2 Samuel 23:13-17 Meaning: The Water That Became a Sacrifice
13Three of the thirty chief men went down, and came to David in the harvest time to the cave of Adullam; and the troop of the Philistines was encamped in the valley of Rephaim.
14David was then in the stronghold; and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem.
15David said longingly, “Oh that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!”
16The 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 Yahweh.
17He said, “Be it far from me, Yahweh, that I should do this! Isn’t this the blood of the men who risked their lives to go?” Therefore he would not drink it. The three mighty men did these things.
13And three of the thirty chief went down, and came to David in the harvest time unto the cave of Adullam: and the troop of the Philistines pitched in the valley of Rephaim.
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!
16And 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.
17And 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.
13And three of the thirty chief men went down, and came to David in the harvest time unto the cave of Adullam; and the troop of the Philistines was encamped in the valley of Rephaim.
14And David was then in the stronghold; and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Beth-lehem.
15And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me water to drink of the well of Beth-lehem, which is by the gate!
16And 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.
17And he said, Be it far from me, O Jehovah, that I should do this: shall I drink the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did the three mighty men.
13And three of the thirty heads go down and come unto the harvest, unto David, unto the cave of Adullam, and the company of the Philistines are encamping in the valley of Rephaim,
14and David is then in a fortress, and the station of the Philistines is then in Beth-Lehem,
15and David longeth and saith, `Who doth give me a drink of the water of the well of Beth-Lehem, which is by the gate?'
16And 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,
17and saith, `Far be it from me, O Jehovah, to do this; is it the blood of the men who are going with their lives?' and he was not willing to drink it; these things did the three mighty ones.
13And three of the thirty chiefs went down, and came to David in the harvest time to the cave of Adullam, when the troop of the Philistines was encamped in the valley of Rephaim.
14And David was then in the stronghold; and the Philistines' garrison was then at Bethlehem.
15And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me to drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, which is in the gate!
16And 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.
17And he said, Be it far from me, Jehovah, that I should do this thing! is it not the blood of the men that went at the risk of their lives? Therefore he would not drink it. These things did the three mighty men.
Meaning in one sentence
In this story, David's longing for water leads three men to risk their lives. He pours it out to God, honoring their sacrifice.
Context
The chapter comes near the end of David's life. It lists the exploits of his most trusted warriors. Earlier we hear of Josheb-Basshebeth, Eleazar, and Shammah, men who stood alone against the Philistines. Here, during harvest time, David is holed up in the cave of Adullam. The Philistines have captured Bethlehem, his hometown. David speaks aloud a simple wish: he would love a drink from the well by the gate of Bethlehem. Three of his elite men hear him. Without being commanded, they break through the enemy camp, draw the water, and bring it back. But when David sees what they have done, he refuses to drink. Instead he pours the water out as an offering to the Lord. He calls it the blood of men who risked their lives.
Key Words
The verse uses a word for longing that runs deeper than polite conversation. The Hebrew avah means to crave or yearn intensely, like a body desperate for water. David was not being dramatic, he was simply honest about his thirst. That honest longing, uttered without demand, moved his men to action.
When they broke through the Philistine camp, the verb baqa is used, to split open, to rip through. These men did not sneak around; they tore into the enemy, risking everything for a single drink.
And David calls their venture the cost of their lives. The word nephesh means soul, breath, the whole self. He saw water, but he saw something else too: the price it took to get it. The water had become sacred, soaked in their willingness to die.
How Christians Read This Verse
Matthew Henry, the Reformed commentator, wrote that David poured out the water as a drink offering, acknowledging God's goodness in preserving the lives of his men. Wesley, from the Methodist tradition, said David would not drink lest he seem to place too high a value on his own comfort or too low a value on their courage. In Catholic tradition, some see a parallel to the Eucharist: water bought with blood, given to God before it could be consumed. Orthodox readers sometimes treat this as a model of holy restraint, when something costs others dearly, we hold it with reverence. Across traditions, Christians have agreed: David was not rejecting the gift; he was lifting it to the only One worthy of such sacrifice.
A common misunderstanding
A common misreading is that David rejected the water out of ingratitude, wasting the men's heroic effort. In fact, David was honoring them. He said, “Isn’t this the blood of the men who risked their lives?” By pouring the water out to the Lord, he treated it as sacred. He refused to let something so costly serve his own thirst.
Living This Out
This week, consider a gift someone has given you at real cost to themselves, perhaps their time, a listening ear, or financial help. Before you simply use it, stop and name the sacrifice. Pray a quiet thanks to God for that person. You might even tell them what their gift cost them and how much you see it. David refused to drink what was bought with blood; we can learn to receive costly gifts with awe, not convenience. Honor the giver by lifting the gift to God before you take it for yourself.
Main takeaway: The costliest gifts are not for our consumption; they belong to God, and we honor the giver by offering them back to Him.
For Families
For ages 5, 8
David was very thirsty. Three brave men went through the enemy camp to get him water. But David didn't drink it, he poured it out for God because it was too precious.
For ages 9, 12
These warriors risked their lives to bring David water from his hometown well. But David said, “This is like drinking their blood.” He poured it out as a gift to God. He wanted to honor both God and the men. It teaches us not to treat costly sacrifices as ordinary, they belong to God.
Questions People Ask
Why did David pour out the water instead of drinking it?
David saw the water as the blood of the men who risked their lives. He felt unworthy to drink something so costly. Instead he offered it to God as a sacred libation, honoring both God and the men.
Who were the three mighty men in 2 Samuel 23?
The text does not name them here. Many commentators think they were Abishai, Benaiah, and a third unnamed warrior, possibly promoted from the thirty as a reward for this feat. The names of the first triad, Josheb-Basshebeth, Eleazar, and Shammah, appear earlier in the chapter.
What is the well of Bethlehem?
It was the water source of David's hometown, located near the gate. David knew it well. At the time, the Philistines held Bethlehem, so the well was behind enemy lines. Local tradition still points to an ancient cistern north of Bethlehem called David's Well.
How does this story relate to 1 Chronicles 11?
The same event appears in 1 Chronicles 11:15-19 with almost identical wording. There, David says, “My God forbid me, that I should do this! Should I drink the blood of these men who have put their lives in jeopardy?” The Chronicles version confirms that David poured out the water as an offering to the Lord.
Does 'poured it out unto the Lord' mean a literal sacrifice?
Yes. David made a drink offering, similar to how wine or oil was poured out in worship. He gave the water back to God as a symbol of the men's sacrifice. It was an act of worship, not waste.
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