2 Samuel 23:16

What does 2 Samuel 23:16 mean?

A plain-English look at 2 Samuel 23:16 in WEB alongside six other public-domain English translations, with cross-references and chapter context.

Parallel translations

WEB

World English Bible · 2000

And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Beth-lehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: but he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto Jehovah.

KJV

King James Version · 1611

And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Beth–lehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: nevertheless he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto the Lord.

ASV

American Standard Version · 1901

And the three mighty men brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Beth-lehem, that was by the gate, and took it, and brought it to David: but he would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto Jehovah.

BBE

Bible in Basic English · 1949

And the three men, forcing their way through the Philistine army, got water from the water-hole of Beth-lehem, by the doorway into the town, and took it back to David: but he would not take it, but, draining it out, made an offering of it to the Lord.

YLT

Young's Literal Translation · 1862

And the three mighty ones cleave through the camp of the Philistines, and draw water out of the well of Beth-Lehem, which <FI>is<Fi> by the gate, and take <FI>it<Fi> up, and bring in unto David; and he was not willing to drink it, and poureth it out to Jehovah,

DRA

Douay-Rheims (Challoner) · 1752

And the three valiant men broke through the camp of the Philistines, and drew water out of the cistern of Bethlehem, that was by the gate, and brought it to David: but he would not drink, but offered it to the Lord,

DBY

Darby Bible · 1890

And the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, which is in the gate, and took it, and brought it to David; however he would not drink of it, but poured it out to Jehovah.

Context

v.15And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me water to drink of the well of Beth-lehem, which is by the gate!

v.16This passage

v.17And he said, Be it far from me, O Jehovah, that I should do this: shall I drink the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did the three mighty men.

Cross references

Related passages from across Scripture, drawn from the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.

  • Lamentations 2:19

    Arise, cry out in the night, at the beginning of the watches; Pour out thy heart like water before the face of the Lord: Lift up thy hands toward him for the life of thy young children, that faint for hunger at the head of every street.

  • Numbers 28:7

    And the drink-offering thereof shall be the fourth part of a hin for the one lamb: in the holy place shalt thou pour out a drink-offering of strong drink unto Jehovah.

  • 1 Samuel 7:6

    And they gathered together to Mizpah, and drew water, and poured it out before Jehovah, and fasted on that day, and said there, We have sinned against Jehovah. And Samuel judged the children of Israel in Mizpah.

  • 2 Corinthians 5:14

    For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that one died for all, therefore all died;

  • Romans 5:7

    For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: for peradventure for the good man some one would even dare to die.

  • 1 Samuel 19:5

    for he put his life in his hand, and smote the Philistine, and Jehovah wrought a great victory for all Israel: thou sawest it, and didst rejoice; wherefore then wilt thou sin against innocent blood, to slay David without a cause?

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