1 Samuel 30 Study Notes

30:21 On the two hundred exhausted men, see note at v. 10.

30:22 Normally the victorious soldiers would divide the spoils of the battle. Some of those who had fought did not want to share any of the plunder with those who were too tired to proceed past the Wadi Besor.

30:23 David’s reply revealed his character. He emphasized that the Lord had protected them and brought the victory. Who could have imagined the rescue of absolutely everything they lost with no loss of life?

30:24 David’s insistence that warriors and keepers of the supplies would share equally in the spoils parallels the concept of the unity of the body of Christ described in the NT (Rm 12:3-8).

30:25 David’s decision about the equitable distribution of plunder became a law and an ordinance for future generations. The specific mention of Israel anticipates David’s reign over the entire country. On it still continues today, see note at 6:17-18.

30:26 The plunder of the Lord’s enemies came most recently from the Amalekites, but it may have included property that the elders of Judah would recognize as formerly taken from them in Amalekite raids.

30:27 The exact location of most of the places in Judah mentioned in vv. 27-31 is uncertain. Ramoth of the Negev is mentioned in Jos 19:8. Jattir was a Levitical city (Jos 21:14), designated for the Levites with its surrounding pasture lands.

30:28 Eshtemoa was also a Levitical city (Jos 21:14).

30:29 The Jerahmeelites and Kenites lived in the areas where David had fought and destroyed Israel’s enemies (27:10).

30:30 Hormah was a place that the Israelites had fought and conquered at least three times (Nm 21:3; Jos 12:14; Jdg 1:17).

30:31 Hebron, Judah’s natural capital, lay about nineteen miles south of Jerusalem in the Judean hill country. Hebron was conquered by Caleb during Joshua’s time (Jos 14:13-14), and it became both a Levitical city (Jos 21:13) and a city of refuge (Jos 20:7). After Saul’s death, the city became David’s capital for seven and one-half years (2Sm 5:5).