מִן־הַשְּׁלֹשִׁ֣ים נִכְבָּ֔ד וְאֶל־הַשְּׁלֹשָׁ֖ה לֹא־בָ֑א וַיְשִׂמֵ֥הוּ דָוִ֖ד אֶל־מִשְׁמַעְתּֽוֹ׃ (ס)
He was more honourable than the thirty, but he attained not to the first three. And David set him over his guard.
Read midrashic interpretation of II Samuel 23:23: and classical rabbinic exegesis.