Context No. 3513 of 4322 · 1 Chronicles

1 Chronicles 11:15-19: in context

15Three of the thirty chief men went down to the rock to David, into the cave of Adullam; and the army of the Philistines were encamped in the valley of Rephaim. 16David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was in Bethlehem at that time. 17David longed, and said, “Oh, that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!” 18The three broke through the army of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate, took it, and brought it to David; but David would not drink any of it, but poured it out to the LORD, 19and said, “My God forbid me, that I should do this! Shall I drink the blood of these men who have put their lives in jeopardy?” For they risked their lives to bring it. Therefore he would not drink it. The three mighty men did these things.

Longing for water from the well of Bethlehem, his home town now held by the enemy, David voices the wish aloud. And three of his warriors break through the Philistine lines at the risk of their lives to bring it to him. But when they hand it to him, David will not drink it.

He pours it out to the LORD, saying, shall I drink the blood of these men who went at the risk of their lives? To him this water, bought at such cost, was too sacred to swallow for his own refreshment; he offered it to God instead. There is a beautiful reverence here for the sacrifice of others. David would not treat lightly, or use for mere personal comfort, what men had risked their lives to give him. So he lifted it up to God as something holy. It is a picture of how we should regard costly gifts and sacrifices made on our behalf, not consumed carelessly for ourselves, but received with reverence and offered back to God.

Do I treat the costly sacrifices others make on my behalf with reverence, refusing to use them lightly, and offering back to God what has come at great cost?

Sources

1 Chronicles 11:18: "The three broke through the army of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem... but David would not drink any of it, but poured it out to the LORD."
1 Chronicles 11:19: "Shall I drink the blood of these men who have put their lives in jeopardy?"
2 Samuel 24:24: "I will not offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God which cost me nothing."