1 Samuel 30

In 1 Samuel 30, David and his men return to their home in Ziklag to find that the Amalekites have raided the city, taken their families captive, and burned everything. Distraught, David seeks the Lord's guidance and sets out to recover what was lost. This chapter reveals David's reliance on God during a crisis and his leadership in pursuing the enemy and restoring what was taken.

1 Samuel 30:1-5 (NKJV)
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,
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.
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.
4 Then David and the people who were with him lifted up their voices and wept, until they had no more power to weep.
5 And David’s two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite, had been taken captive.

David and his men return after three days to find their city destroyed and their families taken captive. The Amalekites, a persistent enemy, did not kill anyone but took the women and children. This event devastated David and his men, leading them to weep bitterly. David, already distressed, was personally affected, as his own wives were also taken. This illustrates both the physical and emotional turmoil caused by the raid.

1 Samuel 30:6 (NKJV)
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.

David faced not only personal grief but also the anger of his men, who blamed him for the loss and spoke of stoning him. In the midst of this, David turned to God for strength. This turning point shows David's deep trust in God, even when everything seemed against him, highlighting the importance of relying on God in moments of crisis.

1 Samuel 30:7-8 (NKJV)
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.
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.”

David, seeking divine guidance, asks Abiathar the priest to bring the ephod, a garment used for seeking God's will. David inquires whether he should pursue the Amalekites, and God assures him that he will recover everything. This act of seeking God before taking action highlights David's faith and obedience to God's direction, setting an example of spiritual leadership.

1 Samuel 30:9-10 (NKJV)
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.
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.

David, with his 600 men, begins the pursuit of the Amalekites but reaches a point where 200 of his men are too exhausted to continue. David leaves the weary behind and presses on with the remaining 400. This shows David's understanding and care for his men, while also focusing on the mission to recover what was lost.

1 Samuel 30:11-12 (NKJV)
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.
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.

On their journey, David's men encounter an Egyptian who had been abandoned. They show him kindness by giving him food and water, restoring his strength. This act of compassion not only reflects David’s character but also serves as a turning point in their pursuit, as this Egyptian would soon provide vital information about the Amalekites.

1 Samuel 30:13-15 (NKJV)
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.
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.”
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.”

The Egyptian reveals that he had been part of the raid on Ziklag but was abandoned due to illness. He offers to lead David to the Amalekites in exchange for protection. This information proves invaluable for David, showing how God orchestrates events to help David recover what was taken. David agrees to the terms, and the Egyptian becomes their guide.

1 Samuel 30:16 (NKJV)
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.

The Egyptian leads David to the Amalekites, who are celebrating their victories, unaware of the impending attack. They are feasting on the spoils they had gathered, including what they took from Ziklag. This moment shows the arrogance of the Amalekites, unprepared for the surprise attack that David would soon launch.

1 Samuel 30:17-19 (NKJV)
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.
18 So David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away, and David rescued his two wives.
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.

David launches a swift and decisive attack on the Amalekites, fighting from dawn until evening. While some of the enemy escape, David succeeds in recovering everything that was taken. His family and the families of his men are restored without loss, fulfilling God's promise. This victory highlights David's skill in battle and God's faithfulness to His word.

1 Samuel 30:20-22 (NKJV)
20 Then David took all the flocks and herds they had driven before those other livestock, and said, “This is David’s spoil.”
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.
22 Then all the wicked and worthless men 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.”

After the victory, some of David's men, described as "wicked and worthless," argue that the 200 men who stayed behind should not share in the spoils. Their reasoning is that those who did not fight do not deserve a reward, except for their families. This highlights a selfish and divisive attitude among some of David's followers, contrasting with David's leadership.

1 Samuel 30:23-25 (NKJV)
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.
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.”
25 So it was, from that day forward; he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel to this day.

David rebukes those who want to withhold the spoils from the men who stayed behind, emphasizing that it was the Lord who gave them victory. He establishes a principle that everyone, whether they fought or stayed with the supplies, would share equally. This act of fairness demonstrates David’s wisdom and his desire for unity among his men.

1 Samuel 30:26-31 (NKJV)
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”—
27 to those who were in Bethel, those who were in Ramoth of the South, those who were in Jattir,
28 those who were in Aroer, those who were in Siphmoth, those who were in Eshtemoa,
29 those who were in Rachal, those who were in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, those who were in the cities of the Kenites,
30 those who were in Hormah, those who were in Chorashan, those who were in Athach,
31 those who were in Hebron, and to all the places where David himself and his men were accustomed to rove.

Upon returning to Ziklag, David sends portions of the spoil to the elders of Judah and other regions that had supported him. This gesture of generosity solidifies alliances and demonstrates David’s gratitude. By sharing the spoils, David not only rewards his supporters but also builds goodwill and strengthens relationships that would be important for his future reign.