And when David came to Ziklag,.... Perhaps with an intention to rebuild it, and make it still the place of his residence; and it is possible there might be some houses that escaped flames, and if not, tents might be pitched until the city was rebuilt, and it appears that he continued there some time:he sent of the spoil to the elders of Judah: of that part of it which belonged to himself as a general:[even] to his friends; such as had been kind to him when he sojourned among them; so that this was a piece of gratitude, as well as of policy in him, to make his way to the throne the easier, he perceiving the time drawing on for the expiration of the kingdom in the family of Saul; and besides, some in those parts he sent of the spoil to might have been sufferers by the Amalekites, so that it was but a point of justice to restore to them what had been taken from them; for they had invaded the south of Judea, and took spoils from thence, 1Sa 30:14; it was to his friends in those parts he sent, not to the inhabitants of Ziph and Keilah, which were places in the tribe of Judah; but these having attempted to betray him, were not entitled to his favours, though they were not the objects of his vengeance:saying, behold, a present for you, of the spoil of the Lord's enemies; or a "blessing" , which he sent them with a good will, wishing health and happiness to them; which they might without hesitation receive, seeing it was not the spoil of private enemies, or of what was taken from them in a way of private revenge, but the spoil of the enemies of the Lord, his and their common enemies; nor need they scruple eating and enjoying it, though the spoil of those that cursed the Lord, Abarbinel observes, since this they had with the blessing of the Lord.
Bible Commentary
1 Samuel 30:26
1 Samuel 30:26
John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible · John Gill (1697–1771) · Public Domain
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1 Samuel 30 — Overview1 Samuel 30 · Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole BibleWhen David was dismissed from the army of the Philistines he did not go
over to the camp of Israel, but, being expelled by Saul, observed an
exact neutrality, and silently retired to his own city Ziklag, leaving…1 Samuel 30 — Overview1 Samuel 30 · Treasury of Scripture Knowledge1 Samuel 30:1, The Amalekites spoil Ziklag; 1 Samuel 30:4, David asking counsel, is encouraged by God to pursue them; 1 Samuel 30:11, By the means of a revived Egyptian he is brought to the enemies, and recovers all the…1 Samuel 30 — Overview1 Samuel 30 · John Gill's Exposition of the Entire BibleThis chapter relates the condition Ziklag was in when David and his men came to it, the city burnt, and their families carried captive by the Amalekites, which occasioned not only a general lamentation, but mutiny and…1 Samuel 30:21-311 Samuel 30:21-31 · Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole BibleWe have here an account of the distribution of the spoil which as taken
from the Amalekites. When the Amalekites had carried away a rich booty
from the land of Judah and the Philistines they spent it in…1 Samuel 30:261 Samuel 30:26 · Treasury of Scripture Knowledgeto his friends: 1 Chronicles 12:1-15; Psalms 35:27, Psalms 68:18; Proverbs 18:16-24; Isaiah 32:8
present: Heb. blessing, 1 Samuel 25:27; Genesis 33:11; 2 Kings 5:15; 2 Corinthians 9:5