And the three mighty men broke through the host 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: nevertheless he would not drink it, but poured it out unto the LORD.
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George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
Camp, or station of soldiers, ver. 13, 14.
Offered it, as "a libation "according to the Hebrew and Septuagint. Vayasec is commonly used; but vinsoc, in Paralipomenon is the truer reading, as "it contains the three radical letters; and it were greatly to be wished that the verbs in every other place had also those radical letters restored, which have been omitted by the Masorets, and supplied by their punctuations. "(Kennicott, Dis. i. p. 154.)
Lord, as a sacrifice, worthy of him, and to teach his followers to be temperate, (Menochius) and not to expose their lives unnecessarily. (Haydock) -- "He had formerly indulged himself in forbidden pleasures. "(St. Gregory)
David thus asked pardon for having, undesignedly, hazarded the lives of his men, (Kennicott) and gave thanks for their safe return. (Josephus)
A libation of water was solemnly made, 1 Kings vii. 6. The pagans used water when they had no wine, as they never sat down to meat, or offered sacrifice, without making a libation. (Calmet) See Homer, Iliad H.; Virgil, Æneid viii. 279. Dixitin mensâ laticum libavit honorem. (Virgil, Æneid i. 740.)
