1Sa 30:1 | Clarke | STEP | While David is absent with the army of Achish, the Amalekites invade Ziklag, and burn it with fire, and carry away captive David's wives, and those of his men, , . David and his men return; and, finding the desolate state of their city, are greatly affected, . The men mutiny, and threaten to stone David, who encourages himself in the Lord, . David inquires of the Lord, and is directed to pursue the Amalekites, with the promise that he shall recover all, , . He and his men begin the pursuit, but two hundred, through fatigue are obliged to stay behind at the brook Besor, , . They find a sick Egyptian, who directs them in their pursuit, . David finds the Amalekites secure, feasting on the spoils they had taken; he attacks and destroys the whole host, except four hundred, who escape on camels, , . The Israelites recover their wives, their families, and all their goods, . They come to the two hundred who were so faint as not to be able to pursue the enemy, with whom they divide the spoil; and this becomes a statute in Israel, . David sends part of the spoil which he had taken to different Jewish cities, which had suffered by the incursion of the Amalekites; and where David and his men had been accustomed to resort, . Verse 1 On the third day - This was the third day after he had left the Philistine army at Aphek. Calmet supposes that Aphek was distant from Ziklag more than thirty leagues. The Amalekites had invaded - These were, doubtless, a travelling predatory horde, who, availing themselves of the war between the Philistines and the Israelites, plundered several unprotected towns, and among them Ziklag. It is likely they had not heard of what David did to some of their tribes, else they would have avenged themselves by slaying all they found in Ziklag.

1 Samuel 30:1

Introduction

While David is absent with the army of Achish, the Amalekites invade Ziklag, and burn it with fire, and carry away captive David's wives, and those of his men, 1Sam 30:1, 1Sam 30:2. David and his men return; and, finding the desolate state of their city, are greatly affected, 1Sam 30:3-5. The men mutiny, and threaten to stone David, who encourages himself in the Lord, 1Sam 30:6. David inquires of the Lord, and is directed to pursue the Amalekites, with the promise that he shall recover all, 1Sam 30:7, 1Sam 30:8. He and his men begin the pursuit, but two hundred, through fatigue are obliged to stay behind at the brook Besor, 1Sam 30:9, 1Sam 30:10. They find a sick Egyptian, who directs them in their pursuit, 1Sam 30:11-15. David finds the Amalekites secure, feasting on the spoils they had taken; he attacks and destroys the whole host, except four hundred, who escape on camels, 1Sam 30:16, 1Sam 30:17. The Israelites recover their wives, their families, and all their goods, 1Sam 30:18-20. They come to the two hundred who were so faint as not to be able to pursue the enemy, with whom they divide the spoil; and this becomes a statute in Israel, 1Sam 30:21-25. David sends part of the spoil which he had taken to different Jewish cities, which had suffered by the incursion of the Amalekites; and where David and his men had been accustomed to resort, 1Sam 30:26-31.

Verse 1

On the third day - This was the third day after he had left the Philistine army at Aphek. Calmet supposes that Aphek was distant from Ziklag more than thirty leagues.

The Amalekites had invaded - These were, doubtless, a travelling predatory horde, who, availing themselves of the war between the Philistines and the Israelites, plundered several unprotected towns, and among them Ziklag. It is likely they had not heard of what David did to some of their tribes, else they would have avenged themselves by slaying all they found in Ziklag.