2 Samuel 23:13-19

English Standard Version

¹³ And three of the thirty chief men went down and came about harvest time to David at the ^(A)cave of Adullam, when a band of Philistines was encamped ^(B)in the Valley of Rephaim. ¹⁴ David was then ^(C)in the stronghold, and ^(D)the garrison of the Philistines was then at Bethlehem. ¹⁵ And David said longingly, “Oh, that someone would give me water to drink from the well of Bethlehem that is by the gate!” ¹⁶ Then the three mighty men broke through the camp of the Philistines and drew water out of the well of Bethlehem that was by the gate and carried and brought it to David. But he would not drink of it. He poured it out to the Lord ¹⁷ and said, “Far be it from me, O Lord, that I should do this. Shall I drink ^(E)the blood of the men who went at the risk of their lives?” Therefore he would not drink it. These things the three mighty men did.

¹⁸ Now Abishai, the brother of Joab, the son of Zeruiah, was chief of the thirty.^[a] And he wielded his spear against three hundred men^[b] and killed them and won a name beside the three. ¹⁹ He was the most renowned of the thirty^[c] and became their commander, but he did not attain to ^(F)the three.