1 Samuel 30:21-25

1 Samuel 30:21-25

[21] And David  came  to the two hundred  which were so faint  David,  whom they had made also to abide  at the brook  Besor:  and they went forth  David,  the people  that were with him: and when David  came near  to the people,  he saluted  them. [22] Then answered  all the wicked  men  and men of Belial,  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,  [23] Then said  David,  Ye shall not do so,  my brethren,  with that which the LORD  hath given  us, who hath preserved  us, and delivered  the company  that came  against us into our hand.  [24] For who will hearken  unto you in this matter?  but as his part  is that goeth down  to the battle,  so shall his part  be that tarrieth  by the stuff:  they shall part  alike.  [25] And it was so from that day  forward,  that he made  it a statute  and an ordinance  for Israel  unto this day. 

What does 1 Samuel 30:21-25 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

The rest of the chapter describes the distribution of plunder from this battle. The amount of space the writer devoted to this revelation shows that he intended to stress it.
David returned to his200 exhausted followers at the Besor Brook and greeted them (cf. 1 Samuel 17:22; 1 Samuel 25:5-6). David was a greeter who saw the importance of initiating friendly contact with others. The New Testament frequently exhorts believers to greet one another. Some of the soldiers who had participated in combat with the Amalekites did not want to share the booty with those who had guarded the baggage (cf. 1 Samuel 30:24). Saul had had his critics too (cf. 1 Samuel 10:27). David, however, took a different view of things. He saw that God had given them this victory; the spoil was not essentially what the combat soldiers had won but what the Lord had given His people, along with protection (cf. 1 Corinthians 3:8; Matthew 20:12-15). Yahweh was the real deliverer of Israel (cf. 1 Samuel 17:46-47). Again, this illustrates David"s perception of God"s relation to Israel and to himself, which was so different from Saul"s view. His generous policy of dividing the spoils of war so the non-combatants would receive a portion ( 1 Samuel 30:24-31) was in harmony with the Mosaic Law ( Numbers 31:27). This policy further prepared the way for the Judahites" acceptance of David as Saul"s successor.