Lectionary Calendar
Tuesday, April 29th, 2025
the Second Week after Easter
Attention!
StudyLight.org has pledged to help build churches in Uganda. Help us with that pledge and support pastors in the heart of Africa.
Click here to join the effort!

Read the Bible

THE MESSAGE

1 Samuel 30:23

"Families don't do this sort of thing! Oh no, my brothers!" said David as he broke up the argument. "You can't act this way with what God gave us! God kept us safe. He handed over the raiders who attacked us. Who would ever listen to this kind of talk? The share of the one who stays with the gear is the share of the one who fights—equal shares. Share and share alike!" From that day on, David made that the rule in Israel—and it still is.

Bible Study Resources

Dictionaries:

- American Tract Society Bible Dictionary - Spoil;   Ziklag;   Fausset Bible Dictionary - Amalekites;   Holman Bible Dictionary - Besor;   Samuel, Books of;   Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible - Esdraelon;   Morrish Bible Dictionary - Amalek, Amalekites ;   Ziklag ;   Watson's Biblical & Theological Dictionary - Armies;  

Encyclopedias:

- Condensed Biblical Cyclopedia - Hebrew Monarchy, the;   The Jewish Encyclopedia - Ziklag;  

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
But David said, “My brothers, you must not do this with what the Lord has given us. He protected us and handed over to us the raiders who came against us.
Hebrew Names Version
Then said David, You shall not do so, my brothers, with that which the LORD has given to us, who has preserved us, and delivered the troop that came against us into our hand.
King James Version
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.
Lexham English Bible
But David said to them, "You should not do so, my brothers, with what Yahweh has given to us! He has preserved us and has given the raiding band that came against us into our hand.
English Standard Version
But David said, "You shall not do so, my brothers, with what the Lord has given us. He has preserved us and given into our hand the band that came against us.
New Century Version
David answered, "No, my brothers. Don't do that after what the Lord has given us. He has protected us and given us the enemy who attacked us.
New English Translation
But David said, "No! You shouldn't do this, my brothers. Look at what the Lord has given us! He has protected us and has delivered into our hands the raiding party that came against us.
Amplified Bible
David said, "You must not do so, my brothers, with what the LORD has given us. He has kept us safe and has handed over to us the band [of Amalekites] that came against us.
New American Standard Bible
But David said, "You must not do so, my brothers, with what the LORD has given us, for He has protected us and handed over to us the band of raiders that came against us.
Geneva Bible (1587)
Then saide Dauid, Yee shall not doe so, my brethren, with that which the Lorde hath giuen vs, who hath preserued vs, and deliuered the companie that came against vs, into our handes.
Legacy Standard Bible
Then David said, "You must not do so, my brothers, with what Yahweh has given us, who has kept us and given into our hand the band that came against us.
Contemporary English Version
But David said: My friends, don't be so greedy with what the Lord has given us! The Lord protected us and gave us victory over the people who attacked.
Complete Jewish Bible
Then David said, "No, my brothers, don't do this with the goods Adonai has given us. He protected us, and he handed the raiding party over to us.
Darby Translation
Then said David, Ye shall not do so, my brethren, with that which Jehovah has given us, who has preserved us, and given the troop that came against us into our hand.
Easy-to-Read Version
David answered, "No, my brothers. Don't do that! Think about what the Lord gave us. He let us defeat the enemy that attacked us.
George Lamsa Translation
But David said, You shall not do thus, my brethren, with that which the LORD has given us, he who has preserved us and delivered into our hands the raiders that came against us.
Good News Translation
But David answered, "My brothers, you can't do this with what the Lord has given us! He kept us safe and gave us victory over the raiders.
Literal Translation
And David said, You shall not do so, my brothers, with that which Jehovah has given to us. And He has protected us, and has given the troop which came against us into our hand.
Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
Then sayde Dauid: Ye shall not do so (my brethren) with that which ye LORDE hath geuen vs, and hath preserued vs, and delyuered these men of warre (which were come agaynst vs) in to oure hades.
American Standard Version
Then said David, Ye shall not do so, my brethren, with that which Jehovah hath given unto us, who hath preserved us, and delivered the troop that came against us into our hand.
Bible in Basic English
Then David said, You are not to do this, my brothers, after what the Lord has given us, who has kept us safe and given up the band which came against us into our hands.
Bishop's Bible (1568)
Then sayd Dauid: Ye shall not do so my brethren with that which the Lord hath geuen vs, who hath preserued vs, and delyuered the company that came against vs, into our handes.
JPS Old Testament (1917)
Then said David: 'Ye shall not do so, my brethren, with that which the LORD hath given unto us, who hath preserved us, and delivered the troop that came against us into our hand.
King James Version (1611)
Then said Dauid, Ye shall not do so, my brethren, with that which the Lord hath giuen vs, who hath preserued vs, and deliuered the companie that came against vs, into our hand.
Brenton's Septuagint (LXX)
And David said, Ye shall not do so, after the Lord has delivered the enemy to us, and guarded us, and the Lord has delivered into our hands the troop that came against u.
English Revised Version
Then said David, Ye shall not do so, my brethren, with that which the LORD hath given unto us, who hath preserved us, and delivered the troop that came against us into our hand.
Berean Standard Bible
But David said, "My brothers, you must not do this with what the LORD has given us. He has protected us and delivered into our hands the raiders who came against us.
Wycliffe Bible (1395)
Forsothe Dauid seide, My britheren, ye schulen not do so of these thingis, whiche the Lord yaf to vs, and kepte vs, and yaf the theues, that braken out ayens vs, in to oure hondis;
Young's Literal Translation
And David saith, `Ye do not do so, my brethren, with that which Jehovah hath given to us, and He doth preserve us, and doth give the troop which cometh against us into our hand;
Update Bible Version
Then said David, You shall not do so, my brothers, with that which Yahweh has given to us, who has preserved us, and delivered the troop that came against us into our hand.
Webster's Bible Translation
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.
World English Bible
Then said David, You shall not do so, my brothers, with that which Yahweh has given to us, who has preserved us, and delivered the troop that came against us into our hand.
New King James Version
But David said, "My brethren, you shall not do so with what the LORD has given us, who has preserved us and delivered into our hand the troop that came against us.
New Living Translation
But David said, "No, my brothers! Don't be selfish with what the Lord has given us. He has kept us safe and helped us defeat the band of raiders that attacked us.
New Life Bible
David said, "You must not do so with what the Lord has given us, my brothers. He has kept us safe and has given us the army that came against us.
New Revised Standard
But David said, "You shall not do so, my brothers, with what the Lord has given us; he has preserved us and handed over to us the raiding party that attacked us.
J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Then said David, Ye shall not do so, my brethren, - with that which Yahweh hath given to us, who hath preserved us, and delivered the troop that came against us into our hand.
Douay-Rheims Bible
But David said: You shall not do so, my brethren, with these things, which the Lord hath given us, who hath kept us, and hath delivered the robbers that invaded us into our hands:
Revised Standard Version
But David said, "You shall not do so, my brothers, with what the LORD has given us; he has preserved us and given into our hand the band that came against us.
New American Standard Bible (1995)
Then David said, "You must not do so, my brothers, with what the LORD has given us, who has kept us and delivered into our hand the band that came against us.

