Paarai

At a Glance

A warrior named among David's elite soldiers.

Key Points

• Appears in the roster of David's mighty men
• Identified as "the Arbite" in 2 Samuel 23:35
• Primarily a historical proper name rather than a theological concept

Description

Paarai is a biblical proper noun associated with the list of David's mighty men in 2 Samuel 23:35. The text identifies him as "the Arbite," placing him within the historical setting of David's royal administration and military leadership. No separate doctrinal teaching is attached to the name itself; its value is chiefly historical and narrative. Because the workbook originally classified the term as a theological term, the entry should be reclassified as a biblical person and published as such.

Biblical Context

Paarai appears in the list of David's mighty men, a roster that highlights the loyalty, courage, and service of David's elite warriors.

Historical Context

The mighty-men lists preserve the memory of men associated with David's kingdom and military strength. Such rosters honored distinguished service in Israel's royal history.

Jewish and Ancient Context

In the ancient Near Eastern setting, naming elite warriors in a royal list signaled honor, remembrance, and covenant loyalty to the king.

Primary Key Texts

• 2 Samuel 23:35

Secondary Key Texts

• 1 Chronicles 11:10-47 (parallel list of David's mighty men)

Original Language Note

Hebrew proper noun; English transliteration may vary slightly across Bible editions.

Theological Significance

Paarai has no major doctrinal significance in itself, but his inclusion in Scripture contributes to the historical reliability and completeness of the Davidic narrative.

Philosophical Explanation

As a named individual in the biblical record, Paarai serves as a concrete historical witness rather than an abstract concept.

Interpretive Cautions

Do not confuse Paarai with similarly spelled names or treat the name as a theological category. The text gives only a brief historical identification.

Major Views

There is no major interpretive dispute about the name's function; the main issue is identification and transliteration.

Doctrinal Boundaries

No doctrine should be built from the name alone. The entry should remain within its historical and narrative scope.

Practical Significance

Paarai's brief mention reminds readers that God preserves the names of many faithful servants, even those known only from a single verse.

Related Entries

• David
• David's mighty men
• 2 Samuel
• 1 Chronicles

See Also

• Benaiah
• Uriah
• Hezro
• the Arbite