1 Chronicles 11:16
in 1 Chronicles 11At that time David was in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was at Bethlehem.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Beth-lehem.
KJV
And David was then in the hold, and the Philistines’ garrison was then at Beth–lehem.
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This verse in 1 Chronicles 11
Commentary
3 notes on this verseA 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.
This site's exposition
went down to the rock to David
on 1 Chronicles 11:15-19
The scene of the three breaking through the Philistine garrison to draw water from the well of Bethlehem is told at length at 2 Sam 23:13-17, where the exposition carries its full weight; here the same words stand almost unchanged. Its placement in Chronicles matters as much as its content: set inside the roll of mighty men before the roll finishes naming them, it gives one concrete picture of what mighty means, men who would risk death for a longing David never spoke as a command. David's refusal to drink it, poured out instead to the Lord, is the only note in this chapter of a king's restraint answering another man's courage.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
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
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
and a Philistine governor was then in Bethlehem for they had already taken Bethlehem and stationed a governor therein, who judged [the region].
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
And three of the thirty These three were the heads of the entire thirty.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 5 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
8 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְדָוִ֖יד | vedavid | and David | H1732 → | 999 times |
| אָ֣ז | ʾaz | then | H227 → | 141 times |
| בַּמְּצוּדָ֑ה | bametzudah | [was] in the stronghold | H4686 → | |
| וּנְצִ֣יב | unetziv | and [the] garrison of | H5333 → | |
| פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים | pelishtim | [the] Philistines | H6430 → | 287 times |
| אָ֖ז | ʾaz | then | H227 → | 141 times |
| בְּבֵ֥ית | beveit | [was] at Beth- | H1035 → | 82 times |
| לָֽחֶם׃ | lachem | -lehem | H1035 → | 82 times |
וְדָוִ֖ידand David
vedavidH1732 →999 times
אָ֣זthen
ʾazH227 →141 times
בַּמְּצוּדָ֑ה[was] in the stronghold
bametzudahH4686 →
וּנְצִ֣יבand [the] garrison of
unetzivH5333 →
פְּלִשְׁתִּ֔ים[the] Philistines
pelishtimH6430 →287 times
אָ֖זthen
ʾazH227 →141 times
בְּבֵ֥ית[was] at Beth-
beveitH1035 →82 times
לָֽחֶם׃-lehem
lachemH1035 →82 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
1 Samuel 10:5After that you will come to Gibeah of God, where the Philistines have an outpost. As you approach the city, you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place, preceded…
it leads to
- 2 Kings 3:15
But now, bring me a harpist.” And while the harpist played, the hand of the LORD came upon Elisha
- 1 Samuel 19:20
he sent messengers to capture him. But when they saw the group of prophets prophesying, with Samuel leading them, the Spirit of God came upon them, and Saul’s messengers also began to prophesy.
- 1 Samuel 13:3
Then Jonathan attacked the Philistine outpost at Geba, and the Philistines heard about it. So Saul blew the ram’s horn throughout the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear!”
- 2 Kings 3:15
Through
1 Samuel 22:1So David left Gath and took refuge in the cave of Adullam. When his brothers and the rest of his father’s household heard about it, they went down to him there.
it leads to
- Psalms 57:1–11
Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy, for in You my soul takes refuge. In the shadow of Your wings I will take shelter until the danger has passed.
- Psalms 142:1–7
I cry aloud to the LORD; I lift my voice to the LORD for mercy.
- Psalms 34:1
I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise will always be on my lips.
- Psalms 57:1–11
Through
1 Samuel 13:23And a garrison of the Philistines had gone out to the pass at Michmash.
it leads to
- Isaiah 10:28
Assyria has entered Aiath and passed through Migron, storing their supplies at Michmash.
- Isaiah 10:28
Through
1 Samuel 13:4And all Israel heard the news: “Saul has attacked an outpost of the Philistines, and now Israel has become a stench to the Philistines!” Then the people were summoned to join Saul at Gilgal.
it leads to
- Genesis 34:30
Then Jacob said to Simeon and Levi, “You have brought trouble upon me by making me a stench to the Canaanites and Perizzites, the people of this land. We are few in number; if…
- Genesis 34:30
About 1 Chronicles
Who and where
2 names in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 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.