1 Chronicles 11:19

saying, “Far be it from me, my God, to do this! How can I drink the blood of these men who risked their lives?” Because they had brought it at the risk of their lives, David refused to drink it. Such were the exploits of the three mighty men.

Berean Standard Bible

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Study note

Setting — David addresses his three mighty men and God directly after they breached the Philistine camp to draw water from Bethlehem. He speaks at the moment they present the water to him for his personal consumption.

The words — חָלִילָה (cha.li.Lah) translates literally to "far be it," marking absolute moral rejection, while הַדָּם (ha.Dam) simply means "the blood" of the men.

The thread — The narrative cross-references 2 Samuel 23:17, where David makes the identical refusal. The principle that God values human life is noted in Psalm 72:14, which states He redeems people because their blood is precious to Him.

Why it lands — The text explicitly records David's refusal to drink the water because it carried the weight of the men's lives. It requires the reader to acknowledge that human life cannot be consumed or treated as a resource to satisfy personal need.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.

The Hebrew words

וַיֹּ֡אמֶרva/i.Yo.merand/ he said חָלִילָה֩cha.li.Lahfar be itלִּ֨יl/ito/ meמֵאֱלֹהַ֜יme./'e.lo.Ha/ifrom/ God/ my מֵעֲשׂ֣וֹתme./'a.Sotfrom/ doing זֹ֗אתZotthis [thing]הֲדַ֣םha./Dam¿/ [the] blood of הָאֲנָשִׁים֩ha./'a.na.Shimthe/ men הָאֵ֨לֶּהha./'E.leh<the>/ these אֶשְׁתֶּ֤ה'esh.Tehwill I drink בְנַפְשׁוֹתָם֙ve./naf.sho.Ta/mby/ lives/ their כִּ֣יkifor בְנַפְשׁוֹתָ֣םve./naf.sho.Ta/mby/ lives/ their הֱבִיא֔וּםhe.vi.'U/mthey brought/ them וְלֹ֥אve./Lo'and/ not אָבָ֖ה'a.Vahhe was willing לִשְׁתּוֹתָ֑םli/sh.to.Ta/mto/ drink/ them אֵ֣לֶּה'E.lehthese [things]עָשׂ֔וּ'a.Suthey did שְׁלֹ֖שֶׁתshe.Lo.shet[the] three הַגִּבּוֹרִֽים׃ha./gi.bo.Rimthe/ mighty [men]

King James Version

And said, My God forbid it me, that I should do this thing: shall I drink the blood of these men that have put their lives in jeopardy? for with the jeopardy of their lives they brought it. Therefore he would not drink it. These things did these three mightiest.

Cross-references

2 Samuel 23:17 saying, “Far be it from me, O LORD, to do this! Is this not the blood of the men who risked their lives?” So he refused to drink it. Such were the exploits of the three mighty men.
Psalms 72:14 He will redeem them from oppression and violence, for their blood is precious in his sight.
Leviticus 17:10 If anyone from the house of Israel or a foreigner living among them eats any blood, I will set My face against that person and cut him off from among his people.
Judges 5:18 Zebulun was a people who risked their lives; Naphtali, too, on the heights of the battlefield.
Judges 9:17 for my father fought for you and risked his life to deliver you from the hand of Midian,
1 Samuel 19:5 He took his life in his hands when he struck down the Philistine, and the LORD worked a great salvation for all Israel. You saw it and rejoiced, so why would you sin against innocent blood by killing David for no reason?”
1 Kings 21:3 But Naboth replied, “The LORD forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my fathers.”
Job 31:31 if the men of my house have not said, ‘Who is there who has not had his fill?’—
Mark 14:24 He said to them, “This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.
John 6:55 For My flesh is real food, and My blood is real drink.