1 ซามูเอล 30:5 วิจารณ์

When David was dismissed from the army of the Philistines he did not go over to the camp of Israel, but, being expelled by Saul, observed an exact neutrality, and silently retired to his own city Ziklag, leaving the armies ready to engage. Now here we are told, I. What a melancholy posture he found the city in, all laid waste by the Amalekites, and what distress it occasioned him and his men (Sa1 30:1-6). II. What course he took to recover what he had lost. He enquired of God, and took out a commission from him (Sa1 30:7, Sa1 30:8), pursued the enemy (Sa1 30:9, Sa1 30:10), gained intelligence from a straggler (Sa1 30:11-15), attacked and routed the plunderers (Sa1 30:16, Sa1 30:17), and recovered all that they had carried off (Sa1 30:18-20). III. What method he observed in the distribution of the spoil (Sa1 30:21-31).

INTRODUCTION TO FIRST SAMUEL 30 This chapter relates the condition Ziklag was in when David and his men came to it, the city burnt, and their families carried captive by the Amalekites, which occasioned not only a general lamentation, but mutiny and murmuring in David's men, Sa1 30:1; the inquiry David made of the Lord what he should do, who is bid to pursue the enemy; and being directed by a lad where they were, fell upon them, and routed them, and brought back the captives with a great spoil, Sa1 30:7; the distribution of the spoil, both to those that went with him, and to those who through faintness were left behind, Sa1 30:21; and the presents of it he sent to several places in the tribe of Judah, who had been kind to him when he dwelt among them, Sa1 30:26.

And David's two wives were taken captives,.... Which is observed as one cause of his particular distress, and another follows in Sa1 30:6, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite: that is, who had been his wife; for he was now dead, Sa1 25:39, and was so before she was married to David; both these came with him to Gath, and were left at Ziklag when he went with Achish, and here they were taken; see Sa1 25:42.

Indeed, even the two wives of David were taken captive, etc. It has already been said above that David's wives signify both the active and contemplative lives of the holy Church, which rejoice to serve the true King in the present. However, the Church has often been enveloped by such a storm from heretics and pagans, as was made clear by the great Arian sedition, that not only the decorum of the contemplative life was lost – which, according to the name Jezrahel, the very Author of graces sowed in the hearts of the serene and humble spirits – but also the constancy of the active life, which those who recently escaped the hands of the ancient enemy are accustomed to exercise, seems to disappear under the force of the persecutor's wrath.

While David is absent with the army of Achish, the Amalekites invade Ziklag, and burn it with fire, and carry away captive David's wives, and those of his men, Sa1 30:1, Sa1 30:2. David and his men return; and, finding the desolate state of their city, are greatly affected, Sa1 30:3-5. The men mutiny, and threaten to stone David, who encourages himself in the Lord, Sa1 30:6. David inquires of the Lord, and is directed to pursue the Amalekites, with the promise that he shall recover all, Sa1 30:7, Sa1 30:8. He and his men begin the pursuit, but two hundred, through fatigue are obliged to stay behind at the brook Besor, Sa1 30:9, Sa1 30:10. They find a sick Egyptian, who directs them in their pursuit, Sa1 30:11-15. David finds the Amalekites secure, feasting on the spoils they had taken; he attacks and destroys the whole host, except four hundred, who escape on camels, Sa1 30:16, Sa1 30:17. The Israelites recover their wives, their families, and all their goods, Sa1 30:18-20. They come to the two hundred who were so faint as not to be able to pursue the enemy, with whom they divide the spoil; and this becomes a statute in Israel, Sa1 30:21-25. David sends part of the spoil which he had taken to different Jewish cities, which had suffered by the incursion of the Amalekites; and where David and his men had been accustomed to resort, Sa1 30:26-31.

THE AMALEKITES SPOIL ZIKLAG. (Sa1 30:1-5) Amalekites had invaded the south, and Ziklag, and smitten Ziklag--While the strength of the Philistine forces was poured out of their country into the plain of Esdraelon, the Amalekite marauders seized the opportunity of the defenseless state of Philistia to invade the southern territory. Of course, David's town suffered from the ravages of these nomad plunderers, in revenge for his recent raid upon their territory.