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1 Samuel
Chapter Thirty
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 30
This
chapter relates the condition Ziklag was in when David and his men came to it,
the city burnt, and their families carried captive by the Amalekites, which
occasioned not only a general lamentation, but mutiny and murmuring in David's
men, 1 Samuel 30:1; the
inquiry David made of the Lord what he should do, who is bid to pursue the
enemy; and being directed by a lad where they were, fell upon them, and routed
them, and brought back the captives with a great spoil, 1 Samuel 30:7; the
distribution of the spoil, both to those that went with him, and to those who
through faintness were left behind, 1 Samuel 30:21; and
the presents of it he sent to several places in the tribe of Judah, who had
been kind to him when he dwelt among them, 1 Samuel 30:26.
1 Samuel 30:1 Now it
happened, when David and his men came to Ziklag, on the third day, that the
Amalekites had invaded the South and Ziklag, attacked Ziklag and burned it with
fire,
YLT
1And it cometh to pass, in
the coming in of David and his men to Ziklag, on the third day, that the
Amalekites have pushed unto the south, and unto Ziklag, and smite Ziklag, and
burn it with fire,
And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag,
on the third day,.... Either from their departure from thence, when they went out
with Achish, or rather from the time of their leaving Achish, and the camp of
the Philistines; so long they were upon their march homewards, see 2 Samuel 1:1; and
no wonder, if it was the distance of eighty eight miles; see Gill on 1 Samuel 29:11,
that the Amalekites had invaded the south, and Ziklag; the southern
parts of the land of the Philistines, and of Judah, as appears from 1 Samuel 30:14;
taking the opportunity of the Philistines being gone into the land of Israel,
and particularly of David's absence from Ziklag, to whom they bore a grudge for
his invasion, destruction, and spoil of them not long ago, see 1 Samuel 27:8,
and smitten Ziklag, and burnt it with fire; not that they
smote the inhabitants of it, there were no men in it, and the women and
children they carried captive; but they demolished the buildings in it, pulled
down the houses after they had rifled them, and burnt them with fire, that
David and his men might dwell there no more.
1 Samuel 30:2 2 and
had taken captive the women and those who were there, from small to
great; they did not kill anyone, but carried them away and went their
way.
YLT
2and they take captive the
women who [are] in it; from small unto great they have not put any one to
death, and they lead away, and go on their way.
And had taken the women captives, that were therein,.... There
being no other to take, the men were gone with David:
they slew not any, either great or small; that is, of
the women, whether married or unmarried, old, or maidens, or children; which
was very much, since David destroyed all that came within his reach, men and
women, when he invaded them, 1 Samuel 27:9; but
perhaps this was not owing to their humanity, but to their covetousness,
designing to make an advantage of them by selling them for slaves; no doubt
they were restrained by the providence of God:
but carried them away, and went on their way; homewards
with their captives.
1 Samuel 30:3 3 So
David and his men came to the city, and there it was, burned with fire; and
their wives, their sons, and their daughters had been taken captive.
YLT
3And David cometh in -- and
his men -- unto the city, and lo, burnt with fire, and their wives, and their
sons, and their daughters have been taken captive!
So David and his men came to the city,.... Or
however to the place where it had stood, and where it now lay in ruins:
and, behold, it was burnt with fire; the whole
city was laid in ashes:
and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken
captives; as it appeared afterwards; for upon their first coming they knew
not but they were all destroyed; and which they might reasonably suppose from
their former treatment of them, unless there were any left upon the spot which
could inform them how things were, which does not appear, and which must make
their distress the greater.
1 Samuel 30:4 4 Then
David and the people who were with him lifted up their voices and wept,
until they had no more power to weep.
YLT
4And David lifteth up -- and
the people who [are] with him -- their voice and weep, till that they have no
power to weep.
Then David and the people that were with him lifted up
their voice,.... In doleful shrieks, and loud lamentations:
and wept, until they had no more power to weep; till nature
was quite exhausted, and no moisture left; so the Vulgate Latin version,
"till tears failed in them"; they could shed no more.
1 Samuel 30:5 5 And
David’s two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the widow of Nabal the
Carmelite, had been taken captive.
