1 Samuel 30:8

8 Then David asked the LORD, "Should I go after this raiding party? Will I catch them?" "Yes, go after them!" God answered. "You will definitely catch them and will succeed in the rescue!"

1 Samuel 30:8 Meaning and 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 overtake [them];
which is an answer to the second question, and a full one, giving full assurance of overtaking; to which is added more than what was inquired about;

and without fail recover [all];
their wives, sons, and daughters, and the spoil that was taken; or "in delivering thou shall deliver" ^F16, out of the hands of the Amalekites, whatsoever they had taken.

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FOOTNOTES:

F16 (lyut luh) "eruendo erues", Pagninus, Montanus; "eripiendo erepturus es", Piscator.

1 Samuel 30:8 In-Context

6 David was in deep trouble because the troops were talking about stoning him. Each of the soldiers was deeply distressed about their sons and daughters. But David found strength in the LORD his God.

7 David said to the priest Abiathar, Ahimelech's son, "Bring the priestly vest to me." So Abiathar brought it to David.

8 Then David asked the LORD, "Should I go after this raiding party? Will I catch them?" "Yes, go after them!" God answered. "You will definitely catch them and will succeed in the rescue!"

9 So David set off with six hundred men. They came to the Besor ravine, where some stayed behind.

10 David and four hundred men continued the pursuit, while two hundred men stayed there, too exhausted to cross the Besor ravine.