Shmuel Alef 30:10

10 But Dovid pursued, he and arba me’ot ish; for two hundred stayed behind, which were so exhausted that they could not go over the brook Besor.

Shmuel Alef 30:10 Meaning and 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 children, and through their march from the camp of the Philistines to Ziklag, and from thence hither, that they looked like a corpse, as the word signifies; Procopius Gazaeus has it only seventy men:

so that they could not go over the brook Besor:
being so weak and feeble; for this was not owing to fear of their enemies, and faint heartedness on that account, then it would rather have been said, "they would not go over"; the Targum renders the word "faint" by "restrained" or prohibited, as if they were forbid by David to go over, but were ordered to tarry here by the stuff, while the rest pursued; and, according to the Syriac and Arabic versions, they were placed there, that none might go over the brook; and it seems, by ( 1 Samuel 30:22 ) , that they had a good will to go over, but were made to abide there; or as all Gideon's army, but three hundred, were sent back, and not suffered to go with him, being too many, ( Judges 7:2-8 ) .

Shmuel Alef 30:10 In-Context

8 And Dovid inquired of Hashem, saying, Shall I pursue after this gedood? Shall I overtake it? And He answered him, Pursue; for thou shalt surely overtake, and without fail save.

9 So Dovid went, he and shesh me’ot ish that were with him, and came to the brook Besor, where those that were left behind stayed.

10 But Dovid pursued, he and arba me’ot ish; for two hundred stayed behind, which were so exhausted that they could not go over the brook Besor.

11 And they found an Egyptian in the sadeh, and brought him to Dovid, gave him lechem, and he did eat; they made him drink mayim;

12 And they gave him a piece of pressed fig cake, and two raisin cakes; and when he had eaten, his ruach returned to him; for he had eaten no lechem, nor drunk any mayim, shloshah yamim and shloshah lailot.