Shmuel Bais 23:17

17 And he said, Chalilah! (be it far from me), Hashem, that I should do this! Is not this the dahm of the anashim that went in jeopardy of their nafshot? Therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three gibborim.

Shmuel Bais 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.

Shmuel Bais 23:17 In-Context

15 And Dovid longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the mayim of the well of Beit-Lechem, which is by the sha’ar!

16 And the three gibborim broke through the machaneh of the Pelishtim, and drew mayim out of the well of Beit-Lechem, that was by the sha’ar, and took it, and brought it to Dovid; nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto Hashem.

17 And he said, Chalilah! (be it far from me), Hashem, that I should do this! Is not this the dahm of the anashim that went in jeopardy of their nafshot? Therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three gibborim.

18 And Avishai, the brother of Yoav Ben Tzeruyah, was chief among three. And he lifted up his khanit (spear) against three hundred, and slaughtered them, and had the shem among the Three.

19 Was he not most honored of the Three? Therefore he was their sar; howbeit he attained not unto the first three.