So David went, he and the six hundred men who were with him, and came to the brook Besor, where those who were left behind stayed. But David pursued, he and four hundred men; for two hundred stayed behind, who were so faint that they couldn’t go over the brook Besor. They found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David, and gave him bread, and he ate; and they gave him water to drink. They gave him a piece of a cake of figs, and two clusters of raisins. When he had eaten, his spirit came again to him; for he had eaten no bread, and drank no water for three days and three nights.
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So David went, he and the six hundred men who were with him, and came to the brook Besor, where those who were left behind stayed. But David pursued, he and four hundred men; for two hundred stayed behind, who were so faint that they couldn’t go over the brook Besor. They found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David, and gave him bread, and he ate; and they gave him water to drink. They gave him a piece of a cake of figs, and two clusters of raisins. When he had eaten, his spirit came again to him; for he had eaten no bread, and drank no water for three days and three nights. David asked him, “To whom do you belong? Where are you from?” He said, “I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite; and my master left me, because three days ago I got sick.
Parallel Translations
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So David went, he and the six hundred men who were with him, and came to the brook Besor, where those who were left behind stayed.
But David pursued, he and four hundred men; for two hundred stayed behind, who were so faint that they couldn’t go over the brook Besor.
They found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David, and gave him bread, and he ate; and they gave him water to drink.
They gave him a piece of a cake of figs, and two clusters of raisins. When he had eaten, his spirit came again to him; for he had eaten no bread, and drank no water for three days and three nights.
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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.
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.
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;
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.
Show all 3 translations
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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.
But David pursued, he and four hundred men; for two hundred stayed behind, who were so faint that they could not go over the brook Besor.
And they found an Egyptian in the field, and brought him to David, and gave him bread, and he did eat; and they gave him water to drink;
and they gave him a piece of a cake of figs, and two clusters of raisins; and when he had eaten, his spirit came back to him; for he had eaten no bread, nor drunk any water, three days and three nights.
Cross-references (19)
- Judges 15:19 (v12) But God split the hollow place that is in Lehi, and water came out of it. When he had drunk, his spirit came again, and he revived.…
- Deuteronomy 23:7 (v11) You shall not abhor an Edomite, for he is your brother. You shall not abhor an Egyptian, because you lived as a foreigner in his land.
- 1 Samuel 14:27 (v12) But Jonathan didn’t hear when his father commanded the people with the oath. Therefore he put out the end of the rod that was in his hand,…
- 1 Samuel 30:9 (v10) So David went, he and the six hundred men who were with him, and came to the brook Besor, where those who were left behind stayed.
- 1 Samuel 30:21 (v10) David came to the two hundred men, who were so faint that they could not follow David, whom also they had made to stay at the brook Besor;…
Show all 19 cross-references
- Romans 12:20-21 (v11) Therefore “If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in doing so, you will heap coals of fire on his…
- Deuteronomy 15:7-11 (v11) If a poor man, one of your brothers, is with you within any of your gates in your land which Yahweh your God gives you, you shall not…
- Judges 8:4-5 (v10) Gideon came to the Jordan and passed over, he and the three hundred men who were with him, faint, yet pursuing. He said to the men of…
- 1 Samuel 14:20 (v10) Saul and all the people who were with him were gathered together, and came to the battle; and behold, they were all striking each other…
- 1 Samuel 14:31 (v10) They struck the Philistines that day from Michmash to Aijalon. The people were very faint;
- 1 Samuel 27:2 (v9) David arose, and passed over, he and the six hundred men who were with him, to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath.
- 1 Samuel 30:13 (v12) David asked him, “To whom do you belong? Where are you from?” He said, “I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite; and my master…
- Esther 4:16 (v12) “Go, gather together all the Jews who are present in Susa, and fast for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day. I and my…
- Proverbs 25:21 (v11) If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat. If he is thirsty, give him water to drink;
- Isaiah 40:29-31 (v12) He gives power to the weak. He increases the strength of him who has no might. Even the youths faint and get weary, and the young men…
- Jonah 1:17 (v12) Yahweh prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah, and Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
- Matthew 25:35 (v11) for I was hungry, and you gave me food to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me drink. I was a stranger, and you took me in.
