1 Samuel 30:6

6 And David was full sorry; certainly all the people would have stoned David, for the soul of each man was bitter on their sons and daughters. Forsooth David was comforted in his Lord God. (And David was in great trouble; yea, all the men would have stoned David, for all of them were bitter over losing their sons and daughters. But David was strengthened by the Lord his God.)

1 Samuel 30:6 Meaning and Commentary

1 Samuel 30:6

And David was greatly distressed
Partly for the loss of his two wives, and partly because of the mutiny and murmuring of his men:

for the people spake of stoning him;
as the Israelites did of Moses and Aaron, ( Numbers 14:10 ) ; the reason of this was, because, as they judged, it was owing to David that they went along with Achish, and left the city defenceless, and because he had provoked the Amalekites by his inroad upon them, who took this opportunity of avenging themselves. Abarbinel is of opinion that it was his excess of sorrow for his two wives, and his remissness and backwardness to take vengeance on their enemies, that provoked them, and put them on talking after this manner:

because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons
and for his daughters;
as well as David; and they were very desirous of recovering them if possible, and of taking vengeance on those who had carried them captive:

but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God;
took all patiently, and exercised faith on his God; he encouraged himself in the power and providence of God; in the promises of God, and his faithfulness in keeping them; in a view of his covenant relation to God; in remembrance of the grace, mercy, and goodness of God, and his former experiences of it; hoping and believing that God would appear for him in some way or another, and work salvation for him. The Targum is,

``he strengthened himself in the Word of the Lord his God;''

in Christ the Word of God, and in the power of his might, and in the grace that is in him, ( Ephesians 6:10 ) ( 2 Timothy 2:1 ) .

1 Samuel 30:6 In-Context

4 then David and the people that was with him raised [up] their voices, and wailed, till the tears failed in them.
5 And also [the] two wives of David were led away (as) prisoners, Ahinoam of Jezreel, and Abigail, the wife of Nabal of Carmel.
6 And David was full sorry; certainly all the people would have stoned David, for the soul of each man was bitter on their sons and daughters. Forsooth David was comforted in his Lord God. (And David was in great trouble; yea, all the men would have stoned David, for all of them were bitter over losing their sons and daughters. But David was strengthened by the Lord his God.)
7 And he said to Abiathar, the priest, the son of Ahimelech, Bring thou [the] ephod to me. And Abiathar brought the ephod to David;
8 and David counselled with the Lord, and said, Shall I pursue these thieves, either no? and shall I take them? And the Lord said to him, Pursue thou; for without doubt thou shalt take them, and thou shalt take away from them their prey. (and David counselled with the Lord, and said, Shall I pursue these thieves, or not? and shall I be able to overtake them? And the Lord said to him, Pursue thou them; for without a doubt thou shalt overtake them, and thou shalt take their prey away from them.)
Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.