1 Samuel 30:1-19 – Strengthen Yourself In The LORD

Translation & Sermon by Nate Wilson for Christ The Redeemer Church, Manhattan, KS, 24 Oct. 2021

Introduction

vs. 1-6a The Occasion of Despair

vs.6b-8 David’s Pivotal action to strengthen himself5 in Yahweh

vs. 9-10 The guarding of the bags

vs.11-16 Assistance of an Egyptian

vs. 17-19 The Recovery

Conclusion


1 Samuel 30:1-19 - Side-by side comparison of versionsA

LXX

Brenton

DRB

KJV

NASB

NIV

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1 Καὶ ἐγενήθη εἰσελθόντος Δαυιδ καὶ τῶν ἀνδρῶν αὐτοῦ εἰς Σεκελακ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ τρίτῃ, καὶ ΑμαληκB ἐπέθετο ἐπὶ τὸν νότον καὶ ἐπὶ Σεκελακ καὶ ἐπάταξεν τὴν Σεκελακ καὶ ἐνεπύρισεν αὐτὴν ἐν πυρί·

1 And it came to pass when David and his men had entered Sekelac on the third day, that Amalec had made an incursion upon the south, and upon Sekelac, and smitten Sekelac, and burnt it with fire.

1 Now when David and his men were come to Siceleg on the third day, the Amalecites had made an invasion on the south side upon Siceleg, and had smitten Siceleg, and burnt it with fire,

1 And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had invadedC X the southD, and X Ziklag, and smittenE Ziklag, and burned it with fire;

1 Then it happened when David and his men came to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had made a raid on the Negev and on Ziklag, and had overthrown Ziklag and burned it with fire;

1 X David and his men X reached Ziklag on the third day. Now the Amalekites had raided X the Negev and X Ziklag. X They had attacked Ziklag and burned it X X,

1 Now it happened while David was going to Ziklag with his men on the third day that the Amalekites made a surprise-attack into the Negev and into Ziklag, and they made a strike against Ziklag and burned it in the fire,

1 וַיְהִי בְּבֹא דָוִד וַאֲנָשָׁיו צִקְלַג בַּיּוֹם הַשְּׁלִישִׁיF וַעֲמָלֵקִי פָשְׁטוּ אֶל-נֶגֶב וְאֶל-צִקְלַג וַיַּכּוּ אֶת-צִקְלַג וַיִּשְׂרְפוּ אֹתָהּ בָּאֵשׁ:

2 καὶ X τὰς γυναῖκας [καὶ] πάντα τὰ ἐν αὐτῇ ἀπὸ μικροῦ ἕως μεγάλου οὐκ ἐθανάτωσαν ἄνδρα [καὶ γυναῖκα], ἀλλ᾿ ᾐχμαλώτευσαν καὶ ἀπῆλθον εἰς τὴν ὁδὸν αὐτῶν.

2 And as to the women [and allG] things that were in it, great and small, they slew neither man [nor wom­an], but carried them captives, and went on their way.

2 And had taken the women captives that were in it, both little and great: [andH] they had not killed any person, but had carried them [with them], and went on their way.

2 And had taken the women captives, that were therein: they slew not any, either great or small, but carried them away, and went on their way.

2 and they took captive the women and all who were in it, both small and great, without killing anyone, and carried them off and went their way.

2 and had taken captive the women [and all] who were in it, both young and old. They killed none of them, but carried them off as they went on their way.

2 and they took captive the women who were in it, from the youngest to the oldest. They did not put anyone to death; they just led them off and kept going on their way.

2 וַיִּשְׁבּוּ אֶת- הַנָּשִׁים אֲשֶׁר-בָּהּ מִקָּטֹן וְעַד-גָּדוֹל לֹא הֵמִיתוּ אִישׁ וַיִּנְהֲגוּI וַיֵּלְכוּ לְדַרְכָּם:

3 καὶ ἦλθεν Δαυιδ καὶ οἱ ἄνδρες αὐτοῦ εἰς τὴν πόλιν, καὶ ἰδοὺ ἐμπεπύρισται ἐν πυρί, αἱ δὲ γυναῖ­κες αὐτῶν καὶ οἱ υἱοὶ αὐτῶν καὶ αἱ θυγατέρες αὐτῶν ᾐχμαλωτευμένοι.

3 And David and his men came into the city, and, behold, it was burnt with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters were carried captive.

3 So when David and his men came to the city, and found it burnt with fire, and that their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives,

3 So David and his men came to the city, and, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives.

3 When David and his men came to the city, X behold, it was burned with fire, and their wives and their sons and their daughters had been taken captive.

3 When David and his men came to Ziklag, X they found it destroyed by fire and their wives and X sons and X daughters taken captive.

3 When David came with his men to the city, then look, it was burned in the fire, and their wives and their sons and their daughters had been led off.

3 וַיָּבֹא דָוִד וַאֲנָשָׁיו אֶל-הָעִיר וְהִנֵּה שְׂרוּפָה בָּאֵשׁ וּנְשֵׁיהֶם וּבְנֵיהֶם וּבְנֹתֵיהֶם נִשְׁבּוּ:

4 καὶ ἦρεν Δαυιδ καὶ οἱ ἄνδρες X X αὐτοῦ τὴν φωνὴν αὐτῶν καὶ ἔκλαυσαν, ἕως ὅτου οὐκ ἦν ἐν αὐτοῖς ἰσχὺς ἔτι κλαίειν.

