1 Samuel 30:16

AND RECOVERS HIS TWO WIVES AND ALL THE SPOIL. (1Sa. 30:16-31)

they were spread abroad upon all the earth--Believing that David and all his men of war were far away, engaged with the Philistine expedition, they deemed themselves perfectly secure and abandoned themselves to all manner of barbaric revelry. The promise made in answer to the devout inquiries of David (Sa1 30:8) was fulfilled. The marauders were surprised and panic-stricken. A great slaughter ensued--the people as well as the booty taken from Ziklag was recovered, besides a great amount of spoil which they had collected in a wide, freebooting excursion.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

1Sa 30:16 And when he had brought him down, behold, [they were] spread abroad upon all the earth, eating and drinking, and dancing, because of all the great spoil that they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah.

Ver. 16. And when he had brought him down.] For he knew by some means where they would rendezvous; and there they were spread abroad at random. Security ushereth in destruction, as it did not many years since at Verona in Italy. The story is this Nicolaus Picinninus, fighting against the Venetians, and being beaten by them, rallied his forces, and suddenly set upon Verona, fearing nothing less than a beaten enemy, and took it. But whilst his soldiers were plundering, and pleasing themselves in their so-soon-gotten victory, they were easily overcome again by Francis Sfortia coming unexpectedly upon them. So that that city was twice together taken by the same means, securitate et negligentia utrisque exitiali, saith the historian; that is, by security and negligence, destructive to both parties. {a}

Eating and drinking, and dancing.] Or, Keeping holiday. So Abraham found and routed Chedorlaomer and his army: {Gen 14:15} Ahab, the Syrians: {1Ki 20:16} Tomyris, the Persians: the Turks, twenty thousand Dutchmen in Joppa, drinking themselves drunk upon Martin’s day, their arch-saint. {b} In the fight at Bannockburn, in Scotland, {c} where the English were, under Edward II, overthrown, in the English camp wassail {A salutation used when presenting a cup of wine to a guest, or drinking the health of a person, the reply being drink-hail.} and drink-hail {The customary courteous reply to a pledge in drinking in early English times. The cup was offered with the salutation wæs hail ‘health or good luck to you’ (see wassail), to which the reply was drink hail, ‘drink good health or good luck’.} were thundered extraordinarily, as accounting themselves sure of the victory. {d} Far otherwise the Bruce’s army, which by his commandment spent the evening in making humble confession of their sins, and so to fit themselves on the morrow to receive the sacrament, &c.

{a} Balth., Exner. Val. Max., Christ., p. 379.

{b} Justin.

{c} Full., Holy War.

{d} Speed, 671.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

1Sa 30:16-17. They were spread upon all the earth — Secure and careless, because they were now come almost to the borders of their own country, and the Philistines and Israelites both were otherwise engaged, and David, as they believed, with them. So they had no visible cause of danger; and yet then they were nearest to destruction! David smote them from the twilight — The word signifies both the morning and evening twilight. But the latter seems here intended, partly because their eating, and drinking, and dancing, was more proper work for the evening than the morning; and partly because the evening was more convenient for David, that the fewness of his forces might not be discovered by the daylight. It is probable that, when he came near them, he reposed himself and his army in some secret place, whereof there were many in those parts, for a convenient season; and then marched on so as to come to them at the evening time.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The wicked in their pomp and pleasures consider not the judgment of God, which is then at hand to smite them.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 16. Out of the land of the Philistines] That these Amalekites were enemies to the Philistines is evident, but it certainly does not follow from this that those whom David destroyed were enemies also. This, I think, has been too hastily assumed by Dr. Chandler and others, in order the better to vindicate the character of David.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(16) Spread abroad upon all the earth, eating and drinking and dancing.—We have here a vivid picture of the wild license which these barbarians allowed themselves, now that they were secure, as they thought, from all pursuit. When the picked warriors of David’s troops looked on the scene of revelry and debauch, and thought who were among the captives in that disorderly encampment, and remembered what homes had been made desolate to provide much of that great spoil over which Amalek was rejoicing, we may well conceive with what strength and fury the little veteran force of Israelites fell upon these desert robbers, who evidently far out-numbered them.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

16. dancing] Or, feasting.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And when he had brought him down,.... To the place where the company of the Amalekites were, or near it:

behold, they were spread abroad upon all the earth; they were not in any regular order, and much less in any military form, but lay about in the fields, scattered here and there, were in detached parties:

some eating and drinking; in one place:

and dancing; others, in another place, expressing their joy, and perhaps their thankfulness to their idols

because of the great spoil they had taken out of the land of the Philistines, and out of the land of Judah; from Ziklag, and from the south of the Cherethites, and the south of Judah, they had invaded, Sa1 30:14; and here they were in the greatest security; knowing: that the armies of the Philistines were gone into the land of Israel, and were about to engage in battle with the Israelites, and David they supposed was with the Philistines, so that they had nothing to fear from any quarter; and thus it is often, that when men cry peace, peace, sudden destruction comes upon them.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Drinking. Hebrew adds, "and dancing," (Salien) in honour of their gods. (Menochius)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Spread abroad upon all the earth; secure and careless, because they were now come almost to the borders of their own country, and the Philistines and Israelites both were otherwise engaged, and David, as they believed, with them. So they had no visible cause of danger; and yet then they were nearest to their destruction.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

When he had brought them down. Though left behind, the Egyptian knew the course which the Amalekites intended to take, and was thus able to bring David quickly up to them, as they would move slowly because of their large booty of cattle. On overtaking them David found them dispersed in scattered groups abroad upon all the earth (literally, "over the face of all the land"), eating and drinking, and dancing. More probably, "feasting." The word literally means keeping festival; but though they had solemn dances at festivals, yet, as is the case with our word feasting, good eating was probably the uppermost idea; still the word may have only the general sense of "enjoying themselves as on a festival."

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Upon all the earth - Secure and careless, because they were now come almost to the borders of their own country, and the Philistines and Israelites both were otherwise engaged, and David, as they believed, with them. So they had no visible cause of danger; and yet then they were nearest to destruction.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

booty

the goods they had stolen in the raid

twilight

the time just after the sun goes down until the sky is dark

four hundred

400 (See: Numbers)

translationWords

Egypt

David

Philistines

Judah

camel

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.