David at Pas Dammim and the Water of the Three Warriors

"The Philistines gathered their camps for war" etc. (I Samuel 28:1). It is written, "He was with David at Pas Dammim" (rendered also as "Ephes Dammim"). Rabbi Yochanan said: at "the red field" (chakal samkata). Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachman said: "at Pas Dammim" — the blood ceased (pasku ha-damim), and the Philistines were gathered there for war. "And the plot of the field was full of barley" (I Chronicles 11:13). One verse says "full of barley," and another verse says "full of lentils" (II Samuel 23:11). Rabbi Yaakov of Kefar Chanan said: they were lentils, but their stalk was tall like barley. Rabbi Levi said: these were the Philistines, who came in tall like barley and went away low like lentils. "And they stationed themselves in the midst of the plot and saved it" (I Chronicles 11:14). One verse says "and they saved it" (va-yatziluha), and another verse says "and he saved it" (va-yatzileha) (II Samuel 23:12). This teaches that he returned it to its owners, for it was as beloved to them as a field full of saffron. Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachman and the Rabbis: Rabbi Shmuel bar Nachman said: it was one year and two fields, which it was necessary for him to destroy, but not to pay compensation. Up to here it was necessary for him: which of them to destroy — the one of lentils or the one of barley? The one of lentils is food for humans, the one of barley is food for animals; from the one of lentils the Omer offering does not come, but from the one of barley the Omer offering comes; from the one of lentils challah is not separated, but from the one of barley challah is separated. And the Rabbis said: it was one field and two years; he should have learned from the previous year — but one does not derive one incident from another incident. "And David longed and said, Who will give me water to drink?" (II Samuel 23:15). Rabbi Chiyya the Great said: a halachah was needed by him. "And the three warriors broke through" etc. (II Samuel 23:16). And why three? Because a halachah is clarified only by three. "And they drew water" etc. ["but he would not drink it"] (ibid.). And he would not — that the halachah be fixed in his name — rather, "and he poured it out to the Lord" (ibid.): he made it a tractate (masechet) and fixed for the generations. A king breaches a way to make himself a path, and none may protest against him. Bar Kappara said: it was a festival, and it was the water libation, and it was permitted on a high place (bamah). Rav Huna in the name of Rabbi Yosef said: the halachah of a captive woman was needed by him. And Rabbi Shimon bar Abba said: he sought the building of the Temple. And why three? Rather, one kills and one clears away the slain, and one brings in the flask in purity. "And he poured it out to the Lord" (II Samuel 23:16). One verse says "and he poured it out" (va-yasekh), one verse says "and he made libation" (va-yenasekh) (I Chronicles 11:17). The one who says "va-yasekh" supports Rabbi Chiyya the Great, and the one who says "va-yenasekh" supports Bar Kappara.