- Matthew 27:63 (v12) saying, “Sir, we remember what that deceiver said while he was still alive: ‘After three days I will rise again.’
- Luke 10:36-37 (v11) Now which of these three do you think seemed to be a neighbor to him who fell among the robbers?” He said, “He who showed mercy on him.”…
Cross-references from openbible.info (CC BY 4.0)
Explain this passage (18 sources)
Historical commentary, presented as a primary source — not an endorsement.
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Geneva Bible translators 1599 · Public Domain On v11 God by his providence both provided for the necessity…
God by his providence both provided for the necessity of this poor stranger, and made him a guide to David to accomplish his enterprise.
Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain.
John Trapp 1656 · Public Domain On vv9–12 1Sa 30:9 So David went, he and the six…
1Sa 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.
Ver. 9. He and the six hundred men.] Mighty men, and chafed in their minds, as a bear robbed of her whelps in the field, {2Sa 17:8} of redoubted and redoubled resolution.
John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Matthew Poole 1685 · Public Domain On vv10–12 Four hundred men; a small number for such an…
Four hundred men; a small number for such an attempt; but David was strong in faith, giving God the glory of his power and faithfulness.
Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
John Gill 1763 · Public Domain On vv9–12 So David went, he and the six hundred men…
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 (q) places in the tribe of Simeon; it is thought to be near Gaza. Aristaeus (r) 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 Amo 6:14,
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where those that were left behind stayed: or a part of them were left, as the Targum; all the six hundred came to this brook, but two hundred of them were left here, Sa1 30:10 shows, and stayed here till the rest returned; for this is not to be understood of any that were left behind at Ziklag, for all came from thence to this brook.
(q) Theatrum Terrae Sanct. p. 133. (r) Hist. 72. Interpret. p. 41.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
John Wesley 1765 · Public Domain On vv10, 12 Four hundred - A small number for such an…
Four hundred - A small number for such an attempt: but David was strong in faith, giving God the glory of his power and faithfulness.
John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.
Adam Clarke 1810 · Public Domain On vv9, 12 Verse 9. The brook Besor] This had its source…
Verse 9. The brook Besor] This had its source in the mountain of Idumea, and fell into the Mediterranean Sea beyond Gaza. Some suppose it to have been the same with the river of the wilderness, or the river of Egypt. The sense of this and the following verse is, that when they came to the brook Besor, there were found two hundred out of his six hundred men so spent with fatigue that they could proceed no farther. The baggage or stuff was left there, 1Sa 30:24, and they were appointed to guard it.
Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Joseph Benson 1811 · Public Domain On vv9, 12 1Sa 30:9-10. Where those that were left behind stayed…
1Sa 30:9-10. Where those that were left behind stayed — Those that were left to look after the stuff, 1Sa 30:24; who were so tired, that they were not able to march any further. David pursued, he and four hundred men — A small number for such an attempt; but David was strong in faith, giving God the glory of his power and faithfulness.
Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Albert Barnes 1834 · Public Domain On vv9, 12 Besor - Thought to be the stream of the…
Besor - Thought to be the stream of the Wady Sheriah which enters the sea a little south of Gaza.
Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.
Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary 1859 · Public Domain On vv9, 10, 12 Besor is formed by the water falling from the…
Besor is formed by the water falling from the mountains of Idumea, and discharges itself into the Mediterranean, below Gaza. (Calmet) --- Some take it to be the torrent of the desert, or the river of Egypt. Adrichomius makes it run from the mountains of Juda, so as to form the southern boundary of the tribe of Simeon. (Haydock)
George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown 1871 · Public Domain On vv9, 11 came to the brook Besor--now Wady Gaza, a winter…
came to the brook Besor--now Wady Gaza, a winter torrent, a little to the south of Gaza. The bank of a stream naturally offered a convenient rest to the soldiers, who, through fatigue, were unable to continue the pursuit.
