2 Samuel 23:14

14 At that time David was in the stronghold,^[a] and a Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem.

2 Samuel 23:14 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 23:14

And David [was] then in an hold
In a strong hold; the strong hold of Zion, as Josephus ^F24, or one on a rock near the cave of Adullam, see ( 1 Chronicles 11:15 ) ;

and the garrison of the Philistines [was] then [in] Bethlehem;
which was about six miles from Jerusalem; the valley of Rephaim lay between that and Bethlehem; so far had they got into the land of Judea, and such footing in it, as to have a garrison so near its metropolis.

---

FOOTNOTES:

F24 Antiqu. l. 7. c. 12. sect. 4.

2 Samuel 23:14 In-Context

12 but Shammah took his stand in the middle of the field, defended it, and struck down the Philistines. So the Lord brought about a great victory.

13 Three of the 30 leading [warriors] went down at harvest time and came to David at the cave of Adullam, while a company of Philistines was camping in the Valley of Rephaim.

14 At that time David was in the stronghold, and a Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem.

15 David was extremely thirsty and said, "If only someone would bring me water to drink from the well at the city gate of Bethlehem!"

16 So three of the warriors broke through the Philistine camp and drew water from the well at the gate of Bethlehem. They brought it back to David, but he refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out to the Lord.

Footnotes

• [a]. 2 Sm 5:9; 1 Sm 22:4-5