2 Samuel 23:17

17 dicens propitius mihi sit Dominus ne faciam hoc num sanguinem hominum istorum qui profecti sunt et animarum periculum bibam noluit ergo bibere haec fecerunt tres robustissimi

2 Samuel 23:17 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 23:17

And he said, be it far from me, O Lord, that one should do
this
Drink of the water these men had brought him:

[is not this] the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their
lives?
who risked the shedding of their blood, and went in danger of their lives to get it:

therefore he would not drink it:
some compare with this the story of Alexander ^F4 to whom a vessel of water was offered when in extreme thirst, which he refused, because he could not bear to drink it alone, and so small a quantity could not be divided among all about him; but the reasons are not the same:

these things did these three mighty men;
which made them very famous.

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FOOTNOTES:

F4 Curt. Hist. l. 7. c. 5.

2 Samuel 23:17 In-Context

15 desideravit igitur David et ait si quis mihi daret potum aquae de cisterna quae est in Bethleem iuxta portam

16 inruperunt ergo tres fortes castra Philisthinorum et hauserunt aquam de cisterna Bethleem quae erat iuxta portam et adtulerunt ad David at ille noluit bibere sed libavit illam Domino

17 dicens propitius mihi sit Dominus ne faciam hoc num sanguinem hominum istorum qui profecti sunt et animarum periculum bibam noluit ergo bibere haec fecerunt tres robustissimi

18 Abisai quoque frater Ioab filius Sarviae princeps erat de tribus ipse est qui elevavit hastam suam contra trecentos quos interfecit nominatus in tribus

19 et inter tres nobilior eratque eorum princeps sed usque ad tres primos non pervenera