Why did David refuse the water his three captains brought from Bethlehem?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

He said drinking it would be like drinking their blood because they had risked their lives to bring it; he refused it and offered it to the Lord.

Chapter breakdown

David becomes king, takes Sion and is supported by the valiant men named in this chapter.

All Israel gathered to David in Hebron and declared their kinship with him as his bone and flesh. They recalled that he had led Israel out and brought it in even when Saul was king. The Lord had told him to feed his people Israel and rule them. Israel’s elders came to Hebron, and David made a covenant with them before the Lord. They anointed him king over Israel according to the Lord’s word through Samuel.

David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, called Jebus, where the Jebusites lived. Its inhabitants told him he would not enter, but David took the castle of Sion. He promised that whoever first struck the Jebusites would be head and chief captain. Joab, son of Sarvia, went up first and became general. David lived in the castle, so it was called the city of David. He built the city around from Mello, and Joab built the rest. David kept growing and increasing, and the Lord of hosts was with him.

David’s chief valiant men helped him become king over all Israel according to the Lord’s word to Israel. Jesbaam, son of Hachamoni and chief among the thirty, raised his spear against 300 whom he wounded at one time. Next was Eleazar, his uncle’s son, the Ahohite, one of the three mighty men. He was with David at Phesdomim when the Philistines gathered for battle. The field was full of barley, and the people fled. These men stood in the field, defended it and killed Philistines. The Lord gave his people a great deliverance.

Three of the thirty captains went down to David at the rock and cave of Odollam while the Philistines camped in the valley of Raphaim. David was in a stronghold, and a Philistine garrison was in Bethlehem. He longed for water from Bethlehem’s cistern at the gate. The three broke through the Philistine camp, drew that water and brought it to him. David refused to drink and offered it to the Lord. He said he could not drink the blood of these men in the sight of his God, because they had brought the water at the risk of their lives. That was his stated reason for refusing it.

Abisai, Joab’s brother, was chief of three. He raised his spear against 300 whom he killed and was renowned among the three. He was distinguished among the second three and was their captain, but did not attain to the first three.

Banaias, son of Joiada, a very valiant man of Cabseel with many deeds, killed the two ariels of Moab. He also went down into a pit and killed a lion in the time of snow.

Challoner’s note explains the two ariels as two lions or lion-like men, because Ariel in Hebrew means a lion. The note preserves both possibilities.

Banaias killed an Egyptian five cubits tall who carried a spear like a weaver’s beam. Banaias approached with a staff, took the spear from the Egyptian’s hand and killed him with his own spear. Banaias was renowned among the three valiant ones and first among the thirty, but did not attain to the three. David made him a member of his council.

The army’s very valiant men included Asahel, Joab’s brother; Elchanan, the son of his uncle of Bethlehem; Sammoth the Arorite; Helles the Phalonite; Ira, son of Acces, the Thecuite; Abiezer the Anathothite; Sobbochai the Husathite; Ilai the Ahohite; Maharai the Netophathite; Heled, son of Baana, the Netophathite; Ethai, son of Ribai, of Gabaath of Benjamin; Banai the Pharathonite; Hurai of the torrent Gaas; Abiel the Arbathite; Azmoth the Bauramite; Eliaba the Salabonite; the sons of Assem the Gezonite; and Jonathan, son of Sage, the Ararite.

The list continues with Ahiam, son of Sachar, the Ararite; Eliphal, son of Ur; Hepher the Mecherathite; Ahia the Phelonite; Hesro the Carmelite; Naarai, son of Azbai; Joel, Nathan’s brother; Mibahar, son of Agarai; Selec the Ammonite; Naharai the Berothite, armourbearer of Joab, son of Sarvia; Ira the Jethrite; Gareb the Jethrite; Urias the Hethite; Zabad, son of Oholi; and Adina, son of Siza, a Rubenite and prince of the Rubenites, with thirty men accompanying him.

