1 Samuel 30
Bob Utley · You Can Understand the Bible
1 Samuel 30
NJB (MT versing) David's Victory Over the Amalekites David's Conflict Wwith the Amalekites An Interlude: the Burning of Ziklag and David's Pursuit of the Amalekites The War Against the Amalekites Reprisal Against the Amalekites 30:1-6 30:1-10 30:1-6 30:1-5 30:1-5 30:6-8c 30:6-10 30:7-10 30:7-10 30:8d 30:9-13b 30:11-15 30:11-20 30:11-15 30:11-15 30:13c-14 30:15a 30:15b 30:15c-16a 30:16-20 30:16-20 30:16b-20 30:16-20 The Spoils Are Divided 30:21-25 30:21-25 30:21-25 30:21-25 30:21-25 (24b-c) 30:26-31 30:26-31 30:26-31 30:26-31 30:26-31 Etc.
1 Samuel 30:1-6
30:1 "Ziklag" This was the city that Achish gave to David and his men (cf. 1 Sam. 27:5-7). It is northwest of Beer-sheba. The Amalekites probably attacked Ziklag because of David's attacks on them (cf. 1 Sam. 27:8). ▣ "the Amalekites" They were enemies of Israel from the exodus days (cf. Exodus 17; Deut. 25:17-19; 1 Sam. 15:2). Saul had killed many of them, as had David, but they were still a nomadic desert force. 30:2 In ancient warfare the victors took everything, including women and children as slaves and servants. 30:6 "the people spoke of stoning him" This shows the degree of sorrow and frustration in David's men. Remember, many of them were disgruntled people from Israel who had deserted Saul and come to David. ▣ "David strengthened himself in the Lord his God" David trusted and relied on YHWH. He sensed a divine purpose for his life. Circumstances did not often dampen his faith.
1 Samuel 30:7-10
30:7 "the ephod" This was a way for the High Priest to know the will of God involving the Urim and Thummim. SPECIAL TOPIC: EPHOD SPECIAL TOPIC: URIM AND THUMMIM 30:8 "David inquired of the Lord" The text seems to imply that David himself cast the lots but I think it is just literary imagery. The priest Abiathar would have handled the sacred lots. David wanted to know YHWH's will before he acted (as did Saul)! ▣ "you shall surely overtake them, and you shall surely rescue all" This is an emphatic construction (i.e., two Hiphil INFINITIVE ABSOLUTES with their accompanying Hiphil IMPERATIVES of the same root). overtake ‒ BDB 673, KB 727 deliver/rescue ‒ BDB 664, KB 717 30:9 "he and six hundred men" This was his combined force. This number of men had been with him for several years.
1 Samuel 30:11-15
30:11-15 This was another divine event. YHWH was actively involved in David's life. did not have to fight Israel, chapter 29 found a person who knew where the Amalekite raiding party was located and was willing to reveal the information 30:12 "his spirit revived" This is an idiom for his renewed strength after David provided food and drink. I am amazed at the detailed list of the food this man was given. This is obviously an eye-witness account, as is v. 17 (i.e., four hundred escaped on camels). SPECIAL TOPIC: SPIRIT IN THE BIBLE 30:14 The Amalekites attacked not only the Philistine area but all southern Judah (cf. v. 16). The spoils that David gave to Judah were probably their own captured spoils. ▣ "Cherethites" The designation (BDB 504) probably shows that the people group knows as Philistines (or at least part of them) were from the Island of Crete (cf. Zeph. 2:5; Ezek. 25:16). ▣ "the Negev of Caleb" Caleb was given the city of Hebron and its surrounding area (cf. Jos. 14:6-15; 15:13-19). The Negev (BDB 616) refers to the dry lands in southern Canaan. They could support a limited number of nomadic tribesmen and their livestock.
1 Samuel 30:16-20
30:16 The Amalekites were having a victory party and sacrifice (BDB 643, KB 695, meaning "take skin off an animal). They were drunk and unsuspecting of an attack. 30:17 NASB, NKJV, NRSV, LXX "of the next day" "of the following day" "from the rear" "putting them under the ban" The JPSOA footnote says the Hebrew of this phrase is uncertain. Here are the options. MT ‒ למחרתם ‒ of their morrow JB ‒ להחרמם ‒ to put them under the ban The UBS Text Project, p. 204, gives the MT a "B" rating (some doubt). 30:20 David was given all of the livestock as his portion of the spoils. He uses this as gifts to the places in Judah where he and his men traveled and stayed (see list in vv. 26-31).
1 Samuel 30:21-25
30:22 "all the wicked and worthless men" These were part of David's 600 disgruntled army. In v. 23, they are called "my brothers." These were not evil people but greedy soldiers who did not want to share the spoils with the 200 who stayed behind (cf. v. 10). For "worthless man" see full note at 2 Sam. 20:1. 30:25 This is a later editorial note. The OT was written after the events and later edited. We do not know the process or the date of the formation of our OT.
1 Samuel 30:26-31
30:26 "the elders of Judah" See SPECIAL TOPIC: ELDERS. ▣ "the enemies of the Lord" Israel was YHWH's unique covenant people (i.e., Exod. 19:5-6). He was their protector and provider. To fight Israel was to fight Him (cf. 1 Sam. 18:17; 25:28). This special relationship, however, was conditional on Israel's obedience to YHWH's covenant (i.e., here, the Mosaic Covenant). SPECIAL TOPIC: COVENANT SPECIAL TOPIC: KEEP 30:27-30 There are several places mentioned with MSS issues. Bethel, Bethul (cf. Josh. 19:4), Bethuel ‒ the UBS Text Project, p. 206, gives "in Bethuel" a "D" rating Aroer, Adrarah, Arad ‒ the UBS Text Project, p. 206, gives "in Arar" a "D" rating Racal, Carmel ‒ the UBS Text Project, p. 206, gives "in Racal" a "D" rating Athach, Ether ‒ the UBS Text Project, p. 207, gives "in Athach" a "B" rating