YLT
5And the two wives of David
have been taken captive, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail wife of Nabal
the Carmelite;
And David's two wives were taken captives,.... Which is
observed as one cause of his particular distress, and another follows in 1 Samuel 30:6,
Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the
Carmelite: that is, who had been his wife; for he was now dead, 1 Samuel 25:39, and
was so before she was married to David; both these came with him to Gath, and
were left at Ziklag when he went with Achish, and here they were taken; see 1 Samuel 25:42.
1 Samuel 30:6 6 Now
David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the
soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters.
But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.
YLT
6and David hath great
distress, for the people have said to stone him, for the soul of all the people
hath been bitter, each for his sons and for his daughters; and David doth
strengthen himself in Jehovah his God.
And David was greatly distressed,.... Partly for the loss
of his two wives, and partly because of the mutiny and murmuring of his men:
for the people spake of stoning him; as the Israelites did of
Moses and Aaron, Numbers 14:10; the
reason of this was, because, as they judged, it was owing to David that they
went along with Achish, and left the city defenceless, and because he had
provoked the Amalekites by his inroad upon them, who took this opportunity of
avenging themselves. Abarbinel is of opinion that it was his excess of sorrow
for his two wives, and his remissness and backwardness to take vengeance on
their enemies, that provoked them, and put them on talking after this manner:
because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his
sons and for his daughters; as well as David; and they were very
desirous of recovering them if possible, and of taking vengeance on those who
had carried them captive:
but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God; took all
patiently, and exercised faith on his God; he encouraged himself in the power
and providence of God; in the promises of God, and his faithfulness in keeping
them; in a view of his covenant relation to God; in remembrance of the grace,
mercy, and goodness of God, and his former experiences of it; hoping and
believing that God would appear for him in some way or another, and work
salvation for him. The Targum is,"he strengthened himself in the Word of
the Lord his God;'in Christ the Word of God, and in the power of his might, and
in the grace that is in him, Ephesians 6:10.
1 Samuel 30:7 7 Then David said to
Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech’s son, “Please bring the ephod here to me.” And
Abiathar brought the ephod to David.
YLT
7And David saith unto
Abiathar the priest, son of Ahimelech, `Bring nigh, I pray thee, to me the
ephod;' and Abiathar bringeth nigh the ephod unto David,
And David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech's son,.... The son
of Ahimelech, who was slain at Nob by the order of Saul, 1 Samuel 22:19; and
Abiathar his son, who fled to David with the ephod, on the death of his father,
1 Samuel 22:20, was
now high priest in his room; and who it seems was with David when he went with
Achish, and returned with him; for had he been left at Ziklag, he and his
ephod, in all probability, had been carried off by the Amalekites, unless we
can suppose him under the protection of a special providence: it is much David
had not inquired of the Lord by him about his going with Achish; perhaps the
present disaster brought to mind that neglect, and made him the more diligent
now:
I pray thee, bring me hither the ephod; not to put it
on himself, but that the high priest might put it on, and inquire by it before
him of the Lord:
and Abiathar brought thither the ephod to David; for the sake
of David, that inquiry might be made before him of the Lord by Urim and
Thummim.
1 Samuel 30:8 8 So David inquired of the Lord, saying,
“Shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake them?” And He answered him,
“Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all.”
YLT
8and David asketh at
Jehovah, saying, `I pursue after this troop -- do I overtake it?' And He saith
to him, `Pursue, for thou dost certainly overtake, and dost certainly deliver.'
And David inquired of the Lord,.... That is, by
Abiathar, who reported his questions to the Lord in his name:
saying, shall I pursue after this troop? the large
company of the Amalekites, as it appears by what follows they were:
shall I overtake them? two questions are here
put together, and answers returned to them, contrary to a notion of the Jews;
See Gill on 1 Samuel 23:11,
and he answered him, pursue; which respects the first
question:
for thou shall surely overtake them; which is an
answer to the second question, and a full one, giving full assurance of
overtaking; to which is added more than what was inquired about:
and without fail recover all; their wives, sons, and
daughters, and the spoil that was taken; or "in delivering thou shall
deliver"F16הצל תציל
"eruendo erues", Pagninus, Montanus; "eripiendo erepturus
es", Piscator. , out of the hands of the Amalekites, whatsoever they had
taken.
