David longed for water and said, “Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!”
Parallel translations
- WEB David longed, and said, “Oh that one would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!”
- KJV And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, that is at the gate!
- ESV And David said longingly, “Oh that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem that is by the gate!”
- NKJV And David said with longing, “Oh, that someone would give me a drink of water from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!”
- NASB And David had a craving and said, “Oh that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!”
- NLT David remarked longingly to his men, “Oh, how I would love some of that good water from the well by the gate in Bethlehem.”
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
David longed aloud for water from the well of Bethlehem by the gate. His homesick wish sets the stage for his men's daring devotion.
Overview
David voices a deep yearning for water from his hometown well, perhaps recalling childhood or simply expressing weariness in war. The wish is not a command, yet his men take it as one. This moment reveals the affection David inspired and prepares for a striking act of self-sacrifice and David's worshipful response.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 8
- John 4:10Jesus answered, “If you knew the gift of God and who is asking you for a drink, you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”
- 2 Sam 23:15–16David longed for water and said, “Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!”
- Isa 12:3With joy you will draw water from the springs of salvation,
- John 4:14But whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a fount of water springing up to eternal life.”
- Ps 63:1A Psalm of David, when he was in the Wilderness of Judah. O God, You are my God. Earnestly I seek You; my soul thirsts for You. My body yearns for You in a dry and weary land without water.
- Ps 143:6I stretch out my hands to You; my soul thirsts for You like a parched land. Selah
- Ps 42:1–2For the choirmaster. A Maskil of the sons of Korah. As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul longs after You, O God.
- Num 11:4–5Meanwhile, the rabble among them had a strong craving for other food, and again the Israelites wept and said, “Who will feed us meat?
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Christ at the center
The genealogies and the everlasting covenant with David trace the single thread of promise running through the generations straight to the Christ in whom the line reaches its goal.
How 1 Chronicles 11:17 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
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