1 Chronicles 11:18
in 1 Chronicles 11So the Three broke through the Philistine camp, drew water from the well at the gate of Bethlehem, and brought it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out to the LORD,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And the three 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 David would not drink thereof, but poured it out unto Jehovah,
KJV
And the three 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 David would not drink of it, but poured it out to the Lord,
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This verse in 1 Chronicles 11
Commentary
8 notes on this verseBut David, who had taken to himself another man's wife, and had been sorely scourged for his fault, desired long afterwards to drink water from the cistern of Bethlehem; which when his bravest soldiers had brought to him, he refused to drink it, and poured it out as a libation to the Lord. For it was lawful for him to drink it, had he been so minded; but, because he remembered having done what was unlawful, he laudably abstained even from what was lawful.
This site's exposition
Three of the thirty chief men went down
on 1 Chronicles 11:15-19
The Three broke through the Philistine camp to draw water from the well at the gate of Bethlehem, as 2 Samuel 23:13 to 17 tells. They risked their lives for a longing David never gave as a command. David refused to drink it and poured it out to the LORD.
This site's exposition
he poured it out to
The poured water becomes a drink offering to the LORD. Gregory the Dialogist reads the act as penance: having taken what was unlawful, David refused even what was lawful. Henry sees a king who would not spend his men's lives cheaply.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
A commentator
Gregory the DialogistRegister of Epistles, Book 9, Epistle 122 · Written before 604.
proposed
I must tell you that I have been led to praise God the more for your work by what I have learnt from the report of my most beloved son Probinus the presbyter; namely that, your Excellency having issued a certain ordinance against the perfidy of the Jews, those to whom it related attempted to bend the rectitude of your mind by offering a sum of money; which your Excellency scorned, and, seeking to satisfy the judgment of Almighty God, preferred innocence to gold. With regard to this what was done by King David recurs to my mind, who, when the longed for water from the cistern of Bethlehem, which was wedged in by the enemy, had been brought him by obedient soldiers, said, God forbid that I should drink the blood of righteous men. And, because he poured it out and would not drink it, it is written, He offered it a libation to the Lord. If, then, water was scorned by the armed king, and turned into a sacrifice to God, we may estimate what manner of sacrifice to Almighty God has been offered by the king who for His love has scorned to receive, not water, but gold. Wherefore, most excellent son, I will confidently say that thou hast offered as a libation to the Lord the gold which thou wouldest not have in opposition to Him.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
It put him into the greatest confusion imaginable to think that three brave men should hazard their lives to fetch water for him. In his account it turns the water into blood. It is the honour of great men not to be prodigal of the blood of those they employ, but, in all the commands they give them, to put their own souls into their souls' stead.
3 Therefore came all the elders of Israel to the king to Hebron; and David made a covenant with them in Hebron before the L ORD ; and they anointed David king over Israel, according to the word of the L ORD by Samuel. 4 And David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, which is Jebus; where the Jebusites were, the inhabitants of the land.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:94%@v3-4
Would not drink of it - That water which he thought too precious for his own drinking, he poured out to the Lord for a drink-offering. If we have any thing better than other, let God be honoured with it, who is the best and should have the best.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
It is probable that, when uttering the wish, David had no recollection of the military posted at Beth-lehem. It is generally taken for granted that those who fought a way to the well of Beth-lehem were the three champions just mentioned [see on 1Ch 11:13]. But this is far from being clear.
