1 Chronicles 11:17 kjv
And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, that is at the gate!
1 Chronicles 11:17 nkjv
And David said with longing, "Oh, that someone would give me a drink of water from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!"
1 Chronicles 11:17 niv
David longed for water and said, "Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!"
1 Chronicles 11:17 esv
And David said longingly, "Oh that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem that is by the gate!"
1 Chronicles 11:17 nlt
David remarked longingly to his men, "Oh, how I would love some of that good water from the well by the gate in Bethlehem."
1 Chronicles 11 17 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 2 Sam 23:15 | David longed and said, "Oh, that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem that is by the gate!" | Parallel account of this event |
| Ps 42:1-2 | As a deer longs for flowing streams, so longs my soul for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. | David's deep longing for spiritual water |
| Ps 63:1 | O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. | David's personal spiritual thirst |
| Jn 4:10 | Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water." | Jesus offers spiritual, living water |
| Jn 7:37-38 | On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, "If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'" | Call to those who spiritually thirst |
| Jn 19:28 | After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), "I thirst." | Christ's literal and spiritual thirst on the cross |
| Rev 22:17 | The Spirit and the Bride say, "Come." And let the one who hears say, "Come." And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price. | Invitation to eternal life's water |
| 1 Chr 11:18-19 | And the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines and drew water... But David would not drink it, but poured it out to the LORD. | Immediate consequence and David's response |
| Jn 15:13 | Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. | Ultimate expression of sacrificial love |
| Phil 2:3-4 | Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. | Encouragement for selfless service |
| Eph 5:2 | And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and a sacrifice to God. | Christ's example of self-sacrifice |
| 1 Sam 22:1-2 | David departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. And when his brothers and all his father's house heard it, they went down there to him. And everyone who was in distress, in debt, or discontented gathered to him, and he became commander over them. | Loyalty of men to David |
| 1 Sam 17:12 | David was the son of an Ephrathite of Bethlehem in Judah, named Jesse, who had eight sons. | Establishes Bethlehem as David's home |
| Mic 5:2 | But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. | Prophetic significance of Bethlehem |
| Ps 119:20 | My soul is consumed with longing for your rules at all times. | Depicts intense longing |
| Ex 17:6 | Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock at Horeb, and you shall strike the rock, and water shall come out of it, and the people will drink. | God provides water in the wilderness |
| Num 20:11 | And Moses lifted up his hand and struck the rock with his staff twice, and water came out abundantly, and the congregation drank, and their livestock. | Divine provision of water |
| Is 55:1 | "Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price." | Invitation to spiritual nourishment |
| Rom 5:7-8 | For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. | Highest act of love is sacrifice |
| Gal 2:20 | I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. | Christ's ultimate self-giving |
1 Chronicles 11 verses
1 Chronicles 11 17 Meaning
First Chronicles 11:17 describes King David's intense longing for water from the well of Bethlehem, his hometown, which was at that time under the control of the Philistines. His words were not a command but an expression of a deep, almost wistful, desire, born out of a strategic or personal connection to that specific water source during a period of conflict. This verse sets the stage for the extraordinary act of devotion by his mighty men.
1 Chronicles 11 17 Context
This verse is situated within a list of David's mighty men, chronicling their valor and loyalty. Chapter 11 describes David's anointing as king over all Israel, his capture of Jerusalem, and then highlights the extraordinary bravery of his elite warriors. At this time, David's position as king was consolidating, but Jerusalem (the stronghold of Zion) had just been captured from the Jebusites, and the Philistines, a perennial enemy of Israel, were still a major threat. Bethlehem, David's birthplace, was under Philistine control, indicated by their garrison being "at the gate" of the city. David's longing for water from his childhood well reveals a human element amidst the grandeur of his kingship and the constant warfare, indirectly testing the depth of his men's devotion and love.
1 Chronicles 11 17 Word analysis
- And David said longingly: The Hebrew for "longingly" is from the root 'avah (אָוָה), meaning "to desire, crave, lust after, pine for." This signifies a deep, heartfelt yearning, more akin to a sigh or a fervent wish rather than a directive or command. It conveys David's personal sentiment.
- Oh that one would give me water to drink: This phrase, mi yashqenu mayim (מִי יַשְׁקֵנוּ מַיִם), translates to "who will give us water to drink?" but often means "Oh, that someone would give me..." It expresses a wistful desire. David was dependent on others, perhaps weary, and could not obtain the water himself due to the danger.
- from the well of Bethlehem: The "well" (be'er, בְּאֵר) implies a constructed, usually deep, source of water, vital for sustenance in arid regions. Bethlehem (Beit Lechem, בֵּית לֶחֶם), meaning "house of bread," was David's ancestral home, the place of his youth and roots. The specific reference highlights a personal and nostalgic connection, making the water symbolic beyond mere hydration.
- that is by the gate: The "gate" (sha'ar, שַׁעַר) was the most fortified and controlled part of an ancient city, serving as its primary entry, exit, and administrative center. Its presence here indicates that the well, located outside or near the city entrance, was directly under Philistine guard, making access extremely perilous and suicidal under normal circumstances.
1 Chronicles 11 17 Bonus section
The incident captured in 1 Chronicles 11:17, while highlighting the exceptional loyalty of David's men, also indirectly touches upon the immense influence and perhaps the unwitting cost of leadership. David's yearning, though not a command, compelled his men to risk their lives. His later refusal to drink the water serves as a powerful illustration of a leader who understands the high price of devotion and elevates the sanctity of human life and selfless acts above personal gratification. This act of pouring the water out could also be seen as a foreshadowing of the ultimate sacrifice, where a life's precious fluid (like blood, represented by the costly water) is offered for others, aligning with broader biblical themes of sacrifice and redemption. Furthermore, the mention of Bethlehem prophetically connects David's humble roots to the eventual coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ, from the same town, who would offer the world living water.
1 Chronicles 11 17 Commentary
First Chronicles 11:17 unveils a powerful vignette demonstrating the profound bond and extraordinary loyalty between King David and his most elite warriors. David's expressed desire for water from his Bethlehem hometown well, while appearing simple, carried significant weight given the context of Philistine occupation. It was a longing for a piece of his past, a moment of vulnerability in the midst of his royal and military responsibilities. His mighty men, overhearing this earnest but non-commanding wish, acted on it with unwavering devotion, recognizing the deep personal significance this water held for their king. Their heroic and perilous mission to breach enemy lines underscores a selfless love that valued David's unspoken desire above their own lives. David's subsequent refusal to drink the water and his act of pouring it out to the LORD transforms the episode from a mere tale of bravery into a sacred moment, acknowledging that the extreme risk taken by his men rendered the water too costly for personal consumption. It became a blood-offering, sacred and valuable only to God, emphasizing that true loyalty and self-sacrifice for another are ultimately a testimony to a higher devotion.