TRV
Translation
King James Version
And said, My God forbid it me, that I should do this thing: shall I drink the blood of these men that have put their lives in jeopardy? for with the jeopardy of their lives they brought it. Therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mightiest.
KJV (with Strong's)
And said H559, My God H430 forbid H2486 it me, that I should do H6213 this thing H2063: shall I drink H8354 the blood H1818 of these men H582 that have put their lives in jeopardy H5315? for with the jeopardy of their lives H5315 they brought H935 it. Therefore he would H14 not drink H8354 it. These things did H6213 these three H7969 mightiest H1368.
Complete Jewish Bible
and said, "My God forbid that I should do such a thing! Am I to drink the blood of these men who went and put their lives in jeopardy? They risked their lives to bring it!"- and he would not consent to drink it. These are the things the three warrior-heroes did.
Berean Standard Bible
saying, “Far be it from me, my God, to do this! How can I drink the blood of these men who risked their lives?” Because they had brought it at the risk of their lives, David refused to drink it. Such were the exploits of the three mighty men.
American Standard Version
and said, My God forbid it me, that I should do this: shall I drink the blood of these men that have put their lives in jeopardy? for with the jeopardy of their lives they brought it. Therefore he would not drink it. These things did the three mighty men.
World English Bible Messianic
and said, “My God forbid it me, that I should do this! Shall I drink the blood of these men who have put their lives in jeopardy?” For they risked their lives to bring it. Therefore he would not drink it. The three mighty men did these things.
Geneva Bible (1599)
And said, Let not my God suffer me to do this: should I drinke the blood of these mens liues? for they haue brought it with the ieopardie of their liues: therefore he would not drinke it: these things did these three mightie men.
Young's Literal Translation
and saith, `Far be it from me, by my God, to do this; the blood of these men do I drink with their lives? for with their lives they have brought it;' and he was not willing to drink it; these things did the three mighty ones.
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Commentary on 1 Chronicles 11 verses 10–47
10 ¶ These also are the chief of the mighty men whom David had, who strengthened themselves with him in his kingdom, and with all Israel, to make him king, according to the word of the LORD concerning Israel.
11 And this is the number of the mighty men whom David had; Jashobeam, an Hachmonite, the chief of the captains: he lifted up his spear against three hundred slain by him at one time.
12 And after him was Eleazar the son of Dodo, the Ahohite, who was one of the three mighties.
13 He was with David at Pasdammim, and there the Philistines were gathered together to battle, where was a parcel of ground full of barley; and the people fled from before the Philistines.
14 And they set themselves in the midst of that parcel, and delivered it, and slew the Philistines; and the LORD saved them by a great deliverance.
15 Now three of the thirty captains went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam; and the host of the Philistines encamped in the valley of Rephaim.
16 And David was then in the hold, and the Philistines' garrison was then at Bethlehem.
17 And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, that is at the gate!
18 And the three brake through the host of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem, 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,
19 And said, My God forbid it me, that I should do this thing: shall I drink the blood of these men that have put their lives in jeopardy? for with the jeopardy of their lives they brought it. Therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mightiest.
20 And Abishai the brother of Joab, he was chief of the three: for lifting up his spear against three hundred, he slew them, and had a name among the three.
21 Of the three, he was more honourable than the two; for he was their captain: howbeit he attained not to the first three.
22 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done many acts; he slew two lionlike men of Moab: also he went down and slew a lion in a pit in a snowy day.
23 And he slew an Egyptian, a man of great stature, five cubits high; and in the Egyptian's hand was a spear like a weaver's beam; and he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and slew him with his own spear.
