Lexical Summary Naaray: Naarai Original Word: נַעֲרַי Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Naarai From na'ar; youthful; Naarai, an Israelite -- Naarai. see HEBREW na'ar NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom the same as naar Definition one of David's heroes NASB Translation Naarai (1). Brown-Driver-Briggs נַעֲרַי proper name, masculine one of David's heroes, ׳נ בֶּןאֶֿזְכָּ֑י 1 Chronicles 11:37; ᵐ5 Νααραι, A Νοορα, ᵐ5L Ναραι (= מַּעֲרַי הָאַרְבִּי 2 Samuel 23:35). Topical Lexicon Identity and Setting Naʿarai is listed once in the Hebrew canon, “Hezro the Carmelite, Naʿarai son of Ezbai” (1 Chronicles 11:37). The verse falls within the Chronicler’s roster of “the Thirty,” the elite warriors who stood with David throughout his rise to the throne. Parallel Account and Textual Note The parallel passage in 2 Samuel 23:35 reads “Paarai the Arbite.” Because the surrounding names, order, and narrative context match, most conservative commentators regard Naʿarai and Paarai as variant spellings of the same warrior. This type of orthographic variation is common when Samuel and Chronicles preserve parallel traditions; the difference does not affect the historical event the texts jointly affirm—namely, that a valiant soldier from David’s inner circle bore this name and served faithfully. Historical Background David’s mighty men emerged during the turbulent period between Saul’s decline and David’s consolidation of power (1 Samuel 22–2 Samuel 5). These seasoned fighters gathered first in the Judean wilderness, then in Ziklag, and finally at Hebron. By the time Judah crowned David, the group had distinguished itself through repeated acts of courage and loyalty (2 Samuel 23:8-39; 1 Chronicles 11:10-47). Naʿarai enters the record once the Thirty are being honored retrospectively for their role in securing the kingdom. Role Among David’s Warriors Although Scripture preserves no individual exploits for Naʿarai, his inclusion among the Thirty implies: • Proven valor on the battlefield. Theological Themes 1. Covenant Loyalty. By standing with David, Naʿarai aligned himself with the Lord’s anointed, illustrating the blessing attached to faithful service to God’s chosen leadership (Psalm 18 superscription; 2 Samuel 23:1-5). Ministry Applications • Faithfulness in obscurity: Modern believers often labor without public recognition, yet Naʿarai’s example assures them that God sees and values deeds done for His kingdom. Summary Naʿarai, though appearing in only one verse, stands as a testament to steadfast commitment during critical moments in salvation history. His brief biblical footprint calls today’s followers of Christ to courageous, cooperative, and quietly faithful service, confident that their names, like his, are forever written in God’s faithful record. Forms and Transliterations נַעֲרַ֖י נערי na‘ăray na·‘ă·ray naaRaiLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance 1 Chronicles 11:37 HEB: חֶצְרוֹ֙ הַֽכַּרְמְלִ֔י נַעֲרַ֖י בֶּן־ אֶזְבָּֽי׃ NAS: Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai the son KJV: the Carmelite, Naarai the son INT: Hezro the Carmelite Naarai the son of Ezbai 1 Occurrence |
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