2 Samuel 23:16

16 Therefore (the) three strong men brake into the tents of Philistines, and drew water of the cistern of Bethlehem, that was beside the gate, and they brought it to David; and he would not drink, but offered it to the Lord, (And so The Three broke into the camp of the Philistines, and drew water out of the cistern of Bethlehem, that was beside the gate, and they brought it to David; but he would not drink it, but offered it to the Lord,)

2 Samuel 23:16 Meaning and Commentary

2 Samuel 23:16

And the three mighty men brake through the host of the
Philistines
Which lay in the valley of Rephaim, between the hold in which David was and the well of Bethlehem; these three men hearing David express himself in the above manner, though without any view that any should risk their lives to obtain it, only in a general way said, oh for a draught of the water of the well of Bethlehem! immediately set out, and made their way through the army of the Philistines to the well:

and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, that [was] by the gate,
and took [it], and brought [it] to David;
in a vessel which they probably carried with them for that purpose:

nevertheless he would not drink thereof;
because, say they who take these words in a spiritual sense, it was not this water, but spiritual water, he desired: but the reason is given in ( 2 Samuel 23:17 ) :

but poured it out unto the Lord;
as a libation to him, it being rather blood than water, being fetched at the hazard of men's lives, and therefore more fit to be offered as a sacrifice to God than to be drank by him; and this he might do in thankfulness to God for preserving the lives of the men. Gersom thinks it was now the feast of tabernacles, which was the feast of ingathering the fruits of the earth, when great quantities of water were drawn and poured out at the altar, which was done to obtain the blessing of the former rain; (See Gill on John 7:37) and (See Gill on John 7:38).

2 Samuel 23:16 In-Context

14 And David was in a stronghold; and the station of Philistines was then in Bethlehem. (And David was in a stronghold; and a Philistine garrison was at Bethlehem.

15 Then David desired water of the well (Then David desired water out of the cistern), and said, (O!) If any man would give to me (a) drink of the water (out) of the cistern, which is in Bethlehem, beside the gate.

16 Therefore (the) three strong men brake into the tents of Philistines, and drew water of the cistern of Bethlehem, that was beside the gate, and they brought it to David; and he would not drink, but offered it to the Lord, (And so The Three broke into the camp of the Philistines, and drew water out of the cistern of Bethlehem, that was beside the gate, and they brought it to David; but he would not drink it, but offered it to the Lord,)

17 and said, The Lord be merciful to me, that I do not this; whether I shall drink the blood of these men, that went forth, and the peril of their lives? Therefore he would not drink. (The) Three full strong men did these things. (and said, May the Lord be merciful to me, so that I do not do this; for should I drink the blood of these men, who went down there, risking their own lives? And so he would not drink it. The Three did these things.)

18 Also Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was prince of [the] three; he it is that raised his spear against three hundred men, which he killed; he was named among [the] three, (And Abishai, Joab's brother, the son of Zeruiah, was the leader of The Thirty; it was he who raised up his spear against three hundred men, whom he killed; he had the famous name among The Thirty,)