2 Samuel 23:15
New International Version
David longed for water and said, “Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!”

New Living Translation
David remarked longingly to his men, “Oh, how I would love some of that good water from the well by the gate in Bethlehem.”

English Standard Version
And David said longingly, “Oh, that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem that is by the gate!”

Berean Standard Bible
David longed for water and said, “Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!”

King James Bible
And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!

New King James Version
And David said with longing, “Oh, that someone would give me a drink of the water from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!”

New American Standard Bible
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!”

NASB 1995
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!”

NASB 1977
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!”

Legacy Standard Bible
Then 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!”

Amplified Bible
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!”

Christian Standard Bible
David was extremely thirsty and said, “If only someone would bring me water to drink from the well at the city gate of Bethlehem! ”

Holman Christian Standard Bible
David was extremely thirsty and said, “If only someone would bring me water to drink from the well at the city gate of Bethlehem!”

American Standard Version
And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me water to drink of the well of Beth-lehem, which is by the gate!

Contemporary English Version
and he was very thirsty. He said, "I wish I had a drink from the well by the gate at Bethlehem."

English Revised Version
And David longed and said, Oh that one would give me water to drink of the well of Beth-lehem which is by the gate!

GOD'S WORD® Translation
When David became thirsty, he said, "I wish I could have a drink of water from the well at the city gate of Bethlehem."

Good News Translation
David grew homesick and said, "How I wish someone would bring me a drink of water from the well by the gate at Bethlehem!"

International Standard Version
David expressed his longing, "Oh, how I wish someone would get me a drink of water from the Bethlehem well that's by the city gate!"

Majority Standard Bible
David longed for water and said, ?Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!?

NET Bible
David was thirsty and said, "How I wish someone would give me some water to drink from the cistern in Bethlehem near the gate!"

New Heart English Bible
And David had a craving and said, "Oh that one would give me water to drink of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate."

Webster's Bible Translation
And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Beth-lehem, which is by the gate!

World English Bible
David said longingly, “Oh that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!”
Literal Translations
Literal Standard Version
and David longs and says, “Who gives me a drink of the water of the well of Beth-Lehem, which [is] by the gate?”

Young's Literal Translation
and David longeth and saith, 'Who doth give me a drink of the water of the well of Beth-Lehem, which is by the gate?'

Smith's Literal Translation
And David will desire and say, Who will give me to drink waters from the well of the House of Bread, which is in the gate?
Catholic Translations
Douay-Rheims Bible
And David longed, and said: O that some man would get me a drink of the water out of the cistern, that is in Bethlehem, by the gate.

Catholic Public Domain Version
Then David desired, and he said, “If only someone would give me a drink of the water from the cistern, which is in Bethlehem beside the gate!”

New American Bible
Now David had a craving and said, “If only someone would give me a drink of water from the cistern by the gate of Bethlehem!”

New Revised Standard Version
David said longingly, “O that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem that is by the gate!”
Translations from Aramaic
Lamsa Bible
And David longed for water and said, O that one would give me a drink of water from the great well which is in the city of Beth-lehem!

Peshitta Holy Bible Translated
And David lusted and he said: “I am desiring that I would drink water from the great well that is in the city Bayth Lekhem!”
OT Translations
JPS Tanakh 1917
And David longed, and said: 'Oh that one would give me water to drink of the well of Beth-lehem, which is by the gate!'

Brenton Septuagint Translation
And David longed, and said, Who will give me water to drink out of the well that is in Bethleem by the gate? now the band of the Philistines was then in Bethleem.

Additional Translations ...
Audio Bible



Context
David's Mighty Men
14At that time David was in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was at Bethlehem. 15David longed for water and said, “Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!” 16So the three mighty men broke through the Philistine camp, drew water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem, and brought it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out to the LORD,…

Cross References
1 Chronicles 11:17-19
David longed for water and said, “Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!” / So the Three broke through the Philistine camp, drew water from the well at the gate of Bethlehem, and brought it back to David. But he refused to drink it; instead, he poured it out to the LORD, / 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.

Judges 15:18-19
And being very thirsty, Samson cried out to the LORD, “You have accomplished this great deliverance through Your servant. Must I now die of thirst and fall into the hands of the uncircumcised?” / So God opened up the hollow place in Lehi, and water came out of it. When Samson drank, his strength returned, and he was revived. That is why he named it En-hakkore, and it remains in Lehi to this day.

Numbers 20:11
Then Moses raised his hand and struck the rock twice with his staff, so that a great amount of water gushed out, and the congregation and their livestock were able to drink.

John 4:13-14
Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again. / But 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.”

Psalm 42:1-2
For 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. / My soul thirsts for God, the living God. When shall I come and appear in God’s presence?

Isaiah 12:3
With joy you will draw water from the springs of salvation,

John 7:37-38
On the last and greatest day of the feast, Jesus stood up and called out in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. / Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said: ‘Streams of living water will flow from within him.’”