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.
Daniel D. Whedon 1874 · Public Domain On vv9, 12 9. The brook Besor — Some have supposed this…
9. The brook Besor — Some have supposed this might be the Wady Sheriah, a few miles to the south of Gaza; but it is more likely to have been far south of this, for Ziklag must have been situated far south of Gaza. Compare 1Sa_27:6, note.
Those that were left behind stayed — As further explained in 1Sa_30:10; 1Sa_30:21, two hundred became so faint and weary that they were unable to proceed, and so they stationed themselves on the banks of this wady, and there remained till David and the four hundred returned.
Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges 1878 · Public Domain On vv9–12 9. the six hundred men] For a rapid pursuit…
9. the six hundred men] For a rapid pursuit a small force of picked men was most suitable. Cp. 1Sa_27:2. No doubt by this time he had a much larger force at his command.
the brook Besor] The Heb. word is nachal, which means a ravine, or torrent-bed, with a stream at the bottom. The brook Besor is mentioned here only, and has not been identified with certainty. Perhaps it was the Wady es Sherîah, which runs down to the sea a few miles south of Gaza.
The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers 1878 · Public Domain On vv9, 11, 12 (9) So David went.—Immediately on receiving the answer of…
(9) So David went.—Immediately on receiving the answer of the Urim, David started in rapid pursuit. The “six hundred” by no means represented his present force; but these were probably the old band of veteran soldiers, whose speed and endurance he could depend upon—men tried, no doubt, by many a weary night march, by many a rough, wild piece of work. A large contingent even of these veterans could not stand the forced march of their leader on this occasion.
In the words “for two hundred abode behind,” the narrator anticipated what is told in 1Sa_30:10. It is a proleptical expression, arising from the vivacious description of David’s rapid march with four hundred men (Lange). The Vulg. paraphrases, or rather seeks to amend the text here: “and certain tired ones stayed.” The Syriac changes the text into “David left two hundred men;” these men who had fallen out of the rapid march were gathered together, and kept the baggage and everything that could be left behind at the encampment at the brook Besor. It is to be supposed that owing to the hurried departure, but scanty provision for the forced march was made, hence the falling out through weariness in the course of the rapid advance. The brook Besor cannot be identified with certainty; and Raumer (Palestine) supposes it to be the Wady Shariah, which falls into the sea below Askelon.
A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Pulpit Commentary 1880 · Public Domain On vv9, 11 Vers. 9, 10. Having obtained this favourable answer, David…
Vers. 9, 10. Having obtained this favourable answer, David starts in pursuit with his old band of 600 men. So rapid was his march that one third of these dropped out of the ranks, so that the newcomers from Manasseh would have been useless, nor had they lost wives or children. The brook (or rather "torrent") Besor practically remains unidentified, as the site of Ziklag is unknown; but possibly it is the Wady-es-Sheriah, which runs into the sea a little to the south of Gaza. As there was water here, those that were left behind stayed. Hebrew, "the stragglers stayed." It seems also to have been wide enough to cause some difficulty in crossing, as it is said that these 200 were too faint, or tired, to go over the torrent Besor. From ver. 24 we find that David also left with them as much as possible of his baggage. Stragglers had no doubt been falling out for some time, but would here be rallied, and obtain rest and refreshment.
The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
The Biblical Illustrator 1887 · Public Domain On v11 And they found an Egyptian in the field.
1Sa_30:11-13
And they found an Egyptian in the field.