24 These things did Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and had the name among the three mighties.
25 Behold, he was honourable among the thirty, but attained not to the first three: and David set him over his guard.
26 Also the valiant men of the armies were, Asahel the brother of Joab, Elhanan the son of Dodo of Bethlehem,
27 Shammoth the Harorite, Helez the Pelonite,
28 Ira the son of Ikkesh the Tekoite, Abiezer the Antothite,
29 Sibbecai the Hushathite, Ilai the Ahohite,
30 Maharai the Netophathite, Heled the son of Baanah the Netophathite,
31 Ithai the son of Ribai of Gibeah, that pertained to the children of Benjamin, Benaiah the Pirathonite,
32 Hurai of the brooks of Gaash, Abiel the Arbathite,
33 Azmaveth the Baharumite, Eliahba the Shaalbonite,
34 The sons of Hashem the Gizonite, Jonathan the son of Shage the Hararite,
35 Ahiam the son of Sacar the Hararite, Eliphal the son of Ur,
36 Hepher the Mecherathite, Ahijah the Pelonite,
37 Hezro the Carmelite, Naarai the son of Ezbai,
38 Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibhar the son of Haggeri,
39 Zelek the Ammonite, Naharai the Berothite, the armourbearer of Joab the son of Zeruiah,
40 Ira the Ithrite, Gareb the Ithrite,
41 Uriah the Hittite, Zabad the son of Ahlai,
42 Adina the son of Shiza the Reubenite, a captain of the Reubenites, and thirty with him,
43 Hanan the son of Maachah, and Joshaphat the Mithnite,
44 Uzzia the Ashterathite, Shama and Jehiel the sons of Hothan the Aroerite,
45 Jediael the son of Shimri, and Joha his brother, the Tizite,
46 Eliel the Mahavite, and Jeribai, and Joshaviah, the sons of Elnaam, and Ithmah the Moabite,
47 Eliel, and Obed, and Jasiel the Mesobaite.
We have here an account of David's worthies, the great men of his time that served him and were preferred by him. The first edition of this catalogue we had, Sa2 23:8, etc. This is much the same, only that those named here from Ch1 11:41 to the end are added. Observe,
I. The connexion of this catalogue with that which is said concerning David, Ch1 11:9. 1. David waxed greater and greater, and these were his mighty men. Much of the strength and honour of great men is borrowed from their servants and depends upon them, which cannot but somewhat diminish pomp and power in the opinion of those that are wise. David is great because he has great men about him; take these away, and he is where he was. 2. The Lord of hosts was with him, and these were the mighty men which he had. God was with him and wrought for him, but by men and means and the use of second causes. By this it appeared that God was with him, that he inclined the hearts of those to come over to him that were able to serve his interest. As, if God be for us none can be against us, so, if God be for us, all shall be for us that we have occasion for. Yet David ascribed his success and increase, not to the hosts he had, but to the Lord of hosts, not to the mighty men that were with him, but to the mighty God whose presence with us is all in all.
II. The title of this catalogue (Ch1 11:10): These are the men who strengthened themselves with him. In strengthening him they strengthened themselves and their own interest; for his advancement was theirs. What we do in our places for the support of the kingdom of the Son of David we shall be gainers by. In strengthening it we strengthen ourselves. It may be read, They held strongly with him and with all Israel. Note, When God has work to do he will not want fit instruments to do it with. If it be work that requires mighty men, mighty men shall either be found or made to effect it, according to the word of the Lord.
III. That which made all these men honourable was the good service that they did to their king and country; they helped to make David king (Ch1 11:10) - a good work. They slew the Philistines, and other public enemies, and were instrumental to save Israel. Note, The way to be great is to do good. Nor did they gain this honour without labour and the hazard of their lives. The honours of Christ's kingdom are prepared for those that fight the good fight of faith, that labour and suffer, and are willing to venture all, even life itself, for Christ and a good conscience. It is by a patient continuance in well-doing that we must seek for glory, and honour, and immortality; and those that are faithful to the Son of David shall find their names registered and enrolled much more to their honour than these are in the records of fame.
