David Rescues His Family I Samuel 30

I Samuel 30:1 "And it came to pass, when David and his men 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 v2 And and taken the women captives, that were therein: they slew not any, either great or small, but carried them away, and went on their way."

David and his men have been on a force march from where Saul and the Philistines were about to fight. He and his men must have been very tired. He then found the city burned and his wives gone. In fact, there were probably many of the men whose families were taken. What does David do? First, he prays.

v8 "And David enquired at the LORD, saying Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all."

Guess who it was that took David's family. Amalek. The very one that Saul was suppose to destroy utterly. He did not and lost the kingdom. These were those who attacked Israel while they escaped Egypt back in Exodus and the LORD said he would erase remembrance of them. Rest assured, Amalek will show up in your life. Once the devil has a tool to use against a Christian, he will use it to his full advantage. While you are off fighting the battle, Amalek will show up. Amalek is a type of the flesh and we know that we must continually do battle there.

v11 "And they found an Egyptian in the field and brought him to David and gave him bread, and he did eat: and they made him drink water."

This young man got sick on the march with the Amalekites and they just left him in the field. He lay there three days until David's men found him and were kind to him. He revived and showed David where the enemy camp was. They were having a big ol' time but come the twilight all that came to and end.

v17 "And 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, which rode upon camels, and fled."

David had only 400 men with him and 400 of the enemy escaped so there must have been a great number that paid for their invasion with their lives. David's 400 defeated an army, no wonder they are called his mighty men.

Now, 200 of David's men had been too weak to go all the way to the enemy camp, so David left them to watch their stuff at the brook Besor. They return to this camp with their families and the spoils which included a lot of livestock. Some wanted to deny those who watched the stuff any of the spoil but David said they would share equally and so made it a law of the land.

v23 "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. v24 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."

In modern Christian work, there are those who preach, do mission work and are on the front lines. Then, there are those who cannot go to the front line but stay behind and work in factories or such and send money to support the others with their money and prayers. The latter are those who stay by the stuff. It is good to know that they too will share in the rewards.

David also did a little politicking when he got back to Ziklag although I do not think he saw it as such.

v26 "And when David came to Ziklag, he sent of the spoil unto the elders of Judah, even to his friends saying, Behold a present for you of the spoil of the enemies of the LORD: " Then they are listed. The last verse is enlightening.

v31 "And to them which were in Hebron and to all the places where David himself and his men were wont to haunt."

So a series of events have taken place very quickly. David is living in the enemy camp. He almost fought with the Philistines against Israel but was not allowed to do so. He then executes judgment on the Amalekites while rescuing his family. Saul is facing the Philistines and has been unable to get an answer from the LORD. He goes to a witch who perhaps raises up Samuel who tells him all is lost for him because he did not obey the LORD.

Psalm 32:6 "For this shall every one that is godly pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found: surely in the floods of great waters they shall not come nigh unto him."

Key words: Old Old Story, Bible Study, Old Testament, Samuel, Israel, David, Saul, Ziklag, Amalek, Jonathan, Philistines, Milton Southerland, Bible, Study, Tracking the salvation story through the scripture.