1 Samuel 30:1-31

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 30:8

And David inquired of the Lord ,.... That is, by Abiathar, who reported his questions to the Lord in his name: saying, shall I pursue after this troop ? the large company of the Amalekites, as it appears by what follows they were: shall I overtake them ? two questions are here put together, and answers returned to them, contrary to a notion of the Jews; See Gill on 1 Samuel 23:11 , and he answered him, pursue ; which respects the first question: for thou shall surely... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 30:9

So David went, he and the six hundred men that were with him ,.... Encouraged by the oracle of the Lord: and came to the brook Besor ; which Adrichomius F17 Theatrum Terrae Sanct. p. 133. places in the tribe of Simeon; it is thought to be near Gaza. Aristaeus F18 Hist. 72. Interpret. p. 41. speaks of brooks that flowed by Gaza and Ashdod, places that belonged to the Philistines; some take it to be the river of the wilderness in Amos; see Gill on Amos 6:14 , where those... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 30:10

But David pursued, he and four hundred men ,.... Not discouraged with being obliged to leave a third part of his little army behind; though it was doubtless a trial of his faith, with these to pursue an enemy, whose numbers he knew not, which must greatly exceed his; for after the rout and slaughter of them, as many escaped on camels as David had with him, 1 Samuel 30:17 , for two hundred abode behind, which were so faint ; through their grief and sorrow for the loss of their wives and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 30:11

And they found an Egyptian in the field ,.... As they passed along, lying there, having been sick, and was half starved, almost dead: and brought him to David ; to know what was to be done with him; being in the habit of a soldier, they concluded he might be one of the company they were in pursuit of; but whether they should kill him, or make use of him for intelligence and as a guide, could they bring him to himself, they knew not, and therefore brought him to David: and gave him... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 30:12

And they gave him a piece of cake of figs ,.... That were dried and pressed together, and made into cakes: and two clusters of raisins ; or dried grapes, as the Targum: and when he had eaten, his spirit came again to him ; he seemed to be quite dispirited, almost lifeless, but upon eating some food he was refreshed, and his spirits revived, and he was capable of conversing: for he had eaten no bread, nor drank any water, three days and three nights ; that is, one whole day, and... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 30:13

And David said unto him, to whom belongest thou ?.... To what country or people? and to whom among them? and whence art thou ? of what nation? where wast thou born? what countryman art thou? for his being called an Egyptian before seems to be by anticipation, unless it was guessed at by his habit; for until he had eaten and drank he could not speak, and so could not be known by his speech: for he said, I am a young man of Egypt ; that was the country he belonged to, and came... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 30:14

We made an invasion upon the south of the Cherethites ,.... The Philistines so called, or at least one nation of them, such that dwelt to the south of the land, 1 Samuel 30:16 ; See Gill on Zephaniah 2:5 , and upon the coast which belongeth to Judah ; the south of Judah, where David pretended he had been, and had spoiled, and which was now actually done by the Amalekites, 1 Samuel 27:10 , and upon the south of Caleb ; that part of the tribe of Judah which belonged to... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 30:15

And David said unto him, canst thou me down to this company ?.... That is, show him, or direct him where they were: and he said, swear unto me by God ; the Targum is, by the Word of the Lord; but it is highly probable this man had no notion of Jehovah, and his Word, or of the true God; only that there was a God, and that an oath taken by him was solemn, sacred, and inviolable, and might be trusted to and depended on: that thou wilt neither kill me ; for he found now he was in the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 30:16

And when he had brought him down ,.... To the place where the company of the Amalekites were, or near it: behold, they were spread abroad upon all the earth ; they were not in any regular order, and much less in any military form, but lay about in the fields, scattered here and there, were in detached parties: some eating and drinking ; in one place: and dancing ; others, in another place, expressing their joy, and perhaps their thankfulness to their idols because of the... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 1 Samuel 30:17

And David smote them from the twilight even unto the evening of the next day ,.... As there are two twilights, the twilight of the morning, and the twilight of the evening; this is differently understood some take it for the twilight of the morning, and that it was night when David came to them, and let them alone till they were drunk and asleep, and then early in the morning fell upon them, and smote them until the evening; so Josephus F19 Antiqu. l. 6. c. 4. sect. 6. relates it; but... read more

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