4 And David and his men X X lifted up their voice, and wept till there was no longer any power within them to weep.

4 X David and the people that were with him, lifted up their voice[s], and wept till they had no more X X X X tears.

4 Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more powerJ X X to weep.

4 Then David and the people who were with him lifted their voice[s] and wept until there was no strength in them to weep.

4 So David and his men X X X X X X wept aloud until they had no strength left X to weep.

4 So David – and the people who were with him – lifted their voice and wept until there was no strength in them to weep.

4 וַיִּשָּׂא דָוִד וְהָעָם אֲשֶׁר-אִתּוֹ אֶת-קוֹלָם וַיִּבְכּוּK עַד אֲשֶׁר אֵין-בָּהֶם כֹּחַ לִבְכּוֹת:

5 καὶ ἀμφότεραι αἱ γυναῖκες Δαυιδ ᾐχμαλωτεύθησαν, Αχινοομ ἡ Ιεζραηλῖτις καὶ Αβιγαια ἡ γυνὴ Ναβαλ τοῦ Καρμηλίου.

5 And both the wives of David were carried captive, Achinaam, the Jezraelitess, and Abigaia the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.

5 For the two wives also of David were taken captives, Achinoam, the Jezrahelitess, and Abigail, the wife of Nabal of Carmel.

5 And David's two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wifeL of Nabal the Carmelite.

5 Now David's two wives had been taken captive, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite.

5 X David's two wives had been captured—Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel.

5 Even David’s two wives had been led off: Ahinoam the Jezreelitess and Abigail the Carmelitess (who had been Nabal’s wife).

5 וּשְׁתֵּי נְשֵׁי-דָוִד נִשְׁבּוּ אֲחִינֹעַם הַיִּזְרְעֵMלִית וַאֲבִיגַיִל אֵשֶׁת נָבָל הַכַּרְמְלִיN:

6 καὶ ἐθλίβηO Δαυιδ σφόδρα, ὅτι εἶπεν ὁ λαὸς λιθοβολῆσαι αὐτόν, ὅτι κατώ­δυνος ψυχὴ παντὸς τοῦ λαοῦ, ἑκάστου ἐπὶ τοὺς υἱοὺς αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐπὶ τὰς θυγατέρας αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἐκραταιώθηP Δαυιδ ἐν κυρίῳ θεῷ αὐτοῦ .

6 And David was greatly distressed, because the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, each for his sons and his daughters: but David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.

6 And David was greatly afflicted: for the people had a mind to stone him, for the soul of every man was bitterly grieved X for his sons and X X daughters: but David took courage in the Lord his God.

6 And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grievedQ, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouragedR himself in the LORD his God.

6 Moreover Da­vid was greatly distres­sed because the people spoke of stoning him, for X X all the people were embittered, each one because of his sons and X his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God.

6 X David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him;X each one X X was bitter [in] spirit X because of his sons and X X daughters. But David found strength in the LORD his God.

6 And there was a lot of pressure on David because they were saying that the people should throw stones at him, for all the people felt bitter emotionally, each over his sons and over his daughters. But David strengthened himself in Yahweh his God.

6 וַתֵּצֶר לְדָוִד מְאֹד כִּי-אָמְרוּ הָעָם לְסָקְלוֹS כִּי-מָרָה נֶפֶשׁ כָּל-הָעָם אִישׁ עַל-בְּנוֹT וְעַל-בְּנֹתָיו וַיִּתְחַזֵּק דָּוִדU בַּיהוָה אֱלֹהָיו: ס

7 καὶ εἶπεν Δαυιδ πρὸς Αβιαθαρ τὸν ἱερέα υἱὸν Αχιμελεχ Προσ­άγαγε X XV τὸ εφουδ. X X X X X X X

7 And David said to Abiathar the priest the son of Achimelech, Bring near X X X the ephod X X X X X X X.

7 And X he said to Abiathar, the priest, the son of Achimelech: Bring me hither the ephod. And Abiathar brought the ephod to David.

7 And David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahi­melech's son, I pray thee, bring me hither the ephod. And Abiathar brought thither the ephod to David.

7 Then David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, "Please bring me the ephod." So Abiathar brought the ephod to David.

7 Then David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, "X Bring me the ephod." X Abiathar brought it X to him,

7 Then David said to Abiathar the Priest, son of Ahimelek, “Please bring near to me the priestly-shoul­der-gear.” And Abiathar brought the priestly-shoulder-gear near to David.

7 וַיֹּאמֶר דָּוִד אֶל-אֶבְיָתָר הַכֹּהֵן בֶּן-אֲחִימֶלֶךְ הַגִּישָׁה-נָּא לִי הָאֵפֹד וַיַּגֵּשׁ אֶבְיָתָר אֶת-הָאֵפֹד אֶל-דָּוִד:

8 καὶ ἐπηρώτησεν Δαυιδ διὰ τοῦ κυρίου λέγων Εἰ καταδιώξω ὀπίσω τοῦ γεδδουρW τούτου; εἰ κατα­λήμψομαι αὐτούς; καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Καταδίωκε, ὅτι καταλαμβάνων καταλήμψῃ καὶ ἐξαιρούμενος ἐξελῇ.

8 And David enquired of the Lord, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them? and he said to him, Pursue, for thou shalt surely overtake them, and thou shalt surely rescue [the captives].

