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1 Samuel 30:3

Old Testament Historical ASV (1901)

What does 1 Samuel 30:3 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “And when David and his men came to the city, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captive.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

And when David and his men came to the city, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captive.
1 Samuel 30:3 — American Standard Version

Context — 1 Samuel 30

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
1And it came to pass, when David and his men were come to Ziklag on the third day, that the Amalekites had made a raid upon the South, and upon Ziklag, and had smitten Ziklag, and burned it with fire,
2and had taken captive the women [and all] that were therein, both small and great: they slew not any, but carried them off, and went their way.
3And when David and his men came to the city, behold, it was burned with fire; and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captive.
4Then David and the people that were with him lifted up their voice and wept, until they had no more power to weep.
5And David`s two wives were taken captive, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the wife of Nabal the Carmelite.
6And 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.
← 1 Samuel 30:21 Samuel 30:4 →
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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
“So David and his men came to the city, etc.] Or however to the place where it had stood, and where it now lay in ruins: and, behold, [it was] burnt with fire; the whole city was laid in ashes: and their wives, and their sons, and their daughters, were taken captives; as it appeared afterwards; for upon their first coming they knew not but they were all destroyed; and which they might reasonably suppose from their former treatment of them, unless there were any left upon the spot which could inform them how things were, which does not appear, and which must make their distress the greater.”
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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
“David and his men came to the city, and, behold, it was burned with fire--The language implies that the smoke of the conflagration was still visible, and the sacking very recent.”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“burned: Psa 34:19; Heb 12:6; Pe1 1:6, Pe1 1:7; Rev 3:9 1 Kings (1 Samuel) 30:4”
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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