2 Samuel 23:13-17 Nostalgic Longing!

 ”Then three of the thirty chief men went down at harvest time and came to David at the cave of Adullam. And the troop of Philistines encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. 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!” 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.“ II Samuel‬ ‭23‬:‭13‬-‭17‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

a. Came to David at the cave of Adullam: David spent time in this cave when those who would become his mighty men first came to him in 1 Samuel 22:1-2. This passage describes something that happened either during that time or a later time of battle against the Philistines when David went back to the cave of Adullam.

b. David said with longing, “Oh, that someone would give me a drink of the water from the well of Bethlehem”: During this time David had a nostalgic longing for the taste of water from a well near his boyhood home.

c. The three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines, drew water from the well of Bethlehem: In response to David’s longing – which wasn’t a command or even a request, just a vocalized longing – these three mighty menimmediately went to fulfill David’s desire at great personal risk.

d. He would not drink it, but poured it out to the LORD: David was so honored by the self-sacrifice of these three mighty men he felt that the water was too good for him – and worthy to be poured out in sacrifice to the LORD. He believed that the great sacrifice of these men could only be honored by giving the water to the LORD. (Guzik)

i. “Accounting it too dear a draught for himself, he poured it out unto the Lord, out of a religious respect.” (Trapp)

Nostalgic Longing!

There are times that I look back at my life and as David, I have a nostalgic longing for something that I once had. I have to remind myself that the Lord has placed me in this moment of time in my life and everything I have is His. So like David I will take that nostalgic longing and thank the Lord for blessing me with it and pour it out as a drink offering to the Lord.

Have you had any nostalgic longings?

Blessings