1 Samuel 30:23

23 And David said, My brethren, ye shall not do so, as ye speak, of these things, which the Lord hath given to us, and he hath kept us, and gave the thieves, that brake out against us, into our hands; (But David said, My brothers/My kinsmen, ye shall not do, as ye speak, with these things, which the Lord hath given us, for he hath kept us safe, and delivered the thieves, who broke out against us, into our hands;)

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 Forsooth David came to the two hundred men, that were weary, and abided behind, and might not follow David; and he [had] commanded them to sit at the strand of Besor; which went out against David, and the people that was with him. Forsooth David nighed to the people, and he greeted it peaceably. (And David came back to the two hundred men who were weary, and had stayed behind, and did not follow David; and he had commanded them to remain there at the Besor Stream; and they went out to meet David, and the people who were with him. And David came to these men, and he greeted them warmly.)

22 And one man, the worst man and wicked of the men that were with David, answered, and said, For they came not with us, we shall not give to them anything of the prey, that we have ravished, but suffice it to each man his wife and his children; and when they have taken them, go they away. (But some men, the worst and the most wicked of those who went with David, said, For they did not come with us, we shall not give them any of the prey, that we have recovered, but let each man take only his wife and his children; and when they have taken them, go they away.)

23 And David said, My brethren, ye shall not do so, as ye speak, of these things, which the Lord hath given to us, and he hath kept us, and gave the thieves, that brake out against us, into our hands; (But David said, My brothers/My kinsmen, ye shall not do, as ye speak, with these things, which the Lord hath given us, for he hath kept us safe, and delivered the thieves, who broke out against us, into our hands;)

24 neither any shall hear us strive on this word. For even part shall be of him that goeth down to battle, and of him that dwelleth at the fardels; and in like manner they shall part the prey. (nor shall anyone hear us arguing over this matter. For even portion shall be for him who went down to the battle, as well as for him who stayed with the bundles, or the supplies; yea, in like manner they shall divide up the prey.)

25 And this was made a constitution and a doom from that day and afterward, and as a law in Israel till into this day. (And from that day forward, this was made a custom, and a judgement, and a law in Israel, until this day.)