Berean Standard Bible
2 Samuel 23:17
17saying, “Far be it from me, O LORD, to do this! Is this not the blood of the men who risked their lives?” So he refused to drink it.
Such were the exploits of the three mighty men.
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
15David longed for water and said, “Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!” 16So the three mighty men broke through the Philistine camp, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem, and brought it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out to the LORD, saying, “Far be it from me, O LORD, to do this! Is this not the blood of the men who risked their lives?” So he refused to drink it. Such were the exploits of the three mighty men. 18Now Abishai, the brother of Joab and son of Zeruiah, was chief of the Three, and he wielded his spear against three hundred men, killed them, and won a name along with the Three. 19Was he not more honored than the Three? And he became their commander, even though he was not included among the Three.
Read all of 2 Samuel 232 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
- sayingאָמַר'âmar · to sayH559
- Far be itחָלִ֫ילָהchâlîylâh châlilâh · forbidH2486
- O LORDיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
- to doעָשָׂה‛âώâh · to make: doH6213
- thisזֹאתzô'th · thisH2063
- Is this not the bloodדָּםdâm · bloodH1818
- of the menאֱנוֹשׁ'ĕnôsh · humanH582
- of the menהָלַךְhâlak · to go: wentH1980
- who risked their livesנֶ֫פֶשׁnephesh · soul: lifeH5315
- So he refusedלֹאlô' lô' lôh · notH3808
- So he refusedאָבָה'âbâh · be willingH14
- to drink itשָׁתָהshâthâh · to drinkH8354
- Suchאֵ֫לֶּה'êlleh · theseH428
- of the threeשָׁלֹשׁshâlôsh shâlôsh shelôshâh shelôshâh · threeH7969
- mighty menגִּבּוֹרgibbôr gibbôr · mighty manH1368
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 23:17
- 2 Samuel 20:20“Far be it!” Joab declared. “Far be it from me to swallow up or destroy!
- Genesis 44:17But Joseph replied, “Far be it from me to do this. The man who was found with the cup will be my slave. The rest of you may return to your father in peace.”
- 1 Samuel 2:30Therefore, the LORD, the God of Israel, declares: ‘I did indeed say that your house and the house of your father would walk before Me forever. But now the LORD declares: Far be it from Me! For I will honor those who honor Me, but those who despise Me will be disdained.
- 1 Samuel 26:11But the LORD forbid that I should extend my hand against the LORD’s anointed. Instead, take the spear and water jug by his head, and let us go.”
- 1 Kings 21:3But Naboth replied, “The LORD forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers.”
- 1 Chronicles 11:19saying, “Far be it from me, my God, to do this! How can I drink the blood of these men who risked their lives?” Because they had brought it at the risk of their lives, David refused to drink it. Such were the exploits of the three mighty men.
- Genesis 9:4But you must not eat meat with its lifeblood still in it.
- Leviticus 17:10If anyone from the house of Israel or a foreigner living among them eats any blood, I will set My face against that person and cut him off from among his people.
- Psalms 72:14He will redeem them from oppression and violence, for their blood is precious in his sight.
- Matthew 26:28This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
- Mark 14:24He said to them, “This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.
- John 6:52At this, the Jews began to argue among themselves, “How can this man give us His flesh to eat?”
- Judges 5:18Zebulun was a people who risked their lives; Naphtali, too, on the heights of the battlefield.
- 1 Corinthians 15:30And why do we endanger ourselves every hour?
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
In the dictionaries
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
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