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Saturday, July 12th, 2025
the Week of Proper 9 / Ordinary 14
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Bible in Basic English

2 Samuel 23:17

And he said, Far be it from me, O Lord, to do this; how may I take as my drink the life-blood of men who have put their lives in danger? So he would not take it. These things did the three great men of war.

Bible Study Resources

Concordances:

- Nave's Topical Bible - Armies;   Unselfishness;   Thompson Chain Reference - Selfishness-Unselfishness;   Unselfishness;  

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Bethlehem;   Bridgeway Bible Dictionary - Blood;   Courage;   Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology - Drink;   Easton Bible Dictionary - Bethlehem;   David;   Giants;   Jashobeam;   Rephaim, Valley of;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Abishai;   Adullam;   Bethlehem;   Rephaim, Valley of;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Abishai;   Mighty Men;   Samuel, Books of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Giant;   Ithrite, the;   Samuel, Books of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the New Testament - Price of Blood ;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Army;   The Hawker's Poor Man's Concordance And Dictionary - Bethlehem;   People's Dictionary of the Bible - Abishai;   Smith Bible Dictionary - Sham'mah;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Bethlehem;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Adullam;   Far;   Jeopard;   Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia - Abishai;   Bethlehem;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
David said, “Lord, I would never do such a thing! Is this not the blood of men who risked their lives?” So he refused to drink it. Such were the exploits of the three warriors.
Hebrew Names Version
He said, Be it far from me, LORD, that I should do this: [shall I drink] the blood of the men who went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did the three mighty men.
King James Version
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.
English Standard Version
and said, "Far be it from me, O Lord , that I should do this. Shall I drink the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives?" Therefore he would not drink it. These things the three mighty men did.
New Century Version
saying, "May the Lord keep me from drinking this water! It would be like drinking the blood of the men who risked their lives!" So David refused to drink it. These were the brave things that the three warriors did.
New English Translation
and said, "O Lord , I will not do this! It is equivalent to the blood of the men who risked their lives by going." So he refused to drink it. Such were the exploits of the three elite warriors.
Amplified Bible
And he said, "Far be it from me, O LORD, that I should drink this. [Is it not the same as] the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives?" So he would not drink it. These things the three mighty men did.
New American Standard Bible
and he said, "Far be it from me, LORD, that I would do this! Should I drink the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives?" So he would not drink it. These things the three mighty men did.
Geneva Bible (1587)
And said, O Lord, be it farre from me, that I should doe this. Is not this the blood of the men that went in ieopardie of their liues? therefore he woulde not drinke it. These things did these three mightie men.
Legacy Standard Bible
and he said, "Be it far from me, O Yahweh, that I should do this. Shall I drink the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives?" Therefore he was not willing to drink it. These things the three mighty men did.
Contemporary English Version
and said to the Lord , "I can't drink this water! It's like the blood of these men who risked their lives to get it for me." The Three Warriors did these brave deeds.
Complete Jewish Bible
and said, " Adonai ! Heaven forbid that I should do such a thing! Am I to drink the blood of men who went and put their lives in jeopardy?"— and he would not consent to drink it. These are the things the three warrior-heroes did.
Darby Translation
And he said, Be it far from me, Jehovah, that I should do this thing! is it not the blood of the men that went at the risk of their lives? Therefore he would not drink it. These things did the three mighty men.
Easy-to-Read Version
David said, " Lord , I cannot drink this water. It would be like drinking the blood of the men who risked their lives for me." This is why David refused to drink the water. The Three Heroes did many brave things like that.
George Lamsa Translation
And he said, Far be it from me, on account of the LORD, that I should do this; because these men went at the risk of their lives. Therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three valiant men.
Good News Translation
and said, " Lord , I could never drink this! It would be like drinking the blood of these men who risked their lives!" So he refused to drink it. Those were the brave deeds of the three famous soldiers.
Lexham English Bible
He said, "Far be it from me before Yahweh that I should do this. Is this not the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives?" So he was not willing to drink it. These things the three mighty warriors did.
Literal Translation
and said, Far be it from me, O Jehovah, to do this; is it not the blood of the men who went with their lives? And he was not willing to drink it. The three mighty ones did these things .
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
& sayde: The LORDE let this be farre fro me, that I shulde do it. Is it not the bloude of the men that ioperded their lyues, and wente thither? And he wolde not drynke it. This dyd the thre Worthies.
American Standard Version
And he said, Be it far from me, O Jehovah, that I should do this: shall I drink the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did the three mighty men.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
And saide, The Lorde forbyd that I should do so: Is not this the blood of the men that went in ieoperdie of theyr lyues? & therefore he would not drinke it. And these thinges did these three mightie men.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
And he said: 'Be it far from me, O LORD, that I should do this; shall I drink the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives?' therefore he would not drink it. These things did the three mighty men.
King James Version (1611)
And he said, Be it farre from me, O Lord, that I should doe this: is not this the blood of the men that went in ieopardie of their liues? therefore he would not drinke it. These things did these three mightie men.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And he said, O Lord, forbid that I should do this, that I should drink of the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives: and he would not drink it. These things did these three mighty men.
English Revised Version
And he said, Be it far from me, O LORD, that I should do this: [shall I drink] the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did the three mighty men.
Berean Standard Bible
saying, "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.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
but offride it to the Lord, and seide, The Lord be merciful to me, that Y do not this; whether Y schal drynke the blood of these men, that yeden forth, and the perel of soulis? Therfor he nolde drynke. Thre strongeste men diden thes thingis.
Young's Literal Translation
and saith, `Far be it from me, O Jehovah, to do this; is it the blood of the men who are going with their lives?' and he was not willing to drink it; these [things] did the three mighty ones.
Update Bible Version
And he said, Be it far from me, O Yahweh, that I should do this: [shall I drink] the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did the three mighty men.
Webster's Bible Translation
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.
World English Bible
He said, Be it far from me, Yahweh, that I should do this: [shall I drink] the blood of the men who went in jeopardy of their lives? therefore he would not drink it. These things did the three mighty men.
New King James Version
And he said, "Far be it from me, O LORD, that I should do this! Is this not the blood of the men who went in jeopardy of their lives?" Therefore he would not drink it. These things were done by the three mighty men.
New Living Translation
"The Lord forbid that I should drink this!" he exclaimed. "This water is as precious as the blood of these men who risked their lives to bring it to me." So David did not drink it. These are examples of the exploits of the Three.
New Life Bible
and said, "O Lord, far be it from me to do this. Should I drink the blood of the men who went and put their lives in danger?" So he would not drink it. The three strong men did these things.
New Revised Standard
for he said, "The Lord forbid that I should do this. Can I drink the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives?" Therefore he would not drink it. The three warriors did these things.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
and said - Be it far from me, O Yahweh, that I should do this! is it not the blood of the men who went with their lives in their hands ? So he would not drink it. These things, did the three mighty men.
Douay-Rheims Bible
Saying: The Lord be merciful to me, that I may not do this: shall I drink the blood of these men that went, and the peril of their lives? therefore he would not drink. These things did these three mighty men.
Revised Standard Version
and said, "Far be it from me, O LORD, that I should do this. Shall I drink the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives?" Therefore he would not drink it. These things did the three mighty men.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
and he said, "Be it far from me, O LORD, that I should do this. Shall I drink the blood of the men who went in jeopardy of their lives?" Therefore he would not drink it. These things the three mighty men did.