Contextual Overview

21 Then David came to the two hundred who had been too tired to continue with him and had dropped out at the Brook Besor. They came out to welcome David and his band. As he came near he called out, "Success!" 22 But all the mean-spirited men who had marched with David, the rabble element, objected: "They didn't help in the rescue, they don't get any of the plunder we recovered. Each man can have his wife and children, but that's it. Take them and go!" 23"Families don't do this sort of thing! Oh no, my brothers!" said David as he broke up the argument. "You can't act this way with what God gave us! God kept us safe. He handed over the raiders who attacked us. Who would ever listen to this kind of talk? The share of the one who stays with the gear is the share of the one who fights—equal shares. Share and share alike!" From that day on, David made that the rule in Israel—and it still is. 26On returning to Ziklag, David sent portions of the plunder to the elders of Judah, his neighbors, with a note saying, "A gift from the plunder of God 's enemies!" He sent them to the elders in Bethel, Ramoth Negev, Jattir, Aroer, Siphmoth, Eshtemoa, Racal, Jerahmeelite cities, Kenite cities, Hormah, Bor Ashan, Athach, and Hebron, along with a number of other places David and his men went to from time to time.

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

my brethren: Genesis 19:7, Judges 19:23, Acts 7:2, Acts 22:1

which the Lord: 1 Samuel 30:8, 1 Samuel 2:7, Numbers 31:49-54, Deuteronomy 8:10, Deuteronomy 8:18, 1 Chronicles 29:12-14, Habakkuk 1:16

who hath: Psalms 44:2-7, Psalms 121:7, Psalms 121:8

Cross-References

Genesis 29:31
When God realized that Leah was unloved, he opened her womb. But Rachel was barren. Leah became pregnant and had a son. She named him Reuben (Look-It's-a-Boy!). "This is a sign," she said, "that God has seen my misery; and a sign that now my husband will love me."
Genesis 30:6
Rachel said, "God took my side and vindicated me. He listened to me and gave me a son." She named him Dan (Vindication). Rachel's maid Bilhah became pregnant again and gave Jacob a second son. Rachel said, "I've been in an all-out fight with my sister—and I've won." So she named him Naphtali (Fight).
Isaiah 4:1
That will be the day when seven women will gang up on one man, saying, "We'll take care of ourselves, get our own food and clothes. Just give us a child. Make us pregnant so we'll have something to live for!"
Luke 1:21
Meanwhile, the congregation waiting for Zachariah was getting restless, wondering what was keeping him so long in the sanctuary. When he came out and couldn't speak, they knew he had seen a vision. He continued speechless and had to use sign language with the people.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Then said David, ye shall not do so, my brethren,.... Though he saw through their wickedness, and disapproved of the bad sentiments they had embraced, yet he deals gently with them, calling them brethren, being of the same nation and religion, and his fellow soldiers; yet at the same time keeps up and maintains his dignity and authority as a general, and declares it should not be as they willed, and gives his reasons for it, that it was not fit they should do as they pleased:

with that which the Lord hath given us; what they had was given them, and therefore, as they had freely received, they should freely give; and what was given them, was not given to them only, but to the whole body, by the Lord:

who hath preserved us, and delivered the company that came against us into our hand; it was not by their own power and might that they got the victory over the enemy, and the spoil into their hands, but it was through the Lord only; and therefore, as they should not assume the honour of the victory to themselves, so neither should they claim the spoil as wholly belonging to them.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse 1 Samuel 30:23. That which the Lord hath given us — He very properly attributes this victory to God; the numbers of the Amalekites being so much greater than his own. Indeed, as many fled away on camels as were in the whole host of David.


 
adsfree-icon
Ads FreeProfile