1 Samuel 30:9 9 So David went, he and the
six hundred men who were with him, and came to the Brook Besor, where
those stayed who were left behind.
YLT
9And David goeth on, he and
six hundred men who [are] with him, and they come in unto the brook of Besor,
and those left have stood still,
So David went, he and the six hundred men that were with
him,.... Encouraged by the oracle of the Lord:
and came to the brook Besor; which AdrichomiusF17Theatrum
Terrae Sanct. p. 133. places in the tribe of Simeon; it is thought to be near
Gaza. AristaeusF18Hist. 72. Interpret. p. 41. speaks of brooks that
flowed by Gaza and Ashdod, places that belonged to the Philistines; some take
it to be the river of the wilderness in Amos; see Gill on Amos 6:14,
where those that were left behind stayed: or a part of
them were left, as the Targum; all the six hundred came to this brook, but two
hundred of them were left here, 1 Samuel 30:10
shows, and stayed here till the rest returned; for this is not to be understood
of any that were left behind at Ziklag, for all came from thence to this brook.
1 Samuel 30:10 10 But David pursued, he and
four hundred men; for two hundred stayed behind, who were so weary that
they could not cross the Brook Besor.
YLT
10and David pursueth, he and
four hundred men, (and two hundred men stand still who have been too faint to
pass over the brook of Besor),
But David pursued, he and four hundred men,.... Not
discouraged with being obliged to leave a third part of his little army behind;
though it was doubtless a trial of his faith, with these to pursue an enemy,
whose numbers he knew not, which must greatly exceed his; for after the rout
and slaughter of them, as many escaped on camels as David had with him, 1 Samuel 30:17,
for two hundred abode behind, which were so faint; through their
grief and sorrow for the loss of their wives and children, and through their
march from the camp of the Philistines to Ziklag, and from thence hither, that
they looked like a corpse, as the word signifies; Procopius Gazaeus has it only
seventy men:
so that they could not go over the brook Besor: being so weak
and feeble; for this was not owing to fear of their enemies, and faint
heartedness on that account, then it would rather have been said, "they
would not go over"; the Targum renders the word "faint" by
"restrained" or prohibited, as if they were forbid by David to go
over, but were ordered to tarry here by the stuff, while the rest pursued; and,
according to the Syriac and Arabic versions, they were placed there, that none
might go over the brook; and it seems, by 1 Samuel 30:22,
that they had a good will to go over, but were made to abide there; or as all
Gideon's army, but three hundred, were sent back, and not suffered to go with
him, being too many, Judges 7:2.
1 Samuel 30:11 11 Then they found an
Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David; and they gave him bread and he
ate, and they let him drink water.
YLT
11and they find a man, an
Egyptian, in the field, and take him unto David, and give to him bread, and he
eateth, and they cause him to drink water,
And they found an Egyptian in the field,.... As they
passed along, lying there, having been sick, and was half starved, almost dead:
and brought him to David; to know what was to be
done with him; being in the habit of a soldier, they concluded he might be one
of the company they were in pursuit of; but whether they should kill him, or
make use of him for intelligence and as a guide, could they bring him to
himself, they knew not, and therefore brought him to David:
and gave him bread, and he did eat, and they made him drink water; both which
they had with them for their own use; had he been an Amalekite, and not an
Egyptian, they might not have relieved or spared him, but must have destroyed
him at once; see Deuteronomy 25:19.
1 Samuel 30:12 12 And they gave him a piece
of a cake of figs and two clusters of raisins. So when he had eaten, his
strength came back to him; for he had eaten no bread nor drunk water for three
days and three nights.
YLT
12and give to him a piece of
a bunch of dried figs, and two bunches of raisins, and he eateth, and his
spirit returneth unto him, for he hath not eaten bread nor drunk water three
days and three nights.
