He was renowned among the thirty, but he did not attain to the three. And David set him over his bodyguard.
He was more honourable than the thirty,.... Whose names are after recorded: but he attained not to the first three; the first triumvirate, Jashobeam, Eleazar, and Shammah; he was not equal to them for fortitude, courage, and military exploits: and David set him over his guard; his bodyguard, the Cherethites and Pelethites, Sa2 8:18; who are called in the Hebrew text "his hearing" (m), because...
He was more honourable than the thirty, but he attained not to the [first] three. And David set him over his guard. (m) He was more valiant than the thirty that follow and not so valiant as the six before.
David set him over his guard - The Vulgate renders this, Fecitque eun sibi David auricularium a secreto, "David made him his privy counsellor;" or, according to the Hebrew, He put him to his ears, i.e., confided his secrets to him. Some think he made him a spy over the rest.