1 Samuel 30:1-6

1 Samuel 30:1-6

[1] And it came to pass, when David  were come  to Ziklag  on the third  day,  that the Amalekites  had invaded  the south,  and Ziklag,  and smitten  Ziklag,  and burned  it with fire;  [2] And had taken the women  captives,  that were therein: they slew  not any,  either great  or small,  but carried them away,  on their way.  [3] So David  came  to the city,  and, behold, it was burned  with fire;  and their wives,  and their sons,  and their daughters,  were taken captives.  [4] Then David  and the people  that were with him lifted up  their voice  and wept,  until they had no more power  to weep.  [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  every man  for his sons  and for his daughters:  but David  encouraged  himself in the LORD  his God. 

What does 1 Samuel 30:1-6 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

David took three days to return from Aphek ( 1 Samuel 29:11) to Ziklag. The Amalekites, whom David had previously raided ( 1 Samuel 27:8), took advantage of the Philistines" and David"s absence to retaliate in the Negev and on Ziklag. They plundered both Philistine and Judahite territory ( 1 Samuel 30:16). When David and his men arrived back home, they discovered Ziklag empty of inhabitants and burned down. David joined his men in weeping over the tragedy that the enemies of God"s kingdom had caused (cf. Matthew 23:37). David"s supporters then turned on him and almost stoned him, giving him trouble on two fronts simultaneously. In his distress David, as usual, strengthened himself in the Lord by relying on Yahweh and inquiring of Him ( 1 Samuel 30:6-8). From the Psalm we know that David often did this by looking back on God"s past faithfulness, looking up in prayer, and looking forward with God"s promises in view.
"David"s genius was his spiritual resilience." [1]
"Both David and Saul are portrayed as persons in deep crises of leadership, and both are deeply at risk. What interests us is the difference of response.... Saul seeks refuge in a medium [2]." [2]