1 Samuel 30:21
in 1 Samuel 30When David came to the two hundred men who had been too exhausted to follow him from the Brook of Besor, they came out to meet him and the troops with him. As David approached the men, he greeted them,
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And David came to the two hundred men, who were so faint that they could not follow David, whom also they had made to abide at the brook Besor; and they went forth to meet David, and to meet the people that were with him: and when David came near to the people, he saluted them.
KJV
And David came to the two hundred men, which were so faint that they could not follow David, whom they had made also to abide at the brook Besor: and they went forth to meet David, and to meet the people that were with him: and when David came near to the people, he saluted them.
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This verse in 1 Samuel 30
Commentary
7 notes on this verseTHOSE who associate themselves with a leader must share his fortunes. Six hundred men had left their abodes in Judea. Unable to endure the tyranny of Saul, they had linked themselves with David and made him to be a captain over them. They were, some of them, the best of men, and some of them were the worst—in this, resembling our congregations. Some of them were choice spirits whom David would have sought, but others were undesirable persons from whom he might gladly have been free.
This site's exposition
the two hundred men
on 1 Samuel 30:21-22
David comes back to the two hundred left at Besor and salutes them first, before any word of dividing the spoil is spoken. It is the men who fought, not their captain, who call the exhausted two hundred wicked and men of Belial and propose to send them home with wives and children only, no share of what was recovered. The same word, sons of Belial, closes David's last words at 2 Sam 23:6, thorns fit only for burning, and here it is spoken by men who have just been rescued from becoming captives themselves.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church1 voice
David came to the two hundred men, etc. After the victory over the plunderers, David equally enriched those who were weary and stayed behind, with those who fought, with a share of the spoils. Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom (Jerem. IX). …
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
5 And David's two wives were taken captives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite. 6 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 L ORD his God.
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — scripture-overlap:97%@v5-6
); for we should rejoice in a good work done, though Providence had laid us aside and rendered us incapable of lending a hand to it. David received their address very kindly, and was so far from upbraiding them with their weakness that he showed himself solicitous concerning them.
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — leading-punctuation+unbalanced-parens
And David came to the two hundred men,....
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
THOSE who associate themselves with a leader must share his fortunes. Six hundred men had left their abodes in Judea. Unable to endure the tyranny of Saul, they had linked themselves with David and made him to be a captain over them. They were, some of them, the best of men, and some of them were the worst—in this, resembling our congregations. Some of them were choice spirits whom David would have sought, but others were undesirable persons from whom he might gladly have been free. However, be they who they may, they must rise or fall with their leader and commander. If he had the city Ziklag given to him, they had a house and a home in it. And if Ziklag was burned with fire, their houses did not escape. When David stood amid the smoking ruins, a penniless and a wifeless man, they stood in the same condition. This rule holds good with all of us who have joined ourselves to Christ and His cause—we must be partakers with Him. I hope we are prepared to stand to this rule today. If there is ridicule and reproach for the Gospel of Christ, let us be willing to be ridiculed and reproached for His sake. Let us gladly share with Him in His humiliation and never dream of shrinking. This involves a great privilege, since they that are with Him in His humiliation shall be with Him in His Glory. If we share His rebuke in the midst of an evil generation, we shall also sit upon His Throne and share His Glory in the day of His appearing. Brothers and Sisters, I hope the most of us can say we are in for it—to sink or swim with Jesus. In life or death, where He is, there will we, His servants, be. We joyfully accept both the Cross and the Crown which go with our Lord Jesus Christ—we are eager to bear our full share of the blame, that we may partake in His joy. It frequently happens that when a great disaster occurs to a band of men, a mutiny follows.