The words behind it
22 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיִּבְקְע֨וּ | vaiyivkeu | and they broke through | H1234 → | |
| הַשְּׁלֹשָׁ֜ה | hasheloshah | the three | H7969 → | 432 times |
| בְּמַחֲנֵ֣ה | bemachaneh | in [the] camp of | H4264 → | 215 times |
| פְלִשְׁתִּ֗ים | felishtim | [the] Philistines | H6430 → | 287 times |
| וַיִּֽשְׁאֲבוּ־ | vaiyishavu- | and they drew | H7579 → | |
| מַ֙יִם֙ | mayim | water | H4325 → | 581 times |
| מִבּ֤וֹר | mibor | from [the] well of | H953 → | 66 times |
| בֵּֽית־ | beit- | Beth- | H1035 → | 82 times |
| לֶ֙חֶם֙ | lechem | -lehem | H1035 → | 82 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֣ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| בַּשַּׁ֔עַר | bashaar | [was] at the gate | H8179 → | 374 times |
| וַיִּשְׂא֖וּ | vaiyisu | and they carried [them] | H5375 → | 656 times |
| וַיָּבִ֣אוּ | vaiyaviu | and they brought [them] | H935 → | 2568 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| דָּוִ֑יד | david | David | H1732 → | 999 times |
| וְלֹֽא־ | velo'- | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| אָבָ֤ה | ʾavah | he was willing | H14 → | 54 times |
| דָוִיד֙ | david | David | H1732 → | 999 times |
| לִשְׁתּוֹתָ֔ם | lishtotam | to drink them | H8354 → | 217 times |
| וַיְנַסֵּ֥ךְ | vaynasekh | and he poured out | H5258 → | |
| אֹתָ֖ם | ʾotam | <obj.> them | H853 → | 10935 times |
| לַיהוָֽה׃ | layahweh | to Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
וַיִּבְקְע֨וּand they broke through
vaiyivkeuH1234 →
הַשְּׁלֹשָׁ֜הthe three
hasheloshahH7969 →432 times
בְּמַחֲנֵ֣הin [the] camp of
bemachanehH4264 →215 times
פְלִשְׁתִּ֗ים[the] Philistines
felishtimH6430 →287 times
וַיִּֽשְׁאֲבוּ־and they drew
vaiyishavu-H7579 →
מַ֙יִם֙water
mayimH4325 →581 times
מִבּ֤וֹרfrom [the] well of
miborH953 →66 times
בֵּֽית־Beth-
beit-H1035 →82 times
לֶ֙חֶם֙-lehem
lechemH1035 →82 times
אֲשֶׁ֣רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
בַּשַּׁ֔עַר[was] at the gate
bashaarH8179 →374 times
וַיִּשְׂא֖וּand they carried [them]
vaiyisuH5375 →656 times
וַיָּבִ֣אוּand they brought [them]
vaiyaviuH935 →2568 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
דָּוִ֑ידDavid
davidH1732 →999 times
וְלֹֽא־and not
velo'-H3808 →5168 times
אָבָ֤הhe was willing
ʾavahH14 →54 times
דָוִיד֙David
davidH1732 →999 times
לִשְׁתּוֹתָ֔םto drink them
lishtotamH8354 →217 times
וַיְנַסֵּ֥ךְand he poured out
vaynasekhH5258 →
אֹתָ֖ם<obj.> them
ʾotamH853 →10935 times
לַיהוָֽה׃to Yahweh
layahwehH3068 →6520 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Acts 20:24But I consider my life of no value to me, if only I may finish my course and complete the ministry I have received from the Lord Jesus—the ministry of testifying to the good…
it leads to
- 2 Timothy 4:6–8
For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time of my departure is at hand.
- 2 Corinthians 12:10
That is why, for the sake of Christ, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
- 2 Corinthians 4:1
Therefore, since God in His mercy has given us this ministry, we do not lose heart.
- 1 Corinthians 15:58
Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast and immovable. Always excel in the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
- Acts 21:13
Then Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”
- 2 Timothy 4:6–8
Through
Acts 21:13Then Paul answered, “Why are you weeping and breaking my heart? I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die in Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus.”
it leads to
- Acts 20:24
But I consider my life of no value to me, if only I may finish my course and complete the ministry I have received from the Lord Jesus—the ministry of testifying to the good…
- Philippians 2:17
But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you.
- Acts 20:24
Through
Song of Solomon 8:6Set me as a seal over your heart, as a seal upon your arm. For love is as strong as death, its jealousy as unrelenting as Sheol. Its sparks are fiery flames, the fiercest…
it leads to
- Revelation 12:11
They have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony. And they did not love their lives so as to shy away from death.
- Revelation 12:11
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About 1 Chronicles
Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Gregory the Dialogist, Register of Epistles, Book 11, Epistle 45; Gregory the Dialogist, Register of Epistles, Book 9, Epistle 122; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.