23 Then said H559 David, H1732 Ye shall not do so, H6213 my brethren, H251 with that which the LORD H3068 hath given H5414 us, who hath preserved H8104 us, and delivered H5414 the company H1416 that came H935 against us into our hand. H3027
And they said H559 unto Moses, H4872 Thy servants H5650 have taken H5375 the sum H7218 of the men H582 of war H4421 which are under our charge, H3027 and there lacketh H6485 not one man H376 of us. We have therefore brought H7126 an oblation H7133 for the LORD, H3068 what every man H376 hath gotten, H4672 of jewels H3627 of gold, H2091 chains, H685 and bracelets, H6781 rings, H2885 earrings, H5694 and tablets, H3558 to make an atonement H3722 for our souls H5315 before H6440 the LORD. H3068 And Moses H4872 and Eleazar H499 the priest H3548 took H3947 the gold H2091 of them, even all wrought H4639 jewels. H3627 And all the gold H2091 of the offering H8641 that they offered up H7311 to the LORD, H3068 of the captains H8269 of thousands, H505 and of the captains H8269 of hundreds, H3967 was sixteen H8337 H6240 thousand H505 seven H7651 hundred H3967 and fifty H2572 shekels. H8255 (For the men H582 of war H6635 had taken spoil, H962 every man H376 for himself.) And Moses H4872 and Eleazar H499 the priest H3548 took H3947 the gold H2091 of the captains H8269 of thousands H505 and of hundreds, H3967 and brought H935 it into the tabernacle H168 of the congregation, H4150 for a memorial H2146 for the children H1121 of Israel H3478 before H6440 the LORD. H3068
Both riches H6239 and honour H3519 come of thee, H6440 and thou reignest H4910 over all; and in thine hand H3027 is power H3581 and might; H1369 and in thine hand H3027 it is to make great, H1431 and to give strength H2388 unto all. Now therefore, our God, H430 we thank H3034 thee, and praise H1984 thy glorious H8597 name. H8034 But who am I, and what is my people, H5971 that we should be H6113 able H3581 to offer so willingly H5068 after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own H3027 have we given H5414 thee.
How thou didst drive out H3423 the heathen H1471 with thy hand, H3027 and plantedst H5193 them; how thou didst afflict H7489 the people, H3816 and cast them out. H7971 For they got H3423 not the land H776 in possession H3423 by their own sword, H2719 neither did their own arm H2220 save H3467 them: but thy right hand, H3225 and thine arm, H2220 and the light H216 of thy countenance, H6440 because thou hadst a favour H7521 unto them. Thou art my King, H4428 O God: H430 command H6680 deliverances H3444 for Jacob. H3290 Through thee will we push down H5055 our enemies: H6862 through thy name H8034 will we tread them under H947 that rise up H6965 against us. For I will not trust H982 in my bow, H7198 neither shall my sword H2719 save H3467 me. But thou hast saved H3467 us from our enemies, H6862 and hast put them to shame H954 that hated H8130 us.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on 1 Samuel 30
Commentary on 1 Samuel 30 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 30
1Sa 30:1-5. The Amalekites Spoil Ziklag.
1. Amalekites had invaded the south, and Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag—While the strength of the Philistine forces was poured out of their country into the plain of Esdraelon, the Amalekite marauders seized the opportunity of the defenseless state of Philistia to invade the southern territory. Of course, David's town suffered from the ravages of these nomad plunderers, in revenge for his recent raid upon their territory.
2. they slew not any, either great or small, but carried them away—Their conduct seems to stand in favorable contrast to that of David (1Sa 27:11). But their apparent clemency did not arise from humane considerations. It is traceable to the ancient war usages of the East, where the men of war, on the capture of a city, were unsparingly put to death, but there were no warriors in Ziklag at the time. The women and boys were reserved for slaves, and the old people were spared out of respect to age.
3. David and his men came to the city, and, behold, it was burned with fire—The language implies that the smoke of the conflagration was still visible, and the sacking very recent.
1Sa 30:6-15. But David, Encouraged by God, Pursues Them.
6. David was greatly distressed—He had reason, not only on his own personal account (1Sa 30:5), but on account of the vehement outcry and insurrectionary threats against him for having left the place so defenseless that the families of his men fell an unresisting prey to the enemy. Under the pressure of so unexpected and widespread a calamity, of which he was upbraided as the indirect occasion, the spirit of any other leader guided by ordinary motives would have sunk;
but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God—His faith supplied him with inward resources of comfort and energy, and through the seasonable inquiries he made by Urim, he inspired confidence by ordering an immediate pursuit of the plunderers.
9. came to the brook Besor—now Wady Gaza, a winter torrent, a little to the south of Gaza. The bank of a stream naturally offered a convenient rest to the soldiers, who, through fatigue, were unable to continue the pursuit.
11-15. they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David—Old and homeborn slaves are usually treated with great kindness. But a purchased or captured slave must look to himself; for, if feeble or sick, his master will leave him to perish rather than encumber himself with any additional burden. This Egyptian seems to have recently fallen into the hands of an Amalekite, and his master having belonged to the marauding party that had made the attack on Ziklag, he could give useful information as to the course taken by them on their return.
14. the Cherethites—that is, the Philistines (Eze 25:16; Zep 2:5).
15. Swear unto me by God—Whether there was still among these idolatrous tribes a lingering belief in one God, or this Egyptian wished to bind David by the God whom the Hebrews worshipped, the solemn sanction of an oath was mutually recognized.
1Sa 30:16-31. And Recovers His Two Wives and All the Spoil.
16. they were spread abroad upon all the earth—Believing that David and all his men of war were far away, engaged with the Philistine expedition, they deemed themselves perfectly secure and abandoned themselves to all manner of barbaric revelry. The promise made in answer to the devout inquiries of David (1Sa 30:8) was fulfilled. The marauders were surprised and panic-stricken. A great slaughter ensued—the people as well as the booty taken from Ziklag was recovered, besides a great amount of spoil which they had collected in a wide, freebooting excursion.
21. David came to the two hundred men, which were so faint that they could not follow—This unexpected accession of spoil was nearly proving an occasion of quarrel through the selfish cupidity of some of his followers, and serious consequences might have ensued had they not been prevented by the prudence of the leader, who enacted it as a standing ordinance—the equitable rule—that all the soldiers should share alike (see Nu 31:11; see on Nu 31:25).
26. when David came to Ziklag, he sent of the spoil to the elders of Judah—This was intended as an acknowledgment to the leading men in those towns and villages of Judah which had ministered to his necessities in the course of his various wanderings. It was the dictate of an amiable and grateful heart; and the effect of this well-timed liberality was to bring a large accession of numbers to his camp (1Ch 12:22). The enumeration of these places shows what a numerous and influential party of adherents to his cause he could count within his own tribe [1Sa 30:27-31].