Contextual Overview

8 These are the names of David's men of war: Ishbaal the Hachmonite, chief of the three; his axe was lifted up against eight hundred put to death at one time. 9 After him was Eleazar, the son of Dodai the Ahohite, one of the three great fighters, who was with David in Pas-dammim when the Philistines came together there for the fight; and when the men of Israel had gone in flight, 10 He was with David and went on fighting the Philistines till his hand became tired and stiff from gripping his sword: and that day the Lord gave a great salvation, and the people came back after him only to take the goods of the Philistines. 11 After him was Shammah, the son of Ela the Hararite. And the Philistines came together in Lehi, where there was a bit of land full of seed; and the people went in flight from the Philistines. 12 But he kept his place in the middle of the bit of land, and kept back their attack and overcame the Philistines: and the Lord gave a great salvation. 13 And three of the thirty went down at the start of the grain-cutting, and they came to David at the strong place of Adullam; and the band of Philistines had taken up their position in the valley of Rephaim. 14 And at that time David had taken cover in the strong place, and an armed force of the Philistines was in Beth-lehem. 15 And David, moved by a strong desire, said, If only someone would give me a drink of water from the water-hole of Beth-lehem, by the doorway into the town! 16 And the three men, forcing their way through the Philistine army, got water from the water-hole of Beth-lehem, by the doorway into the town, and took it back to David: but he would not take it, but, draining it out, made an offering of it to the Lord. 17 And he said, Far be it from me, O Lord, to do this; how may I take as my drink the life-blood of men who have put their lives in danger? So he would not take it. These things did the three great men of war.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

Be it far: 2 Samuel 20:20, Genesis 44:17, 1 Samuel 2:30, 1 Samuel 26:11, 1 Kings 21:3, 1 Chronicles 11:19

the blood: Genesis 9:4, Leviticus 17:10, Psalms 72:14, Matthew 26:28, Mark 14:24, John 6:52-54

jeopardy: Judges 5:18, 1 Corinthians 15:30

Reciprocal: 2 Samuel 15:14 - and smite 1 Chronicles 11:12 - the three Lamentations 5:9 - General

Cross-References

Genesis 23:7
And Abraham got up and gave honour to the children of Heth, the people of that land.
Genesis 23:10
Now Ephron was seated among the children of Heth: and Ephron the Hittite gave Abraham his answer in the hearing of the children of Heth, and of all those who came into his town, saying,
Genesis 23:14
So Ephron said to Abraham,
Genesis 23:20
And the field and the hollow rock were handed over to Abraham as his property by the children of Heth.
Genesis 25:9
And Isaac and Ishmael, his sons, put him to rest in the hollow rock of Machpelah, in the field of Ephron, the son of Zohar the Hittite, near Mamre;
Genesis 50:13
For they took him into the land of Canaan and put him to rest in the hollow rock in the field of Machpelah, which Abraham got with the field, for a resting-place, from Ephron the Hittite at Mamre.
Psalms 112:5
All is well for the man who is kind and gives freely to others; he will make good his cause when he is judged.
Matthew 10:16
See, I send you out as sheep among wolves. Be then as wise as snakes, and as gentle as doves.
Acts 7:16
And they were taken over to Shechem, and put to rest in the place which Abraham got for a price in silver from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.
Ephesians 5:15
Take care then how you are living, not as unwise, but as wise;

Gill's Notes on the Bible

And he said, be it far from me, O Lord, that one should do this,.... Drink of the water these men had brought him:

[is not this] the blood of the men that went in jeopardy of their lives? who risked the shedding of their blood, and went in danger of their lives to get it:

therefore he would not drink it: some compare with this the story of Alexander d to whom a vessel of water was offered when in extreme thirst, which he refused, because he could not bear to drink it alone, and so small a quantity could not be divided among all about him; but the reasons are not the same:

these things did these three mighty men; which made them very famous.

d Curt. Hist. l. 7. c. 5.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

Better as in 1 Chronicles 11:19.


 
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