1Sa 30:2 | KD | STEP | During David’s absence the Amalekites had invaded the south country, smitten Ziklag and burnt it down, and carried off the women and children whom they found there; whereat not only were David and his men plunged into great grief on their return upon the third day but David especially was involved in very great trouble, inasmuch as the people wanted to stone him. But he strengthened himself in the Lord his God ( ). form one period, which is expanded by the introduction of several circumstantial clauses. The apodosis to “It came to pass, when,” etc. ( ), does not follow till , “Then David and the people,” etc. But this is formally attached to , “so David and his men came,” with which the protasis commenced in is resumed in an altered form. “ It came to pass, when David and his men came to Ziklag ... the Amalekites had invaded ... and had carried off the wives ... and had gone their way, and David and his men came into the town (for 'when David and his men came,' etc.), and behold it was burned ... . Then David and the people with him lifted up their voice .” “ On the third day :” after David’s dismission by Achish, not after David’s departure from Ziklag. David had at any rate gone with Achish beyond Gath, and had not been sent back till the whole of the princes of the Philistines had united their armies (1Sa 29:2.), so that he must have been absent from Ziklag more than two days, or two days and a half. This is placed beyond all doubt by 1Sa 30:11., since the Amalekites are there described as having gone off with their booty three days before David followed them, and therefore they had taken Ziklag and burned it three days before David’s return. These foes had therefore taken advantage of the absence of David and his warriors, to avenge themselves for David’s invasions and plunderings ( ). Of those who were carried off, “ the women ” alone expressly mentioned in , although the female population and all the children had been removed, as we may see from the expression “ small and great ” ( , ). The lxx were therefore correct, so far as the sense is concerned, in introducing the words καὶ πάντα before בּהּ עשׁר. “ They had killed no one, but (only) carried away .” נהג, to carry away captive, as in Isa 20:4. Among those who had been carried off were David’s two wives, Ahinoam and Abigail (vid., ; ).

‏ 1 Samuel 30:2

DAVID AVENGES UPON THE AMALEKITES THE PLUNDERING AND BURNING OF ZIKLAG. CHAP. XXX.

During David’s absence the Amalekites had invaded the south country, smitten Ziklag and burnt it down, and carried off the women and children whom they found there; whereat not only were David and his men plunged into great grief on their return upon the third day but David especially was involved in very great trouble, inasmuch as the people wanted to stone him. But he strengthened himself in the Lord his God (1Sa 30:1-6).

1Sa 30:1-5 1Sa 30:1-4 form one period, which is expanded by the introduction of several circumstantial clauses. The apodosis to “It came to pass, when,” etc. (1Sa 30:1), does not follow till 1Sa 30:4, “Then David and the people,” etc. But this is formally attached to 1Sa 30:3, “so David and his men came,” with which the protasis commenced in 1Sa 30:1 is resumed in an altered form. “It came to pass, when David and his men came to Ziklag ... the Amalekites had invaded ... and had carried off the wives ... and had gone their way, and David and his men came into the town (for 'when David and his men came,' etc.), and behold it was burned ... . Then David and the people with him lifted up their voice.” “On the third day:” after David’s dismission by Achish, not after David’s departure from Ziklag. David had at any rate gone with Achish beyond Gath, and had not been sent back till the whole of the princes of the Philistines had united their armies (1Sa 29:2.), so that he must have been absent from Ziklag more than two days, or two days and a half. This is placed beyond all doubt by 1Sa 30:11., since the Amalekites are there described as having gone off with their booty three days before David followed them, and therefore they had taken Ziklag and burned it three days before David’s return. These foes had therefore taken advantage of the absence of David and his warriors, to avenge themselves for David’s invasions and plunderings (1Sa 27:8). Of those who were carried off, “the women” alone expressly mentioned in 1Sa 30:2, although the female population and all the children had been removed, as we may see from the expression “small and great” (1Sa 30:3, 1Sa 30:6). The lxx were therefore correct, so far as the sense is concerned, in introducing the words καὶ πάντα before בּהּ עשׁר. “They had killed no one, but (only) carried away.” נהג, to carry away captive, as in Isa 20:4. Among those who had been carried off were David’s two wives, Ahinoam and Abigail (vid., 1Sa 25:42-43; 1Sa 27:3).