The three mighty men broke through the army of the Philistines, and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate and took it and brought it to David; but he would not drink of it, but poured it out to the LORD.
ExplanationCommentary
Verse 16. Camp, or station of soldiers, verse 13, 14.—Offered it, as “a libation,” according to the Hebrew and Septuagint Vayasec is commonly used; but vinsoc, in Par. is the truer reading, as “it contains the three radical letters; and it were greatly to be wished that the verbs in every other place had also those radical letters restored, which have been omitted by the Masorets, and supplied by their punctuations.” Ken. Dis. i. p. 154.—Lord, as a sacrifice, worthy of him, and to teach his followers to be temperate, ( Menochius.) and not to expose their lives unnecessarily. Bible.—“He had formerly indulged himself in forbidden pleasures.” Saint Gregory—David thus asked pardon for having, undesignedly, hazarded the lives of his men, (Ken.) and gave thanks for their safe return. Josephus.—A libation of water was solemnly made, 1 Kennicott. 7:6. The pagans used water when they had no wine, as they never sat down to meat, or offered sacrifice, without making a libation. Calmet. See Iliad Bible. Æneid viii. 279.
Dixit & in mensa laticum libavit honorem. Virgil, Æneid i. 740.