2 Samuel 23 · a question people ask
Why did David pour the water out instead of drinking it?
The chapter gives David's own words and no other reason: "Be it far from me, LORD, that I should do this! Isn’t this the blood of the men who risked their lives to go?" (23:17). He "would not drink of it, but poured it out to the LORD" (23:16). Brown-Driver-Briggs gives the verb, nasakh, as "pour out", and also "pour out libations" (tap poured); Jacob "poured out a drink offering" (Genesis 35:14) with the same verb. Chronicles gives David's words as "Shall I drink the blood of these men who have put their lives in jeopardy?" (1 Chronicles 11:19), and adds, "For they risked their lives to bring it" (1 Chronicles 11:19). Neither passage says more about what David meant, and these notes don't guess.
The verses
“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. He said, “Be it far from me, LORD, that I should do this! Isn’t this the blood of the men who risked their lives to go?” Therefore he would not drink it. The three mighty men did these things.”
“Jacob set up a pillar in the place where he spoke with him, a pillar of stone. He poured out a drink offering on it, and poured oil on it.”
“The 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, and 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.”