2 Samuel

2 Samuel 23:16–17

¹⁶So the three mighty men broke through the Philistine camp, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem, and brought it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out to the LORD, ¹⁷saying, “Far be it from me, O LORD, to do this! Is this not the blood of the men who risked their lives?” So he refused to drink it.

Such were the exploits of the three mighty men.

Read all of 2 Samuel 23

Word by word

Each English word or phrase beside the Hebrew it translates, in the order of the English. Choose a number to open that word’s study.

2 Samuel 23:16

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
So the three	שְׁלֹ֨שֶׁת	šə·lō·šeṯ	Number - masculine singular construct	H7969 a three, triad
mighty men	הַגִּבֹּרִ֜ים	hag·gib·bō·rîm	Article; Adjective - masculine plural	H1368 strong, mighty
broke	וַיִּבְקְעוּ֩	way·yiḇ·qə·‘ū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H1234 cleave, break open or through
through the Philistine	פְלִשְׁתִּ֗ים	p̄ə·liš·tîm	Noun - proper - masculine plural	H6430 Philistine
camp	בְּמַחֲנֵ֣ה	bə·ma·ḥă·nêh	Preposition-b; Noun - common singular construct	H4264 encampment, camp
drew	וַיִּֽשְׁאֲבוּ־	way·yiš·’ă·ḇū-	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H7579 draw
water	מַ֙יִם֙	ma·yim	Noun - masculine plural	H4325 water, juice, urine
from the well	מִבֹּ֤אר	mib·bōr	Preposition-m; Noun - masculine singular construct	H877 cistern, pit, well
near the gate	בַּשַּׁ֔עַר	baš·ša·‘ar	Preposition-b, Article; Noun - masculine singular	H8179 gate
of Bethlehem	לֶ֙חֶם֙	le·ḥem	Noun - proper - feminine singular	H1035 Beth-Lechem
and brought	וַיָּבִ֣אוּ	way·yā·ḇi·’ū	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine plural	H935 come in, come, go in, go
back to	אֶל־	’el-	Preposition	H413 motion to
David	דָּוִ֑ד	dā·wiḏ	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H1732 David
But he refused	וְלֹ֤א	wə·lō	Conjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
to drink it	לִשְׁתּוֹתָ֔ם	liš·tō·w·ṯām	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; third person masculine plural	H8354 drink
instead	וַיַּסֵּ֥ךְ	way·yas·sêḵ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5258 pour out
he poured it out	וַיַּסֵּ֥ךְ	way·yas·sêḵ	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Hifil - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H5258 pour out
to the LORD	לַֽיהוָֽה׃	Yah·weh	Preposition-l; Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh

2 Samuel 23:17

English	Hebrew	Sounds like	Grammar	Word study
saying	וַיֹּ֡אמֶר	way·yō·mer	Conjunctive waw; Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular	H559 utter, say
Far be it	חָלִילָה֩	ḥā·lî·lāh	Interjection; third person feminine singular	H2486 far be it
from me	לִּ֨י	lî	Preposition; first person common singular
O LORD	יְהוָ֜ה	Yah·weh	Noun - proper - masculine singular	H3068 Yahweh
to do	מֵעֲשֹׂ֣תִי	mê·‘ă·śō·ṯî	Preposition-m; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; first person common singular	H6213 do, make
this	זֹ֗את	zōṯ	Pronoun - feminine singular	H2063 this
Is	הֲדַ֤ם	hă·ḏam	Article; Noun - masculine singular construct	H1818 blood
of the men	הָֽאֲנָשִׁים֙	hā·’ă·nā·šîm	Article; Noun - masculine plural	H582 man, mankind
who risked their lives	בְּנַפְשׁוֹתָ֔ם	bə·nap̄·šō·w·ṯām	Preposition-b; Noun - feminine plural construct; third person masculine plural	H5315 soul, living being, life, self, person, desire, appetite, emotion, and passion
So he refused	וְלֹ֥א	wə·lō	Conjunctive waw; Adverb - Negative particle	H3808 not
to drink it	לִשְׁתּוֹתָ֑ם	liš·tō·w·ṯām	Preposition-l; Verb - Qal - Infinitive construct; third person masculine plural	H8354 drink
Such	אֵ֣לֶּה	’êl·leh	Pronoun - common plural	H428 these
were the exploits	עָשׂ֔וּ	‘ā·śū	Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person common plural	H6213 do, make
of the three	שְׁלֹ֖שֶׁת	šə·lō·šeṯ	Number - masculine singular construct	H7969 a three, triad
mighty men	הַגִּבֹּרִֽים׃ס	hag·gib·bō·rîm	Article; Adjective - masculine plural	H1368 strong, mighty

Cross-references

Other passages that speak to the same thing. Point at one to read it.

2 Samuel 23:16 Genesis 35:14 · 2 Corinthians 5:14 · Romans 5:7 · 1 Samuel 7:6 · Numbers 28:7 · Philippians 2:17 · Lamentations 2:19

2 Samuel 23:17 Leviticus 17:10

Cross-references from OpenBible.info, used under CC BY 4.0. The best-supported references for each verse are shown.

Scripture text: Berean Standard Bible.