And they gave him a piece of cake of figs,.... That were
dried and pressed together, and made into cakes:
and two clusters of raisins; or dried grapes, as the
Targum:
and when he had eaten, his spirit came again to him; he seemed to
be quite dispirited, almost lifeless, but upon eating some food he was
refreshed, and his spirits revived, and he was capable of conversing:
for he had eaten no bread, nor drank any water, three days
and three nights; that is, one whole day, and part of two days, as appears from 1 Samuel 30:13.
1 Samuel 30:13 13 Then David said to him,
“To whom do you belong, and where are you from?” And he said, “I am
a young man from Egypt, servant of an Amalekite; and my master left me behind,
because three days ago I fell sick.
YLT
13And David saith to him,
`Whose [art] thou? and whence [art] thou?' And he saith, `An Egyptian youth I
[am], servant to a man, an Amalekite, and my lord forsaketh me, for I have been
sick three days,
And David said unto him, to whom belongest thou?.... To what
country or people? and to whom among them?
and whence art thou? of what nation? where
wast thou born? what countryman art thou? for his being called an Egyptian
before seems to be by anticipation, unless it was guessed at by his habit; for
until he had eaten and drank he could not speak, and so could not be known by
his speech:
for he said, I am a young man of Egypt; that was the
country he belonged to, and came from; he was an Egyptian by birth:
servant to an Amalekite; one of those that had
invaded the country, and burnt Ziklag, as it follows:
and my master left me, because three days agone I fell sick; which was
very barbarous and cruel to leave him at all, when they had camels with them, 1 Samuel 30:17; and
no doubt carriages for their arms, provision, and spoil, and men; and more so
to leave him without anybody with him to take care of him, and without any
food, when he capable of eating any; but so it was ordered by the providence of
God, that should be left to be the instrument of the just ruin of his master,
and of the whole troop.
1 Samuel 30:14 14 We made an invasion of the
southern area of the Cherethites, in the territory which belongs
to Judah, and of the southern area of Caleb; and we burned Ziklag with
fire.”
YLT
14we pushed [to] the south of
the Cherethite, and against that which [is] to Judah, and against the south of
Caleb, and Ziklag we burned with fire.'
We made an invasion upon the south of the Cherethites,.... The
Philistines so called, or at least one nation of them, such that dwelt to the
south of the land, 1 Samuel 30:16; See
Gill on Zephaniah 2:5,
and upon the coast which belongeth to Judah; the south of
Judah, where David pretended he had been, and had spoiled, and which was now
actually done by the Amalekites, 1 Samuel 27:10,
and upon the south of Caleb; that part of the tribe
of Judah which belonged to Caleb the son of Jephunneh, and his posterity, and
which was the southern part of it, Joshua 15:19,
and we burnt Ziklag with fire; and then departed.
1 Samuel 30:15 15 And David said to him,
“Can you take me down to this troop?” So he said, “Swear to me by God that you
will neither kill me nor deliver me into the hands of my master, and I will
take you down to this troop.”
YLT
15And David saith unto him,
`Dost thou bring me down unto this troop?' and he saith, `Swear to me by God --
thou dost not put me to death, nor dost thou shut me up into the hand of my
lord -- and I bring thee down unto this troop.'
And David said unto him, canst thou me down to this company?.... That is,
show him, or direct him where they were:
and he said, swear unto me by God; the Targum is, by the
Word of the Lord; but it is highly probable this man had no notion of Jehovah,
and his Word, or of the true God; only that there was a God, and that an oath
taken by him was solemn, sacred, and inviolable, and might be trusted to and
depended on:
that thou wilt neither kill me; for he found now he was
in the hands of those whose city he had been concerned in plundering and
burning, and so might fear his life was in danger:
nor deliver me into the hands of my master; who had been
a cruel one to him, and therefore would gladly be clear of him; and if he had
nothing else against him, his late usage of him was sufficient to raise his
resentment of him:
and I will bring thee down to this company; or show him
where they were, having heard them say where they would stop, and make merry,
and divide their spoil; and perhaps his master might tell him they would be at
such a place at such a time, where, if he was better, he might come to them;
the Vulgate Latin version adds, "and David swore to him": which,
though not expressed in the original text, was no doubt done by him; and the
Syriac and Arabic versions begin 1 Samuel 30:16
thus, "when David had sworn to him".
