1 Chronicles 11:18-21

The Message

^15-19 The Big Three from the Thirty made a rocky descent to David at the Cave of Adullam while a company of Philistines was camped in the Valley of Rephaim. David was holed up in the Cave while the Philistines were prepared for battle at Bethlehem. David had a sudden craving: “What I wouldn’t give for a drink of water from the well in Bethlehem, the one at the gate!” The Three penetrated the Philistine camp, drew water from the well at the Bethlehem gate, shouldered it, and brought it to David. And then David wouldn’t drink it! He poured it out as a sacred offering to God, saying, “I’d rather be damned by God than drink this! It would be like drinking the lifeblood of these men—they risked their lives to bring it.” So he refused to drink it. These are the kinds of things that the Big Three of the Mighty Men did.

^20-21 Abishai brother of Joab was the chief of the Thirty. Singlehandedly he fought three hundred men, and killed the lot, but he never made it into the circle of the Three. He was highly honored by the Thirty—he was their chief—still, he didn’t measure up to the Three.