8 And David consulted the Lord, saying: Shall I pursue after these robbers, [and] shall I overtake them, [or not]? And [the Lord] said to him: Pursue [after them]: for thou shalt surely overtake them and recover the preyX.

8 And David enquired at the LORD, saying, Shall I pursue after this troopY? shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recoverZ all.

8 X David inquired of the LORD, saying, "Shall I pursue X this band? Shall I overtake them?" And He said to him, "Pursue, for you will surely overtake them, and you will surely rescue all."

8 and David inquired of the LORD X, "Shall I pursue X this raiding party? Will I overtake them?" X "Pursue [them]," he answered X. "You will certainly overtake them and succeed in the rescue."

8 Then David inquired with Yahweh, saying, “Shall I go hunting after this troop? Will we overcome?” And He said to him, “Hunt them down, for you will certainly overcome, and you will certainly rescue!”

8 וַיִּשְׁאַל דָּוִד בַּיהוָה לֵאמֹר AAאֶרְדֹּף אַחֲרֵי הַגְּדוּד-הַזֶּה הַאַשִּׂגֶנּוּ וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ רְדֹף כִּי-הַשֵּׂג תַּשִּׂיג וְהַצֵּל תַּצִּיל:

9 καὶ ἐπορεύθη Δαυιδ, αὐτὸς καὶ οἱ ἑξακόσιοι ἄνδρες μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔρχονται ἕως τοῦ χειμάρρου Βοσορ, καὶ οἱ περισσοὶ ἔστησαν.

9 So David went, he and the six hundred men with him, an they come as far as the brook Bosor, and the superfluous ones stopped.

9 So David went, he and the six hundred men that were with him, and they came to the torrent Besor: and some, being weary, stayed [there].

9 So David went, he and the six hundred men that were with him, and came to the brook Besor, where those that were left behind stayedAB.

9 So David went, he and the six hundred men who were with him, and came to the brook Besor, where those left behind remained.

9 X David X X and the six hundred men with him X came to the Besor Ravine, where some X stayed behind,

9 So David went out, he and 600 men who were with him, and they went as far as Besor Creek, where the men left behind took their stand.

9 וַיֵּלֶךְ דָּוִד הוּא וְשֵׁשׁ-מֵאוֹת אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר אִתּוֹ וַיָּבֹאוּ עַד-נַחַל הַבְּשׂוֹר וְהַנּוֹתָרִים עָמָדוּ:

10 καὶ κατεδίωξεν X X ἐν τετρακοσ­ίοις ἀνδράσιν, ὑπέστη­σαν δὲ διακόσιοι ἄνδρες, οἵτινες ἐκάθισαν X πέρανAC τοῦ χειμάρρουAD τοῦ Βοσορ.

10 And X he pursued them X with four hundred men; and there remained behind two hundred men, who tarried on the other side of the brook Bosor.

10 But David pursued, he and four hundred men: for two hundred stayed, who, being weary, could not go over the torrent Besor.

10 But David pursued, he and four hundred men: for two hundred abode behind, which were so faint that they could not go overAE the brook Besor.

10 But David pursued, he and four hundred men, for two hundred who were too exhausted to cross the brook Besor remained behind.

10 for two hundred men were too exhausted to cross the X ravine X. But David X and four hundred men continued the pursuit.

10 Then David went on the hunt – he and 400 men, while the 200 men who were too dead-tired to cross Besor Creek took their stand.

10 וַיִּרְדֹּף דָּוִד הוּא וְאַרְבַּע- מֵאוֹת אִישׁ וַיַּעַמְדוּ מָאתַיִם אִישׁ אֲשֶׁר פִּגְּרוּAF מֵעֲבֹר אֶת-נַחַל הַבְּשׂוֹר:

11 καὶ εὑρίσκ­ουσιν ἄνδρα Αἰγύπτιον ἐν ἀγρῷ καὶ λαμβάν­ουσιν αὐτὸν [καὶ ἄγου­σιν αὐτὸν] πρὸς Δαυιδ ἐν ἀγρῷ· καὶ διδόασιν αὐτῷ ἄρτον, καὶ ἔφαγεν, καὶ ἐπό­τισαν αὐτὸν ὕδωρ·

11 And they find an Egyptian X in the field, and they take him, [and bring himAG] to David; and they gave him bread and he ate, and they caused him to drink water.

11 And they found an Egyptian X in the field, and brought him to David: and they gave him bread to eat, and water to drink,

11 And they found an Egyptian XAH in the fieldAI, and brought him to David, and gave him bread, and he did eat; and they madeAJ him drink water;

11 Now they found an Egyptian X in the field and brought him to David, and gave him bread and he ate, and they provided him water to drink.

11 X They found an Egyptian X in a field and brought him to David. They gave him X water to drink and food X to eat—

11 Presently they found an Egyptian man in the field, and they took him to David. They also they gave bread to him and he ate, and they let him drink some water,

11 וַיִּמְצְאוּ אִישׁ-מִצְרִי בַּשָּׂדֶה וַיִּקְחוּ אֹתוֹ אֶל-דָּוִד וַיִּתְּנוּ-לוֹ לֶחֶם וַיֹּאכַל וַיַּשְׁקֻהוּ מָיִם:

12 καὶ διδόασιν αὐτῷ κλάσμα παλάθης, X X XAK καὶ ἔφαγεν, καὶ κατέστη τὸ πνεῦμα αὐτοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ, ὅτι οὐ βεβρώκει ἄρτον καὶ οὐ πεπώκει ὕδωρ τρεῖς ἡμέρας καὶ τρεῖς νύκτας.

