2 Samuel 23 · Verse 16

2 Samuel 23:16

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.
2 Samuel 23:16, King James Version

2 Samuel 23:16 in other translations

BSBSo 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,
WEBThe three mighty men broke through the army of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate and took it and brought it to David; but he would not drink of it, but poured it out to the LORD.
ASVAnd 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: but he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto Jehovah.
YLTAnd the three mighty ones cleave through the camp of the Philistines, and draw water out of the well of Beth-Lehem, which is by the gate, and take it up, and bring in unto David; and he was not willing to drink it, and poureth it out to Jehovah,
DARBYAnd the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, which is in the gate, and took it, and brought it to David; however he would not drink of it, but poured it out to Jehovah.
BBEAnd the three men, forcing their way through the Philistine army, got water from the water-hole of Beth-lehem, by the doorway into the town, and took it back to David: but he would not take it, but, draining it out, made an offering of it to the Lord.
WebsterAnd the three mighty men broke 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 of it, but poured it out to the LORD.

What does 2 Samuel 23:16 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown on 2 Samuel 23:15-16

15-16. 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…

Read the full comment on 2 Samuel 23:15-16 →

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 16 Poured 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 oblatum est reddito: Non solus, inquit, bibere sustineo, nec tam exiguum dividere omnibus possum. - Arrian, lib. vi. The example was noble in both cases, but David added piety to bravery; he poured it out unto the Lord.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on 2 Samuel 23:8-39

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…

Read the full comment on 2 Samuel 23:8-39 →

2 Samuel 23:16 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

וַיִּבְקְעוּ֩vai.yiv.ke.'Uand they broke throughH1234
שְׁלֹ֨שֶׁתshe.Lo.shet[the] threeH7969
הַגִּבֹּרִ֜יםha.gi.bo.Rimthe warriorsH1368
בְּמַחֲנֵ֣הbe.ma.cha.Nehin [the] camp ofH4264
פְלִשְׁתִּ֗יםfe.lish.Tim[the] PhilistinesH6430
וַיִּֽשְׁאֲבוּ\־vai.yish.'a.vu-and they drewH7579
מַ֙יִם֙ma.yimwaterH4325
מִבֹּ֤ארmi.Borfrom [the] well ofH877
בֵּֽית\־beit-Beth-H1035
לֶ֙חֶם֙le.chem-lehemH1035
אֲשֶׁ֣ר'a.SherwhichH834
בַּשַּׁ֔עַרba.Sha.'ar[was] at the gateH8179
וַיִּשְׂא֖וּvai.yis.'Uand they carried [it]H5375
וַיָּבִ֣אוּvai.ya.Vi.'uand they brought [it]H935
אֶל\־'el-toH413
דָּוִ֑דda.VidDavidH1732
וְלֹ֤אve.Lo'and notH3808
אָבָה֙'a.Vahhe was willingH14
לִשְׁתּוֹתָ֔םlish.to.Tamto drink themH8354
וַיַּסֵּ֥ךְvai.ya.Sekhand he poured outH5258
אֹתָ֖ם'o.Tam<obj.> themH853
לַֽיהוָֽה\׃la.Yah.wehto YahwehH3068

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for 2 Samuel 23:16

  • Genesis 35:14

    And Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he talked with him, even a pillar of stone: and he poured a drink offering thereon, and he poured oil thereon.

  • 2 Corinthians 5:14

    For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:

  • 1 Samuel 7:6

    And they gathered together to Mizpeh, and drew water, and poured it out before the Lord, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against the Lord. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpeh.

  • Philippians 2:17

    Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all.

  • Numbers 28:7

    And 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 the Lord for a drink offering.

  • Romans 5:7

    For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.

  • Lamentations 2:19

    Arise, 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.

  • Acts 20:24

    But 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.

  • 2 Samuel 23:9

    And 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 19:5

    For he did put his life in his hand, and slew the Philistine, and the Lord 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?

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
the three.
9; 1Sa 19:5; Ac 20:24; Ro 5:7; 2Co 5:14
poured it.
Nu 28:7; 1Sa 7:6; La 2:19; Php 2:17

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • 2 Samuel 23:15

    And 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!

  • 2 Samuel 23:16

    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.

  • 2 Samuel 23:17

    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.

Read all of 2 Samuel 23

2 Samuel 23:16 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909
Entonces los tres valientes rompieron por el campo de los Filisteos, y sacaron agua de la cisterna de Beth-lehem, que estaba á la puerta; y tomaron, y trajéronla á David: mas él no la quiso beber, sino derramóla á Jehová, diciendo:
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885
Et les trois hommes forts forcèrent le passage à travers le camp des Philistins, et puisèrent de l’eau du puits de Bethléhem, qui est près de la porte, et la prirent et l’apportèrent à David; et il ne voulut pas la boire, mais il en fit une libation à l’ Éternel.
German
Elberfelder 1871
Da brachen die drei Helden durch das Lager der Philister und schöpften Wasser aus der Cisterne von Bethlehem, die am Tore ist, und trugen und brachten es zu David. Aber er wollte es nicht trinken und goß es aus als Trankopfer dem Jehova;
Latin
Clementine Vulgate
Irruperunt ergo tres fortes castra Philisthinorum, et hauserunt aquam de cisterna Bethlehem, quæ erat juxta portam, et attulerunt ad David: at ille noluit bibere, sed libavit eam Domino,