1 Samuel 30

David finding that the Amalekites in his absence had plundered and burnt Ziklag, et carried the people, and his two wives away captives, is exceedingly troubled thereat, and in great danger of his own people , ver. 1, & c. He asketh counsel of God, who biddeth him to pursue the Amalekites, 7. David doing so with apart of his Army, findeth a poor starved Egyptian that was left behind, who discovereth all things unto him, and bringeth him to the Amalekites, 9. David falleth upon them, smiteth them, and spoileth them again of all that they had, 17. Maketh an Ordinance for dividing the prey 22. Sendeth Presents to his friends, 26.

1. And it came to pass when David and his men cam e to Ziklag on the third day: [viz. After that David was parted from the Philistines camp, for at so great a distance lay the Philistines camp (where David and his men had been) from the city of Ziklag, as may be gathered from 2 Sam 1. 2.] that the Amalekites [understand the remnant of the Amalekites that escaped, when Saul smote that people, 1 Samuel 5:7. Or this may be understood of the Amalekites that lived in another part or corner of the land, then those did that were destroyed by Saul. These bewrayed their old inveterate hatred against the Israelites] were fallen into the South, ad Ziklag, and had smitten Ziklag, [i.e. ruined it, and ill intreated the inhabitants thereof: See Ezek. 33. On v. 22.] and burnt the same with fire.

2. And had carried away the women captives, that were therein, (but) they had slaid none, from the least to the greatest: [Oth. Small or great] but had carried them away, and were gone their way.

3. And David and his men came to the city, ad behold, it was burnt with fire ; and their women, and sons, and their daughters, were carried away captives.

4. Then David and the people that were with him, lift up their voice, and wept: until there was no (more) power in them to weep.

5. Both Davids wives also, carried away captives, Achioam the Jisreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal, [See the annotate. On chapter 27. 3.] the Carmelite.

6. And David was sore distressed, for the people spake of stoning him, for the souls of all the people were embittered. [Heb. The soul of all the people was bitter; i.e. they were heartily grieved, besides possessed with bitterness and wrath against David, laying the blame on him, that they were bereft of their wives and children by the Amelekites, who were thereunto moved and provoked, because David had first set upon them in a n hostile manner, and smitten them, chapter 27. 8.] every one for [or, because of] his sons, and for [or, because of] his daughters: but David strengthened himself in the LORD his God. [Trusting and relying on the promises, that God had made to him, that he should be King: See the annotate. Above chapter 23. 16.]

7. And David said to Abiathar the Priest, Achimelechs son, I pray thee, bring me hither the Ephod; [i.e. Put on the Ephod for my sake, that thou mayest thereby ask counsel of the Lord for me: See Numb. 27. 21. And above chapter 23. 9.] and Abiathar brought the Ephod to David.

8. Then David enquired of the LORD, saying, Shall I pursue after this hand? [He meaneth the Amelekites as also ver. 15.] shall I overtake them? And he said unto him, Pursue, for thou shalt certainly overtake, and thou shalt certainly deliver.

9. Then David went his way, he, and the six hundred men that were with him, and when they came to the brook Besor, then the rest [viz. Two hundred men, which were so weary, that they could not follow , ver. 10.] Stayed.

10. And David pursued them, he, and those four hundred men; and two hundred men stayed (behind), which were so weary, that they could not go over the brook Besor.

11. They [viz. The men that were with David] found an Egyptian man in the field, and they brought him to David: [Heb. They took him to David; i.e. they took and brought: see the annotate. On Gen. 12. Ver. 15.] and they gave him bread, and he did eat, and they gave him water to drink.

12. They gave him also a piece of a cake of figs, and two pieces of raisins, and he did eat; and his spirit came again into him. [Oth. To him; i.e. he that was faint, and almost dead with hunger, was cheared and revived by the meat or the food they gave him: so that the word spirit here signifieth breathing] for he had eaten no bread, [i.e. meat, food] nor drank any water (in) three days and three nights.

13. After that David said unto him : Whose art thou? And whence art thou? Then said the Egyptian lad, [i.e. Youth, young man: See Gen. 22. On v. 5.] I am an Amalekitish man’s servant, and my Lord left me, because three days (ago) [Heb. This is the third day] I fell sick.

14. We made a invasion upon the South of the Corethites, [i.e. Of the Philistines, as may be gathered from Zephaniah 2:5.] and upon that (part) which is of Juda, and against the South of Caleb, [i.e. Against the South part of the land, where Calebs Posterity dwell: See Joshua 14:13 & 15. 13.] and we have burnt Ziklag with fire.

15. Then said David unto him; Canst thou bring me thither down to this hand ? he then said: Swear unto me by God, that thou wilt not kill me, and that thou wilt not deliver me into the hand of my Lord! [Heb. If thou shalt kill me, and thou shalt deliver me, etc. See of such kind of oath , Genesis 14:23. The meaning is, that thou wilt not kill me, or that, & c. Compare above chapter 24. 22, & c] then will I bring thee down to this hand.