1 Samuel 30:16 16 And when he had brought him
down, there they were, spread out over all the land, eating and drinking and
dancing, because of all the great spoil which they had taken from the land of
the Philistines and from the land of Judah.
YLT
16And he bringeth him down,
and lo, they are spread out over the face of all the earth, eating, and
drinking, and feasting, with all the great spoil which they have taken out of
the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah.
And when he had brought him down,.... To the place where
the company of the Amalekites were, or near it:
behold, they were spread abroad upon all the earth; they were not
in any regular order, and much less in any military form, but lay about in the
fields, scattered here and there, were in detached parties:
some eating and drinking; in one place:
and dancing; others, in another place, expressing their joy, and perhaps
their thankfulness to their idols
because of the great spoil they had taken out of the land of the
Philistines, and out of the land of Judah; from Ziklag, and from
the south of the Cherethites, and the south of Judah, they had invaded, 1 Samuel 30:14; and
here they were in the greatest security; knowing: that the armies of the
Philistines were gone into the land of Israel, and were about to engage in
battle with the Israelites, and David they supposed was with the Philistines,
so that they had nothing to fear from any quarter; and thus it is often, that
when men cry peace, peace, sudden destruction comes upon them.
1 Samuel 30:17 17 Then David attacked them
from twilight until the evening of the next day. Not a man of them escaped,
except four hundred young men who rode on camels and fled.
YLT
17And David smiteth them from
the twilight even unto the evening of the morrow, and there hath not escaped of
them a man, except four hundred young men who have ridden on the camels, and
are fled.
And David smote them from the twilight even unto the evening of
the next day,.... As there are two twilights, the twilight of the morning, and
the twilight of the evening; this is differently understood some take it for
the twilight of the morning, and that it was night when David came to them, and
let them alone till they were drunk and asleep, and then early in the morning
fell upon them, and smote them until the evening; so JosephusF19Antiqu.
l. 6. c. 4. sect. 6. relates it; but others take it to be the twilight of the
evening, and that he fell upon them that night, and continued the slaughter of
them to the evening of the next day, with which agrees the Targum; nay, some
take the next day, or the morrow, to be that which followed after the two
evenings; so that this slaughter was carried on to the third day:
and there escaped not a man of them, save four hundred young men
that rode upon camels, and fled; that sort of camels called dromedaries,
according to JosephusF20Ibid. , and which were very swift, and much
used by the Arabians, near whom these people dwelt, see Isaiah 60:6.
1 Samuel 30:18 18 So David recovered all
that the Amalekites had carried away, and David rescued his two wives.
YLT
18And David delivereth all
that the Amalekites have taken; also his two wives hath David delivered.
And David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away,.... The wives
and children of the Israelites, and their goods, excepting the provisions they
had eaten:
and David rescued his two wives; which is particularly
observed, because a special concern of his.
1 Samuel 30:19 19 And nothing of theirs was
lacking, either small or great, sons or daughters, spoil or anything which they
had taken from them; David recovered all.
YLT
19And there hath not lacked
to them [anything], from small unto great, and unto sons and daughters, and
from the spoil, even unto all that they had taken to themselves, the whole hath
David brought back,
And there was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great,
neither sons nor daughters,.... Not any of the least or youngest, nor
any of them that were grown up; for as these were not slain but carried
captive, so they were brought back, and not one missing, see 1 Samuel 30:2,
neither spoil, nor any thing they had taken to them: except the
food they had eaten and the liquor they had drank, as before observed; and
perhaps what they had ate and drank were none of theirs, but the Philistines:
so that
David recovered all; taken in the utmost
extent.
1 Samuel 30:20 20 Then David took all the
flocks and herds they had driven before those other livestock, and said,
“This is David’s spoil.”
YLT
20and David taketh the whole
of the flock, and of the herd, they have led on before these cattle, and they
say, `This [is] David's spoil.'
And David took all the flocks, and the herds,.... Which
they had taken from the land of the Philistines, or which belonged to the Amalekites
properly:
which they drave
before those other cattle; which had been carried
from Ziklag; first went the spoil taken from other places, and then those taken
from David and his men, or what was found at Ziklag. Abarbinel supposes the
meaning to be this, that the herds were driven before the flocks, that the oxen
were led out first, and then the sheep followed, as being the weaker sort, and
more easily to be driven, and carried off; but the former sense seems best:
and said, this is David's spoil; either the
whole of it, it being owing to him that it was got or brought back; or this may
respect some peculiar part of it made a present of to him; or it may design
what the Amalekites had taken from others, which was at the disposal of David,
as distinguished from what was taken from Ziklag, and was restored, or to be
restored to the proper owners: it may be taken in the first and more general
sense, as being the song, or the burden of the song, sung by David's men as
they returned with the spoil, giving him all the honour of it, of whom, but a
little before, they talked of stoning.
1 Samuel 30:21 21 Now David came to the two
hundred men who had been so weary that they could not follow David, whom they
also had made to stay at the Brook Besor. So they went out to meet David and to
meet the people who were with him. And when David came near the people,
he greeted them.
YLT
21And David cometh in unto
the two hundred men who were too faint to go after David, and whom they cause
to abide at the brook of Besor, and they go out to meet David, and to meet the
people who [are] with him, and David approacheth the people, and asketh of them
of welfare.
And David came to the two hundred men,.... Left at
the brook Besor:
who were so faint that they could not follow David; or, as the
Targum, were restrained from going over after him; either through faintness of
spirits, and weakness of body, or through the order of David that they should
not follow him; and which seems to receive some countenance from what follows:
whom they had made also to abide at the brook Besor; to guard the
passage there, and to tarry by and keep the stuff:
and they went forth to meet David, and to meet the people that were
with him; to congratulate them upon the victory they had obtained, and to
see and receive their wives and children, and what portion of the spoil might
be divided to them:
and when David came near to the people, he saluted them; asked them of
their welfare, whether they were in better health, and recovered of their
faintness and weakness, as it should seem they were, by their coming forth to
meet him.
1 Samuel 30:22 22 Then all the wicked and
worthless men[a] of those
who went with David answered and said, “Because they did not go with us, we
will not give them any of the spoil that we have recovered, except for
every man’s wife and children, that they may lead them away and depart.”
YLT
22And every bad and worthless
man, of the men who have gone with David, answereth, yea, they say, `Because
that they have not gone with us we do not give to them of the spoil which we
have delivered, except each his wife and his children, and they lead away and go.
Then answered all the wicked men, and men of Belial, of
those that went with David,.... Who were ill natured men, and of
covetous dispositions, as what is called their answer shows; and it seems by
that as if the two hundred men had moved that they might have their share in
the spoil, or that David had given some intimation that they should:
and said, because they went not with us, we will not give, them ought
of the spoil that we have recovered: which was very
unreasonable not to let them have what was before their own which was
recovered; and indeed it was but right they should have their share in the
spoil that was taken which was of others, as will appear hereafter: but they
were of opinion and were come to a resolution, they should have no more:
save to every man his wife and his children; which was
very unkind and ungenerous:
that they may lead them away, and depart; but whither?
Ziklag was burnt, the land of Israel they would not return unto, where they
must fall a sacrifice to Saul; these men cared not where they went, so that
they were rid of them, that they might not have any share with them in the
spoil.
1 Samuel 30:23 23 But David said, “My
brethren, you shall not do so with what the Lord has given us,
who has preserved us and delivered into our hand the troop that came against
us.
YLT
23And David saith, `Ye do not
do so, my brethren, with that which Jehovah hath given to us, and He doth
preserve us, and doth give the troop which cometh against us into our hand;
Then said David, ye shall not do so, my brethren,.... Though he
saw through their wickedness, and disapproved of the bad sentiments they had
embraced, yet he deals gently with them, calling them brethren, being of the
same nation and religion, and his fellow soldiers; yet at the same time keeps
up and maintains his dignity and authority as a general, and declares it should
not be as they willed, and gives his reasons for it, that it was not fit they
should do as they pleased:
with that which the Lord hath given us; what they had
was given them, and therefore, as they had freely received, they should freely
give; and what was given them, was not given to them only, but to the whole
body, by the Lord:
who hath preserved us, and delivered the company that came against
us into our hand; it was not by their own power and might that they got the
victory over the enemy, and the spoil into their hands, but it was through the
Lord only; and therefore, as they should not assume the honour of the victory
to themselves, so neither should they claim the spoil as wholly belonging to
them.
1 Samuel 30:24 24 For who will heed you in
this matter? But as his part is who goes down to the battle, so shall
his part be who stays by the supplies; they shall share alike.”
YLT
24and who doth hearken to you
in this thing? for as the portion of him who was brought down into battle, so
also [is] the portion of him who is abiding by the vessels -- alike they
share.'
For who will hearken unto you in fit is matter?,.... No wise
and just man will take on your side of the question, and join with you in
excluding your brethren from a share in the spoil:
but as his part is that goeth down to the battle, so shall
his part be that tarrieth by the stuff; as these two hundred men
did; they were placed to abide by and watch the carriages, the bag and baggage
the rest had left there, that they might be the lighter, and make their pursuit
more swiftly: besides, they guarded the pass here, and were also exposed to
danger; for if the four hundred had been cut off, and the enemy had returned,
they must all have perished; and therefore as they had their post assigned
them, and were liable to danger, it was but just and reasonable they should
have the share in the spoil; especially since it was not want of will in them
they did not go with them, but weakness of body:
they shall part alike; this was David's
determination and decision, and it was an equitable one: something similar to
this was directed by the Lord in the war of Midian, Numbers 31:25,
&c. and was practised in the times of Abraham, Genesis 14:24; and
is agreeable to the light of nature, and what has been practised by the
Heathens, particularly the Romans, as PolybiusF21Hist. l. 10. p.
365. relates; who tells us, that every man brought booty into the camp, when
the tribunes divided it equally to them all; not only to those which remained
in battle, but to those that guarded the tents and the baggage, to the sick,
and to those that were appointed to any service, see Psalm 68:12; and so
the Turkish historian saysF23Chalcocondyl. de reb. Turc. l. 5. p.
161. , that the Pisidians, who lived on spoil, gave a part not contemptible to
those that abode at home with their wives.
1 Samuel 30:25 25 So it was, from that day
forward; he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel to this day.
YLT
25And it cometh to pass from
that day and forward, that he appointeth it for a statute and for an ordinance
for Israel unto this day.
And it was so from that day forward,.... Or
"upwards"F24ומעלה "et supra",
Pagninus, Montanus; "et jam olim", Tigurine version. , of old,
formerly; and so may refer either to what was done at the war with Midian, Numbers 31:27; or
in the times of Abraham, Genesis 14:23; and
so Jarchi observes, it is not said, "henceforward", but
"upwards", it being a statute and custom in the days of Abraham; the
same he notes on Genesis 14:24;
where he, David, learnt this from thence; though JosephusF25Antiqu.
l. 6. c, 14. sect. 6. is express for it, that this law obtained from the time
of David; and such was his authority, though as yet not king, but a wise and
just commander:
that he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel unto this
day; it appeared so reasonable and equitable, that it was always regarded
and attended to.
1 Samuel 30:26 26 Now when David came to
Ziklag, he sent some of the spoil to the elders of Judah, to his
friends, saying, “Here is a present for you from the spoil of the enemies of
the Lord”—
YLT
26And David cometh in unto
Ziklag, and sendeth of the spoil to the elders of Judah, to his friends,
(saying, `Lo, for you a blessing, of the spoil of the enemies of Jehovah),'
And when David came to Ziklag,.... Perhaps with an
intention to rebuild it, and make it still the place of his residence; and it
is possible there might be some houses that escaped flames, and if not, tents
might be pitched until the city was rebuilt, and it appears that he continued
there some time:
he sent of the spoil to the elders of Judah: of that part
of it which belonged to himself as a general:
even to his friends; such as had
been kind to him when he sojourned among them; so that this was a piece of
gratitude, as well as of policy in him, to make his way to the throne the
easier, he perceiving the time drawing on for the expiration of the kingdom in
the family of Saul; and besides, some in those parts he sent of the spoil to
might have been sufferers by the Amalekites, so that it was but a point of
justice to restore to them what had been taken from them; for they had invaded
the south of Judea, and took spoils from thence, 1 Samuel 30:14; it
was to his friends in those parts he sent, not to the inhabitants of Ziph and
Keilah, which were places in the tribe of Judah; but these having attempted to
betray him, were not entitled to his favours, though they were not the objects
of his vengeance:
saying, behold, a present for you, of the spoil of the Lord's
enemies; or a "blessing"F26ברכה
"benedictio", Pagninus, Montanus. , which he sent them with a good
will, wishing health and happiness to them; which they might without hesitation
receive, seeing it was not the spoil of private enemies, or of what was taken
from them in a way of private revenge, but the spoil of the enemies of the
Lord, his and their common enemies; nor need they scruple eating and enjoying
it, though the spoil of those that cursed the Lord, Abarbinel observes, since
this they had with the blessing of the Lord.
