and Benaiah surprised his men by standing straight up
and striding out into the opening in the forest. ''It's alright men'' he
said. Smiling. Cautiously, the warriors came to see.
Benaiah stood at the edge of a deep pit. It was a trap,which had been
sprung by a lean, snarling lion. Its ribs showed through its ragged coat,
and it leapt in fury towards Benaiah sized up the situation, balancing on
his toes. He waited for the perfect moment, and sprang!
The men who had been standing behind him gasped and fell back. But they
soon ran forward again, to watch. With a leap sideways Benaiah avoided the
lion's first spring. He held his spear forward and approached the beast.
It snarled and stabbed with a claw-edged arm, but Benaiah was ready. He
turned the lion aside with the spear, and thrust his sword into its heart.
With a fearsome roar the lion writhed on the floor of the pit, mixing its
blood with fresh snow.
And it was silent.
Benaiah turned his confidently smiling face upwards, and called for an arm
to help him out.
2 Samuel 23:20
Well, I hardly think Benaiah jumped into holes to kill lions as a sport!
But then again, if you see what ELSE he did, he just might have been one
of those sorts of people!' Benaiah had two things: Confidence and Courage.
He was Confident because he knew how to use his weapons. He was prepared
to fight and he did it well.
He also had Courage. He fought for King David, and he fought for the
honour of God's name.
Like David, Benaiah was ready to take on anyone and anything!
How about you?