2 Samuel 23:17

2 Samuel 23:17 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)And he said, Be it far from me, O Lord, that I should do this: is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men.
• New International Version (NIV)“Far be it from me, Lord, to do this!” he said. “Is it not the blood of men who went at the risk of their lives?” And David would not drink it. Such were the exploits of the three mighty warriors.
• English Standard Version (ESV)and said, "Far be it from me, O Lord, that I should do this. Shall I drink the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives?" Therefore he would not drink it. These things the three mighty men did.
• New King James Version (NKJV)And he said, “Far be it from me, O Lord, that I should do this! Is this not the blood of the men who went in jeopardy of their lives?” Therefore he would not drink it. These things were done by the three mighty men.

Context of 2 Samuel 23:17

15And David had a craving and said, “Oh that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!” 16So the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines, and drew water from the well of Bethlehem by the gate, and carried and brought it to David. But he would not drink it, but poured it out [in worship] to the Lord. And he said, “Far be it from me, O Lord, that I should drink this. [Is it not the same as] the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives?” So he would not drink it. These things the three mighty men did. 18Now Abishai the brother of Joab the son of Zeruiah was chief of the thirty. He wielded his spear against three hundred men and killed them, and gained a reputation beside the three. 19He was the most honored of the thirty, so he became their commander; however, he did not attain to the [greatness of the] three.

2 Samuel 23:17 word by word

וַיֹּ֡אמֶר חָלִילָה֩ לִּ֨י יְהוָ֜ה מֵעֲשֹׂ֣תִי זֹ֗את הֲדַ֤ם הָֽאֲנָשִׁים֙ הַהֹלְכִ֣ים בְּנַפְשׁוֹתָ֔ם וְלֹ֥א אָבָ֖ה לִשְׁתּוֹתָ֑ם אֵ֣לֶּה עָשׂ֔וּ שְׁלֹ֖שֶׁת הַגִּבֹּרִֽים׃ סRead the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• And he saidאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
• Be it farחָלִ֫ילָהchâlîylâh châlilâh · forbidH2486
• from me, O Lordיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
• that I should doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
• the bloodדָּםdâm · bloodH1818
• of the menאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
• that wentהָלַךְhâlak · to go: wentH1980
• in jeopardy of their livesנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: lifeH5315
• therefore he wouldאָבָה'âbâh · be willingH14
• not drinkשָׁתָהshâthâh · to drinkH8354
• these threeשָׁלֹשׁshâlôsh shâlôsh shelôshâh shelôshâh · threeH7969
• mighty menגִּבּוֹרgibbôr gibbôr · mighty manH1368

Cross-references for 2 Samuel 23:17

• 2 Samuel 20:20Joab answered, “Far be it, far be it from me that I would swallow up or destroy!
• Genesis 44:17But Joseph said, “Far be it from me that I should do that; but the man in whose hand the cup has been found, he will be my servant; and as for [the rest of] you, get up and go in peace to your father.”
• 1 Samuel 2:30Therefore the Lord God of Israel declares, ‘I did indeed say that your house and that of [Aaron] your father would walk [in priestly service] before Me forever.’ But now the Lord declares, ‘Far be it from Me—for those who honor Me I will honor, and those who despise Me will be insignificant and contemptible.
• 1 Samuel 26:11The Lord forbid that I would put out my hand against the Lord’s anointed; but now take the spear that is by his head and the jug of water, and let us go.”
• 1 Kings 21:3But Naboth said to Ahab, “The Lord forbid me that I should give the inheritance of my fathers to you.”
• 1 Chronicles 11:19and he said, “Far be it from me before my God that I would do this thing! Shall I drink the blood of these men who have put their lives in jeopardy? For they brought it at the risk of their lives.” So he would not drink it. These things the three mighty men did.
• Genesis 9:4But you shall not eat meat along with its life, that is, its blood.
• Leviticus 17:10‘Any man from the house of Israel, or any stranger living temporarily among you, who eats any blood, against that person I shall set My face and I will cut him off from his people [excluding him from the atonement made for them].
• Psalms 72:14He will redeem their life from oppression and fraud and violence, And their blood will be precious in His sight.
• Matthew 26:28for this is My blood of the [new and better] covenant, which [ratifies the agreement and] is being poured out for many [as a substitutionary atonement] for the forgiveness of sins.
• Mark 14:24And He said to them, “This is My blood of the [new] covenant, [My blood] which is being poured out for many [for the forgiveness of sins].
• John 6:52Then the Jews began to argue with one another, saying, “How can this man give us His flesh to eat?”
• Judges 5:18But Zebulun was a people who risked their lives to the [point of] death; Naphtali also, on the heights of the field.
• 1 Corinthians 15:30[For that matter] why are we [running such risks and putting ourselves] in danger [nearly] every hour [if there is no resurrection]?

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 23:17

• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 17Better as in 1 Chronicles 11:19.Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 8-39Verses 8-39 David once earnestly longed for the water at the well of Bethlehem. It seems to be an instance of weakness. He was thirsty; with the water of that well he had often refreshed himself when a youth, and it was without due thought that he desired it. Were his valiant men so forward to expose themselves, upon the least hint of their prince's mind, and so eager to please him, and shall not we long to approve ourselves to our Lord Jesus, by ready…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 17Is this not the blood of the men: When David poured the water onto the ground, this action did not show ingratitude. Instead, the water had been brought back at the risk of the warriors’ lives. David treated the water as equal to their blood. In this way, the water represented life itself, which belongs to God alone and must not be consumed by humans (Leviticus 17:10–13; Deuteronomy 12:23–24).Read the comment

Topics related to 2 Samuel 23:17

• Armies
• Unselfishness

In the dictionaries

• Bethlehem
• David
• Giants
• Hareth
• Jashobeam
• Rephaim, Valley of
• Sure
• Troop
• Abishai
• Adullam

Commentaries on 2 Samuel 23

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings