📖WEB · 1 Chronicles 11:19
What does 1 Chronicles 11:19 mean?
"and said, “My God forbid 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."
— 1 Chronicles 11:19 (World English Bible)
Surrounding context
David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was in Bethlehem at that time.
David longed, and said, “Oh that one would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!”
The three broke through the army 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 any of it, but poured it out to Yahweh,
and said, “My God forbid 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.
Abishai, the brother of Joab, he was chief of the three; for he lifted up his spear against three hundred and killed them, and had a name among the three.
Of the three, he was more honorable than the two, and was made their captain; however he wasn’t included in the three.
Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man of Kabzeel, who had done mighty deeds, killed the two sons of Ariel of Moab. He also went down and killed a lion in the middle of a pit on a snowy day.
Explanation
This verse comes at the climax of a story about David and three of his elite warriors, part of a larger list of David's "mighty men" recorded in 1 Chronicles 11 (and paralleled in 2 Samuel 23). While David was encamped near the cave of Adullam and the Philistines occupied his hometown of Bethlehem, David expressed a longing—almost offhand—for water from the well by the gate of Bethlehem. Three of his mightiest warriors heard this wish and, without being commanded, broke through the Philistine camp at great personal risk, drew water from that well, and brought it back to David. When David realized what they had done, he refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out as an offering to the Lord, declaring that he could not consume something that represented the blood, that is, the very lives, of the men who risked everything to obtain it.
The books of Chronicles were written after the Babylonian exile, likely by a priestly author or group, for a Jewish community rebuilding its identity and worship after returning from captivity. The author retells Israel's history, especially David's reign, to remind the people of God's covenant faithfulness and to hold up David as the ideal king under whom Israel was strong and unified. Lists like this one of David's mighty men served to honor the loyalty and courage of those who
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