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.
• 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.
• New Living Translation (NLT)“The Lord forbid that I should drink this!” he exclaimed. “This water is as precious as the blood of these men who risked their lives to bring it to me.” So David did not drink it. These are examples of the exploits of the Three.

Context of 2 Samuel 23:17

15And David said longingly, "Oh, that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem that is by the gate!" 16Then the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate and carried and brought it to David. But he would not drink of it. He poured it out to the Lord 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. 18Now Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the thirty. And he wielded his spear against three hundred men and killed them and won a name beside the three. 19He was the most renowned of the thirty and became their commander, but he did not attain to 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 from me, far be it, that I should swallow up or destroy!
• Genesis 44:17But he said, "Far be it from me that I should do so! Only the man in whose hand the cup was found shall be my servant. But as for you, go up in peace to your father."
• 1 Samuel 2:30Therefore the Lord, the God of Israel, declares: 'I promised that your house and the house of your father should go in and out 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 shall be lightly esteemed.
• 1 Samuel 26:11The Lord forbid that I should put out my hand against the Lord's anointed. But take now the spear that is at his head and the jar of water, and let us go."
• 1 Kings 21:3But Naboth said to Ahab, "The Lord forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers."
• 1 Chronicles 11:19and said, "Far be it from me before my God that I should do this. Shall I drink the lifeblood of these men? For at the risk of their lives they brought it." Therefore he would not drink it. These things did the three mighty men.
• Genesis 9:4But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood.
• Leviticus 17:10"If any one of the house of Israel or of the strangers who sojourn among them eats any blood, I will set my face against that person who eats blood and will cut him off from among his people.
• Psalms 72:14From oppression and violence he redeems their life, and precious is their blood in his sight.
• Matthew 26:28for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
• Mark 14:24And he said to them, "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.
• John 6:52The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"
• Judges 5:18Zebulun is a people who risked their lives to the death; Naphtali, too, on the heights of the field.
• 1 Corinthians 15:30Why are we in danger 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

• 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