2 Samuel 23:16

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,

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 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,

17 saying, “Far be it from me, O LORD, to do this! Is this not the blood of the men who risked their lives?” So he refused to drink it. Such were the exploits of the three mighty men.

18 Now Abishai, the brother of Joab and son of Zeruiah, was chief of the Three, and he wielded his spear against three hundred men, killed them, and won a name along with the Three.