1 Samuel 30
1 Samuel 30 begins with David and his men being attacked by the Amalekites at Ziklag. They find themselves in a crisis in which even their families and possessions are taken from them, but David gains strength from the LORD and works through the difficulties. The chapter is divided into four main parts: the incident of the Amalekites' raid (verses 1-6), David's prayer and guidance (verses 7-10), the Amalekites' pursuit and victory (verses 11-20), and the principles for distributing the plunder (verses 21-31).
1verseWhen David and his men had come to Ziklag on the third day, the Amalekites had made a raid on the South and on Ziklag, and had struck Ziklag and burned it with fire,
2verseand had taken captive the women and all who were in it, both small and great. They didn’t kill any, but carried them off and went their way.
3verseWhen David and his men came to the city, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, their sons, and their daughters were taken captive.
4verseThen David and the people who were with him lifted up their voice and wept until they had no more power to weep.
5verseDavid’s two wives were taken captive, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.
6verseDavid was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the souls of all the people were grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters; but David strengthened himself in the LORD his God.
7verseDavid said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, “Please bring the ephod here to me.” Abiathar brought the ephod to David.
8verseDavid inquired of the LORD, saying, “If I pursue after this troop, will I overtake them?” He answered him, “Pursue, for you will surely overtake them, and will without fail recover all.”
9verseSo David went, he and the six hundred men who were with him, and came to the brook Besor, where those who were left behind stayed.
10verseBut David pursued, he and four hundred men; for two hundred stayed behind, who were so faint that they couldn’t go over the brook Besor.
11verseThey found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David, and gave him bread, and he ate; and they gave him water to drink.
12verseThey gave him a piece of a cake of figs and two clusters of raisins. When he had eaten, his spirit came again to him; for he had eaten no bread, and drank no water for three days and three nights.
13verseDavid asked him, “To whom do you belong? Where are you from?” He said, “I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite; and my master left me, because three days ago I got sick.
14verseWe made a raid on the South of the Cherethites, and on that which belongs to Judah, and on the South of Caleb; and we burned Ziklag with fire.”
15verseDavid said to him, “Will you bring me down to this troop?” He said, “Swear to me by God that you will not kill me and not deliver me up into the hands of my master, and I will bring you down to this troop.”
16verseWhen he had brought him down, behold, they were spread around over all the ground, eating, drinking, and dancing, because of all the great plunder that they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah.
17verseDavid struck them from the twilight even to the evening of the next day. Not a man of them escaped from there, except four hundred young men who rode on camels and fled.
18verseDavid recovered all that the Amalekites had taken, and David rescued his two wives.
19verseThere was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither plunder, nor anything that they had taken. David brought them all back.
20verseDavid took all the flocks and the herds, which they drove before those other livestock, and said, “This is David’s plunder.”
21verseDavid came to the two hundred men, who were so faint that they could not follow David, whom also they had made to stay at the brook Besor; and they went out to meet David, and to meet the people who were with him. When David came near to the people, he greeted them.
22verseThen all the wicked men and worthless fellows of those who went with David answered and said, “Because they didn’t go with us, we will not give them anything of the plunder that we have recovered, except to every man his wife and his children, that he may lead them away and depart.”
23verseThen David said, “Do not do so, my brothers, with that which the LORD has given to us, who has preserved us, and delivered the troop that came against us into our hand.
24verseWho will listen to you in this matter? For as his share is who goes down to the battle, so shall his share be who stays with the baggage. They shall share alike.”
25verseIt was so from that day forward that he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel to this day.
26verseWhen David came to Ziklag, he sent some of the plunder to the elders of Judah, even to his friends, saying, “Behold, a present for you from the plunder of the LORD’s enemies.”
27verseHe sent it to those who were in Bethel, to those who were in Ramoth of the South, to those who were in Jattir,
28verseto those who were in Aroer, to those who were in Siphmoth, to those who were in Eshtemoa,
29verseto those who were in Racal, to those who were in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, to those who were in the cities of the Kenites,
30verseto those who were in Hormah, to those who were in Borashan, to those who were in Athach,
31verseto those who were in Hebron, and to all the places where David himself and his men used to stay.
The Moment of Crisis and David's Faithful Response
When the Amalekites launch a surprise attack, David and his men who lose everything fall into deep sorrow and anger. The men become so discouraged that they even consider stoning David, but David leans on the LORD for strength. Through the ephod, he asks God and receives instructions to pursue, then obeys exactly as commanded. In this critical moment, David's faithful attitude and his trust in God carry important meaning throughout the entire chapter.
The Process of Pursuing the Amalekites
David's group finds an exhausted Egyptian boy along the way. Through the boy's guidance, they learn where the Amalekites are, launch a surprise attack, win the battle, and recover all their families and property. This process shows how the crisis is overcome through God's help, with a blend of human limitations (injury, exhaustion, and lack of manpower) and care that comes from grace (saving the Egyptian boy).
David's Sense of Community Shown in the Distribution of Plunder
After the victory, when David has recovered all the plunder, a dispute arises about distribution. In response to some warriors' claim that those who did not take part in the battle should not receive a share, David opposes it and says that everyone must be divided fairly. David makes this principle a rule for Israel, showing a concern for the unity of the community and fairness.
Meditation Points
- You can reflect on David's example of turning to God first even in great trials, and experiencing a breakthrough through trust.
- From David's attitude toward the community's unity and sharing, you can meditate on the meaning of mature leadership and care.
Apply It to Me
- In moments of crisis and despair, you can ask yourself who you are seeking strength from.
- In my life, are there things I share with whom and how I share the community's success, or do I have feelings that get in the way of sharing? You can examine that too.