The remaining names are Hanan, son of Maacha; Josaphat the Mathanite; Ozia the Astarothite; Samma and Jehiel, sons of Hotham the Arorite; Jedihel, son of Zamri; his brother Joha the Thosaite; Eliel the Mahumite; Jeribai and Josaia, sons of Elnaim; Jethma the Moabite; Eliel; Obed; and Jasiel of Masobia.

The story inside

The chapter connects David’s kingship with those who supported him. Israel recalls his leadership under Saul and the Lord’s word, then the elders make a covenant and anoint him. At Jebus, David’s promise of command is followed by Joab going up first and becoming general. The army record includes the defense of a barley field and a different act by three captains: bringing the water David longs for through a Philistine camp. David’s response gives the reason he will not drink it—the danger to the men’s lives. Abisai and Banaias then receive distinct records of deeds and rank, with explicit limits on their standing among the three. The closing names preserve the people and family ties within this account, without assigning an invented total to the roster.

Lessons worth keeping

1
Joab’s promotion follows a specific promise and action. David promises command to the first who strikes the Jebusites; Joab goes up first and becomes general. The account also separates David’s building around Mello from Joab’s building of the rest. It does not describe the assault’s route or how the city was fortified.
2
David explains his refusal through the men’s danger. The three bring water from the gate cistern after breaking through the camp. He refuses to drink and offers it to the Lord because he compares drinking it with drinking their blood. The source does not say he poured it on the ground or describe a ritual of libation.
3
The deeds and ranks retain their stated limits. Jesbaam wounds 300, while Abisai kills 300; Abisai does not attain to the first three. Banaias is first among the thirty but does not attain to the three. Challoner leaves the two ariels as lions or lion-like men. Keeping these distinctions avoids turning uncertain explanations into definite events.

Test your recall

Israel recalls David’s leadership and the Lord’s word → the elders covenant with him and anoint him. David promises command to the first assailant → Joab goes up first and becomes general. The three bring water at risk to their lives → David refuses to drink it and offers it to the Lord. Banaias’s deeds are recorded with his rank limits → David places him on his council.