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Christian beneficence
The debasing influence of prosperity and success, and the humanising tendency of disaster and distress, were never more strikingly contrasted than in the portion of sacred history to which the words that have now been read turn our attention. It exhibits to us, on the one hand, a most painful instance of savage cruelty and neglect, in the midst of triumph and gladness; and presents, on the other, a pleasing example of tenderness and sympathy in the season of sorrow and depression. With the exception of one circumstance, the case of this Egyptian youth is one which is daily presented to us, and makes constant appeals to our sympathy and beneficence. The exception to which I allude, is one for which we can never be sufficiently grateful to Him who appoints the bounds of our habitation. In this land of freemen, slavery is never added to the miseries of the wretched, and, in the gloomiest hour of poverty and distress, the consciousness of freedom is left to console the sufferer. But in this single, though invaluable, exception, the sufferings of this young Egyptian have many parallel in this vale of tears. The union of poverty and disease is one of the most common forms of human wretchedness; its bitterness may be estimated without any effort of fancy, and its anguish painted without the aid of the imagination. Poverty and sickness are presented to us so often in melancholy union, that, to describe them, is not to draw upon the fancy, but to copy the sad original.
1. The first and most obvious consideration that calls us to the exercise of humanity and mercy, is our own liability to those very ills which claim our sympathy and relief. Poverty and sickness are not exclusively incident to any particular individuals, among the children of men. They imply the absence of the frailest and most perishable blessings of our lot.
2. In the next place, you are aware that compassion to the afflicted poor is enjoined by the authority of the Gospel. The Divine author of Christianity was anointed to proclaim glad tidings to the poor, and the poor and the sorrowful were his constant care His whole life was one grand act of benevolence; and whether we think of the purity of His motives, or the extent of His designs of good, or His indefatigable labours or His painful sufferings in the cause of humanity, we have before us a pattern of charity and mercy, the most affecting and instructive. And with His conduct, His doctrine most beautifully coincides. It breathes peace and good will to man; and it enforces on all His followers the same love which He Himself manifested to the sons of men.
3. I entreat you to remember, that our neglect of exercises of mercy to the afflicted will be the ground of that sentence which in the day of our last account will be pronounced upon us all. In terms which the simplest understanding may comprehend, but which no heart can hear without the deepest awe, the Judge of all has assured us that in that hour when we shall stand before Him, the most searching inquiries will be made concerning our conduct to the child of want. (John Johnston.)
The outcast servant
You have here a lively picture of Satans cast off servant, And they found an Egyptian in the field. Unable any longer go be actively employed for his master, he is left go linger out a miserable existence. Never shall one of Christs happy servants say, My master left me. David now finds that he had been feeding a former enemy, that this man was one of the company who had pillaged and destroyed Ziklag: but never was any David a loser by ministering to an enemy. This Egyptian is now become his guide, and leads him to the spot where the Amalekites were feasting upon what they had carried off from Ziklag. And when he had brought him down, behold, they were spread abroad upon all the earth. Having been three days without any pursuers, they conclude that all is now safe, and as if the world were their own, they are spread abroad upon all the earth. Do you know the set time when sinners are to be destroyed? It is just when they say, Peace and safety (1Th_5:3), when they feel most secure, and in an hour when they think not. So was it with these miserable revellers. Oh! when Davids Lord comes upon His enemies like a mighty man--when He comes to recover all the spoil, when He brings the solemn charge, Ye have robbed God--when all is restored to its rightful owner, then shall judgment return to righteousness, and all the upright in heart shall follow it (Psa_94:15). Do you think David could forget his two hundred faint soldiers? Not if David had any of the mind which is in Christ. No, the first act is to return to them, and salute them, or ask them how they did. But all who follow David are not like David: they would thrust the weak with side and shoulder, and fain have all themselves. Oh! when you feel this greedy, covetous spirit, this rising fear, and jealous eye, lest another, whom you do not think so deserving, should get as much as you, remember it is the mark of an unclean animal, it is the feature of the children of Belial. Very different is the language of David and his true followers. Then said David, Ye shall not do so, etc. Lovely law! worthy of King David, and of Davids Lord! Yea, blessed be the God of all grace, it was so from that day forward, that he made it a statute and an ordinance for Israel unto this day. She that tarrieth at home still divides the spoil--her God reckons it her act, if it is only in her heart; yea, he graciously says, The desire of a man is his kindness (Pro_19:22). They shall part alike! the same Christ, the same Comforter, the same free gift, the same heaven. Neither did David forget any of his former friends. All who had ministered be him in his straits and difficulties shall find that he is not forgetful, nor ungrateful. To all places whither he and his men ware wont to haunt, is a present sent. For God is not unrighteous go forget your work and labour of love, which ye have showed toward His name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister (Heb_6:10). (Helen Plumptre.)
