1 Samuel 30:28

_AND TO THEM WHICH WERE IN AROER, AND TO THEM WHICH WERE IN SIPHMOTH, AND TO THEM WHICH WERE IN ESHTEMOA,_ Aroer - the modern 'Ar'ar'ah, situated somewhere in Wady Ar'ar'ah, which was not far from Beer-sheba. SIPHMOTH - not identified. ESHTEMOA - now Semu'a (see the note at Joshua 15:50; Joshua 21:14)....

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 30:28. _IN AROER_] Situated beyond Jordan, on the banks of the river Arnon, in the tribe of _God_. _SIPHMOTH_] Supposed to be the same with _Shepham_, Numbers 34:10, on the eastern border of the promised land. _ESHTEMOA_] Another city in the tribe of _Judah_. See Joshua 15:50....

AROER - Not Aroer on the Arnon, but (if rightly written) some town in Judah, not elsewhere named. Siphmoth, Rachal 1 Samuel 30:29, and Athach 1 Samuel 30:30, are unknown and not elsewhere mentioned; but Zabdi the Shiphmite 1 Chronicles 27:27, who was over David’s wine-cellars, was evidently a native of the first-named place. It is a remarkable proof of the grateful nature of David, and of his fidelity to his early friendships, as well as a curious instance of undesigned coincidence, that we find among those employed by David in offices of trust in the height of his power so many inhabitants of those obscure places where he found friends in

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 TO [THEM] WHICH [WERE] IN AROER,.... Not Aroer in the tribe of Gad beyond Jordan, where David is never said to be, but some city of this name in the tribe of Judah; the Greek version of Joshua 15:22, instead of Adadah, has Arouel: AND TO [THEM] WHICH [WERE] IN SIPHMOTH; which very probably was in the tribe of Judah, though nowhere else mentioned: AND TO [THEM] WHICH [WERE] IN ESHTEMOA; a Levitical city given to the Levites by the children of Judah, Joshua 21:14....

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

The presents sent to the elders of Judah 26. _he sent of the spoil_, &c. In gratitude for the assistance he had received from them during his wanderings, and to secure their good will when Saul's death should open the way for him to the throne. On the _elders_see at 1 Samuel 8:4. _a present_ Lit. A BLESSING, as in 1 Samuel 25:27. _the spoil of the enemies of the Lord_ Since Israel was Jehovah's people, the enemies of Israel were the enemies of His kingdom and His cause, and every war against them was a holy war. Cp. 1 Samuel 18:17; 1 Samuel 25:28....

_David's Goodwill Toward Judah._ 1 Samuel 30:21-31 21 And David came to the two hundred men, which were so faint that they could not follow David, whom they had made also to abide at the brook Besor: and they went forth to meet David, and to meet the people that _were_ with him: and when David came near to the people, he saluted them. 22 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 _aught_ of the spoil that we have recovered, save to every man his wife and his children, that they may lead _them_ away, and depart, 23 Then said David, Ye shall not do so, my brethren, with that which the Lord hath given us, who hath preserved us, and delivered the company that came against us into our hand. 24 For who will hearken unto you in this matter? but