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 42466–42470
1 Paralipomenon Chapter 11 David is made king. He taketh the castle of Sion. A catalogue of his valiant men.
Lines 42471–42482
11:1. Then all Israel gathered themselves to David in Hebron, saying: We are thy bone, and thy flesh. 11:2. Yesterday also, and the day before when Saul was king, thou wast he that leddest out and broughtest in Israel: for the Lord thy God said to thee: Thou shalt feed my people Israel, and thou shalt be ruler over them. 11:3. So all the ancients of Israel came to the king to Hebron, and David made a covenant with them before the Lord: and they anointed him king over Israel according to the word of the Lord which he spoke in the hand of Samuel.
Lines 42484–42501
11:4. And David and all Israel went to Jerusalem, which is Jebus, where the Jebusites were the inhabitants of the land. 11:5. And the inhabitants of Jebus said to David: Thou shalt not come in here. But David took the castle of Sion, which is the city of David. 11:6. And he said: Whosoever shall first strike the Jebusites, shall be the head and chief captain. And Joab the son of Sarvia went up first, and was made the general. 11:7. And David dwelt in the castle, and therefore it was called the city of David, 11:8. And he built the city round about from Mello all round, and Joab built the rest of the city. 11:9. And David went on growing and increasing, and the Lord of hosts was with him.
Lines 42503–42520
11:10. These are the chief of the valiant men of David, who helped him to be made king over all Israel, according to the word of the Lord, which he spoke to Israel. 11:11. And this is the number of the heroes of David: Jesbaam the son of Hachamoni the chief among the thirty: he lifted up his spear against three hundred wounded by him at one time. 11:12. And after him was Eleazar his uncle’s son the Ahohite, who was one of the three mighties. 11:13. He was with David in Phesdomim, when the Philistines were gathered to that place to battle: and the field of that country was full of barley, and the people fled from before the Philistines. 11:14. But these men stood in the midst of the field, and defended it: and they slew the Philistines, and the Lord gave a great deliverance to his people.
Lines 42522–42540
11:15. And three of the thirty captains went down to the rock, wherein David was, to the cave of Odollam, when the Philistines encamped in the valley of Raphaim. 11:16. And David was in a hold, and the garrison of the Philistines in Bethlehem. 11:17. And David longed, and said: O that some man would give me water of the cistern of Bethlehem, which is in the gate. 11:18. And these three broke through the midst of the camp of the Philistines, and drew water out of the cistern of Bethlehem, which was in the gate, and brought it to David to drink: and he would not drink of it, but rather offered it to the Lord, 11:19. Saying: God forbid that I should do this in the sight of my God, and should drink the blood of these men: for with the danger of their lives they have brought me the water. And therefore he would not drink. These things did the three most valiant.
Lines 42542–42547
11:20. And Abisai the brother of Joab, he was chief of three, and he lifted up his spear against three hundred whom he slew, and he was renowned among the three, 11:21. And illustrious among the second three, and their captain: but yet he attained not to the first three.
Lines 42549–42551
11:22. Banaias the son of Joiada a most valiant man, of Cabseel, who had done many acts: he slew the two ariels of Moab: and he went down, and killed a lion in the midst of a pit in the time of snow.
Lines 42553–42555
Two ariels.... That is, two lions, or lion-like men; for Ariel in Hebrew signifies a lion.
Lines 42556–42565
11:23. And he slew an Egyptian, whose stature was of five cubits, and who had a spear like a weaver’s beam: and he went down to him with a staff, and plucked away the spear, that he held in his hand, and slew him with his own spear. 11:24. These things did Banaias the son of Joiada, who was renowned among the three valiant ones, 11:25. And the first among the thirty, but yet to the three he attained not: and David made him of his council.
Lines 42567–42585
11:26. Moreover the most valiant men of the army, were Asahel brother of Joab, and Elchanan the son of his uncle of Bethlehem, 11:27. Sammoth an Arorite, Helles a Phalonite, 11:28. Ira the son of Acces a Thecuite, Abiezer an Anathothite, 11:29. Sobbochai a Husathite, Ilai an Ahohite, 11:30. Maharai a Netophathite, Heled the son of Baana a Netophathite, 11:31. Ethai the son of Ribai of Gabaath of the sons of Benjamin, Banai a Pharathonite, 11:32. Hurai of the torrent Gaas, Abiel an Arbathite, Azmoth a Bauramite, Eliaba a Salabonite, 11:33. The sons of Assem a Gezonite, Jonathan the son of Sage an Ararite,
Lines 42587–42605
11:34. Ahiam the son of Sachar an Ararite, 11:35. Eliphal the son of Ur, 11:36. Hepher a Mecherathite, Ahia a Phelonite, 11:37. Hesro a Carmelite, Naarai the son of Azbai, 11:38. Joel the brother of Nathan, Mibahar the son of Agarai. 11:39. Selec an Ammonite, Naharai a Berothite, the armourbearer of Joab the son of Sarvia. 11:40. Ira a Jethrite, Gareb a Jethrite, 11:41. Urias a Hethite, Zabad the son of Oholi, 11:42. Adina the son of Siza a Rubenite the prince of the Rubenites, and thirty with him:
Lines 42607–42617
11:43. Hanan the son of Maacha, and Josaphat a Mathanite, 11:44. Ozia an Astarothite, Samma, and Jehiel the sons of Hotham an Arorite, 11:45. Jedihel the son of Zamri, and Joha his brother a Thosaite, 11:46. Eliel a Mahumite, and Jeribai, and Josaia the sons of Elnaim, and Jethma a Moabite, Eliel, and Obed, and Jasiel of Masobia.