1 Samuel 30:22
in 1 Samuel 30but all the wicked and worthless men among those who had gone with David said, “Because they did not go with us, we will not share with them the plunder we recovered, except for each man’s wife and children. They may take them and go.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Then answered all the wicked men and base fellows, of those that went with David, and said, Because they went not with us, we will not give them aught of the spoil that we have recovered, save to every man his wife and his children, that he may lead them away, and depart.
KJV
Then answered all the wicked men and men of Belial, of those that went with David, and said, Because they went not with us, we will not give them ought of the spoil that we have recovered, save to every man his wife and his children, that they may lead them away, and depart.
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This verse in 1 Samuel 30
Commentary
8 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.
This site's exposition
all the wicked and worthless men
Adam Clarke says the Hebrew phrase behind worthless men describes the harsh, the idle and the profane. Matthew Henry answers the proposal from its own terms. Wives and children returned with no share of the plunder would leave the two hundred little to live on.
The record, by era
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
What joy could they have of their families if they had nothing to maintain them with? Was this to do as they would be done by? Those are men of Belial indeed who delight in putting hardships upon their brethren, and care not who is starved, so they may be fed to the full.
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
Then answered all the wicked men, and men of Belial, of those that went with David,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
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.
Men of Belial - This is a common expression to denote the sour, the rugged, the severe, the idle, and the profane.
The words behind it
31 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיַּ֜עַן | vaiyaan | and he answered | H6030 → | 331 times |
| כָּל־ | kol- | every | H3605 → | 5413 times |
| אִֽישׁ־ | ʾish- | man | H376 → | 1663 times |
| רָ֣ע | ra' | evil | H7451 → | 662 times |
| וּבְלִיַּ֗עַל | uveliyaal | and worthlessness | H1100 → | 27 times |
| מֵֽהָאֲנָשִׁים֮ | mehaanashim | from the men | H582 → | 566 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֣ר | ʾasher | who | H834 → | 5497 times |
| הָלְכ֣וּ | halekhu | they had gone | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| עִם־ | ʾim- | with | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| דָּוִד֒ | david | David | H1732 → | 999 times |
| וַיֹּאמְר֗וּ | vaiyomeru | and they said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| יַ֚עַן | yaan | because | H3282 → | |
| אֲשֶׁ֣ר | ʾasher | that | H834 → | 5497 times |
| לֹֽא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| הָלְכ֣וּ | halekhu | they went | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| עִמִּ֔י | ʾimi | with me | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| לֹֽא־ | lo'- | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| נִתֵּ֣ן | niten | we will give | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| לָהֶ֔ם | lahem | to <the> them | ||
| מֵהַשָּׁלָ֖ל | mehashalal | any of the booty | H7998 → | 73 times |
| אֲשֶׁ֣ר | ʾasher | which | H834 → | 5497 times |
| הִצַּ֑לְנוּ | hitzalnu | we have recovered | H5337 → | 212 times |
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| אִם־ | ʾim- | except | H518 → | 1069 times |
| אִ֤ישׁ | ʾish | everyone | H376 → | 1663 times |
| אֶת־ | ʾet- | <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| אִשְׁתּוֹ֙ | ʾishto | wife his | H802 → | 781 times |
| וְאֶת־ | veet | and <obj.> | H853 → | 10935 times |
| בָּנָ֔יו | banav | children his | H1121 → | 4930 times |
| וְיִנְהֲג֖וּ | veyinhagu | so they may lead [them] away | H5090 → | 31 times |
| וְיֵלֵֽכוּ׃ ס | veyelekhu | and they may go | H1980 → | 1546 times |
וַיַּ֜עַןand he answered
vaiyaanH6030 →331 times
כָּל־every
kol-H3605 →5413 times
אִֽישׁ־man
ʾish-H376 →1663 times
רָ֣עevil
ra'H7451 →662 times
וּבְלִיַּ֗עַלand worthlessness
uveliyaalH1100 →27 times
מֵֽהָאֲנָשִׁים֮from the men
mehaanashimH582 →566 times
אֲשֶׁ֣רwho
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
הָלְכ֣וּthey had gone
halekhuH1980 →1546 times
עִם־with
ʾim-H5973 →1050 times
דָּוִד֒David
davidH1732 →999 times
וַיֹּאמְר֗וּand they said
vaiyomeruH559 →5305 times
יַ֚עַןbecause
yaanH3282 →
אֲשֶׁ֣רthat
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
לֹֽא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
הָלְכ֣וּthey went
halekhuH1980 →1546 times
עִמִּ֔יwith me
ʾimiH5973 →1050 times
לֹֽא־not
lo'-H3808 →5168 times
נִתֵּ֣ןwe will give
nitenH5414 →2011 times
לָהֶ֔םto <the> them
lahem
מֵהַשָּׁלָ֖לany of the booty
mehashalalH7998 →73 times
אֲשֶׁ֣רwhich
ʾasherH834 →5497 times
הִצַּ֑לְנוּwe have recovered
hitzalnuH5337 →212 times
כִּֽי־that
ki-H3588 →4482 times
אִם־except
ʾim-H518 →1069 times
אִ֤ישׁeveryone
ʾishH376 →1663 times
אֶת־<obj.>
ʾet-H853 →10935 times
אִשְׁתּוֹ֙wife his
ʾishtoH802 →781 times
וְאֶת־and <obj.>
veetH853 →10935 times
בָּנָ֔יוchildren his
banavH1121 →4930 times
וְיִנְהֲג֖וּso they may lead [them] away
veyinhaguH5090 →31 times
וְיֵלֵֽכוּ׃ סand they may go
veyelekhuH1980 →1546 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
Matthew 7:12In everything, then, do to others as you would have them do to you. For this is the essence of the Law and the Prophets.
it leads to
- Luke 6:31
Do to others as you would have them do to you.
- Romans 13:8–10
Be indebted to no one, except to one another in love. For he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.
- Galatians 5:13–14
For you, brothers, were called to freedom; but do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh. Rather, serve one another in love.
- Mark 12:29–34
Jesus replied, “This is the most important: ‘Hear O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is One.
- Leviticus 19:18
Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against any of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD.
- Luke 6:31
Through
Judges 19:22While they were enjoying themselves, suddenly the wicked men of the city surrounded the house. Pounding on the door, they said to the old man who owned the house, “Bring out the man who…
it leads to
- Genesis 19:4–5
Before they had gone to bed, all the men of the city of Sodom, both young and old, surrounded the house.
- Deuteronomy 13:13
that wicked men have arisen from among you and have led the people of their city astray, saying, “Let us go and serve other gods” (which you have not known),
Reached by 2 separate paths from here.
- 1 Corinthians 6:9
Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who submit to or perform homosexual…
- Genesis 19:4–5
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; 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.