Water from Bethlehem Well

One tired man siddon for di mouth of one cave for di hot hills. Im lips don dry. And e talk, almost to imself: ah, if only somebody go give me water drink from di well wey dey near di gate of Bethlehem.

Dis story dey hide for di end of Second Samuel, inside one list of David mighty soldiers. E come from harvest time, when David dey di strong place for di cave of Adullam, for di low hills of Judah. One group of Philistine soldiers camp for di valley of Rephaim, near Jerusalem. Wetin worse pass, di Philistines get soldiers wey dey guard Bethlehem itself, David hometown. Di town where e grow, where dem anoint am, where im family farm dey, enemy don occupy am. And with David na im strongest fighters, including three champions wey dia courage famous.

Maybe na di heat. Maybe e just miss home. David don dey drink from dat well near di gate since e be small boy. Di water taste like home. And e talk out loud, with long sigh: Ah, if somebody go give me water drink from di well of Bethlehem, di one wey dey near di gate! E no give order. E no ask anybody make e go. Na di kind thing wey person dey talk when e don tire and e dey far from home. But three of im mighty men hear am. And dem look each other face.

Di three soldiers comot go Bethlehem. Di road pass through enemy land. Di Philistines hold di town. And di three of dem break through di Philistine camp, straight through di enemy line, reach di well near di gate. Imagine dem as dem dey draw di water, dey fill one pot, every moment dem dey expect say enemy go see dem. Then dem fight or sneak dia way comot, cross many miles of ground wey get danger, until dem reach di cave of Adullam. And dem put di water down for David front. See am, my lord. Water from Bethlehem well.

And David do something wey nobody expect. E no gree drink am. Instead, e pour am for ground, as offering to di Lord. God forbid, Lord, make I do dis kind thing, e talk. Dis no be di blood of di men wey risk dia life? Dis men put dia life for danger because of small water. For David, e too precious to drink, like say na dia blood dem take buy am. Na only God worthy of gift wey cost reach like dat. So David give am to God. And di book just talk: na dis things di three mighty men do.

To pour liquid comot for God front na one way wey Israel dey worship, dem dey call am drink offering. Di law of Moses describe how dem dey pour wine with di daily sacrifices. Israel law also teach say di life of any creature dey inside im blood, and say blood belong to God alone. So when David call di water di blood of di men, and e pour am comot instead of to drink am, wetin e dey talk be say dia life holy, and na only di Lord dem fit offer dia gift to.

You go find dis story for Second Samuel chapter twenty-three, verse thirteen reach seventeen. Long time after David, another son of Bethlehem go born for dat town, di one wey offer people living water and give im own life for dem. So see one question wey you go carry dey go. Wetin be di gift wey cost pass wey anybody don ever give you, and wetin you fit give back to God with di same kind love?