12 And they gave him a piece of a cake of figs X X X, and he ate, and his spirit was restored in him; for he had not eaten bread, and had not drunk water three days and three nights.

12 As X X X also a piece of a cake of figs, and two bunches of raisins. And when he had eaten [them], his spirit returned, X X [and he was refreshed]: for he had not eaten bread, nor drunk water, three days and three nights.

12 And they gave him a piece of a cake of figs, and two clusters of rai­sins: and when he had eaten, his spirit came againAL to him: for he had eat­en no bread, nor drunk any water, three days and three nights.

12 X They gave him a piece of fig cake and two clusters of raisins, and he ate; then his spirit revived X X. For he had not eaten bread or drunk water for three days and three nights.

12 X X X X X part of a cake of pressed figs and two cakes of raisins. X He ate and X X was revived X X, for he had not eaten any food or drunk any water for three days and three nights.

12 and they gave him a slice of fig-cake and two raisin-cakes. And as he ate, his breathing returned to him, for he had not eaten food and had not drunk water for three days and three nights.

12 וַיִּתְּנוּ-לוֹ פֶלַח דְּבֵלָה וּשְׁנֵי צִמֻּקִיםAM וַיֹּאכַל וַתָּשָׁב רוּחוֹAN אֵלָיו כִּי לֹא-אָכַל לֶחֶם וְלֹא-שָׁתָה מַיִם שְׁלֹשָׁה יָמִים וּשְׁלֹשָׁה לֵילוֹת: ס

13 καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Δαυιδ Τίνος σὺ εἶ καὶ πόθεν εἶ; καὶ εἶπεν τὸ παιδάριον τὸ Αἰγύπτιον Ἐγώ εἰμι δοῦλος ἀνδρὸς Αμαληκ­ίτου, καὶ κατέλιπέν με ὁ κύριός μου, ὅτι ἠνωχλήθηνAO ἐγὼ σήμερον τριταῖος.

13 And David said to him, Whose art thou? and whence art thou? and the young man the Egyptian saidAP, I am the servant of an Amalekite X; and my master left me, because I was taken ill three days ago.

13 And David said to him: To whom dost thou belong; or whence dost thou come? and whither art thou going? He said: I am a young man of Egypt, the servant of an Amal­ecite X: and my master left me, because I began to be sick three days ago.

13 And David said unto him, To whom belongest thou? and whence art thou? And he said, I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite X; and my master left me, because three days agone I fell sick.

13 X David said to him, "To whom do you belong? And where are you from?" And he said, "I am a young man of Egypt, a servant of an Amalekite X; and my master left me behind when I fell sick three days ago.

13 X David asked him, "To whom do you belong, and where do you come from?" He said, "I am an Egyptian X, the slave of an Amalekite X. X My master abandoned me when I became ill three days ago.

13 Then David said to him, “To whom do you belong? And where were you [going] from here?” And he said, “I am an Egyptian boy, a servant to an Amalekite man, but my master abandoned me when I became sick three days ago.

13 וַיֹּאמֶר לוֹ דָוִד לְמִי-אַתָּה וְאֵי מִזֶּה אָתָּה וַיֹּאמֶר נַעַר מִצְרִי אָנֹכִי עֶבֶד לְאִישׁ עֲמָלֵקִי וַיַּעַזְבֵנִי אֲדֹנִי כִּי חָלִיתִי הַיּוֹם שְׁלֹשָׁה:

14 [καὶ] ἡμεῖς ἐπεθέμεθα [ἐπὶ] νότον τοῦ Χολθι καὶ ἐπὶ τὰ τῆς Ιουδαίας μέρη καὶ ἐπὶ νότον Χελουβ καὶ τὴν Σεκελακ ἐνεπυρίσαμεν ἐν πυρί.

14 [And] we made an incursion [on] the south of the Cheleth­ite, and on the parts of Judea, and on the south of Chelub, and we burnt Sek­elac with fire.

14 [For] we made an invasion [on] the south side of Cerethi, and upon X Juda, and upon the south of Caleb, and we burnt Siceleg with fire.

14 We made an invasionAQ upon the south of the Chereth­ites, and upon the coast which belongeth to Judah, and upon the south of Caleb; and we burned Ziklag with fire.

14 "We made a raid on the Neg­ev of the Chere­thites, and on that which belongs to Judah, and on the Neg­ev of Caleb, and we burned Ziklag with fire."

14 We raided the Negev of the Kerethites and X the [territory] belonging to Judah and X the Negev of Caleb. And we burned Ziklag X X."

14 {And} as for us, we made a surprise-attack {ag­ainst} the Negev of the Cherethites and against what belongs to Judah and against the Negev of Caleb, then Ziklag we burned in the fire.”

14 אֲנַחְנוּ פָּשַׁטְנוּ נֶגֶבAR הַכְּרֵתִי וְעַל-אֲשֶׁר לִיהוּדָה וְעַל-נֶגֶב כָּלֵב וְאֶת-צִקְלַג שָׂרַפְנוּ בָאֵשׁ:

15 καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτὸν Δαυιδ Εἰ κατάξεις με ἐπὶ τὸ γεδδουρ τοῦτο; καὶ εἶπεν Ὄμοσον [δή] μοι κατὰ τοῦ θεοῦ μὴ θανατώ­σειν με καὶ μὴ παραδοῦναί με εἰς χεῖρας τοῦ κυρίου μου, καὶ κατάξω σε ἐπὶ τὸ γεδδουρ τουτο.'

