2 Samuel 23:14

14 At that time David was in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines 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.

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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 At harvest time, three of the thirty chief men went down to David at the cave of Adullam, while a company of Philistines was encamped in the Valley of Rephaim.

14 At that time David was in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was at Bethlehem.

15 David longed for water and said, “Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!”

16 So 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,