The words behind it
27 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיָּבֹ֣א | vaiyavo' | and he came | H935 → | 2568 times |
| דָוִ֗ד | david | David | H1732 → | 999 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| מָאתַ֨יִם | matayim | two hundred | H3967 → | 581 times |
| הָאֲנָשִׁ֜ים | haanashim | the men | H582 → | 566 times |
| אֲשֶֽׁר־ | ʾasher- | who | H834 → | 5497 times |
| פִּגְּר֣וּ׀ | pigeru | they had been [too] exhausted | H6296 → | |
| מִלֶּ֣כֶת׀ | milekhet | for going | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| אַחֲרֵ֣י | ʾacharei | after | H310 → | 715 times |
| דָוִ֗ד | david | David | H1732 → | 999 times |
| וַיֹּֽשִׁיבֻם֙ | vaiyoshivum | and they had left behind them | H3427 → | 1079 times |
| בְּנַ֣חַל | benachal | at [the] wadi of | H5158 → | 141 times |
| הַבְּשׂ֔וֹר | habesor | <the> Besor | H1308 → | 3 times |
| וַיֵּֽצְאוּ֙ | vaiyetzeu | and they went out | H3318 → | 1067 times |
| לִקְרַ֣את | likrat | to meet | H7122 → | 139 times |
| דָּוִ֔ד | david | David | H1732 → | 999 times |
| וְלִקְרַ֖את | velikrat | and to meet | H7122 → | 139 times |
| הָעָ֣ם | haam | the people | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| אֲשֶׁר־ | ʾasher- | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| אִתּ֑וֹ | ʾito | [was] with him | H854 → | 929 times |
| וַיִּגַּ֤שׁ | vaiyigash | and he approached | H5066 → | 125 times |
| דָּוִד֙ | david | David | H1732 → | 999 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| הָעָ֔ם | haam | the people | H5971 → | 1873 times |
| וַיִּשְׁאַ֥ל | vaiyishal | and he asked | H7592 → | 171 times |
| לָהֶ֖ם | lahem | of <the> them | ||
| לְשָׁלֽוֹם׃ ס | leshalom | to welfare | H7965 → | 236 times |
וַיָּבֹ֣אand he came
vaiyavo'H935 →2568 times
דָוִ֗דDavid
davidH1732 →999 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
מָאתַ֨יִםtwo hundred
matayimH3967 →581 times
הָאֲנָשִׁ֜יםthe men
haanashimH582 →566 times
אֲשֶֽׁר־who
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
פִּגְּר֣וּ׀they had been [too] exhausted
pigeruH6296 →
מִלֶּ֣כֶת׀for going
milekhetH1980 →1546 times
אַחֲרֵ֣יafter
ʾachareiH310 →715 times
דָוִ֗דDavid
davidH1732 →999 times
וַיֹּֽשִׁיבֻם֙and they had left behind them
vaiyoshivumH3427 →1079 times
בְּנַ֣חַלat [the] wadi of
benachalH5158 →141 times
הַבְּשׂ֔וֹר<the> Besor
habesorH1308 →3 times
וַיֵּֽצְאוּ֙and they went out
vaiyetzeuH3318 →1067 times
לִקְרַ֣אתto meet
likratH7122 →139 times
דָּוִ֔דDavid
davidH1732 →999 times
וְלִקְרַ֖אתand to meet
velikratH7122 →139 times
הָעָ֣םthe people
haamH5971 →1873 times
אֲשֶׁר־which
ʾasher-H834 →5497 times
אִתּ֑וֹ[was] with him
ʾitoH854 →929 times
וַיִּגַּ֤שׁand he approached
vaiyigashH5066 →125 times
דָּוִד֙David
davidH1732 →999 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
הָעָ֔םthe people
haamH5971 →1873 times
וַיִּשְׁאַ֥לand he asked
vaiyishalH7592 →171 times
לָהֶ֖םof <the> them
lahem
לְשָׁלֽוֹם׃ סto welfare
leshalomH7965 →236 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
1 Peter 3:8Finally, all of you, be like-minded and sympathetic, love as brothers, be tenderhearted and humble.
it leads to
- 1 Peter 1:22
Since you have purified your souls by obedience to the truth so that you have a genuine love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from a pure heart.
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- Romans 12:10
Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Outdo yourselves in honoring one another.
- Ephesians 4:31
Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, outcry and slander, along with every form of malice.
- Philippians 4:8–9
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think on these things.
- James 3:17
But the wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peace-loving, gentle, accommodating, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial, and sincere.
- 1 Peter 1:22
Through
Hebrews 13:1Continue in brotherly love.
it leads to
- 1 John 4:20
If anyone says, “I love God,” but hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen.
- 1 Peter 3:8
Finally, all of you, be like-minded and sympathetic, love as brothers, be tenderhearted and humble.
- 2 Peter 1:7
and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.
- 1 John 4:20
About 1 Samuel
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on Bede, Commentary on Samuel; Charles Spurgeon, The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit, Sermon No. 2208: “The Statute of David for the Sharing of the Spoil” (lightly modernized text, CCEL edition); John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.