15 And David said to him, Wilt thou bring me down to this troop? And he said, Swear [now] to me by God, that thou wilt not kill me, and that thou wilt not deliver me into the hand[s] of my master, and I will bring thee down upon this troop.

15 And David said to him: Canst thou bring me to this company? and he said: Swear to me by God, that thou wilt not kill me, nor deliver me into the hand[s] of my master, and I will bring thee to this company. [And David swore to him.AS]

15 And David said to him, Canst thou bring me down to this company? And he said, Swear unto me by God, that thou wilt neither kill me, nor deliver me into the hand[s] of my master, and I will bring thee down to this company.

15 Then David said to him, "Will you bring me down to this band?" And he said, "Swear to me by God that you will not kill me or deliver me into the hand[s] of my master, and I will bring you down to this band."

15 X David asked him, "Can you lead me down to this raiding party?" X He answered, "Swear to me before God that you will not kill me or hand me over to X X my master, and I will take you down to them X."

15 Then David said to him, “Will you lead me down to this troop?” And he said, “Please swear to me [that you’ll be cursed] by God if you put me to death or if you corral me into the hands of my master, and then I will lead you down to this troop.”

15 וַיֹּאמֶר אֵלָיו דָּוִד הֲתוֹרִדֵנִי אֶל-הַגְּדוּד הַזֶּה וַיֹּאמֶר הִשָּׁבְעָה לִּי בֵאלֹהִים אִם-תְּמִיתֵנִי וְאִם-תַּסְגִּרֵנִיAT בְּיַד-אֲדֹנִי וְאוֹרִדְךָ אֶל-הַגְּדוּד הַזֶּה:

16 καὶ κατήγαγεν αὐτὸν [ἐκεῖ], καὶ ἰδοὺ οὗτοι δια­κεχυμένοιAU ἐπὶ πρόσωπον πάσης τῆς γῆς ἐσθίοντες καὶ πίνοντες καὶ ἑορτάζοντες ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς σκύλοις τοῖς μεγάλοις,AV, οἷς ἔλαβον ἐκ γῆς ἀλλοφύλων καὶ ἐκ γῆς Ιουδα.

16 So be brought him down [thither], and behold, they were scattered abroad upon the surface of the whole land, eating and drinking, and feasting by reason of all the great spoil[s] which they had taken out of the land of the Philis­tines, and out of the land of Juda.

16 And when he had brought him X, behold they were [lying] spread abroad upon all the ground, eating and drinking, and [as it were] keeping a festival dayAW, for all the prey [and the] spoils which they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Juda.

16 And when he had brought him down, behold, they were spread abroad upon all the earth, eating and drinking, and dancing, because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah.

16 When he had brought him down, behold, they were spread over all the land, eating and drinking and dancing because of all the great spoil that they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah.

16 X He led [David] down, and there they were, scattered over the countryside, eating, drinking and reveling because of Χ the great amount of plunder they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from Χ Χ Judah.

16 Now, when he led him down, look, they were scattered over the surface of all that land eating and drinking and partying with all the great plunder which they had taken from the land of the Philistines and from the land of Judah.

16 וַיֹּרִדֵהוּ וְהִנֵּה נְטֻשִׁיםAX עַל-פְּנֵי כָל-הָאָרֶץ אֹכְלִים וְשֹׁתִים וְחֹגְגִים בְּכֹל הַשָּׁלָל הַגָּדוֹל אֲשֶׁר לָקְחוּ מֵאֶרֶץ פְּלִשְׁתִּים וּמֵאֶרֶץ יְהוּדָה:

17 [καὶ ἦλθεν ἐπ᾿ αὐτοὺς] Δαυιδ καὶ ἐπάταξεν αὐτοὺς ἀπὸ ἑωσφόρουAY ἕως δείλης [καὶ] τῇ ἐπαύριον, καὶ οὐκ ἐσώθη ἐξ αὐτῶν ἀνὴρ ὅτι ἀλλ᾿ ἢ τετρακόσια παιδάρια, ἃ ἦν ἐπιβεβηκότα ἐπὶ τὰς καμήλους καὶ ἔφυγον.

17 And David [came upon] them, and] smote them from the morning till the evening, [and] on the next day; and not one of them escaped, except four hundred young men, who were mounted on camels, and fled.

17 And David slew them from the evening unto the evening of the next day, and there escaped not a man of them, but four hundred young men, who had gotten upon camels, and fled.

17 And David smote them from the twilight even unto the evening of the next day: and there escaped not a man of them, save four hundred young men, which rode upon camels, and fled.

17 X David slaughtered them from the twilight until the evening of the next day; and not a man of them escaped, except four hundred young men who rode on camels and fled.

17 X David fought them from dusk until the evening of the next day, and none of them got away, except four hundred young men who rode off on camels and fled.

17 So David made a strike from twilight until the evening of the next day, and not a man from them escaped except for 400 young men who rode on their camels and fled.