1 Samuel 30:27 27 to those who were
in Bethel, those who were in Ramoth of the South, those
who were in Jattir,
YLT
27to those in Beth-El, and to
those in South Ramoth, and to those in Jattir,
To them which were in Bethel,.... One part
of the spoil was sent to them; not to those in Bethel, in the tribe of
Benjamin, but in Kirjathjearim, called Bethel, or the house of God, because the
ark was there, see 1 Samuel 7:1;
moreover, this place was also called Baalah, which some think is referred to
here, see Joshua 15:9,
and to them which were in south Ramoth; a city of the
tribe of Simeon, which lay within the lot of Judah; of which see Joshua 19:8,
and to them which were in Jattir; a city of the
tribe of Judah; see Gill on Joshua 15:48.
1 Samuel 30:28 28 those
who were in Aroer, those who were in Siphmoth, those
who were in Eshtemoa,
YLT
28and to those in Aroer, and
to those in Siphmoth, and to those in Eshtemoa,
And to them which were in Aroer,.... Not Aroer
in the tribe of Gad beyond Jordan, where David is never said to be, but some
city of this name in the tribe of Judah; the Greek version of Joshua 15:22,
instead of Adadah, has Arouel:
and to them which were in Siphmoth; which very
probably was in the tribe of Judah, though nowhere else mentioned:
and to them which were in Eshtemoa; a Levitical
city given to the Levites by the children of Judah, Joshua 21:14.
1 Samuel 30:29 29 those
who were in Rachal, those who were in the cities of the
Jerahmeelites, those who were in the cities of the Kenites,
YLT
29and to those in Rachal, and
to those in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, and to those in the cities of the
Kenites,
And to them which were in Rachal,.... Another
city of the tribe of Judah, but nowhere else spoken of:
and to them which were in the cities of the
Jerahmeelites: which lay to the south of Judah, 1 Samuel 27:10,
and to them which were in the cities of the Kenites; who dwelt in
the wilderness of Judah, in the south of Arad, Judges 1:16.
1 Samuel 30:30 30 those
who were in Hormah, those who were in Chorashan,[b] those
who were in Athach,
YLT
30and to those in Hormah, and
to those in Chor-Ashan, and to those in Athach,
And to them which were in Hormah,.... This was
a city also in the tribe of Judah; of which see Joshua 15:30,
and to them which were in Chorashan; or the lake
of Ashan, which was in the same tribe, see Joshua 15:42,
and to them which were in Athach; nowhere else
mentioned; the Greek version has Nombe instead of it, which some take to be the
same with Nob; but that was in the tribe of Benjamin.
1 Samuel 30:31 31 those
who were in Hebron, and to all the places where David himself and his
men were accustomed to rove.
YLT
31and to those in Hebron, and
to all the places where David had gone up and down, he and his men.
And to them which were in Hebron,.... A noted
city in the tribe of Judah, in the mountainous part of it, and a city of
refuge, and where David was afterwards anointed, first king over Judah, and
then over Israel, 2 Samuel 2:4,
and to all the places where David himself and his men were wont to
haunt; where they had their walks, and went to and fro when persecuted
by Saul; all such places, and the inhabitants of them, David had a grateful
remembrance of, who sheltered and relieved him in the times of his distress.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)