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1 Samuel 30:16

Old Testament Historical ASV (1901)

What does 1 Samuel 30:16 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “And when he had brought him down, behold, they were spread abroad over all the ground, 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.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

And when he had brought him down, behold, they were spread abroad over all the ground, 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.
1 Samuel 30:16 — American Standard Version

Context — 1 Samuel 30

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
13And David said unto him, To whom belongest thou? and whence art thou? And he said, I am a young man of Egypt, servant to an Amalekite; and my master left me, because three days ago I fell sick.
14We made a raid upon the South of the Cherethites, and upon that which belongeth to Judah, and upon the South of Caleb; and we burned Ziklag with fire.
15And David said to him, Wilt thou bring me down to this troop? And he said, Swear unto me by God, that thou wilt neither kill me, nor deliver me up into the hands of my master, and I will bring thee down to this troop.
16And when he had brought him down, behold, they were spread abroad over all the ground, 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.
17And David smote them from the twilight even unto the evening of the next day: and there escaped not a man of them, save four hundred young men, who rode upon camels and fled.
18And David recovered all that the Amalekites had taken; and David rescued his two wives.
19And there was nothing lacking to them, neither small nor great, neither sons nor daughters, neither spoil, nor anything that they had taken to them: David brought back all.
← 1 Samuel 30:151 Samuel 30:17 →
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What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“And when he had brought him down, etc.] 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, (<093014>1 Samuel 30:14); and here…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“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.”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“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. 1 Kings (1 Samuel) 30:17”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“when he: Jdg 1:24, Jdg 1:25 eating: Sa1 25:36-38; Exo 32:6, Exo 32:17-19, Exo 32:27, Exo 32:28; Jdg 16:23-30; Sa2 13:28; Isa 22:13; Dan 5:1-4; Luk 12:19, Luk 12:20, Luk 17:27-29, Luk 21:34, Luk 21:35; Th1 5:3; Rev 11:10-13 because of all: Job 20:5 1 Kings (1 Samuel) 30:17”
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Related study paths

Read 1 Samuel 30 in contextBrowse Hebrew word studiesOpen this verse in the study reader

Sources and verification