17 וַיַּכֵּם דָּוִד מֵהַנֶּשֶׁףAZ וְעַד- הָעֶרֶב לְמָחֳרָתָםBA וְלֹא-נִמְלַט מֵהֶם אִישׁ כִּי אִם-אַרְבַּע מֵאוֹת אִישׁ-נַעַר אֲשֶׁר-רָכְבוּ עַל- הַגְּמַלִּים וַיָּנֻסוּ:

18 καὶ ἀφείλατο Δαυιδ πάντα, ἃ ἔλαβον οἱ Αμαληκῖται, καὶ ἀμφοτέρας τὰς γυναῖκας αὐτοῦ ἐξείλατο X.

18 And David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken, and X he rescued both his wives.

18 So David recovered all that the Amalecites had taken, and X he rescued his two wives.

18 And David recovered all that the Amale­kites had carried away: and David rescued his two wives.

18 So David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken, and X rescued his two wives.

18 X David recovered everything the Amalekites had taken, including his two wives X X.

18 So David rescued all that the Amelekites had taken, especially {he} rescued his two wives.

18 וַיַּצֵּל דָּוִד אֵת כָּל-אֲשֶׁר לָקְחוּ עֲמָלֵק וְאֶת-שְׁתֵּי נָשָׁיו הִצִּיל דָּוִד:

19 καὶ οὐ διε­φώνησεν αὐτοῖς ἀπὸ μικροῦ ἕως μεγάλου καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν σκύλων καὶ ἕως υἱῶν καὶ θυγατέρων καὶ ἕως πάντων, ὧν ἔλαβον αὐτῶν· τὰ πάντα ἐπέστρεψεν Δαυιδ.

19 And nothing was wanting to them of great or small, either of the spoils, or the sons and daughters, or anything that they had taken of theirs; [andBB] David recovered all.

19 And there was nothing missing X X small or great, neither of [their] sons or [their] daughters, nor of the spoils, and whatsoever they had taken X X, David recovered all.

19 And there was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither spoil, nor any thing that they had taken to them: David recovered all.

19 But nothing of theirs was missing, whether small or great, X sons or daughters, X spoil or anything that they had taken for themselves; David brought it all back.

19 X Nothing was missing X X: X young or old, X boyX or girlX, X plunder or anything else they had taken X X. David brought everything back.

19 and nothing of theirs was missing, from the youngest up to the oldest, whether sons or daughters or plunder, indeed everything which they had taken for themselves, David brought back the entirety.

19 וְלֹא נֶעְדַּר- לָהֶם מִן-הַקָּטֹן וְעַד-הַגָּדוֹל וְעַד-בָּנִים וּבָנוֹת וּמִשָּׁלָל וְעַד כָּל- אֲשֶׁר לָקְחוּ לָהֶם הַכֹּל הֵשִׁיב דָּוִד:


1“The language implies that the smoke of the conflagration was still visible, and the sacking very recent.” ~R. Jamieson

2There is debate whether this was just a random raid across multiple countries (Goldman), or a counterattack against David for the raids he had been conducting (Henry, Gill, Jamieson).

3Ezek. 25:16; Zeph. 2:5

4Moses found himself in a similar situation in Ex. 17:3-4.

5Greek translations of this Hebrew word are κραταιόω (LXX), ενισχυω (Aq.), and κατεθάρσησεν (Theod.). For OT quotes, I have provided root words from the Septuagint Greek and MT Hebrew, and for NT quotes, I have provided root words from the Greek and the Salkinson-Ginsburg Hebrew translation to help with tracking words. Yellow highlight indicates a Greek or Hebrew root that is the same as the root of the Greek or Hebrew word in this verse for “strengthened.”

6The first mention of this word in the Hebrew Bible is Gen. 48:2, where Jacob, as an old man on his deathbed, “strengthened himself” [יתחזק/ἐνισχύω] to sit up one last time and speak blessings over his children and grandchildren. Often in the historical books of the O.T., kings would “strengthen themselves” as preparation for going to war or as preparation for defending their cities in war.

7He also and he exhorted those Christians in chapter 6:10 to “be strong [ἐνδυναμόω/הִתְעוֹדְדוּ] in the Lord and in the power of His might [κράτει τῆς ἰσχύος].”

8See footnote AZ for more detail.

9“Our Lord Jesus was indeed the Son of David and the Son of Abraham, in this resembling them both, that he took the prey from the mighty, and led captivity captive.” ~M. Henry

AMy original chart includes the NASB and NIV, but their copyright restrictions have forced me to remove them from the publicly-available edition of this chart. I have included the ESV in footnotes when it employs a word not already used by the KJV, NASB, or NIV. (NAW is my translation.) When a translation adds words not in the Hebrew text, but does not indicate it has done so by the use of italics (or greyed-out text), I put the added words in [square brackets]. When one version chooses a wording which is different from all the other translations, I underline it. When a version chooses a translation which, in my opinion, either departs too far from the root meaning of the Hebrew word or departs too far from the grammar form of the original text, I use strikeout. And when a version omits a word which is in the original text, I insert an X. (I also place an X at the end of a word if the original word is plural but the English translation is singular.) I occasionally use colors to help the reader see correlations between the various editions and versions when there are more than two different translations of a given word. The only known Dead Sea Scroll containing 1 Samuel 30 is 4Q51Samuela, which contains fragments of vs. 22-31 and which has been dated between 50-25 B.C. Where the DSS is legible and matches the MT, the MT is colored purple. Where the DSS or Vulgate support the LXX with omissions or text not in the MT, I have highlighted with yellow the LXX and its translation into English, and, where I have accepted that into my NAW translation, I have marked it with {pointed brackets}.

