Ideas expressed through writing impact readers to the degree that readers notice not only what is said but how it is stated. This verse is a perfect example. We are often thrown off by names we have a hard time pronouncing without a good grounding in Biblical Hebrew. We focus so much on killing the lion that we miss what else is said about lions.

Notice how this verse is translated differently in these two Bible versions. The New International Version (NIV) indicates Benaiah was a valiant fighter from his hometown of Kabzeel. He “performed great exploits.”

The Christian Standard Bible (CSB) states Benaiah “was the son of a brave man from Kabzeel, a man of many exploits.” 

Does the text tell us Benaiah was the valiant warrior, or was it his dad? Is this a case of Like Father, Like Son? Or, is this a case of a man from a relatively (to us anyway) unknown place who gave that place an escape from obscurity?

The NIV says, “He struck down Moab’s two mightiest warriors.” The CSB says he “killed two sons of Ariel of Moab.” The names Ariel (typically male) and Ariella (typically female) are lion-related names. Ariel means Lion of God. Ariella then, means Lioness of God.

A few years ago, an aging woman was working as a cashier at Walmart in Hurst. She was weary and did not make eye contact. Noticing her name tag, I said, “Ariella, tell me about your name.” She stood up straight, looked me in the eye, and said, “It means ‘Lioness of God.’ My parents didn’t have a name picked out for a girl. They were expecting a boy. Our rabbi came to our home, picked me up, looked at me, and said, ‘Ariella!’”

Her fierce pride (lion word) glowed in her countenance as she told the story. The power of a well-placed name often turns zeroes into heroes.

Back to the verse: “Moab’s two mightiest warriors” (NIV), and “two sons of Ariel of Moab” (CSB), tells us more than meets the eye. “Ariel of Moab” means Lion of Moab. Isn’t that a great name for a world-renowned terrorist or secret agent?  So if these two sons were likewise Like Father, Like Sons, and Benaiah, Like Father, Like Son, fought it out to the death, what a battle it had to be!

Benaiah became so confident (aka cocky) that “he went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion.” Two lionhearted men? One lion? A person does get something of a reputation after performing such “great exploits.”

In the liminal distance between what others call us and what we call ourselves, there is a choice. We can see ourselves as lion-killers, or we can be lion chow. This day is going to attack you. Let it hear you roar. Let it feel your hot breath. Let it regret it ever raised a paw to you. Let God empower you to overcome every evil, every argument, everything that opposes his grace and truth. 

Also, don’t pick unnecessary fights, don’t live a combative life, and be nice to everybody.  

My mother would want me to throw in that last part. 

One last note: My Lady Lion and I enjoyed an African safari last fall. If you know the pride of my life and have been to her office recently, you have seen a large canvas photo of the lion we got up close and personal with. He was ten feet away, drowsy from a full belly and in desperate need of a nap. He was regal, majestic, and not to be messed with. 

Lions are largely lethargic during the day. They hunt at night. A male lion’s roar can be heard up to twenty miles away. Sometimes you’re the lion, sometimes you’re the lion’s chow, sometimes you’re the lion tamer, and sometimes you’re the lion killer. Let’s not confuse the roles or choose the wrong one at the wrong time or for the wrong duration. 

Benaiah killed a lion in a pit on a snowy day. Awesome. We have no record of him ever trying that again. Just a thought. 

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I will only kill lions with necessary; otherwise, I will let them and sleeping dogs lie.

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Our Father, I do not want to be lion chow. I’m not interested in lion killing. I’m not interested in acts of unnecessary derring-do. What I want and need is the proper perspective on the challenges ahead of me today. Combine that with the strength I need to win those challenges in a manner that honors you and encourages others. Empower me to live the kind of life that empowers those closest to me with courage and restraint, compassion and kindness. Amen.