Revised Literal Translation
2 Samuel 23:16
16And the three mighty men brake through the army of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Beth–lehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto Yhwh.
2 Samuel 23:16 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Beth–lehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the Lord.
- New International Version (NIV)So the three mighty warriors broke through the Philistine lines, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem and carried it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out before the Lord.
- English Standard Version (ESV)Then 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
- New King James Version (NKJV)So 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.
Context of 2 Samuel 23:16
14And David was then in an hold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Beth–lehem. 15And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Beth–lehem, which is by the gate! And the three mighty men brake through the army of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Beth–lehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto Yhwh. 17And he said, Be it far from me, O Yhwh, 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. 18And Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief among three. And he lifted up his spear against three hundred, and slew them, and had the name among three.
Read all of 2 Samuel 232 Samuel 23:16 word by word
וַיִּבְקְעוּ֩ שְׁלֹ֨שֶׁת הַגִּבֹּרִ֜ים בְּמַחֲנֵ֣ה פְלִשְׁתִּ֗ים וַיִּֽשְׁאֲבוּ־מַ֙יִם֙ מִבֹּ֤אר בֵּֽית־לֶ֙חֶם֙ אֲשֶׁ֣ר בַּשַּׁ֔עַר וַיִּשְׂא֖וּ וַיָּבִ֣אוּ אֶל־דָּוִ֑ד וְלֹ֤א אָבָה֙ לִשְׁתּוֹתָ֔ם וַיַּסֵּ֥ךְ אֹתָ֖ם לַֽיהוָֽה׃Read the interlinear
- And the threeשָׁלֹשׁshâlôsh shâlôsh shelôshâh shelôshâh · threeH7969
- mighty menגִּבּוֹרgibbôr gibbôr · mighty manH1368
- brake throughבָּקַעbâqa‛ · to break up/openH1234
- the armyמַחֲנֶהmachăneh · campH4264
- of the Philistinesפְּלִשְׁתִּיpelishtîy · PhilistineH6430
- and drewשָׁאַבshâ'ab · to drawH7579
- waterמַיmayim · waterH4325
- out of the wellבּוֹרbôr · pitH953
- of Beth–lehemבֵּית לֶ֫חֶםbêyth lechem · BethlehemH1035
- by the gateשַׁ֫עַרsha‛ar · gateH8179
- and tookנָשָׂאnâώâ' nâsâh · to lift: bearH5375
- and broughtבּוֹאbô' · to come (in): bringH935
- to Davidדָּוִדdâvid dâvîyd · DavidH1732
- nevertheless he wouldאָבָה'âbâh · be willingH14
- not drinkשָׁתָהshâthâh · to drinkH8354
- thereof, but poured it outנָסַךְnâsak · to pourH5258
- unto Yhwhיְהֹוָהyehôvâh · LORDH3068
Cross-references for 2 Samuel 23:16
- 2 Samuel 23:9And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men with David, when they defied the Philistines that were there gathered together to battle, and the men of Israel were gone away:
- 1 Samuel 19:5For he did put his life in his hand, and slew the Philistine, And Yhwh wrought a great salvation for all Israel: thou sawest it, and didst rejoice: wherefore then wilt thou sin against innocent blood, to slay David without a cause?
- Acts 20:24But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.
- Romans 5:7For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.
- 2 Corinthians 5:14For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:
- Numbers 28:7And the drink offering thereof shall be the fourth part of an hin for the one lamb: in the holy place shalt thou cause the strong wine to be poured unto Yhwh for a drink offering.
- 1 Samuel 7:6And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured it out before Yhwh, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against Yhwh. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpeh.
- Lamentations 2:19Arise, cry out in the night: in the beginning of the watches pour out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord: lift up thy hands toward him for the life of thy young children, that faint for hunger in the top of every street.
- Philippians 2:17Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all.
Commentaries on 2 Samuel 23:16
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 16Poured it out unto the Lord - To make libations, both of water and wine, was a frequent custom among the heathens. We have an almost similar account in Arrian's Life of Alexander: "When his army was greatly oppressed with heat and thirst, a soldier brought him a cup of water; he ordered it to be carried back, saying, I cannot bear to drink alone while so many are in want, and this cup is too small to be divided among the whole." Tunc poculo pleno sicut…Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 16Brake through the host - Their camp was pitched in the valley of Rephaim 2 Samuel 23:13; 1 Chronicles 11:15. It follows from this that the way from Adullam to Bethlehem lay through or across the valley of Rephaim. Poured it out unto the Lord - It was too costly for his own use, none but the Lord was worthy of it. For libations, see Judges 6:20 note.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. 15-16longed … and said: This Hebrew verb often means strong desire (see Numbers 11:4, had a strong craving; Psalm 106:14, craved intensely). It is unclear whether David’s craving for water was excessive, but it did lead to risky actions. well near the gate: David had memories from his younger days of growing up in Bethlehem. The location of the well is unknown.Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 15-1615-16. the well of Beth-lehem--An ancient cistern, with four or five holes in the solid rock, at about ten minutes distance to the north of the eastern corner of the hill of Beth-lehem, is pointed out by the natives as Bir-Daoud; that is, David's well. Dr. Robinson doubts the identity of the well; but others think that there are no good grounds for doing so. Certainly, considering this to be the ancient well, Beth-lehem must have once extended ten minutes…Read the comment
Topics related to 2 Samuel 23:16
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
Revised Literal Translation — © 2018 Michael W. Jones, Sr. — GPL
Commentaries