New King James Version
2 Samuel 23:17
17And 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.
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 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 with longing, “Oh, that someone would give me a drink of the water from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!” 16So the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines, drew water from the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate, and took it and brought it to David. Nevertheless he would not drink it, but poured it out to the Lord. 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. 18Now Abishai the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of another three. He lifted his spear against three hundred men, killed them, and won a name among these three. 19Was he not the most honored of three? Therefore he became their captain. However, he did not attain to the first 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 20:20And Joab answered and said, “Far be it, far be it from me, that I should swallow up or destroy!
- Genesis 44:17But he said, “Far be it from me that I should do so; the man in whose hand the cup was found, he shall be my slave. And as for you, go up in peace to your father.”
- 1 Samuel 2:30Therefore the Lord God of Israel says: ‘I said indeed that your house and the house of your father would walk before Me forever.’ But now the Lord says: ‘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 stretch out my hand against the Lord’s anointed. But please, take now the spear and the jug of water that are by his head, and let us go.”
- 1 Kings 21:3But Naboth said to Ahab, “The Lord forbid that I should give the inheritance of my fathers to you!”
- 1 Chronicles 11:19And he said, “Far be it from me, O my God, that I should do this! Shall I drink the blood of these men who have put their lives in jeopardy? For at the risk of their lives they brought it.” Therefore he would not drink it. These things were done by the three mighty men.
- Genesis 9:4But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood.
- Leviticus 17:10‘And whatever man of the house of Israel, or of the strangers who dwell among you, who eats any blood, I will set My face against that person who eats blood, and will cut him off from among his people.
- Psalms 72:14He will redeem their life from oppression and violence; And precious shall be their blood in His sight.
- Matthew 26:28For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
- Mark 14:24And He said to them, “This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many.
- John 6:52The Jews therefore quarreled among themselves, saying, “How can this Man give us His flesh to eat?”
- Judges 5:18Zebulun is a people who jeopardized their lives to the point of death, Naphtali also, on the heights of the battlefield.
- 1 Corinthians 15:30And why do we stand in jeopardy 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
New King James Version — © 1982 Thomas Nelson, Inc
Commentaries