IV. Among all the great exploits of David's mighty men, here is nothing great mentioned concerning David himself but his pouring out water before the Lord which he had longed for, Ch1 11:18, Ch1 11:19. Four very honourable dispositions of David appeared in that action, which, for aught I know, made it as great as any of the achievements of those worthies. 1. Repentance for his own weakness. It is really an honour to a man, when he is made sensible that he has said or done any thing unadvisedly, to unsay it and undo it again by repentance, as it is a shame to a man when he has said or done amiss to stand to it. 2. Denial of his own appetite. He longed for the water of the well of Bethlehem; but, when he had it, he would not drink it, because he would not so far humour himself and gratify a foolish fancy. He that has such a rule as this over his own spirit is better than the mighty. It is an honour to a man to have the command of himself; but he that will command himself must sometimes cross himself. 3. Devotion towards God. That water which he thought too good, too precious, for his own drinking, he poured out to the Lord for a drink offering. If we have any thing better than another, let God be honoured with it, who is the best, and should have the best. 4. Tenderness of his servants. 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.
V. In the wonderful achievements of these heroes the power of God must be acknowledged. How could one slay 300 and another the same number (Ch1 11:11, Ch1 11:20), another two lion-like men (Ch1 11:22), and another an Egyptian giant (Ch1 11:23), if they had not had the extraordinary presence of God with them, according to that promise, Jos 23:10, One man of you shall chase a thousand, for the Lord your God fighteth for you?
VI. One of these worthies is said to be an Ammonite (Ch1 11:39), another a Moabite (Ch1 11:46), and yet the law was that an Ammonite and a Moabite should not enter into the congregation of the Lord, Deu 23:3. These, it is likely, had approved themselves so hearty for the interest of Israel that in their case it was thought fit to dispense with that law, and the rather because it was an indication that the Son of David would have worthies among the Gentiles: with him there is neither Greek nor Jew.
Matthew Henry (1662–1714) — Commentary on the Whole Bible. This section covers verses 10–47. Public domain.
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Gregory the DialogistAD 604
LETTER 122
I must tell you that I have been led to praise God the more for your work by what I have learned from the report of my most believed 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 he 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.
Gregory the DialogistAD 604
LETTER 45
David desired long afterwards to drink water from the cistern of Bethlehem, which, when his bravest soldiers had brought to him, he refused to drink 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. And he, who to his guilt previously feared not that the blood of dying soldiers should be shed, afterwards considered that, were he to drink the water, he would have shed the blood of living soldiers, saying, “Shall I drink the blood of these men who have put their lives in jeopardy?”
Source: Quotations drawn from early Church Fathers and historical Christian theologians (AD 100–1500). Some quotes address the surrounding passage context rather than this verse alone.
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SUMMARY
1 Chronicles 11:19 powerfully illustrates King David's profound character and exemplary leadership. Following an extraordinary act of loyalty where three of his elite warriors risked their lives to retrieve water from Bethlehem's Philistine-occupied well, David utterly refused to drink it. He perceived their perilous endeavor as a sacred offering, equating the water with their very lifeblood, thus demonstrating an unparalleled respect for their sacrifice and a deep understanding of the cost of their devotion.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
The passage employs several potent Literary Devices to convey its message. Most prominently, Metaphor is used when David equates the water with the "blood" of his men. This isn't a literal claim but a powerful symbolic representation, where "blood" stands for life itself, emphasizing the extreme cost and the sanctity of the sacrifice. This Hyperbole (exaggeration for effect) further amplifies the gravity of their act and David's reverence for it. The rhetorical question, "shall I drink the blood of these men...?" serves as a form of Apostrophe, a direct address to the moral implications of his potential action, and functions as a powerful Rhetorical Question to underscore the obvious ethical answer. The entire episode also serves as a Narrative Exemplum, providing a moral lesson through the actions of David, showcasing ideal leadership and the profound value of loyalty and sacrifice.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
David's refusal to drink the water from Bethlehem is a profound theological statement about the sanctity of life and the nature of true leadership. It demonstrates a deep reverence for human life, viewing it as something so precious that even a king's casual desire cannot justify its endangerment or trivialization. By pouring out the water as an offering, David implicitly acknowledges that the lives of his men, and indeed all life, ultimately belong to God. This act of self-denial and consecration elevates the warriors' sacrifice from a mere military feat to a sacred offering, aligning with the biblical principle that life, symbolized by blood, is sacred and belongs to the Creator. It also foreshadows a deeper understanding of costly devotion and the ultimate sacrifice required for true redemption.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
The narrative of David and the water from Bethlehem offers timeless lessons for contemporary life, challenging us to re-evaluate our priorities and the way we interact with others. It calls us to cultivate a profound sense of gratitude, recognizing and honoring the sacrifices, small and large, that others make on our behalf. In a world often driven by self-interest and consumption, David's act of self-denial serves as a powerful counter-cultural example. It compels leaders in all spheres—family, community, business, and ministry—to embody humility, prioritize the well-being and dignity of those they lead, and never take their contributions for granted. Ultimately, it encourages us to consider the "cost" of our desires and to discern when our personal wants might inadvertently devalue the efforts or lives of others, prompting us instead towards acts of honor, appreciation, and even sacrificial generosity. This story reminds us that true leadership is not about what we gain, but what we are willing to give up for the sake of those entrusted to our care.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why did David pour out the water instead of drinking it?