BKittel noted that there were some Hebrew manuscripts and commentaries which rendered “Amalek” singular like the LXX did, rather than plural “Amalekites” like the MT, but there is no difference in meaning when we realize that the singular is a figure of speech representing a nation’s army by the name of the nation’s founder.

CNASB, NIV, and ESV = “raided/made a raid”

DThe Hebrew word for “south” is “Negev,” which also designates the wilderness to Israel’s south. NASB, NIV = “Negev.” Also in v.14.

EThe central meaning of this Hebrew root is “strike/smite,” NASB = “overthrown,” NIV = “attacked,” ESV = “overcome”

FIt shouldn’t have taken David any more than three days to march back from Aphek to Ziklag, so the “third day” seems to be at some point after the second day when David arrived at Ziklag to find it burnt. K&D agreed, writing, “The apodosis to ‘It came to pass, when,’ etc. (v.1), does not follow till v.4, ‘Then David and the people,’ etc.” NICOT commentator Tsumura also agreed, explaining that the words in v.1 (including a movement verb, a geographical locator, and a temporal expression) were all necessary to signal a new event narrative, but since the new event needed background explanation, the writer had to do a “flashback” in verses 2 and 3 to explain “what had happened at Ziklag before David returned from Aphek” on the third day of his march.

GCuriously, the ESV and NIV follow the Septuagint here instead of the MT. (KJV and NASB follow the MT.)

HKittel noted that this “and” is found in some Syriac and Greek manuscripts too. It doesn’t make a difference in meaning.

Icf. when David did the same sort of thing: 1 Samuel 23:5 “So David (and his men) went down to Q'eilah and fought with the Philistines and led away their livestock and conducted a strike – a heavy strike – against them.

JNASB, NIV, ESV = “strength”

Kcf. 1 Samuel 11:4 “When the messengers came to Saul's hill and told the news within earshot of his people, then all the people raised their voice and wept.” (NAW)

LNASB, NIV, ESV = “widow,” but the word in the MT is the word for “wife,” not the word for “widow.”

MSome Hebrew editions insert an aleph here to match the spelling of the name in 27:3, but it doesn’t change the meaning. Tsumura’s explanation was that 1 Samuel is an orally-dictated document, so words are spelled phonetically rather than according to established spellings.

Ncf. 1 Samuel 27:3 “And David resided with Akish in Gath, he and his men, each with his own household. {So} there was David with two of his wives: Ahinoam the Jezraelitess [הַיִּזְרְעֵאלִית] and Abigail the Carmelitess [הַכַּרְמְלִית] (who had been Nabal's wife). Underlined words are the same as this verse, underlined Hebrew letters are missing in this verse.

Ocf. later Greek versions: Aquila = eluphqh (“pained”), Theodotian = hporeito (“uncertain”).

Pcf. later Greek versions: Aq. = eniscusen (“strengthened,”) Symmachus = eqarshsen (“encouraged”)

QNASB, NIV, and ESV = “bitter” which is the most central meaning of the Hebrew root here.

RNASB & ESV = “strengthened himself,” NIV = “found strength,” “Strong” is the most central meaning of this Hebrew root.

Scf. Ex. 17:4 (Moses threatened by stoning), Deut. 13: 6-10 (Stoning for leading God’s people into apostacy), Josh 7:24-25 (Stoning of Achan)

TThe Qere suggests a more “proper” plural spelling of בָּנָיו, which more clearly differentiates in the unpointed text between a plural and a singular, but this is just a matter of spelling conventions. All the versions understood it as a plural.

UTargums add “in the word of”

VAquila rendered the MT more closely than the LXX with proseggison dh moi to ependuma (“please bring near to me the vest”). Sym. was a little more periphrastic sthson proV me thn epwmida (“Stand the epaulet in front of me.”) It appears that neither of them contained the final clause of this verse in the MT (nor did the Lucian Rescription of the LXX), thus favoring the LXX.

WLXX transliterated the Hebrew word into Greek letters without translating it. Later Greek versions translated it: Aq. euzwnou (“belt”), S. locou (“spear”), Q. sustremmatoV (“band”). They did the same in v.15.

XJerome seems to have translated the emphatic double verb as a verb and a subject instead.

YNASB = “band,” NIV = “raiding party,” When this word recurs in v.15, the KJV renders it “company.”

ZNASB, NIV = “rescue” This word recurs twice more in v.18, where KJV, NASB, NIV, & ESV translate it both “recover” and “rescue.”

AASome manuscripts place an interrogative He in front of this word, but without it, an imperfect verb like this can still be a question, as the context seems to make clear.
cf. previous consultations of Yahweh in 1 Samuel 14:37 Saul asked of God, "Shall I go down after the Philistines? Will you give them into the control of Israel?" and 23:10 Then David said, "Yahweh, God of Israel, your servant has heard for sure that Saul is trying to come to Q'eilah to lay waste to the city on my account. 11 Will they shut me out? Will Saul come down like this [intelligence] your servant has heard?” (NAW)

ABLit. “stood,” NASB = “remained,” The same word appears in the next verse, where KJV translates “abode behind,” as though the adjectival participle (from יטרleft”) from the previous verse were recurring here instead. At least that’s better than the NIV, which omitted it altogether in that next verse.

