1 Samuel 30:25

_THEN ANSWERED ALL THE WICKED MEN AND MEN OF BELIAL, OF THOSE THAT WENT WITH DAVID, AND SAID, BECAUSE THEY WENT NOT WITH US, WE WILL NOT GIVE THEM OUGHT OF THE SPOIL THAT WE HAVE RECOVERED, SAVE TO EVERY MAN HIS WIFE AND HIS CHILDREN, THAT THEY MAY LEAD THEM AWAY, AND DEPART._ No JFB commentary on these verses....

21-31 What God gives us, he designs we should do good with. In distributing the spoil, David was just and kind. Those are men of Belial indeed, who delight in putting hardships upon their brethren, and care not who is starved, so that they may be fed to the full. David was generous and kind to all his friends. Those who consider the Lord as the Giver of their abundance, will dispose of it with fairness and liberality....

Verse 1 Samuel 30:25. _HE MADE IT A STATUTE AND AN ORDINANCE FOR ISRAEL_] Nothing could be more just and proper than this law: he who stays at home to defend house and property, has an equal right to the booty taken by those who go out to the war. There was a _practice_ of this kind among the Israelites long before this time; see Numbers 31:27; Joshua 22:8; and the note on this latter verse. Joshua 22:8. _UNTO THIS DAY._] This is another indication that this book was composed long after the facts it commemorates. See the hypothesis in the preface....

DAVID RESCUES HIS WIVES FROM THE AMALEKITES (1 Samuel 30:1). EXPOSITION DAVID UPON HIS RETURN FINDS ZIKLAG BURNT BY THE AMALEKITES (1 Samuel 30:1). 1 SAMUEL 30:1 ON THE THIRD DAY. David evidently could not have gone with the Philistines As far as to Shunem; for, as noticed in the previous chapter, it would have been impossible to march back to Ziklag in so short a time

AND IT WAS [SO] FROM THAT DAY FORWARD,.... Or "upwards" x, of old, formerly; and so may refer either to what was done at the war with Midian, Numbers 31:27; or in the times of Abraham, Genesis 14:23; and so Jarchi observes, it is not said, "henceforward", but "upwards", it being a statute and custom in the days of Abraham; the same he notes on Genesis 14:24; where he, David, learnt this from thence; though Josephus y is express for it, that this law obtained from the time of David; and such was his authority, though as yet not king, but a wise and just commander: THAT HE MADE IT A STATUTE AND AN ORDINANCE FOR ISRAEL UNTO THIS DAY; it appeared so reasonable and equitable, that it was always regarded a

CHAPTER 30 _ 1. The Amalekites destroy Ziklag (1 Samuel 30:1)_ 2. David's distress and return unto the Lord (1 Samuel 30:6) 3. David pursues the Amalekites (1 Samuel 30:9) 4. The young Egyptian and the defeat of the enemy (1 Samuel 30:11) 5. The threatening dissension and David's decision (1 Samuel 30:21) 6. The spoil sent to Judah (1 Samuel 30:26) The chastening hand of the Lord now rests heav

1 SAMUEL 30. AMALEKITE RAID ON ZIKLAG._ Cf._ above. 1 SAMUEL 30:1. On reaching Ziklag, David found that the Amalekites had sacked the town and carried off the families and property of himself and his followers. Apparently he had taken his whole force to Achish, leaving Ziklag without any adequate garrison. 1 SAMUEL 30:7. Encouraged by an oracle from Yahweh, David went in pursuit, probably southwards, overtook the raiders, annihilated them all but 400, and recovered the captives and the spoil. 1 SAMUEL 30:14. CHERETHITES: a tribe in the South or Negeb (_cf._ 1 Samuel 27:10), pr

AND IT WAS SO. The 20th _Seder_ begins here, and ends with 2 Samuel 2:6. See note on p. 366....

The division of the spoil 22. _Then answered_, &c. THEN ANSWERED EVERY WICKED MAN AND EVERY WORTHLESS MAN … BECAUSE THEY WENT NOT WITH ME. Each spoke for himself, in the true spirit of selfishness....

YE SHALL NOT DO SO, MY BRETHREN— David pronounced, in contrariety to the inhuman resolutions of some evil men who attended him, that they who went down to battle, and they who stayed behind to guard the goods and provisions of the army, should share alike in the enemy's spoil; well knowing that there was as much merit in contributing to save a citizen, as in destroying an enemy; and that those who now stayed behind had no other demerit than that of a weaker constitution. Chalcondylas tells us, (lib. 5:) that the Pisidians went further, and gave part of the spoil to those who staid at home and guarded the houses; and God himself appointed half to those who staid at home in the war with Midian. Numbers 31. This determination of David's became a law among the Israelites from that day: and we have reason to believe, that it lasted as long as the Jewish polity did, and was restored with it; a...