2 Samuel 23:16–17: “So the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines, drew water from the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate, and took it and brought it to David. Nevertheless he would not drink it, but poured it out to the LORD. And he said, ‘Far be it from me, O LORD, that I should do this! Is this not the blood of the men who went in jeopardy of their lives?’ Therefore he would not drink it. These things were done by the three mighty men.”

July 2nd, 2023 by Pastor Ed in devotional

This chapter records the names of David’s mighty men and recounts some stories about them. One story is from David’s exile, when he had to flee King Saul who was trying to kill him. In these verses, 3 of David’s men overheard him longing for water from the well of Bethlehem, where he was born and grew up. It was probably a scorching, dusty, midsummer day as David remembered the cool water from the village well of his youth. Since David had been a shepherd, we can assume he had often stopped his herd of sheep at this well. He was probably also a little homesick when he thought of it. Certainly he had not given orders for his men to bring him water from that well, nor had he intended for anyone to be prompted by his words to attempt to get him some. But these 3 brave men took his longing seriously and broke through enemy lines to draw water for David from the well of Bethlehem. They then marched back to bring it to him. It must have been 25 miles or more, round trip.

Because David’s men brought him water at the risk of their own lives, he considered it to precious to drink himself and instead poured it out as an offering to God. This was David’s way of saying, “Only God is worthy of this kind of sacrifice.” This gives yet another insight into the life of this “man after God’s own heart.” David held his men in such high esteem that it is no wonder these “bad guys” of Israel loved their king.

We serve the King of kings who, even more than David, holds every single person in the highest esteem possible. We have such value in our heavenly Father’s eyes that He paid the most expensive ransom ever paid for the life of a human being—His Son. Jesus Christ died a horrible death on the cross on our behalf. Therefore, the most valuable thing in the whole world is your life and mine!

“LORD, we worship at the foot of the cross by which You redeemed us all.”

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1 Samuel 23 KJV

¹ Then they told David, saying, Behold, the Philistines fight against Keilah, and they rob the threshingfloors. ² Therefore David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I go and smite these Philistines? And the LORD said unto David, Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah. ³ And David’s men said unto him, Behold, we be afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we come to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines? ⁴ Then David enquired of the LORD yet again. And the LORD answered him and said, Arise, go down to Keilah; for I will deliver the Philistines into thine hand. ⁵ So David and his men went to Keilah, and fought with the Philistines, and brought away their cattle, and smote them with a great slaughter. So David saved the inhabitants of Keilah. ⁶ And it came to pass, when Abiathar the son of Ahimelech fled to David to Keilah, that he came down with an ephod in his hand. ⁷ And it was told Saul that David was come to Keilah. And Saul said, God hath delivered him into mine hand; for he is shut in, by entering into a town that hath gates and bars. ⁸ And Saul called all the people together to war, to go down to Keilah, to besiege David and his men. ⁹ And David knew that Saul secretly practised mischief against him; and he said to Abiathar the priest, Bring hither the ephod. ¹⁰ Then said David, O LORD God of Israel, thy servant hath certainly heard that Saul seeketh to come to Keilah, to destroy the city for my sake. ¹¹ Will the men of Keilah deliver me up into his hand? will Saul come down, as thy servant hath heard? O LORD God of Israel, I beseech thee, tell thy servant. And the LORD said, He will come down. ¹² Then said David, Will the men of Keilah deliver me and my men into the hand of Saul? And the LORD said, They will deliver thee up. ¹³ Then David and his men, which were about six hundred, arose and departed out of Keilah, and went whithersoever they could go. And it was told Saul that David was escaped from Keilah; and he forbare to go forth. ¹⁴ And David abode in the wilderness in strong holds, and remained in a mountain in the wilderness of Ziph. And Saul sought him every day, but God delivered him not into his hand. ¹⁵ And David saw that Saul was come out to seek his life: and David was in the wilderness of Ziph in a wood. ¹⁶ And Jonathan Saul’s son arose, and went to David into the wood, and strengthened his hand in God. ¹⁷ And he said unto him, Fear not: for the hand of Saul my father shall not find thee; and thou shalt be king over Israel, and I shall be next unto thee; and that also Saul my father knoweth. ¹⁸ And they two made a covenant before the LORD: and David abode in the wood, and Jonathan went to his house. ¹⁹ Then came up the Ziphites to Saul to Gibeah, saying, Doth not David hide himself with us in strong holds in the wood, in the hill of Hachilah, which is on the south of Jeshimon?   ²⁰ Now therefore, O king, come down according to all the desire of thy soul to come down; and our part shall be to deliver him into the king’s hand. ²¹ And Saul said, Blessed be ye of the LORD; for ye have compassion on me. ²² Go, I pray you, prepare yet, and know and see his place where his haunt is, and who hath seen him there: for it is told me that he dealeth very subtilly.  ²³ See therefore, and take knowledge of all the lurking places where he hideth himself, and come ye again to me with the certainty, and I will go with you: and it shall come to pass, if he be in the land, that I will search him out throughout all the thousands of Judah. ²⁴ And they arose, and went to Ziph before Saul: but David and his men werein the wilderness of Maon, in the plain on the south of Jeshimon. ²⁵ Saul also and his men went to seek him . And they told David: wherefore he came down into a rock, and abode in the wilderness of Maon. And when Saul heard that , he pursued after David in the wilderness of Maon.  ²⁶ And Saul went on this side of the mountain, and David and his men on that side of the mountain: and David made haste to get away for fear of Saul; for Saul and his men compassed David and his men round about to take them. ²⁷ But there came a messenger unto Saul, saying, Haste thee, and come; for the Philistines have invaded the land.  ²⁸ Wherefore Saul returned from pursuing after David, and went against the Philistines: therefore they called that place Sela-hammahlekoth. ²⁹ And David went up from thence, and dwelt in strong holds at En-gedi.