2 Samuel 23:17 Meaning and Explanation
“And he said, Be it far from me, O LORD, that I should do this: is not this the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →David calls the water the very blood of the men who risked their lives, and refuses to drink what cost so much.
What Does 2 Samuel 23:17 Mean?
David explains his refusal. To drink this water, he says, would be to drink the blood of the men who risked their lives to get it. So precious is their devotion that he cannot treat the gift casually, and he honors it by giving it to God alone.
David values the lives of his men above his own comfort, and he treats their love as something holy. There is a foreshadowing here of a greater love, where life is laid down for another and blood is poured out. The Lord receives such devotion, and He calls us to hold one another's lives as sacred.
2 Samuel 23:17 in the Original Language
dam (דָּם), 'blood' -- the lifeblood, here standing for the very lives the men hazarded.
Frequently Asked Questions About 2 Samuel 23:17
What does 2 Samuel 23:17 mean?
David calls the water the very blood of the men who risked their lives, and refuses to drink what cost so much.