Revelation 22:17
The Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” Let the one who hears say, “Come!” And let the one who is thirsty come, and the one who desires the water of life drink freely.

Psalm 63:1
A 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.

Matthew 5:6
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.

Isaiah 55:1
“Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you without money, come, buy, and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost!

John 19:28
After this, knowing that everything had now been accomplished, and to fulfill the Scripture, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.”

Exodus 17:6
Behold, I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. And when you strike the rock, water will come out of it for the people to drink.” So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel.

Psalm 107:9
For He satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.

Jeremiah 2:13
“For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living water, and they have dug their own cisterns—broken cisterns that cannot hold water.


Treasury of Scripture

And David longed, and said, Oh that one would give me drink of the water of the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!

longed

Numbers 11:4,5
And the mixt multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat? …

Psalm 42:1,2
To the chief Musician, Maschil, for the sons of Korah. As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God…

Psalm 63:1
A Psalm of David, when he was in the wilderness of Judah. O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;

John 4:14
But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

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Bethlehem Beth-Lehem Craving David Desire Doorway Drink Gate Longed Moved Someone Strong Water Water-Hole
2 Samuel 23
1. David, in his last words, professes his faith in God's promises
6. The different state of the wicked
8. A catalogue of David's mighty men














So David longed for water
The phrase "longed for" in Hebrew is "אָוָה" (avah), which conveys a deep yearning or desire. This longing is not merely physical but also symbolic of a deeper spiritual thirst. David's longing for water can be seen as a metaphor for the soul's thirst for God, as water often represents life and sustenance in Scripture. In a broader biblical context, this longing reflects the human condition's innate desire for divine connection and fulfillment.

and said
The act of speaking here is significant. David verbalizes his desire, which indicates the importance of expressing one's needs and desires openly. In the biblical narrative, spoken words often carry weight and power, reflecting the creative and declarative nature of God's own words. David's expression of longing is a moment of vulnerability and honesty, reminding believers of the importance of bringing their desires before God.

Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water
This phrase highlights David's reliance on others to fulfill his need. It underscores the communal aspect of faith, where believers are called to support and serve one another. The request for "a drink of water" is simple yet profound, symbolizing the basic needs that bind humanity together. It also points to the humility of a king who, despite his power, acknowledges his dependence on others.

from the well near the gate of Bethlehem
The "well near the gate of Bethlehem" is not just a geographical location but a place of personal significance for David, as Bethlehem is his hometown. This reference evokes a sense of nostalgia and longing for the familiar and comforting. Historically, wells were vital community resources, often located at city gates, serving as gathering places and symbols of life and prosperity. For David, this well represents a connection to his roots and the sustenance of his early life, reflecting a desire to return to the purity and simplicity of his beginnings.

(15) The well of Bethlehem.--There are now no wells of living water at Bethlehem itself, the town being supplied by an aqueduct. Robinson could find none in the neighbourhood, and was assured that none existed (Bib. R. ii. 157-163); but Ritter (Geog. of Pal. iii. 340) says that a little north of the town "is" David's well, "with its deep shaft and its clear cool water."

Verse 15. - The well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate. Bethlehem is now supplied with water by an aqueduct, and the wells close to the town have ceased to exist. The cistern of "deep, clear, cool water," descsribed by Ritter, in his 'Geography of Palestine,' and now called David's Well, is three quarters of a mile to the north of Bethlehem, and too distant to be that which David meant.

Parallel Commentaries ...


Hebrew
David
דָוִ֖ד (ḏā·wiḏ)
Noun - proper - masculine singular
Strong's 1732: David -- perhaps 'beloved one', a son of Jesse

longed [for water]
וַיִּתְאַוֶּ֥ה (way·yiṯ·’aw·weh)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Hitpael - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 183: To incline, desire

and said,
וַיֹּאמַ֑ר (way·yō·mar)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Consecutive imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

“Oh, that someone
מִ֚י (mî)
Interrogative
Strong's 4310: Who?, whoever, in oblique construction with prefix, suffix

would get me a drink
יַשְׁקֵ֣נִי (yaš·qê·nî)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular | first person common singular
Strong's 8248: To quaff, to irrigate, furnish a, potion to

of water
מַ֔יִם (ma·yim)
Noun - masculine plural
Strong's 4325: Water, juice, urine, semen

from the well
מִבֹּ֥אר (mib·bōr)
Preposition-m | Noun - masculine singular construct
Strong's 877: A cistern, pit, well

near the gate
בַּשָּֽׁעַר׃ (baš·šā·‘ar)
Preposition-b, Article | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 8179: An opening, door, gate

of Bethlehem!”
לֶ֖חֶם (le·ḥem)
Noun - proper - feminine singular
Strong's 1035: Bethlehem -- 'place of bread', a city in Judah, also a city in Zebulun


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OT History: 2 Samuel 23:15 David longed and said Oh that one (2Sa iiSam 2 Sam ii sam)
2 Samuel 23:14
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