New English Translation
2 Samuel 23:17
17and said, “O Lord, I will not do this! It is equivalent to the blood of the men who risked their lives by going.” So he refused to drink it. Such were the exploits of the three elite warriors.
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 was thirsty and said, “How I wish someone would give me some water to drink from the cistern in Bethlehem near the gate!” 16So the three elite warriors broke through the Philistine forces and drew some water from the cistern in Bethlehem near the gate. They carried it back to David, but he refused to drink it. He poured it out as a drink offering to the Lord and said, “O Lord, I will not do this! It is equivalent to the blood of the men who risked their lives by going.” So he refused to drink it. Such were the exploits of the three elite warriors. 18Abishai son of Zeruiah, the brother of Joab, was head of the three. He killed three hundred men with his spear and gained fame among the three. 19From the three he was given honor and he became their officer, even though he was not one of 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
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, “Get serious! I don’t want to swallow up or destroy anything!
- Genesis 44:17But Joseph said, “Far be it from me to do this! The man in whose hand the cup was found will become my slave, but the rest of you may go back to your father in peace.”
- 1 Samuel 2:30Therefore the Lord, the God of Israel, says, ‘I really did say that your house and your ancestor’s house would serve me forever.’ But now the Lord says, ‘May it never be! For I will honor those who honor me, but those who despise me will be cursed!
- 1 Samuel 26:11But may the Lord prevent me from extending my hand against the Lord’s chosen one! Now take the spear by Saul’s head and the jug of water, and let’s get out of here!”
- 1 Kings 21:3But Naboth replied to Ahab, “The Lord forbid that I should sell you my ancestral inheritance.”
- 1 Chronicles 11:19and said, “God forbid that I should do this! Should I drink the blood of these men who risked their lives?” Because they risked their lives to bring it to him, he refused to drink it. Such were the exploits of the three elite warriors.
- Genesis 9:4But you must not eat meat with its life (that is, its blood) in it.
- Leviticus 17:10“‘Any man from the house of Israel or from the foreigners who reside in their midst who eats any blood, I will set my face against that person who eats the blood, and I will cut him off from the midst of his people,
- Psalms 72:14From harm and violence he will defend them; he will value their lives.
- Matthew 26:28for this is my blood, the blood of the covenant, that is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
- Mark 14:24He said to them, “This is my blood, the blood of the covenant, that is poured out for many.
- John 6:52Then the Jews who were hostile to Jesus began to argue with one another, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?”
- Judges 5:18The men of Zebulun were not concerned about their lives; Naphtali charged on to the battlefields.
- 1 Corinthians 15:30Why too 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
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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