“B’nayahu the son of Y’hoyada was in charge of the K’reti and P’leti [serving as the king’s bodyguards], and David’s sons were cohanim.”-2 Samuel 8:18
The last verse of 2nd Samuel Chapter 8 is mysterious.
We’re told a dude named B’nayahu was placed in authority over the Kreti and P’leti.
The Complete Jewish Bible goes out of its way to tell us these were David’s bodyguards.
This means David had hired two groups of Gentiles to serve as his bodyguards.
There was nothing strange about this.
First, it was normal for a king to have his own personal protection squad.
Second, foreigners usually served in this capacity.
Why?
Because they were neutral when it came to political loyalties.
They could’ve cared less who was king.
As long as they got paid, they were as happy as the unkosher clams they were.
The situation would’ve been quite different if trying to hire bodyguards from among the local Hebrew tribes or clans.
Each tribe would’ve pushed for their own in the royal palace, fueling discord, jealousy, and political friction.
This also increased the risk of a coup.
So it was much better to go with a neutral Gentile party who didn’t have any axes to grind.
Notice also that David separated this gentile police force from the military.
Later, B’nayahu would replace Yo’av as Israel’s military commander.
This would happen under King Solomon.
So what takeaway can we extract from all of this?
Simple.
A wise leader knows how to manage power in practical ways when necessary.
David understood that loyalty and stability mattered more than personal ties.
By choosing neutral bodyguards and separating roles, he kept politics from weakening his kingdom.
It’s a reminder that the best decisions aren’t about favoritism…
But about what truly keeps things secure and fair.
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