1 Samuel 30:23

23 dixit autem David non sic facietis fratres mei de his quae tradidit Dominus nobis et custodivit nos et dedit latrunculos qui eruperant adversum nos in manu nostra

1 Samuel 30:23 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 30:23

Then said David, ye shall not do so, my brethren
Though he saw through their wickedness, and disapproved of the bad sentiments they had embraced, yet he deals gently with them, calling them brethren, being of the same nation and religion, and his fellow soldiers; yet at the same time keeps up and maintains his dignity and authority as a general, and declares it should not be as they willed, and gives his reasons for it, that it was not fit they should do as they pleased:

with that which the Lord hath given us;
what they had was given them, and therefore, as they had freely received, they should freely give; and what was given them, was not given to them only, but to the whole body, by the Lord:

who hath preserved us, and delivered the company that came against us
into our hand;
it was not by their own power and might that they got the victory over the enemy, and the spoil into their hands, but it was through the Lord only; and therefore, as they should not assume the honour of the victory to themselves, so neither should they claim the spoil as wholly belonging to them.

1 Samuel 30:23 In-Context

21 venit autem David ad ducentos viros qui lassi substiterant nec sequi potuerant David et residere eos iusserat in torrente Besor qui egressi sunt obviam David et populo qui erat cum eo accedens autem David ad populum salutavit eos pacifice

22 respondensque omnis vir pessimus et iniquus de viris qui ierant cum David dixit quia non venerunt nobiscum non dabimus eis quicquam de praeda quam eruimus sed sufficiat unicuique uxor sua et filii quos cum acceperint recedant

23 dixit autem David non sic facietis fratres mei de his quae tradidit Dominus nobis et custodivit nos et dedit latrunculos qui eruperant adversum nos in manu nostra

24 nec audiet vos quisquam super sermone hoc aequa enim pars erit descendentis ad proelium et remanentis ad sarcinas et similiter divident

25 et factum est hoc ex die illa et deinceps constitutum et praefinitum et quasi lex in Israhel usque ad diem hanc