1 Samuel 30:2

2 They took captive the women who were in it, {from the youngest to the oldest}. They did not kill anyone, but carried [them] off and went on their way.

1 Samuel 30:2 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 30:2

And had taken the women captives, that [were] therein
There being no other to take, the men were gone with David:

they slew not any, either great or small;
that is, of the women, whether married or unmarried, old, or maidens, or children; which was very much, since David destroyed all that came within his reach, men and women, when he invaded them, ( 1 Samuel 27:9 ) ; but perhaps this was not owing to their humanity, but to their covetousness, designing to make an advantage of them by selling them for slaves; no doubt they were restrained by the providence of God:

but carried [them] away, and went on their way;
homewards with their captives.

1 Samuel 30:2 In-Context

1 {Now} when David and his men came [to] Ziklag on the third day, [the] Amalekites had raided [the] Negev and Ziklag. When they attacked Ziklag, they burned it with fire.

2 They took captive the women who were in it, {from the youngest to the oldest}. They did not kill anyone, but carried [them] off and went on their way.

3 When David and his men came to the city, {they saw}, and [it] was burned with fire, and their wives, their sons, and their daughters had been taken captive.

4 Then David and the people who [were] with him raised their voices and wept until there was not [enough] strength in them to weep.

5 Two of David's wives had been taken captive. Ahinoam {from Jezreel} and Abigail, the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.

Footnotes

• [a] LXX adds "and all"
• [b] Literally "from small and up to great"