1 Samuel 30:6
in 1 Samuel 30And David was greatly distressed because the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of every man grieved for his sons and daughters. But David found strength in the LORD his God.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David strengthened himself in Jehovah his God.
KJV
And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.
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This verse in 1 Samuel 30
Commentary
12 notes on this verseAnd 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, Num 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.
This site's exposition
David’s two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail the widow of Nabal of Carmel
on 1 Samuel 30:5-6
The men who owe David their lives speak of stoning him, as Israel spoke of stoning Moses. Verse 6 turns the chapter: with every human support gone, “David found strength in the LORD his God.” Henry reads the timing as providence, coming just before David's rise to the throne begins.
This site's exposition
David found strength in the LORD his God
Gill gives the grievance of the people: David had taken them with Achish and left Ziklag with no defense, after raiding the Amalekites at 27:8. John Wesley hears a covenant claim in the words his God. David rests on the LORD who had kept him through every earlier danger.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
Encouraged himself - That is, in this that the all-wise, and all-powerful Lord, was his God by covenant and special promise, and fatherly affection, as he had shewed himself to be in the whole course of his providence towards him.
Great faith must expect such severe exercises. But it is observable that David was reduced to this extremity just before his accession to the throne. At this very time, perhaps, the stroke was struck which opened the door to his advancement.
A great trial of David's faith, whether he could go on, in a dependence upon the word of God, when so many of his men failed him. When we are disappointed and discouraged in our expectations from second causes, then to go on with cheerfulness, confiding in the divine power, this is giving glory to God, by believing against hope, in hope.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
The people spake of stoning him - David had done much to civilize those men; but we find by this of what an unruly and ferocious spirit they were; and yet they strongly felt the ties of natural affection, they “grieved every man for his sons and for his daughters.” David encouraged himself in the Lord - He found he could place very little confidence in his men; and, as he was conscious that this evil had not happened either through his neglect or folly, he saw he might the more confidently expect succor from his Maker.
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
David was greatly distressed--He had reason, not only on his own personal account (1Sa 30:5), but on account of the vehement outcry and insurrectionary threats against him for having left the place so defenseless that the families of his men fell an unresisting prey to the enemy.
4 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
WE ought to be deeply grateful to God for the Inspired history of the life of His servant, David. It was a great life, a vigorous life, a life spent in many positions and conditions. I almost rejoice that it was not a faultless life, for its failings and errors are instructive. It is the life of a man after God's own heart but still, the life of one who went astray, like a lost sheep and was recovered by the great Shepherd's Divine Grace. By this fact he comes all the nearer to us poor, faulty men and women.
WE ought to be deeply grateful to God for the Inspired history of the life of His servant, David. It was a great life, a vigorous life, a life spent in many positions and conditions. I almost rejoice that it was not a faultless life, for its failings and errors are instructive. It is the life of a man after God's own heart but still, the life of one who went astray, like a lost sheep and was recovered by the great Shepherd's Divine Grace. By this fact he comes all the nearer to us poor, faulty men and women. I would venture to apply to David the description which has been applied to the world's own poet— "A man so various, that He seemed to be Not one, but all mankind's epitome." Each one may find something like himself in the long, eventful and checkered life of the son of Jesse. Among other things we learn this, that where there is faith there is sure to be trial, for David, though he trusted God so heartily, had good need of all the faith he possessed. In his early days he was hunted like a partridge upon the mountains by Saul and was constantly in jeopardy of his life. He had so choice a treasure of faith about him that Satan was forever trying to plunder him of it. Still, the worst trials that David suffered arose not out of his faith, but out of his lack of it. That which he did to avoid trouble brought him into deeper distress than ordinary Providences ever caused him. He left the country where he was so ill at ease, which was, nevertheless, Your land, O Emmanuel, and he went away into the land of the Philistines, there expecting to escape from further turmoil.
Modern Voices2 voices
A commentator
Bill JohnsonStrengthen Yourself in the Lord (Core Values article, Bill Johnson Ministries)
proposed
Strengthening ourselves in the Lord is all about being prepared to receive and steward the fulfillment of our promises.