ACLXX translated the Hebrew participle as a noun rather than as a verbal. Later versions opted for verbal renderings like the English ones S. oi htonhsan (s. hdunathsan) tou diabhnai (“those without the endurance to go over”), Q. (oi) apenarkhsan parelqein (“those who were averse to going along”), but Aquila’s was odd: (oi) eptwmatisqhsan (the seven-times worthless ones).

ADcf. Sym. faraggoV = “ravine”

AENASB, NIV, ESV = “too exhausted to cross”
Targums and Syriac curiously indicate that David actively forbade the 200 from crossing the creek.

AFEverywhere outside of 1 Samuel 30, this Hebrew root is translated “corpse/dead body.”

AGThe Hebrew is literally “they received him to David.” “Take/capture/receive” does not seem to fit with the prepositional phrase “to David,” which explains why all the English versions change the verb to “brought” (which is a different Hebrew word). It also makes plausible the possibility that the LXX is original and its “extra” words “and brought” were not added but instead were dropped out of the MT between 200BC (when the LXX was translated) and 400AD when the Vulgate (which does not have the extra words) was translated. On the other hand, the modern English conflation “took it to” instead of “picked it up and carried it to” has gained popular use, and we could be seeing a similar idiom in the Hebrew here. It would be interesting if there were a Dead Sea Scroll of this verse which had survived, but there are none known.

AHThe word “man” is there in both Greek and Hebrew, so I don’t understand why all the English versions dropped it out.

AIESV strangely has “open country” which isn’t inaccurate, just odd that they would feel the need to differ from every other English version.

AJNASB = “provided,” ESV = “gave,” NKJV = “let.” All translate the Hiphil causative stem of the verb “drink.”

AKLater Greek versions supplied the words in the MT missing in the LXX: Aq. kai duo stafidaV (“and two raisin-cakes”), S. (kai duo) endesmouV stafidwn (“and two bindings of raisins”).

ALLit. = “returned,” NASB, NIV, ESV = “revived”

AMHow much you want to bet that those figs and raisins came from Abigail’s farm? (1 Samuel 25:18)

ANThe only other place in the Bible where the same words “spirit” and “return” are used together in any similitude of this context is with Sampson in Judges 15:19 “So God split the hollow place that is in Lehi, and water came out, and he drank; and his spirit returned, and he revived [חוהa word not found in the 1 Samuel verse.]”. (NKJV)

AOcf. later Greek versions: A. grrwsthsa (“standing like a woman?”), S. enoshsa (“standing as onecurled up in a ball?), Q. emalakisqhn (“weak”).

APThe cantillation marks in the modern Hebrew text indicate that the Egyptian’s quote began earlier, but as the text stood at the time of the Septuagint before pointings were added, the Egyptian’s quote could just as well have begun here.

AQNASB & NIV = “raid”

ARAll the ancient Greek, Latin, Syriac, and Chaldee versions insert the preposition “upon” here. It would naturally be assumed, however, so it doesn’t change the meaning.

ASSyriac and Arabic versions comport with this, starting v.16 with, “After David swore to him...”

ATcf. 23:11, 12, 20

AUcf. later versions: A. ektetamenoi (“set out”), S. anapeptwkoteV (“sent abroad”), Q. eskorpismenoi (“scattered”).

AVThe Hebrew gadol can mean “great in quality” (as per the LXX μεγα-) or “great in quantity,” the latter of which was Symmachus’ choice (polloiV).

AWThe Vulgate fits with Symmachus (wV en panhgurei) but not the MT or LXX.

AXGill noted that this indicates they were no longer in their military ranks. They were now at ease, scattered here and there.

AYNotwithstanding K&D to the contrary, the Hebrew word can mean “morning twilight” or “evening twilight,” and the LXX seems to have opted for the former whereas the later Greek versions opted for the latter with A. skotomhnhV (“barely dark”) and S. suneskotasen (“gathering darkness”).

AZThis is the first of the 12 instances of this noun in the Hebrew Bible. David arrived late enough in the day to see people partying; Willet said it must therefore be morning rather than evening, but all the parties I’ve ever seen happened at night. The wording describing the timing of his strike is ambiguous: he either 1) arrived in the afternoon, then struck at sunset and fought for 24 hours until sunset of the next day (Pellican, Keil & Delitzsch), or 2) he arrived between noon and midnight, then struck first thing the next morning (morning twilight) and fought about 12 hours until sunset (which, in Jewish reckoning began the next day) or 3) he struck at sunrise and fought 36 hours until the evening of the following day (Vatablus). I’m inclined toward #2, and so was Josephus, the Talmud (Ber 3b), Willett, Gill, Tsumura, and Goldman.

BAThe meaning of the mem suffix on this word is debated. The Groves-Wheeler Westminster Morphology and Lemma Database as well as the Open Scriptures Hebrew Morphology Codes label it as a 3rd plural pronoun (“their”), but how could the next day belong any more to one group than to another? McCarter correlated it with the Lucian Rescription as the end of a missing word (“he killed them”), and Tsumura maintained that it “could be an enclitic mem functioning adverbially,” which seems to fit the entry in Davidson’s Analytical Lexicon and the way most English versions rendered the word.

BBThe “and” is in the ancient Vaticanus Greek manuscript, but not in the standard Septuagint.

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