The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
Paul E. Kretzmann 1924 · Public Domain On v11 David Recovers the Spoil
David Recovers the Spoil
v. 11. And they, the men with David, found an Egyptian in the field, for the Amalekites could easily obtain Egyptian slaves, and brought him to David, and gave him bread, and he did eat; and they made him drink water, in order to revive him from his utter exhaustion, for he was almost famished;
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v. 12. and they gave him a piece of a cake of figs, a slice of pressed figs, and two clusters, pressed cakes, of raisins; and when he had eaten, his spirit came again to him, he recovered, he was filled with new life; for he had eaten no bread nor drunk any water three days and three nights.
v. 13. And David said unto him, when he was strong enough to talk, To whom belongest thou? And whence are thou? And he said, I am a young man of Egypt, servant, slave, to an Amalekite; and my master left me because three days agone I fell sick. He had simply been abandoned because his master could not bother with him on their hasty flight.
v. 14. We made an invasion upon the south of the Cherethites, a Philistine tribe of the south country, and upon the coast which belongeth to Judah, and upon the south of Caleb, the neighborhood of Hebron; and we burned Ziklag with fire.
v. 15. And David said to him, Canst thou bring me down to this company, to the place where the raiding troop had its permanent camp? 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. The caution of the Egyptian was due to the fact that informers and guides were often put to death by those whom they had served, while the hatred of those whom they had betrayed may well be understood.
v. 16. And when he, the Egyptian, had brought him, David with his men, down, behold, they, the Amalekites, were spread abroad upon all the earth, having abandoned themselves entirely to the enjoyment of their successful raid, not dreaming of the nearness of any enemy, 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, celebrating the event with rejoicing.
v. 17. And David, finding them so utterly unprepared, smote them from the twilight, from the break of day, even unto the evening of the next day, literally, "of their morrow," for the Israelites began their day at sundown; it was an all day battle. And there escaped not a man of them, save four hundred young men, which rode upon camels and fled.
v. 18. And David recovered all that the Amalekites had carried away; and David rescued his two wives. The pursuit was a complete success.
v. 19. And there was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither spoil, nor anything that they had taken to them; David recovered all, all the booty from the entire raided district.
v. 20. And David took all the flocks and the herds, those captured from the Amalekites in addition to the recovered property of the raided territory, which they drave before those other cattle, at the head of David’s little band, and said, This is David’s spoil. If matters are only begun with the Lord, then He will give His blessing and success in due season.
Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.
unfoldingWord translationNotes 2017 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv9, 11 six hundred men
six hundred men
600 men (See: Numbers)
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brook
small stream
kept pursuing
"kept chasing them, trying to catch them"
four hundred men
400 men (See: Numbers)
two hundred
200 men (See: Numbers)
who were so weak
They were tired from their own raids and now in pursuit of the Amalekites. They no longer had the strength to continue.
translationWords
David
unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.
Tyndale Open Study Notes 2022 · CC BY-SA 4.0 On vv9–11 30:9 Besor was a large brook in Philistine territory…
30:9 Besor was a large brook in Philistine territory that emptied into the Mediterranean southwest of Gaza.
Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.