A commentator
Bill JohnsonStrengthen Yourself in the Lord (Core Values article, Bill Johnson Ministries)
proposed
We must take personal responsibility to strengthen every weak place and break our agreement with fear.
The words behind it
21 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַתֵּ֨צֶר | vatetzer | and it was distress | H3334 → | |
| לְדָוִ֜ד | ledavid | to David | H1732 → | 999 times |
| מְאֹ֗ד | meod | exceedingly | H3966 → | 300 times |
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| אָמְר֤וּ | ʾameru | they said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| הָעָם֙ | haam | the people | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| לְסָקְל֔וֹ | lesakelo | to stone him | H5619 → | |
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| מָ֙רָה֙ | marah | it was bitter | H4784 → | 45 times |
| נֶ֣פֶשׁ | nefesh | [the] soul of | H5315 → | 754 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | all | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| הָעָ֔ם | haam | the people | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| אִ֖ישׁ | ʾish | everyone | H376 → | 1663 times |
| עַל־ | ʾal- | on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| בָּנָ֣יו | benov | sons his | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| וְעַל־ | veal- | and on | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| בְּנֹתָ֑יו | benotav | daughters his | H1323 → | 588 times |
| וַיִּתְחַזֵּ֣ק | vaiyitchazek | and he strengthened himself | H2388 → | 291 times |
| דָּוִ֔ד | david | David | H1732 → | 999 times |
| בַּיהוָ֖ה | bayahweh | in Yahweh | H3068 → | 6520 times |
| אֱלֹהָֽיו׃ ס | ʾelohav | God his | H430 → | 2601 times |
וַתֵּ֨צֶרand it was distress
vatetzerH3334 →
לְדָוִ֜דto David
ledavidH1732 →999 times
מְאֹ֗דexceedingly
meodH3966 →300 times
כִּֽי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
אָמְר֤וּthey said
ʾameruH559 →5305 times
הָעָם֙the people
haamH5971 →1873 times
לְסָקְל֔וֹto stone him
lesakeloH5619 →
כִּֽי־for
ki-H3588 →4482 times
מָ֙רָה֙it was bitter
marahH4784 →45 times
נֶ֣פֶשׁ[the] soul of
nefeshH5315 →754 times
כָּל־all
kol-H3605 →5413 times
הָעָ֔םthe people
haamH5971 →1873 times
אִ֖ישׁeveryone
ʾishH376 →1663 times
עַל־on
ʾal-H5921 →5755 times
בָּנָ֣יוsons his
benovH1121 →4930 times
וְעַל־and on
veal-H5921 →5755 times
בְּנֹתָ֑יוdaughters his
benotavH1323 →588 times
וַיִּתְחַזֵּ֣קand he strengthened himself
vaiyitchazekH2388 →291 times
דָּוִ֔דDavid
davidH1732 →999 times
בַּיהוָ֖הin Yahweh
bayahwehH3068 →6520 times
אֱלֹהָֽיו׃ סGod his
ʾelohavH430 →2601 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Psalms 62:5Rest in God alone, O my soul, for my hope comes from Him.
it leads to
- Micah 7:7
But as for me, I will look to the LORD; I will wait for the God of my salvation. My God will hear me.
- Psalms 27:13–14
Still I am certain to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
- Lamentations 3:24–26
“The LORD is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in Him.”
- Psalms 42:11
Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why the unease within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.
- Psalms 71:5
For You are my hope, O Lord GOD, my confidence from my youth.
- Micah 7:7
Through
Psalms 18:6In my distress I called upon the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From His temple He heard my voice, and my cry for His help reached His ears.
it leads to
- Psalms 50:15
Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor Me.”
- 2 Samuel 22:7
In my distress I called upon the LORD; I cried out to my God. And from His temple He heard my voice, and my cry for help reached His ears.
- Psalms 34:15
The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and His ears are inclined to their cry.
- Psalms 50:15
Where this verse is studied
About 1 Samuel
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Bill Johnson, Strengthen Yourself in the Lord (Core Values article, Bill Johnson Ministries); Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 1606: “Ziklag—or David Encouraging Himself In God” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.