Answer: David poured out the water as a sacred offering to the Lord because he considered it too precious and too costly to drink. His three mighty men had risked their lives, breaking through enemy lines, to retrieve it from the well of Bethlehem. David viewed their act as a profound sacrifice, equating the water with their very "blood" or life-force. To drink it would have trivialized their immense loyalty and the danger they faced. By pouring it out, he consecrated it to God, acknowledging that such a life-threatening endeavor, and the lives of his men, belonged ultimately to the Lord. This act demonstrated his deep respect for his men, his humility, and his recognition of God's sovereignty over life, transforming a personal desire into an act of worship.
Was David's longing for water a sin?
Answer: David's initial longing for water from Bethlehem, as described in 1 Chronicles 11:17, was not inherently sinful. It appears to have been a casual, perhaps wistful, expression of a desire for something familiar and comforting from his hometown. The sin, if any, would have been in carelessly expressing a desire that led others to put their lives in extreme jeopardy without a direct command or necessity. However, David's immediate and profound reaction in 1 Chronicles 11:19 demonstrates his deep regret and recognition of the immense cost his casual wish incurred. His refusal to drink and his act of pouring the water out show his moral sensitivity and his commitment to valuing his men's lives above his own comfort, transforming a potentially thoughtless moment into an act of exemplary leadership and devotion.
What does this story teach us about leadership?
Answer: This story provides a powerful model for ethical and empathetic leadership. It teaches that true leaders do not take the sacrifices of their subordinates for granted but deeply value their lives and contributions. David's humility is striking; despite being king, he did not feel entitled to the water obtained at such a high cost. Instead, he demonstrated self-denial and a profound respect for his men, fostering loyalty and trust. The narrative underscores that effective leadership involves a willingness to prioritize the well-being of others, to acknowledge and honor their efforts, and to lead by example in moral integrity and selflessness. It moves beyond mere command to genuine care and appreciation, solidifying the bonds between leader and led and inspiring greater devotion.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
The profound self-denial and reverence for life displayed by King David in 1 Chronicles 11:19 finds its ultimate and perfect fulfillment in Jesus Christ. David refused to drink water obtained at the jeopardy of his men's lives, viewing it as their "blood," and instead poured it out as an offering to God. This act foreshadows the infinitely greater sacrifice of Christ, who did not merely refuse a costly drink but willingly poured out His own "blood"—His very life—not for a casual longing, but to secure eternal life for humanity. Just as David valued the lives of his warriors, Jesus, the Good Shepherd, laid down His life for His sheep (John 10:11). He did not consider His divine privilege something to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, even to the point of death on a cross (Philippians 2:6-8). The water, symbolic of life obtained at immense cost, points to the "living water" that Jesus offers freely, purchased by His ultimate sacrifice (John 4:10). Thus, David's act of consecration and self-denial, while noble, pales in comparison to the Lamb of God who truly takes away the sin of the world by shedding His own precious blood (John 1:29 and 1 Peter 1:18-19), ensuring that we might drink deeply from the wellspring of eternal life, a gift freely given through His costly love.