16. And he led him down, and behold , they lay scattered upon all the earth, eating, and drinking, and dancing, because of all the great prey that they had take out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Juda. [Under which belonged to Ziklag, and the land of Caleb.]

17. And David smote them from the twilight [The Hebrew word that is here used, as also the Dutch word Schemeringe, signifieth both the evening and morning glimmering, or twilight. Some conceive that David fell upon this people in the evening twilight, (for he found them eating, drinking, and dancing, which commonly is done in the evening, or at even-tide, not at break of day) they also conceive, that David having but four hundred men with him, rather chose the darkness of the night, to fall upon this great multitude in their drunkenness and jollity, then the glimmering of the morning, when the day began to dawn. Yet others take it here for the glimmering of the morning, conceiving that David and his men at even-tide were to weary to make an invasion upon their enemies] and there escaped not a man of them, save four hundred young men which rode upon camels, and fled.

18. Thus David rescued all that the Amalekites had taken: David also rescued his two wives.

19. And there was nothing lacking among them from the least unto the greatest, and unto the sons and daughters: and of the prey also unto all that they had taken to them: David brought it all back again.

20. David also took all the sheep, and the oxen: they [viz. Davids men] drave them on before that same cattle, [i.e. Before the cattle that had been taken from them by the Amalekites] and said : This is Davids prey. [i.e. which pertaineth to David, therefore he gave away thereof, where and to whom he pleased; see below verse 26.]

21. When David came to the two hundred men, [See above v. 9, 10.] which were so weary, that they could not follow David, and whom they had let tarry at the brook Before, they went to meet David, and the people that were with him: and David went to the people, and asked them touching the welfare. [i.e. he kindly saluted them, asked them if they were well.]

22. Then [viz. When they began to talk of dividing the prey] answered every wicked Belial among the men that went with David, and they said, Because they went not with us, [Heb. With me] we will not give them of the prey that we have rescued, but to every one his wife, and his children, let them lead them away, and depart.

23. But David said, ye shall not do so, my brethren, with that which the LORD hath given us, [viz. With the prey which we have gotten, not by our own strength or power, but which the Lord hath given us] and hath delivered the band, that came against us, into our hand.

24. Who I pray, should hearken to you in this matter? For as their part is that went along down into the battle, so shall also their part be that tarried by the stuff, they shall share alike. [i.e. The men that tarried behind, and abode by the baggage, shall have their share of the prey, as well as those that marched forth with me into the battle. Herein David followeth Gods Ordinance, Numb. 31. 27. And also the rule of right reason and equity, see Joshua 22:8. And 2 Mach. 8. 28.]

25. And this was (so) from that day, and (so) forward [Oth. Above, or, upwards, which some understand of the time past; so that it was here again revived, and brought in use again by David] for he made it a Statute, and an ordinance in Israel, unto this day. [The sentence will be perfected thus: which remaineth unto this day.]

26. Now when David came to Ziklag, then he sent of the prey unto the Eldest of Juda, his friends, [i.e. Unto those that continued faithful to him in his grievous persecution] saying, Behold there is a blessing [i.e. a Present: see Genesis 33:11.] for you, of the prey of the enemies of the LORD.

27. (Namely) to them at Beth-El, [Oth. To them that were in the house of God, viz. At Kiriath Jearim, where the Ark of the covenant was, 1 Samuel 6:21. & 7. 1.] and to them at Ramoth, toward the South, [This City lay in the inheritance of the tribe of Simeon, Joshua 19:8. And it lay in the South quarter of the Land of Canaan, and is thus distinguished from other cities, which were also called Ramah; as Ramoth in Gilead, 1 King 22. 13.] and to them at father. [a city lying in the tribe of Juda on the mountains Joshua 15:48.]

28. And to them at Aroer, [This city lay by the brook Arnon, given to the tribe of Reuben : See Deuteronomy 3:12. Joshua 13:16.] and to them at Siphmoth, [oth. Called Sepham, Numb. 34. 10.] and to them at Esthemoa, [a city lying in the tribe of Juda, Joshua 15:30. Oth. Called Eschlemo. It was given to the children of Aaron, 1 Chronicles 6:57.]

29. And to them at Rachal, and to them which were in the cities of the Jerah-meelites. [See the annotate. Above on chapter 27. V.10.] and to them which were in the cities of the Kenites. [see of these Judge 1. 16.]

30. And to them at Horma, [Oth. Zephat: See Judges 1:17.] and to them at Chor-Asan, [this seemeth to be the same city, which Joshua 19:7. Is onely called Asan, being in tribe of Simeon] and to them at Atach.

31. And to them at Hebron, [See of this city, Genesis 23:2. In the annotate.] and to all the places where David and his men abode for some space of time, when he was sain to flee from Saul, David was thankful to those who had entertained him and his, and done them good.]