01010418 Friday, April 18 2014
1 Samuel 30: David's Return To Judah

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"David came to Ziklag, he sent of the spoil unto the elders of Judah, even to his friends, saying, Behold a present for you of the spoil of the enemies of the LORD"

The first Israelite civil war (see Israel In History and Prophecy: The Civil War) began with David avoiding Saul - in order to keep from harming Saul (see 1 Samuel 21: Why Didn't David Kill Saul?). For that reason, David spent over a year in Philistine just-over-the-border territory, outside of the boundaries of the land of Israel (see 1 Samuel 27: David The Philistine Warrior and 1 Samuel 29: Where Is Palestine?).

Although David didn't know it, Saul was about to make his final blunder (see 1 Samuel 15: Saul's Impeachment) that would get him killed in battle against the Philistines - not against David. It seems more than just a mere coincidence that Achish, the Philistine ruler of Gath (who couldn't have known that they were about to kill Saul either) didn't allow David to accompany them on the incursion in which Saul was killed.

"29:6 Then Achish called David, and said unto him, Surely, as the LORD liveth, thou hast been upright, and thy going out and thy coming in with me in the host is good in my sight: for I have not found evil in thee since the day of thy coming unto me unto this day: nevertheless the lords favour thee not. 29:7 Wherefore now return, and go in peace, that thou displease not the lords of the Philistines. 29:8 And David said unto Achish, But what have I done? and what hast thou found in thy servant so long as I have been with thee unto this day, that I may not go fight against the enemies of my lord the king?

29:9 And Achish answered and said to David, I know that thou art good in my sight, as an angel of God: notwithstanding the princes of the Philistines have said, He shall not go up with us to the battle. 29:10 Wherefore now rise up early in the morning with thy master's servants that are come with thee: and as soon as ye be up early in the morning, and have light, depart.

29:11 So David and his men rose up early to depart in the morning, to return into the land of the Philistines. And the Philistines went up to Jezreel." (1 Samuel 29:6-11 KJV)

With Saul being removed, apart from any involvement by David, David's return to Israel was brought about by another "coincidence" at the very same time, immediately after the Philistines had gone ahead into the north - an Amelekite raiding force had captured David's wives from their camp at Ziklag, a frontier town in the south, in Judea, then held by the Philistines.

"30:1 And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the south, and Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire; 30:2 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.

30:3 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. 30:4 Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep. 30:5 And David's two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. 30:6 And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.

30:7 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. 30:8 And David enquired at the LORD, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them?

And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all.

30:9 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 stayed. 30:10 But David pursued, he and four hundred men: for two hundred abode behind, which were so faint that they could not go over the brook Besor.

30:11 And they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David, and gave him bread, and he did eat; and they made him drink water; 30:12 And they gave him a piece of a cake of figs, and two clusters of raisins: and when he had eaten, his spirit came again to him: for he had eaten no bread, nor drunk any water, three days and three nights.

30:13 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; and my master left me, because three days agone I fell sick. 30:14 We made an invasion 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.

30:15 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 hands of my master, and I will bring thee down to this company." (1 Samuel 30:1-15 KJV)

The rescue put David back into the favor of the people of Judah. David was a smart and fierce warrior; he was also a very good politician: "When David came to Ziklag, he sent of the spoil unto the elders of Judah, even to his friends, saying, Behold a present for you of the spoil of the enemies of the LORD." With the death of Saul, the timing was perfect.

"30:16 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. 30:17 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. 30:18 And David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away: and David rescued his two wives. 30:19 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. 30:20 And David took all the flocks and the herds, which they drave before those other cattle, and said, This is David's spoil.

30:21 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. 30:22 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 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.

30:23 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. 30:24 For who will hearken unto you in this matter? but as his part is that goeth down to the battle, so shall his part be that tarrieth by the stuff: they shall part alike. 30:25 And it was so from that day forward, that he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel unto this day.

30:26 And when David came to Ziklag, he sent of the spoil unto the elders of Judah, even to his friends, saying, Behold a present for you of the spoil of the enemies of the LORD;

30:27 To them which were in Bethel, and to them which were in south Ramoth, and to them which were in Jattir, 30:28 And to them which were in Aroer, and to them which were in Siphmoth, and to them which were in Eshtemoa, 30:29 And to them which were in Rachal, and to them which were in the cities of the Jerahmeelites, and to them which were in the cities of the Kenites, 30:30 And to them which were in Hormah, and to them which were in Chorashan, and to them which were in Athach, 30:31 And to them which were in Hebron, and to all the places where David himself and his men were wont to haunt." (1 Samuel 30:16-31 KJV)

Fact Finder: Where was the territorial homeland of the tribe of Judah?
see Joshua 15: Judah's Homeland